Oot ‘n Aboot

Summer arrived to southwestern British Columbia this weekend with temperatures topping 28C on Sunday and in doing so breaking the temperature record set in 1953. It’s just as well I chose Saturday for my long walk out to the Peninsula. It’s the same the old route I used to train for my LEJOG and despite me having lost count of how many times I made the journey I never tire of it.

Walking conditions were perfect for the first few hours as there was a gentle breeze that kept the temperature in check. Not surprisingly it seemed like most of Victoria was on the Lochside Trail although most were on bikes rather than on foot. I took my first break at the 4-mile mark where I joined the trail after my walk through the city. I took the opportunity to fill up my water bottle at the fountain that was installed over the winter. It’s a clever bit of kit with three water fountains (one for adults, children and pets) and a separate tap designed specifically for water bottles.

From there I continued over Blenkinsop Lake (lovely as always) and then along the old rail bed where I crossed Royal Oak Drive and into Broadmead. Another quick break was followed by a 45-minute walk to Mattick’s Farm where ice-cream sales were booming. I munched on strawberries and a granola bar before setting off on my favourite stretch of the whole walk which took me through the heart of farming country. When I took my last break at Mitchell’s Farm the breeze had subsided and the temperatures soared.

Despite this I set off with the intention of extending my normal 14-mile walk by an additional 3 miles. The prospect of some excellent vistas and a pint at the Prairie Inn kept me going. I wasn’t disappointed either. The skies were unusually clear and I was able to clearly see three distinct snow-topped mountain ranges. To the east was Mt. Baker in northern Washington State, to the northeast were the Coast Mountains near Vancouver and to the south were the Olympics, on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. I staggered into the pub to celebrate my first 17-mile day in more than a year and after a quick bite caught the bus home.

A new LEJOG blog to follow: I encourage you to check out Grant’s End to End Challenge. Grant Paterson began his LEJOG on April 1 and should now be somewhere on or nearing the Pennine Way. Grant’s raising money for three charities and donations can be made online through his Just Giving page.

Pathfinding

In 2010 I had roughly 100 days in Britain, 72 of which were spent walking from Land’s End to John O’Groats. This time around I’ll have about 125 days and I’m hoping that 110 will be available for walking. A conservative estimate of 15 miles a day would allow me to cover 1650 miles. But where to go?

One of my objectives is to retrace as few steps as possible and another is to leave myself more flexibility then I had on my LEJOG. I don’t plan on creating a day by day itinerary like I did in 2010 but I will have a good idea of which footpaths I’d like to follow. Last time around I enjoyed modifying my route on the fly and so I’m looking forward to more spontaneity.

The Wales Coast Path (870 miles) will be the centrepiece of my walk and I plan to do it in a clockwise direction. I’d like to start with a walk in southern England and at this point the South Downs Way (100 miles) is at the top of my list. From Winchester I would piece together a route to Chepstow (~125 miles). I might head north towards Lechlade so that I can complete the Thames Path, or I may choose to head in a more westerly direction so that I can include a visit to Wells.

Once in Chester I will take a short break so that I can put in place the final piece of the puzzle surrounding my great-grandfather Herbert. I found out after my visit in 2012 that he died in Neston in 1960 but I have yet to locate his final resting place.

At this point I’m looking to end my walk in Edinburgh and I would like to approach it from the coast. I’m thinking of getting myself to the Reiver’s Way and then cobbling together a coastal walk that would pass through Berwick-upon-Tweed, another town I’ve always wanted to visit. The most difficult section to figure out is the one between Chester and the Reiver’s Way. I’ve come up with at least six variations over the past few months however the latest version is easily my favourite. Tell me what you think.

From Chester I would head to Birkenhead, possibly via the Wirral Way and then take the ferry ‘cross the Mersey. I would follow the Sefton Coastal Footpath and cut over to pick up the Ribble Way. I’d branch off at Gisburn and make for Ilkley where I would pick up the Ebor Way which would include a visit to York, my favourite city in England. The Cleveland Way would get me to Roseberry Topping at which point I’d head north to pick up the Teesdale Way and follow it west to Middleton-in-Teesdale. My way-hopping would continue along the Weardale Way and up to Allendale where I would finally link up with the Reiver’s Way.

