Tempted????

Realised as i was walking today that it was 3 years ago to the day that i was finishing my lejog up in john o groats. Coincidence that todays walk actually finished in beattock, i place that i stopped off on my lejog. Ain't changed.
Todays 34.04km walk is the second longest, with tomorrows 1km longer? But the ascent is certainly the highest, being 1300m, and did i feel everyone of them. The ascent started immediately leaving wanlockhead this morning, climbing to the civil airplace tramsmitter on lander hill at 725m the highest point on the walk, the remainder of the day was a rollercoaster up and down. The later being in more boggy forest. The last?
So all in all a long hard ldp day, yep, gotta love them.
One third into the day, following the first batch of hills, i had a 500m road walk, where a car stopped and asked if i wanted a lift. I smuggly stated i was heading to the east coast, and he said he was off to edinburgh, were i could catch a train. Tempted???????

Wanlochead 99miles done

After a night in the warm b&b and a cooked english breakfast, scottish style (big). I left the b&b and walked out of town, one kilometer. What i should have said was, i left items at the b&b, so had to return. When i'd discovered the fact i had left them, i put my (expensive) poles down to search my sack, when returning, i realised i had left my poles so had to go back for the poles first, before going back to the b&b. An additional 2km and half hour plus lost. I felt for the rest of the walk that i was chasing this.
Usually after walking on a ldp, for about 3 or so days, i get in the swing and almost glide along, enjoying all. I'm having trouble engaging with this walk, like usual, and can't put my finger on why. It just doesn't seem to be as diverse as others, the path is less well looked after, the scenery doesn't change, and there's too many flooded bits. Thats a few reasons, but i haven't emotional attached yet. Maybe another night in a bothy might work?

engagement

After a night in the warm b&b and a cooked english breakfast, scottish style (big). I left the b&b and walked out of town, one kilometer. What i should have said was, i left items at the b&b, so had to return. When i'd discovered the fact i had left them, i put my (expensive) poles down to search my sack, when returning, i realised i had left my poles so had to go back for the poles first, before going back to the b&b. An additional 2km and half hour plus lost. I felt for the rest of the walk that i was chasing this.
Usually after walking on a ldp, for about 3 or so days, i get in the swing and almost glide along, enjoying all. I'm having trouble engaging with this walk, like usual, and can't put my finger on why. It just doesn't seem to be as diverse as others, the path is less well looked after, the scenery doesn't change, and there's too many flooded bits. Thats a few reasons, but i haven't emotional attached yet. Maybe another night in a bothy might work?

Water!

Woke up from the wild camp, beside the river, to find it had drpped overnight, but still nervous about the first leg of the walk as it follows glen troon. However this walk was delightful as was the climb out of the glen. Almost forgot about the midges, bites all over, whilst making camp and cooking.
The campsite was not far from martyes grave, a site where 3 women where praying and where murdered by soldiers, added to the blood spilt, the walked passed the site where rob roy took on and defeated the english army, to add independance for scotland, his army chaged down the mountain side throwing missles at the english. As i passed i wondered would history repeat with john salmon, throwing ballot papers for scottish indepence at me.
The day ended in a b&b, with luxuries such as a bath and hair dryer, just whst was needed after the 31.9km, which ended with a hill as a sting in its tail

After the sun came rain

With this country, you just know that for every decent day you have weatherwise, you have to pay for it. So baving had three decent days, today was payback time. Starting ten last night in the bothy it started raining and it didn't let up until late afternoon. Whereas the paths previously had been crusty with a moist underneath, the paths today were just stream. Wet, is what i soon ended up being, all except my feet, here's to sealskins waterproof socks.
Havin broken the day by a pub visit at dinner time and a bowl of chips, i had the final 11km of todays 32.9km walk to do (was tempted by the pubs b&b). The final walk had me crossing flooded stream inlets, some upto my thighs, with the main river which was in spat next to me. Ended up with just me boots on marchin thro them.

