Preparations

A few years ago I decided I would attempt to walk from Lands End to John O’Groats. (LEJOG). I wanted a challenge, I wanted to see more of the countryside, and I like walking. I read a lot of blogs, and several guidebooks. There is no recognised route for the walk, it is a matter of deciding which areas of the country one would like to visit, and cobbling together a route. I decided I would walk along the South West Coast Path, then cross Exmoor, visiting Wells and Cheddar before heading to Bristol. From there the route would take me along Offa’s Dyke as far as Chirk where I would strike off to visit my mother on the English/Welsh border. I would walk across Cheshire to the Pennine Way and thence to Scotland. My original plan was to wander through the borders to New Lanark and the falls of Clyde, then follow the Clyde Walkway into Glasgow. However, accommodation seems rather sparse along the Clyde Walkway so I might skirt round to the north of Glasgow instead. From there it is the West Highland Way, followed by the Great Glen Way to Inverness, then up the coast to John O’Groats.

I have done a lot of planning. First I checked out whether I would enjoy camping. I looked out our old tent (not been used for twenty years) and went camping for the weekend with some cycling friends. It was great. Next I thought I would try walking on my own so I walked three days of the Oxfordshire Way by myself. That was OK too. Finally, I tried a week of camping/B and B’ing along the Cumbria Way. There were some issues with that, well, one issue really, my lack of fitness, but it was amazing and I would highly recommend it.

I was fired with enthusiasm. I told lots of people that I was going to do it. I gave up work in 2019, I spent the winter walking miles through the mud with an increasingly heavy backpack, and then Covid-19 happened. So of course, I didn’t do it, and at the moment I am hoping to start as soon as hotels are allowed to re-open, currently 17th May.