Culloden Moor and Tain to Inverness

Monday July 18: Site of the last Battle fought on Scottish soil where, on 16th April 1746, the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart (the Bonnie Prince), armed mostly with knives, swords and a small round wooden shield or targe, their charge was brutally decimated by Redcoat musket volley-fire. It's a bleak and surprisingly emotional place. One of my kinsmen, Alexander, fought here and managed to escape to the Irvine family seat at Drum Castle where he hid in a secret cupboard while his sister, Lady Mary, entertained the Redcoat officers. Thus he escaped the Duke of Cumberland's bloody aftermath by fleeing to France but was allowed to return to the estate 6-years later. Charles Stuart, the young pretender, died in France a disillusioned alcoholic no longer young nor very bonnie.
Tuesday 19: Tain to Nigg Ferry (12 miles). Cloudy, dull with some light drizzle. Taking the train to Tain I'm trying to finish the Far North Way to Inverness and walk past Fearn's pretty station around Nigg Bay to catch the Nigg Ferry to Cromarty, planning to then get the bus back to Inverness. But, despite a sign telling me the Cromarty Rose runs every thirty minutes no ferry arrives, "it's broken" a local informs me. My only option is to walk 8-miles all the way back to Fearn station and get the evening train to Inverness. Twenty miles in total, more of a test for my knee than I had planned.
Thursday 21: My knee's no worse so I buy a pair of Mountain Warehouse Pinnacle boots which I'll test to destruction - them or me.
Friday 22: Cromarty to Munlochy (16 miles). Cloudy with sunny and drizzly spells. Still based in Inverness I take the bus north to Cromarty then walk south, mostly along the quiet country lanes of National Cycle Route 1, to follow pretty Fairy Glen into Rosemarkie and then onto Fortrose with it's ruined cathedral. Minor roads then a path along the course of the old Black Isles Railway take me to Munlochy post office where the local bus takes me back to Inverness.
Saturday 23: Munlochy to Inverness (9 miles). Cloudy and warm with sunny spells. A dissapointing detour to the Black Isles Brewery (it's closed) leads to North Kessock and the sweeping Kessock Bridge over Beauly Firth and I'm back in Inverness. The Far North Way is now complete and the more pleasant waymarked Great Glen Way beckons.
Photos of Culloden Moor and from Tain to Inverness.

Inverness

Sunday 10 July: Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, is a pretty city and there is much street entertainment at this time of the year - pipe & drum bands mostly. The girl in Inverness library shows me how to use their guest computers ". . . if it doesn't work at first, just give it a wee shuggle . . ." and I know exactly what she means.
Monday: It's been raining for the past few days so it was a good time to rest up for a while but now the sun is shining I'm keen to get going again but even with a cocktail of Ibuprofen and paracetamol my knee feels worse. So I buy a walking stick and make an appointment to see a doctor.
Tuesday 12: I was expecting Dr Findley but luckily I get Dr Douglas McKeith who was formerly with the British orienteering team and has a diploma in sports injuries. I have a damaged patella tendon, what used to be called 'runner's knee'. I could be weeks or even months before it comes right. Disappointed I pick up my free prescription of Naproxen (to reduce inflamation and pain) and Omeprazole (to reduce the effect of Naproxen on the stomach wall), then limp home.
Saturday 16: Inverness Museum is full of Highland artifacts, from Pictish stones to Jacobite memorabilia, with lots of touch and feel exhibits too, it's a delight.
Sunday 17: I've rested for a few days with little improvement but as it's a sunny day I'm taking a 6-mile stroll, without a pack but with a walking stick, around the pleasant River Ness and Caledonian Canal loop. My knee feels no worse so, encouraged, I return to the city centre and buy a compass and whistle in anticipation of continuing to Land's End.
Photographs of Inverness.

Far North Way

Thursday 30 June: John o'Groats to Wick (17 miles). All road walking along the A99 but with pleasant scenery and a refreshingly cool breeze. I stop at Keiss for lunch and make Wick's pleasant riverside campsite early in the afternoon. Here I meet Ian, a retired Staffordshire policeman and fellow end-to-ender, excited to be nearing the goal in the far north. The Alexander Bain, a pub in the Wetherspoons chain, has a curry night and good value ales at £1.60 a pint - "Another Duchars IPA please landlord . . ."
Friday 1 June: Wick to Dunbeath (25 miles). Cloudy with sunny spells, light breeze. Taking the, so called, coastal path out of Wick the scenery is great and it feels good to be away from the main road but past the Castle of Old Wick the path disappears into a knee deep bog. I push on and eventually reach Mains of Ulbster, a sad village of ruined homesteads and neglected a cemetery, where the path disappears again. This time at the edge of boggy burn with wide nettled banks and a steep broken weir. I'm too afraid to jump the weir with a heavy backpack so I throw and shove my pack across before clambering after it and then across rough country to, once again, meet the A99. A very late lunch at the Portland Arms Hotel in Lybster and I feel much better.
Early evening, Inver campsite in Dunbeath is a very welcome sight, as is the Inver Arms across the road where the barmaid kindly produces a cheese sandwich at 9:45pm. It's been a long day.
Saturday 2: Dunbeath to Helmsdale (17 miles). Clear skies, warm and sunny with light breeze. Blisters patched-up and minor niggles ignored it's a long road walk to Helmsdale with a short pleasant stretch along the old A9 just north of the village. My planned lunch stop, the post office at Berriedale, is closed so it's a hungry walker who reaches the relative comfort of Helmsdale YHA and healthfood - one of the best fish & chip shops in the country.
Sunday 3: Helmsdale to Brora (10 miles). Warm, sunny with cloudy spells and a light breeze. My daily distance is dictated by accommodation stops so this is a light day of road walking to Dalchalm campsite just north of Brora with an enjoyable stroll along the links into Brora in the bright evening light.
Monday 4: Brora to Dornoch (21 miles). Warm and sunny with a light breeze. More road walking as far as the splendid Dunrobin Castle's quaint railway station then coastal track into Golspie for a light lunch. I'm getting a niggling pain in my right knee as I reach a pretty minor road with passing places around Loch Fleet and I can't believe how badly sunburnt my face is - in northern Scotland! Finally I pitch my tent at Dornoch's windswept campsite on the links a mile or so from the village.
Tuesday 5: Dornoch to Tain (8 miles). Warm and cloudy with spells of light rain. A mile or so from Dornoch my knee pain suddenly gets worse and in considerable pain I limp across Dornoch Bridge, past Glenmorangie Distillery and into Tain where I get the bus to the YHA in Inverness, I need to rest my leg. The casualty department at Inverness's Raigmore Hospital examine and x-ray my knee - "no bone damage, just soft tissue, probably be okay in a couple of days" - good news, but I'll be stuck in Inverness for a while.
Photos along the Far North Way.