Buzzin at the beehive

Day 3 covered 28.6km, ending st the beehive bothy, were i was the only guest, not even a bee for company. On that note, i referred to the coast to coast yesterday, one similarity is both go from irish sea to north sea, however, being whitsun, i bet its heaving with walkers, unlike the suw, where its me. Tell a lies, the notebook at the bothy had someone staying last night, maybe i'll catch up with him?
Another bonus with the bothy was i was able to make a call home, there was a single position, seven feet up by the central pole which gave me a single bar of reception.
The other thing to note today, as sell as being sunny, was the almost musical noise coming from my bag today, with each two steps it made a "titty-to-tat" noise, had me singing along with it. This was however lost when i took the bag off at the first rest. Gone forever.

Finally underway on the suw, although i covered 22.97km today, only the first 20 were on the way. So given, the path is 212 miles, and 20km is 12.5miles, i reckon, i passed the 200 miles to go marker, walking there s delightful wood. First day and I'd already identifying key points. Just before the delightful wood was the undelighful trek in stingers in shorts to avoid a lake in the path, the highs and low of walking.
The start of the walk was almost a mirror image of the coast to coast, with a northern hike along the coast, a couple of coves and a lighthouse marking the point where you strike inland. Fortunately, on the suv, there is no dent to climb. For those not familiar with the c2c, dant is a 350 metre high hill on the first day.
prior to starting the trip, i had worked out the cost to the last penny, trying to save where possible, being tight. But one expense i hadn't prepared fir was paying 30p for the loo, twice now, once a Glasgow central station and the second, at portpatrick at the start of the walk. What makes it worse was this morning i got caught "jumping" the turnstile, thinking no one was around, when a woman suddenly appeared from side "office" and shamed me into paying.
Generally all is ok, but my expensive, liteweight sleeping mat has started to delaminate and blister, could be interesting, given its the first of 18 nights

e2 started (again)

After a 8 hr journey, i arrived in stranraer. The train station is at the end of the pier, which is also the departure point for the stena ferries to Ireland. The other feature about the pier is it is the start point /or finish point for the entire e2, stranraer to nice European walk. So here i am at the beginning! Following setting up my tent at the ard McDonald caravan site, i returned to the end of the pier to walk 3.4km away from the coast to the intersection with the southern upland way, to be known from know as the suw.
So e2 is well and truly started.
After walking back into stranraer and finding somewhere to eat, i have waited an eternity to order some food, i reckon i would have made it to nice by the time I'd ordered.

Southern Upland Way next

Can't believe its been that long since the last entry, must have been in hibernation.

But, given the weather its not spring yet, yet alone summer!

In the time between I have been walking, finishing off the Thames Path in the first week of this year. One year to the day that I'd started it.

 On the theme of River walks, I've since started the Wye Valley Way, leaving Chepstow, walking upriver. Starting in the first week of March. I, now find myself some 67% completed, having walked from Chepstow - Monmouth - Ross on Wye - Hereford - Westbrook - Llyswen - Builth Wells.

Having walked the River Seven, Thames and now well up the Wye, I must admit the Wye has to be the best.

I found the Thames flat and whilst nice walking in and out of towns along the walk and through London with its sights at the end, other than the distances it was not very challenging. more a means to complete its part of the E2 path.

The Severn was more diverse than the Thames, but large parts were flat, like the Thames. That why the Wye so far has been the best, its climbs up the Valley often, presenting great changing views and also goes through some cracking places, additional to those mentioned are Symonds Yat and Hay on Wye. Both places previously visited. I remembered the walk into Hay on Wye with Graham a few years ago on Offa's Dyke (and his End to End). so five stars so far and with interesting walks to end up on Plnlymon, I can't see that changing.

On the matter of River walks, my Thames to Wye Walk (Oxford to Hereford) with my wife continues, with us on the outskirts of Worcester, and whilst on a watery theme I also completion the Oxford Canal Walk.

With me at Taunton on my Treadmill JOGLE and the other mountain walks, I actually completed 1169 miles last year, and am hovering around 350 miles so far this year. That however will significantly increase over the next few weeks as I am off this weekend to walk the Southern Upland Way, cross the South of Scotland from Portpatrick to Cocksburnpath. All as part of the bigger E2 path. On reaching the North Sea I'll drop down to Warkworth and walk down to Corbridge. So I expect a jump of 280+ miles.

Blogs are to follow, however, as the walk is through remote area's involving wild camps and Bothy stays away from civilisation some of these might be delayed