It is a stressful time when moving; packing all the house up, sorting the kids or pets out, and moving everything to a new home thousands of miles away.

But think how much more demanding and hectic the whole ordeal would be if you hired a removals firm van to transport all your goods but instead walked to your new property…500 miles away!

Well this is exactly what an odd couple near Tameside, Greater Manchester did when they purchased their dream retirement home.

Tome and Elaine Summerscales packed all their belongings into a removal van, waved it goodbye and set off from Stalybridge on a remarkable 40 day journey and 500 mile walk to their new home in the Scottish Highlands.

The keen outdoor enthusiasts decided to move up north to be closer to their daughter and grandchildren but rather than travelling up with the removal firm, the sixty-plus year olds trekked through tough terrain and appalling weather, walking up to 100 miles per week.

The pensioners donned backpacks and stayed under canvas and B&BS on their marathon on foot hike north of the border, in which they eventually reached their dream house with fabulous views across Findhorn Bay and the Moray Firth 40 days and 40 nights later.

Tom Summerscales, 65, a former dairy farmer, said: “We realised this was a wonderful place to come and retire to, and with our daughter being up here we decided to go for it.

“I remember my wife telling me how we didn’t want to be sitting on a park bench in 10 years’ time saying we wished we’d gone to Scotland.”

But the challenge did not come without its danger and at one point the wife was almost swept away by a swollen stream as they battled the horrendous weather.

Mr Summerscales said: “The mountain burns were like torrents and Elaine couldn’t jump one of them so elected to step into it with me holding on to her arm.

“When she did, it literally took her downstream but I didn’t let go of her. If I had, I don’t think she would have survived. It was a bit frightening.”

The pensioners are both experienced hill walkers and Mr Summerscales is a veteran of long-distance treks. They began their off-road journey on 18^th April and reached the destination on 27^th May. In total they camped 17 nights, stayed in youth hostels, bed and breakfasts, bunk barns and cramped bothies.

For a more hassle-free move that is simple, hire Robinsons International as your Removals firm and travel with us!

After celebrating their honeymoon in private, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are finally moving into their new home together.

Prince William and Kate Middleton are moving into a home at Kensington Palace in the coming weeks, according to a press release by St James’s Palace.

It was speculated months ago that the newlyweds would be moving into Clarence House to initially live alongside William’s brother, Prince Harry; and they have been residing in an apartment there since they tied the knot on April 29^th.

But the latest official statement has revealed that the pair is now to move to Kensington, the palace in which Prince William lived in with Prince Harry and Diana Princess of Wales, after her divorce from the Prince of Wales i.e. the boys’ father and future King of England.

However, the apartment he will share with his new bride will not be the same property he used to live in with his mother and brother.

A spokesman from St James’s Palace said: “We can confirm that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s official London residence will temporarily become a property at Kensington Palace.

“A number of options for longer term solutions are still being considered.

“The couple’s main home will continue to be their house on Anglesey, and their Household Office will continue to be based at St James’s Palace.”2

The spokesman added that they will move at some point in June or July.

If the royals need help moving all the classy clothes and grand furniture, call Robinsons International today for expert Removals.

Are you moving abroad for the summer?

If you plan on spending your summer vacation in another country this season then make sure you protect your finances in advance.

With the hot temperatures and glorious sunshine it can be easy to forget about security, so before you get all excited and move make sure you read these top tips about looking after your monies during the holiday.

Here is Robinsons International’s finance guide on smart travel this season whether you are heading out on a plane, or taking a road trip. And whatever you are doing, make sure you use our expert International Removals!

- Inform the bank in advance

Let your bank know before you move abroad. It can look suspicious to a bank when a transaction is made in another country if they have not been alerted, especially as it could be fraud and it is of unusual activity.

So to avoid the bank blocking your card and freezing your account whilst protocols are ordered, inform them beforehand of your travels.

- Find out about overseas charges

Nothing could be worse than getting back from a lovely break abroad and receiving a bank statement through the letterbox informing you of a massive bill you have raked up whilst out there.

Find out beforehand of any fees you will be charged when using your card or drawing out cash at an ATM to dodge any nasty surprises.

- Take out insurance

Make sure you buy travel insurance before you go to protect yourself in case your luggage gets lost, or if you need medical help. You never know what is going to happen when in a foreign country; the airline or hotel might go bust or you may be left stranded.

Cover yourself just to be on the safe side.

- Don’t tell potential burglars that you are going away

You might not realise it but by posting on social networking sites that you are going on holiday you are sending an open invite to burglars.

Keep the destination and length of trip vague on your status updates be it on Facebook or Twitter and never post exact dates of your absence, as basically you are letting all criminals know when your house will be vacant to target.

- Redirect mail

Mail can be a great target source for burglars for identity theft. Overflowing mailboxes can help criminals get hold of private information so redirect your mail during your summer move or ask a family relative or friend to pop round regularly to pick them up from behind the door.

- Be cautious of pickpockets

Tourist areas abroad thrive on pickpockets, so take a handbag that can close securely with a zip and that is preferably located on the front of your body so you can keep watch of it more carefully.

But in the worst case scenario, if you are pickpocketed don’t carry around your health card, national insurance number, airplane tickets or credit and debit cards. Keep them at your hotel or living quarters when going out and about or locked in a safe.

A credit card can be beneficial in that if cash is stolen, you are not left penniless in a foreign country.