Starting my journey on 13 July 2016 in John O’Groats and taking just 3 days off, I finished 71 days later on 21 September at Lands End. From Caithness to Cornwall, I walked a total of 1080 miles. The most I walked in one day was 23.80 miles but my average daily millage was 15.88, walking slightly less a day in Scotland and slightly more in England. I used a mixture of main roads, side roads and tracks (A roads only if completely necessary), walking the entire West Highland Way in Scotland, and picking up sections of the Great Glen Way, Lancaster Canal Path, Shropshire Way, Severn Way, Tarka Trail, River Parrot Trail and the South West Coast Path.
By far the most challenging part of my journey were trying to sort logistics as I went… with accommodation options totally driving which way I walked each day. And often – after a long day walking – I wouldn’t have the brain power to move, let alone start researching! The second most difficult part was carrying my backpack, which started at around 12 kilos but fluctuated depending on whether I could send any of it ahead, or whether I was with friends who had a car. I now think I pulled a muscle behind my left shoulder blade very early on, so whether I carried a little or a lot, every day I had a constant ache in this part of my body. As far as my legs are concerned, my ankles were definitely my weak spot. Nothing major but they would often ache at the end of a long day and I always walked like a penguin first thing the morning (my fault though for never stretching them out at the end of each day!). And on the plus side I now have calf muscles, which I never had before.
My feet held up remarkably well, with just a few sores or friction burns here and there (no blisters!) and those really only happened in Scotland when my Merrell sandals would get extra wet and soggy, and therefore stretched. It was at times like that I really should have worn my Merrell closed in shoes but once mum had inadvertently taken them home with her from Glasgow – even though the option to post them back to me was constantly there – that would mean carrying them for 90% of the time, as I would only need to wear them the other 10%. Which brings me back to logistics and carrying so much weight on my back… in the end I decided to get by without them, and once I had replaced my old sandals in Liverpool with a snug, new dry pair… well I never really suffered again.
My daily budget was £30 a day, and with the help of friends and couch surfing offers along the way, I somehow managed to come in bang on budget! I would loved to have camped more in my bivi, but the weather simply was not dry enough. Incidentally the bivi, sleeping bag and roll mat went home with my mum on day 59 so from that point onwards my backpack was much more manageable. And here is a breakdown of how those 71 nights were spent:
My biggest tip
Unless you have unlimited time and money, or you’re extremely fit or just plain mad… then I would definitely suggest looking into walking with a support vehicle. The biggest hurdles I faced – sorting logistics and carrying my backpack – would obviously be eradicated if I’d had a support vehicle, and better still a camper van! Not only would you have that spare brain to help sort out logistics but it would mean you could walk exactly where you wanted to walk, for as long as you wanted to walk on that particular day – and not just how far accommodation options dictate. Having a camper van would also mean you could end up staying for cheap or free every night, and being able to stay in the middle of nowhere, you could then walk through all those places you wanted to visit for an extended lunch break. Rather than arrive at them late afternoon, completely exhausted with no desire to walk further than to the stick the kettle on! And of course, having a support vehicle would considerably speed up your walk having a massive knock on effect on your budget. If I had been able to walk with a camper van trailing me for example – without any extra physical effort – I reckon I could have completed the walk in 7 weeks instead of 10.
