I'm not sure when the idea first lodged itself in my brain. I know it's been there since at least 2009, because I remember thinking about it during my post-undergrad Eurotrip. So I'm thinking maybe 2007- or 2008-ish was when I first became aware that this was A Thing.
Land's End to John o'Groats. The southwest tip of England to the northeast tip of Scotland. On foot.
The distance is 603 miles as the crow flies, or 838 miles by road if taking the shortest route possible. My planned route, which is decidedly NOT the shortest route possible, is 1329 miles, or roughly half the length of the Pacific Crest Trail and somewhat more than half of the length of the Appalachian Trail.
As I said, it's been on my mind for many years now, but I finally starting route-planning in earnest in late 2015, with the intention of commencing the walk on April 24 of this year. Developments at work and with my education led to that date being amended, but now the plane ticket is purchased and I am officially going to begin the walk on July 17, a little over three months from now.
My planned route is as follows:
- The South West Coast Path from Land's End, through Cornwall, and Devon, to Minehead in western Somerset.
- From Minehead through the rest of Somerset to Bristol and across the Severn Estuary to Sedbury on the West Somerset Coast Path, River Parrett Trail, Samaritan's Way Southwest, and a bit of road-walking on the M48.
- From Sedbury along the England-Wales border to Chirk Castle on the Offa's Dyke Path.
- From Chirk Castle on the Welsh border, across Shropshire, Cheshire, and into Edale in Derbyshire on the Maelor Way, South Cheshire Way, Macclesfield Canal, and B5470 road.
- From Edale in Derbyshire through the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, and Northumberland to the Scottish border on the Pennine Way.
- From Kirk Yetholm on the Scottish border to Edinburgh on St Cuthbert's Way, the Southern Upland Way, the Scottish National Trail, and the Water of Leith.
- From Edinburgh to Milngavie on the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals
.
- From Milngavie through the western highlands to Fort William on the West Highland Way.
- From Fort William up the Great Glen to Inverness on the Great Glen Way.
- From Inverness to John o'Groats, I'm still considering two options: either the more direct route straight up the northeast coast on the A9 and A99, or a less direct but possibly safer (in terms of vehicle traffic) and probably more scenic route up the A836 road, which passes through central Sutherland to hit the north coast at Tongue and then turns east for the last sixty-odd miles to John o'Groats. Both routes are the same as far as Tain, roughly two days beyond Inverness, so I'll have plenty of time to decide. A lot will depend on how ready I am to be done with the walk by then. Either way, I'm looking to finish at the very end of October or the very beginning of November.
Watch this space as things unfold!
Cheers, y'all.
