The Lariam Tab

Day 19 of The Lariam Tab saw the team cover another 21 miles, taking us from Olney in Buckinghamshire to Sharpenhoe,

north of Luton. With the finish line now just days away, spirits are high and the mission is more important than ever: raising awareness of veterans lost to military suicide and those linked to Lariam (mefloquine).

The route itself was both scenic and challenging, weaving together riverside paths, bridleways, historic trails, and rural roads. Navigation had to balance simplicity with safety, keeping us away from unnecessary diversions while still making steady progress south.

We set off from Olney, picking up the Ouse Valley Way, a peaceful riverside path that gave us a gentle start to the day. Two footbridges carried us across the River Ouse before we struck out towards Clifton Raynes.

From there, a combination of roads and bridleways led us onto the Milton Keynes Boundary Walk at Gorwelle, then on towards Astwood. Rolling countryside and country lanes gave way to the edge of Cranfield, a well-known university town with strong links to engineering and aviation.

Just east of Cranfield, we passed The Sugar Loaf and began our descent into Marston Moretaine, before skirting the edge of the Millbrook Vehicle Testing Ground. A unique feature of today’s walk, it was a reminder of how varied and unpredictable the English landscape can be.

Next came the familiar footsteps of history on the John Bunyan Trail, guiding us through Flitwick and onwards to Westoning, named after the famous preacher and author of The Pilgrim’s Progress.

Our final push took us due east past Samshill Farm and Upper Samshill Farm, dropping down to Mill Farm before picking up Harlington Road, and finally, into Sharpenhoe. A satisfying but demanding day.

Today also brought some incredible achievements off the road:

📰 The Lariam Tab was featured in the Newark Advertiser

💷 We smashed the £10,000 fundraising milestone for the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA)

🥾With less than 50 miles to go, the finish line is now in sight.