The facts
In case anyone is ever thinking of following in my footsteps and walking the length of the country, here are the facts from my experience, including where I walked each night, how far I walked, how much of my 12 kg pack I carried (very important!) and what the weather was like (equally as relevant!).
| DAY | DESTINATION | MILES | ACCOMMODATION | BACKPACK% | WEATHER | EXTRA NOTES |
| 1 | Castlehill | 15.00 | Couchsurfing #1, Thurso | 100% | ☁️☁️🌥 |  first ever 15 miles! |
| 2 | Somewhere on A9 | 15.50 | Couchsurfing #1, Thurso | 30% | ☁️☁️🌥 | |
| 3 | Dunbeath | 13.70 | B&B, Inver Caravan Park ($) | 100% | 🌧🌧💨 | 😰 hard, soggy day |
| 4 | Helmsdale | 15.00 | Airbnb ($$) | 100% | 🌤🌧☁️ | Berriedale Braes |
| 5 | Brora | 12.50 | Greenpark Caravan Site | 100% | 🌧🌤☁️ | ⚠️ bad bivi night |
| 6 | Durnoch on A9 | 14.20 | The Trentham Hotel ($$) | 100% | ☁️☁️☁️ | |
| 7 | Milton | 13.40 | Milton Inn (owner house) | 100% | ☀️☀️☀️ | 👍 Scottish summer arrived –✅ only “stranger” host |
| 8 | Dingwall | 18.70 | The Royal Hotel ($$) | 100% | 🌧🌧☁️ | 😰 Scottish summer ended –👮🏼 difficult wet road |
| 9 | Beauly | 9.80 | Archdale Guest House ($) | 100% | ☁️☁️🌤 | 😀 top 10 day –😀 first “holiday” feeling |
| 10 | Drumnadrochit | 14.00 | Loch Ness Backpackers ($) | 100% | 🌤🌤🌤 | |
| 11 | Fort Augustus | 19.00 | Morags Lodge, Hostel ($) | 100% | 🌧☁️🌥 | ✅ favourite hostel |
| 12 | Laggan | 11.40 | Great Glen Hostel ($) | 100% | 🌤☁️🌧 | 😰 feeling homesick –⚠️ hard logistics evening |
| 13 | Fort William | 23.80 | Couchsurfing #2 | 50% | 🌧☁️🌤 | most miles in one day! |
| 14 | Kinlochleven | 18.70 | McDonald Hotel Cabin ($) | 50% | 🌧☁️🌤 | start West Highland Way |
| 15 | Kings House Hotel | 9.80 | Bridge of Ochy Hotel ($$$) | 30% | 🌧☁️🌧 | “holiday from hell” |
| 16 | Inveroran Hotel | 9.50 | Bridge of Ochy Hotel ($$$) | 30% | 🌤☀️🌤 | ✅ half day |
| 17 | Glen Falloch | 17.80 | Kilbride Lodge, Tyndrum ($$) | 30% | 🌤🌥☁️ | 😀 top 10 day |
| 18 | Inversnaid | 12.00 | Kilbride Lodge, Tyndrum ($$) | 30% | 🌥🌥🌧 | difficult afternoon |
| 19 | Balmaha | 15.50 | Balmaha Bunkhouse ($) | 30% | 🌥☁️🌥 | |
| 20 | Milngavie | 18.50 | Premier Inn ($$$) | 50% | 🌥⛅️⛈ | end West Highland Way –$$$ most expensive night! |
| 21 | Glasgow | 9.70 | Euro Hostel ($) | 50% | 🌤🌥🌥 | |
| 22 | Glasgow | 0.00 | Euro Hostel ($) | n/a | ☁️🌧☁️ | ✅ 1st Day off |
| 23 | Strathaven | 20.00 | Bamflatt Farm B&B ($$) | 95% | ☁️🌥☁️ | physically long day |
| 24 | Coalburn | 12.50 | AirBnb ($$) | 95% | 🌤☁️🌥 | |
| 25 | Abington | 13.80 | Abington Hotel ($) | 95% | 🌥🌥🌧 | |
| 26 | Moffat | 18.00 | The Bonnington Hotel ($) | 95% | ☁️☁️🌧 | most boring day –😀 most surprising evening |
| 27 | Lockerbie | 16.50 | The Townhead Hotel ($$) | 95% | 🌧☁️🌥 | |
| 28 | Gretna | 16.00 | AirBnb ($$) | 95% | ☁️🌥🌥 | |
| 29 | Carlisle | 12.50 | Carlisle City Hostel ($) | 95% | 🌤☁️🌧 | 🐮 scary moo’s |
| 30 | Caldbeck | 16.15 | Swaledale Watch B&B ($) | 95% | ☁️🌧💨 | difficult afternoon –⚠️ hard logistics evening |
| 31 | Keswick | 16.25 | Denton House Hostel ($) | 30% | 🌧💨🌥 | difficult bleak morning |
| 32 | Ambleside | 18.20 | Ambleside Backpackers ($) | 95% | 🌧🌥🌤 | 😰 hard, soggy morning |
| 33 | Kendal | 15.00 | Kendal Hostel ($) | 95% | 🌤🌥🌤 | |
| 34 | Arnside | 16.50 | Arnside Hostel ($) | 70% | ☀️☀️☀️ | 👍 summer arrived –😀 top 10 day |
| 35 | Lancaster | 17.30 | Couchsurfing #3 | 70% | 🌤☀️🌥 | |
| 36 | Garstang | 13.20 | Couchsurfing #4 | 70% | 🌤☀️🌤 | |
| 37 | Chorley (Preston) | 17.80 | Brook House Hotel ($$) | 70% | 🌤🌤🌥 | hard slog afternoon |
| 38 | Ormskirk | 18.20 | Friends in Kirkby | 70% | 🌥🌧☁️ | |
| 39 | Kirkby (Liverpool) | 0.00 | Friends in Kirkby | n/a | 🌧☁️☁️ | ✅ 2nd day off |
| 40 | Storeton | 20.50 | Friends in the Wirral | 70% | ☁️🌥🌧 | ⛴ ferry cross the Mersey |
| 41 | Chester | 17.50 | Chester Backpackers ($) | 95% | 🌧☁️🌤 | hard slog afternoon |
| 42 | Bangor-on-Dee | 18.20 | Buck House Hotel ($$) | 95% | 🌤🌤🌤 | walked in circles |
| 43 | Wem | 17.00 | Lower Lacon Caravan Park | 95% | 🌤🌥☁️ | ⚠️ bad bivi night |
