When I first sat down at the computer, with maps and various notes written on bits of paper surrounding me, I put a finger in the air and guessed that our route from Land’s End, via Lizard and Dunnet Head, to John O’Groats would be about 1200 miles long.
Working on that basis I calculated that we needed to aim at an average daily mileage of 16 miles.
I have now completed the first cut of the route planning (and am just dancing a jig by way of celebration; it’s been quite trying at times!).
The total distance has come out at 1252 miles. If we discount the last day (which is John O’Groats to Duncansby Head, at only 2.3 miles long; it doesn’t really come within the ‘LEJOG’ description, but we will walk it for completeness) then we will walk on 78 days, giving a daily average of a tiny smidge over 16 miles.
So, this is the plan:
DAY *** FROM/TO *** DISTANCE IN MILES (CUMULATIVE)
1 *** Land's End to Marazion *** 17 ( 17.0 )
2 *** Marazion to Mullion Cove *** 17.8 ( 34.8 )
3 *** Mullion Cove to Garras *** 14.75 ( 49.6 )
4 *** Garras to Carnon Downs *** 18.75 ( 68.3 )
5 *** Carnon Downs to Shortlanesend *** 6.3 ( 74.6 )
6 *** Shortlanesend to St Columb Major *** 16 ( 90.6 )
7 *** St Columb Major to St Mabyn *** 16 ( 106.6 )
8 *** St Mabyn to Alturnun *** 16.1 ( 122.7 )
9 *** Alturnun to Launceston *** 9.7 ( 132.4 )
10 *** Launceston to Sourton *** 19.7 ( 152.1 )
11 *** Sourton to Crediton *** 21.25 ( 173.4 )
12 *** Crediton to Tiverton *** 16.25 ( 189.6 )
13 *** Tiverton to Sampton Peverell *** 6.5 ( 196.1 )
14 *** Sampton Peverell to Taunton *** 18.75 ( 214.9 )
15 *** Taunton to Bridgwater *** 16 ( 230.9 )
16 *** Bridgwater to Cheddar *** 15 ( 245.9 )
17 *** Cheddar to Cheddar *** 0 ( 245.9 )
18 *** Cheddar to Gourdano *** 23.75 ( 269.6 )
19 *** Gourdano to Chepstow *** 18 ( 287.6 )
20 *** Chepstow to Monmouth *** 18.75 ( 306.4 )
21 *** Monmouth to Pandy *** 15.75 ( 322.1 )
22 *** Pandy to Hay on Wye *** 17 ( 339.1 )
23 *** Hay on Wye to Hay on Wye *** 0 ( 339.1 )
24 *** Hay on Wye to Kington *** 15.5 ( 354.6 )
25 *** Kington to Knighton *** 14.25 ( 368.9 )
26 *** Knighton to Mellington Hall *** 13.65 ( 382.5 )
27 *** Mellington Hall to Buttington *** 13 ( 395.5 )
28 *** Buttington to Llanymynech *** 10.5 ( 406.0 )
29 *** Llanymynech to Bronygarth *** 14.15 ( 420.2 )
30 *** Bronygarth to Hanmer *** 16.1 ( 436.3 )
31 *** Hanmer to Whitchurch *** 11 ( 447.3 )
32 *** Whitchurch to Whitchurch *** 0 ( 447.3 )
33 *** Whitchurch to Weston *** 18.8 ( 466.1 )
34 *** Weston to Congleton *** 17.5 ( 483.6 )
35 *** Congleton to Horwich End *** 17.8 ( 501.4 )
36 *** Horwich End to Edale *** 8.6 ( 510.0 )
37 *** Edale to Crowden *** 16.2 ( 526.2 )
38 *** Crowden to Marsden *** 12.5 ( 538.7 )
39 *** Marsden to Hebden Bridge *** 17.5 ( 556.2 )
40 *** Hebden Bridge to Hebden Bridge *** 0 ( 556.2 )
41 *** Hebden Bridge to Lothersdale *** 17.8 ( 574.0 )
42 *** Lothersdale to Malham *** 15 ( 589.0 )
43 *** Malham to Horton in Ribblesdale *** 14.7 ( 603.7 )
44 *** Horton in Ribblesdale to Hawes *** 14 ( 617.7 )
45 *** Hawes to Keld *** 12.9 ( 630.6 )
46 *** Keld to Baldersdale *** 12.25 ( 642.8 )
47 *** Baldersdale to Langdon Beck *** 14.1 ( 656.9 )
48 *** Langdon Beck to Dufton *** 12.7 ( 669.6 )
49 *** Dufton to Alston *** 19.3 ( 688.9 )
50 *** Alston to Greenhead *** 16.3 ( 705.2 )
51 *** Greenhead to Once Brewed *** 6.84 ( 712.0 )
52 *** Once Brewed to Bellingham *** 16.1 ( 728.1 )
53 *** Bellingham to Byrness *** 13.9 ( 742.0 )
54 *** Byrness to Refuge Hut *** 19 ( 761.0 )
55 *** Refuge Hut to Morebattle *** 13 ( 774.0 )
56 *** Morebattle to Lilliardsedge Park *** 12.4 ( 786.4 )
57 *** Lilliardsedge Park to Hog Hill *** 16.7 ( 803.1 )
58 *** Hog Hill to Peebles *** 21 ( 824.1 )
59 *** Peebles to Pentland Hills *** 18.4 ( 842.5 )
60 *** Pentland Hills to Linlithgow *** 21.7 ( 864.2 )
