Why walk from Land's End to John O'Groats, a 1,200 mile epic walk that will take about three months? To be honest I would prefer to trek some overseas trail such as the Pacific Crest Trail, ever anxious to explore new areas, foods and cultures. However, 2021 is still blighted by the Coronavirus pandemic, overseas travel is restricted and likely to be difficult for some time. So I was looking for something on the scale of the great American and European walks in the UK. As Lands End and John o'Groats are the most distant points on the mainland of Great Britain, walking the route, known as LEJoG for short, seemed a good idea. It is a route frequently favoured by those on sponsored walks and bike rides, although I will be hiking it for the shear pleasure of the open countryside, the sun (or rain) on my face. Travel within and between England and Wales was possible from 12 April within the Covid 19 regulations, so I plan to start on 16 April. Self contained accommodation (i.e. with no shared facilities) is allowed to open, but most places appear closed, waiting for May 17 or later when there should be fewer regulatory requirements to adhere to. Organised campsites appear closed for tents, due to the issue of shared toilet facilities. Consequently, I expect to be wild camping at least at first.
There is no fixed route for walking between Lands End and John o'Groats, however I plan to broadly follow that outlined in the Cicerone Guidebook called "Walking the End to End Trail", this includes sections of various national and local trails such as the South West Coast Path, the Pennine Way and the West Highland Way. Rather than complete it all in one go I plan to take a break of a few weeks at Chepstow, it being near my home, so I can catch up with my wife, wash and read the final proofs of my book on the E4 European Long Distance Path.
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