| 44 | Shrewsbury | 12.00 | Trevellion House B&B | 95% | ☁️🌥🌥 | |
| 45 | All Stretton | 16.00 | All Stretton, Bunkhouse ($) | 95% | 🌤🌤🌥 | 😀 top 10 day |
| 46 | Richards Castle | 22.00 | Couchsurfing #5 | 95% | ☁️☁️🌧 | hard slog afternoon |
| 47 | Bromyard | 16.00 | The Hop Pole Hotel ($) | 95% | ☁️🌥🌤 | nearly didn’t make it! |
| 48 | Malvern | 12.00 | AirBnb ($$) | 95% | 🌤🌥🌤 | |
| 49 | Tewkesbury | 16.00 | Couchsurfing #6 | 95% | ☀️🌤☀️ | 😀 top 10 day |
| 50 | Gloucester | 18.60 | AirBnb ($$) | 95% | 🌥🌤🌥 | 🐮 scary moo’s |
| 51 | Dursley | 17.00 | Camping, Hogsdown Farm | 95% | 🌤🌤🌤 | ✅ good bivi night |
| 52 | Old Sodbury | 14.40 | The Cross Hands ($$$) | 95% | ☁️☁️🌥 | |
| 53 | Bath | 14.20 | YMCA Backpackers ($) | 95% | 🌧🌧🌧 | 🌧 wettest day –✅ friends visit |
| 54 | Winford | 17.80 | AirBnb ($$) | 95% | ☁️☁️🌥 | ⚠️ hardest route planning –✅ friends visit |
| 55 | Weston-Super-Mare | 15.70 | Couchsurfing #7 | 95% | 🌧☁️☁️ | |
| 56 | Pawlett | 16.40 | Pontins, Brean ($) | 50% | 🌥🌤🌤 | |
| 57 | Stogursey | 18.30 | AirBnb, Minehead ($$) | 20% | ☀️🌥🌤 | 😀 top 10 day |
| 58 | Minehead | 18.20 | AirBnb, Minehead ($$) | 20% | 🌥🌤🌥 | walked in circles –🐮 scary moo’s |
| 59 | Lynton | 18.40 | St Vincent Guesthouse ($$) | 30% | ☁️🌧☁️ | Porlock Hill bleakest Exmoor section |
| 60 | Bratton Fleming | 13.00 | Franklyn House, B&B | 70% | 🌥🌥🌥 | |
| 61 | Bideford | 17.60 | Friends in Bideford | 70% | 🌥🌥🌥 | |
| 62 | Taylors Cross | 20.40 | Friends in Bideford | 20% | 🌧☁️🌥 | |
| 63 | Crackington Haven | 16.45 | The Coombe Barton Inn ($$) | 70% | 🌧☁️☁️ | 😀 top 10 day |
| 64 | Camelford | 12.70 | Countryman Hotel ($$) | 70% | ☀️☀️🌤 | 😀 top 10 day |
| 65 | Harlyn (Padstow) | 20.80 | The Harlyn Inn ($$) | 70% | 🌥🌤🌥 | |
| 66 | Porth (Newquay) | 12.80 | Treago Farm, Crantock | 50% | 🌧💨🌥 | |
| 67 | St Agnes | 16.00 | Treago Farm, Crantock | 10% | ☀️☀️☀️ | South West Coast Path –😀 top 10 day |
| 68 | Portreath | 9.75 | Treago Farm, Crantock | 10% | ☀️☀️🌤 | South West Coast Path –😀 top 10 day |
| 69 | Portreath | 0.00 | AirBnb ($$) | n/a | 🌧🌧☁️ | ✅ 3rd day off |
| 70 | St Ives | 18.70 | Cohort Hostel ($) | 70% | 🌥🌥🌥 | |
| 71 | Lands End | 19.80 | AirBnb, Camborne | 70% | ☁️☁️🌥 | 🍾 Finished 16:30 |
| TOTAL | 1080 |
… and finally, why did I decide to walk 1000+ miles?
Its the question everyone still asks me (and I keep asking myself)… and for good reason. I’ve never been a sporty person and I’ve never shown any interest in travelling around the UK. But therein lies one of the reasons:
- To see more of the UK: I honestly know the geography of Australia way better than I do the UK. I haven’t spend much time in Scotland or the north of England, so I figured it was about time I finally explored what is on my own doorstep.
- Personal challenge: Travelling/backpacking can be challenging – both physically and emotionally. Its not the “holiday” that people generally mistake it for and you often find yourself well outside your comfort zone. But after 21 years I have found myself getting blasé about travelling, so felt the time was right to bite the bullet and go that one step further. To complete that once-in-a-lifetime thing which I can always look back on and be proud. Something truly epic! But I could never climb everest, cycle across Africa or even attempt to run a marathon… then JOGLE suddenly popped up on my radar and I instantly knew this was the challenge for me.
- To raise money to help rebuild Nepal: And most importantly, I am doing this walk to raise money for Nepal. I had already thought about doing this walk before 25 April 2015, however back then there was no particular charity close to my heart. Being in Nepal during the quake obviously changed all that. And keeping up-to-date with the slow rebuild process taking place – and on the anniversary of the quake seeing images of so many people still living under temporary shelter – it is obvious how much still needs to be done. Please visit my just giving page for more information. And finally…
- Because I can: It’s as simple as that 😛