LEJOG 2015
Walking from Lands End to John o'Groats
Since I finished my first "LEJOG" walk in 2005 and put my diary online, I've been pleasantly surprised to receive enquiries from people asking whether they should attempt the "end to end". My answer has always been a resounding "yes!" You don't need to be super fit or highly skilled at celestial navigation - this is the United Kingdom we're talking about. You will never be that far from civilisation and you can choose your route according to your confidence. You don't need to be that skilled at map reading any more, ordinary smartphones can show you your precise location in greater or lesser detail depending on the app and your budget.
You do need a little common sense, and to be realistic about your health and physical fitness. If you've not done much walking try a couple of day hikes to see how it goes. How does it feel to carry a hefty backpack?
Finance is a consideration - you will need to cover the cost of food and accommodation along the way. If you carry a tent, your outgoings will fall dramatically. If you're flush, you could have a roof over your head every night. Again, a little common sense and you should be fine!
LEJOG was the first walk I'd done which lasted more than a day. Since then me and Tina have done many multi day hikes, mainly in the UK and some abroad. We've had our fair share of blisters and aches and pains, but we've always muddled through. A few weeks after a walk, the memory filters out the bad stuff and all that remains is a rosy glowing recollection of all the fun we had.
I set off for the second (and probably last!) time at the end of April 2015. Every day I would write up up this account on my phone and upload it to my website, along with photos. Feel free to continue and read my account of a walk through a wonderful island.
Basingstoke Friday 24 April 2015
Getting quite exited now :) Our train leaves at 6:45 am tomorrow and we get to Penzance just after one. Ken has offered us a lift to the station! I was going to walk but Teen put her foot down.
If we can, we're going to get a bus down to Lands End and walk back to Penzance. That would be the first short leg out of the way on Saturday.
We packed our bags tonight. Mine was lighter than I thought it would be - just under two stones according to the bathroom scales. Mind you, I'm nine stone seven according to those scales...
I've sorted out a charity page, which makes things a bit tricky if I don't complete the walk...
Penzance Saturday 25 April 2015
Start: Lands End
Finish: Penzance
Miles walked today: 11
Total miles: 11
We're walking along a narrow country lane. The hedgerows are all yellow gorse and white may. Behind the hedges are freshly ploughed fields of an impossible rich brown colour which wouldn't look out of place in a child's crayon drawing. The rain has stopped and we've just had a delicious beer in a village pub. All in all a pleasant contrast to the development at Lands End itself, which is a bit of a carnival sideshow.
The day started very early, our limousine arrived on time and Ken and Carol whisked us off to the station to get our 6.47 train. Thank you both so much :)
Arrive in Penzance at 1.15, rush to the B&B, drop our packs off, and get to the bus stop for the 1.43 to Lands End. Except that I've looked at an out of date timetable, and the next bus isn't for an hour.
No problem.... walk out of Penzance, and thumb a lift on the A 30. Which, amazingly, worked.
Sue pulled up in her chic Fiat 500 and said she could take us to her village, about halfway to LE. Teen, Sue and and I chatted about her previous address (Kent), her wedding anniversary (tomorrow - 18 years - congratulations), her family (husband and daughter), and our walk. Before we knew it she had taken us all the way to LE. What a lovely person.
(Note to self: Sue recommends The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - a novel by Rachel Joyce - relevant as it's about walking).
We stayed long enough to sign the register in the Lands End hotel and take some photos. The walk back started wet and brightened. We had dinner in the swish "Mackerel Sky Cafe" and retired to our room.
Knackered.
Helston Sunday 26 April 2015
Start: Penzance
Finish: Helston
Miles walked today: 17
Total miles: 28
It's funny how a tune rattles around in your head when you're out and about. Yesterday was Chacka Demus and Pliers seminal hit "Tease Me" - today Roxy Music's "Would You Believe" from their amazing first album. Teen says it's the same for her, the Proclaimer's "Walk 500 Miles" her most recent.
We walked for a while out of Penzance with Barry and Geoff. They are just over half way through the South West Coast Path. 630 gruelling miles from Minehead to Poole. They are both very experienced walkers, and marathon runners. Geoff has (amazingly) walked all the UK national trails.
Today we stayed on Geoff and Barry's path until Porthleven, where we diverted inland to Helston. The blue sky - punctuated with fluffy white clouds - was reflected in the sea. St Michael's Mount looked spectacular, and the birds were out in force singing to us. We saw some Choughs flying above, and Barry pointed out a seal poking it's nose out of the waves. A great many surfers could be seen trying to catch their special wave, their black wetsuits dotted about in the surf.
All along the coast were the remains of massive stone buildings and chimneys, a reminder of the bygone tin mining industry. Some of the mines extend a long way out under the sea.
The final leg of the walk today was through a national trust estate. Penrose Estate is a mixture of rich farmland and woodland around Loe Pool, the largest natural freshwayer lake in Cornwall, cut off from the sea by a broad shingle bar heaped up by heavy atlantic seas.
As we walked into Helston, we saw the Strathallan guest house, which had vacancies, a lovely room and a recommendation for an excellent Indian restaurant.
Truro Monday 27 April 2015
Start: Helston
Finish: Truro
Miles walked today: 18
Total miles: 46
We've seen five wheel trims, various birds of prey, a fox, two viaducts, and heard a cuckoo. Which didn't really distract us from the feeling of being totally exhausted. Feet not too bad, other places surviving, but tired.
After an early start - and a delicious breakfast - we wandered lanes between Helston and Truro. All very scenic, but lots of gradients. At one point we walked through a tumbledown farm yard, and chatted to the farmer. Rarely do you see someone who looks so perfectly in place. I took his photo - not on my phone, though. ( Update - I added the photo).
Truro cathedral looked stunning as we entered the tiny city, and we forgot our aches and pains. Booked into the Mannings Hotel and grabbed a bite to eat in a pleasant pub. I notice from the photo below that the camera puts pounds on me...