61 *** Linlithgow to Kilsyth *** 22 ( 886.2 )
62 *** Kilsyth to Kippen *** 15 ( 901.2 )
63 *** Kippen to Beyond Brig of Turk *** 18 ( 919.2 )
64 *** Beyond Brig of Turk to Killin *** 22 ( 941.2 )
65 *** Killin to Meall nan Sac *** 16.5 ( 957.7 )
66 *** Meall nan Sac to Loch Erich *** 16 ( 973.7 )
67 *** Loch Erich to Garva Bridge *** 22.5 ( 996.2 )
68 *** Garva Bridge to Fort Augustus *** 15.8 ( 1012.0 )
69 *** Fort Augustus to Cannich *** 24.25 ( 1036.3 )
70 *** Cannich to Loch Monar *** 19 ( 1055.3 )
71 *** Loch Monar to just after Craig *** 14.8 ( 1070.1 )
72 *** just after Craig to Kinlochewe *** 8.9 ( 1079.0 )
73 *** Kinlochewe to After Loch An Nid *** 14.8 ( 1093.8 )
74 *** After Loch An Nid to Beyond Inverlael *** 17 ( 1110.8 )
75 *** Beyond Inverlael to Oykel Bridge *** 13.25 ( 1124.0 )
76 *** Oykel Bridge to Lairg *** 17.8 ( 1141.8 )
77 *** Lairg to Loch Choire *** 17.6 ( 1159.4 )
78 *** Loch Choire to Kinbrace *** 18.15 ( 1177.6 )
79 *** Kinbrace to Sron Dubh *** 15.9 ( 1193.5 )
80 *** Sron Dubh to Watten *** 21 ( 1214.5 )
81 *** Watten to Dunnet *** 14 ( 1228.5 )
82 *** Dunnet to John O'Groats *** 21 ( 1249.5 )
83 *** John O'Groats to Duncansby Head *** 2.3 ( 1251.8 )
I’ve only scheduled in four rest days, which is not to say that we will only take four. Those that I have scheduled in have been for a purpose (in three cases we have family/friends accommodation nearby, in the case of Cheddar we just want a look around the area). Other rest days will be taken as and when we want or need them.
Next in the planning process is to print out the final 28 days-worth of maps and check that they look sensible, then I’ll be checking out the accommodation (most of which I’ve noted as I’ve gone along), then I’ll turn my thoughts to resupply.
I'll look out for you in St Mabyn
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the walk.
Andy
http://stmabyn.blogspot.com/
Ooh!
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous of you both!
Looks like a stormer of a walk and you are avoiding the ghastly roads of North East Scotland - shrewd move.
Nicely paced too. Do you think it ouwld be a good idea to take a few more rest days so that you can have time to ease muscles and take a little time to stake stock of your walk?
I found it massively beneficial.
Getting closer! I'm getting excited just reading it!
ReplyDeleteWell done so far. As my LEJOG doesn't start until 2009, I shall study your route carefully for ideas especially in relation to Scotland.
ReplyDeleteI shall soon be setting up a LEJOG blog separate from my day to day one and include all the planning bits and bobs.
Keep up the good work.
Good route, quite similar to the one I did in 2000. Any reason why you're not using the coastal path to Minehead? That was the highlight of the walk for me.
ReplyDeleteColin
Hi Colin,
ReplyDeleteI really had to think about that question as to why we're not taking the coast path to Minehead. I felt sure that there must have been a reason, even if not a particularly good one.
The answer is that we decided to do LEJOG via Lizard and Dunnet Head. Admittedly, we could have done Lizard to JOG via LE, but I just fancied heading south from LE, which led to the decision to take a central route up through the south west.
I'm sure that we'll get around to walking the whole of the SW Coast Path at some other time.
Hi Gayle,
ReplyDeleteI was just interested why. When I asked Alan that question he said he didn't do the coastal path because he doesn’t like coastal walking which is a good reason! As is its bl***y hard work which I’m sure anybody that’s walked it would agree with but then it has a beauty that makes it worth while.
Don’t be afraid to change your route if it takes your fancy, you’re only likely to do this once!
Colin.