A Blast from the Past

Cheap and Cheesy

I decided it was time to rename my blog and so I dug deep into the archives and chose Ramble On. Back in the late 90′s I ran a short-lived walking tour company called “Mind the Gap Tours” and I published a walking newsletter called Ramble On. I enjoyed the experience but it was a hell of a lot of work and quite frankly I made more money selling mindthegap.com to a London Advertising agency than I did running tours!

I hope to post once or twice a month and will update other pages over the summer. My Links page needed immediate attention and it now includes all the 2013 long walks I’m currently aware of, including a 7000-mile coastline walk that is now underway.

Sod it! 2014 it is.

It’s been one of those weeks

It’s been three years, almost to the day, that I set off on my End to End walk. I can honestly say I never felt healthier, both in body and mind, than I did in April through June of 2010. I missed my nomadic lifestyle almost immediately and by late July I was back in Canada and back on the treadmill, paying down the mortgage and piling on the stress.

My plan, as recently as several days ago, was to keep my nose to the grindstone until 2015 and then take a 6-month leave of absence. But I had one of those weeks … I’m sure you’ve had them too … where something had to give. It’s at times like these that one is forced to make decisions and I’ve decided that my health and well-being outweighs everything else. Assuming my leave is approved I will, about a year from now, be making my final preparations for another very long walk in Britain. It will be about the best 50th birthday present I could give myself.

In the meantime I will enjoy the planning, training and anticipation of another adventure. I’m also looking forward to following the blogs of those setting off in 2013 and will be updating my links page within the next couple of days.

 

 

Are you doing a 2013 LEJOG or JOGLE?

Happy Days!

It’s nearing the end of March and so my thoughts naturally turn to very long walks. Unfortunately there are none on the horizon for me this year although I am looking forward to some short rambles when I visit Ireland this autumn. By this time next year I hope to be well stuck into my plans for a long walk in 2015 … and planning a walk is almost as much fun as the walk itself (and infinitely easier on the feet).

In the meantime I’d love to hear from anyone who is planning a LEJOG or JOGLE this year. If you are blogging please let me know as I would love to follow your exploits online, and of course I will add a link too.

Good luck and happy walking!

A Follow-up Link

I’ve just posted the story of how I solved the 92-year old mystery surrounding the disappearance of my great-grandfather Herbert Clifford. As I mentioned in my last post it all came together during my final few days in Britain. As promised I’ve included a link to the story.

Thames Path epilogue

I’m back in Canada and the little black cloud that followed me around Britain has somehow managed to make the 4500-mile journey as well. With the rain falling I thought this would be as good a time as any to post a follow-up on my Thames Path walk.

Although the weather and the footpath conditions were often grim I’ve tried my best not to let that colour my opinion of the walk itself. Overall I’m very glad I did it and given the time I had the Thames Path fit perfectly into my schedule. The walk can be comfortably completed in two weeks and without the need for any 20+ mile days. If you prefer flat terrain to fells then the Thames Path is an excellent choice as, with the exception of a few minor diversions, there are no climbs at all. Arranging accommodation and public transportation is relatively easy due to its close proximity to many major centres in the Thames valley. I was able to base myself in five locations (London, Windsor, Henley, Abingdon and Cricklade) and use buses or trains to commute to and from the path. In retrospect the only modification I would make is to stay one night each in Lechlade and Cricklade, although this was a moot point for me as I had no need to walk to the headwaters (they came to me).

What the Thames Path lacks is the variety of terrain and vistas that I prefer. As I mentioned in my previous post I really enjoyed the circular walk around Ross-on-Wye for that very reason. If I were to do it again I would take more time and spice it up by deviating from the river and connecting with other footpaths when possible. Having said that I can’t see myself doing the Thames Path again as there are just too many other great places to walk in Britain … although that’s not to say I wouldn’t start my next walk in Lechlade and make my way to the source before moving on.

If you are planning a Thames Path walk I would strongly recommend going in late summer or early fall when the danger of flooding is lower. I was happy with my decision to walk upstream from London and into progressively more tranquil surroundings, although I know that walking towards London seems to be more popular.

Last but not least, before returning to London I spent several days in Chester and it was here that I solved the mystery surrounding my great-grandfather Herbert Clifford! It took nearly 15 years to crack but I got there in the end. My only regret is that I ran out of time and could not determine exactly where on the Wirral peninsula he is buried. I will return there on my next trip and I might even incorporate that location into my next long walk. I will post my findings on my family history blog and will post a link to it from here as soon as I do.