John o'Groats

Wednesday 29 June: I'm staying at the YHA in Canisbay, 3 miles west of John o'Groats. There is a party of middle-aged end-to-end cyclists staying who have peddled here all the way from Land's End. Drizzly today, but at this high latitude daylight lasts past my bedtime and tomorrow promises warm sunshine. So I fill in the guest book which includes an entry by Chris Lamb, the naked rambler's walking partner, finish my wine and have an early night. Tomorrow's a big day.
Thursday 30: It's an early start and I walk the 3 miles to John o'Groats for a photo next to the world famous signpost but, shock horror, it's pointers are missing, so instead I get a photo next to an empty post. Good day for walking though, warm and sunny with cloudy spells.
Photos of John o'Groats.

Egypt: Cairo

Wednesday 22 June: On the tarmac at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport many men in white uniforms and overalls scratch their heads and stare at my Air Egypt flight to London. There are technical problems with the aircraft, so it's an overnight stay in a comfortable four star hotel in Bangkok - the bathroom is larger than most bedrooms I've stayed in this trip.

Thursday 23: Arrive in Cairo with no connecting flight to London Heathrow, so a night and a day in Cairo, great.
Friday 24: I take a small local taxi to Tahir Square where office blocks, burnt out by the army to blame the revolutionaries, overlook the Egyptian museum. As dusty as always (no photos) the place reeks of ancient history and despite a robbery, staged by the army, everything is still in place with King Tut's golden treasures as magnificent as ever.
Finally, late in the evening, I reach my friends' home, Andy and Jeanie's, in Reigate, Surrey, England for a few days relaxation, thanks guys.
Photos of Cairo and Reigate.

Planning the Route

I've planned the route to follow the best, most scenic, coastal, waterside and hillside footpaths and, where practical, avoid road-walking in urban areas. I've also chosen to walk north to south, John o'Groats to Land's End, so that I'll have the benefit of walking towards warmer weather in the late summer and the psychological advantage of walking 'downhill'. The real disadvantages will be keeping the sun and prevailing southwesterly winds in my face.

Northern Scotland: John O'Groats to Fort William
The first stage strikes south following the cliffs of the rugged east coast Highlands to Inverness then southwest along the Caledonian Canal, Great Glen Way and Loch Ness past Ben Nevis to Fort William.
Far North Way: John o'Groats (YHA, C), 18 miles along A99 past Wrath Hill to Keiss and along the links and coast to Wick (C), 21 miles, initially along the cliffs past the Castle of Old Wick and Thrumster to Whaligoe, Lybster, Lathertonwheel and Dunbeath (C), 16 miles past deserted village of Badbea to Helmsdale (YHA), 11 miles to Lothbeg (C) and Brora (C), 23 miles along A9 then coast path past Dunrobin Castle to Golspie, along the coast and Balatar Wood to the A9 and minor roads around Lock Fleet to Embo (C), coast/beach path to Dornoch (C) and Dornoch Bridge (C), Glenmorangie Distillery, Tain, Balintore, Nigg Ferry, Cromarty, Rosemarkie (C), Fortrose, Avoch, Munlochy, Kessock Bridge, Inverness (YHA)
Great Glen Way (73 miles): Inverness (YHA), Drumnadrochit, Lewiston (YHA), Invermoriston (YHA, C), Fort Augustus (YHA), [Invergarry (YHA)], Neptune's Staircase (C), Fort William

Southern Scotland: Fort William to Gretna
From Fort William my route follows the popular West Highland Way along the edge of Rannoch Moor and Loch Lomond joining the Kelvin Walkway to the banks of the River Clyde. My route then strikes southwest to Lanark and by various paths and tracksto join the Southern Uplands Way at Wanlockhead as far as Beattock then south along the Annandale Way to Annan, Gretna and the Scottish border.
West Highland Way (96 miles): Fort William, Glen Nevis (YHA, C), Kinlochleven (C), Bridge of Orchy, Tyndrum (C), Crianlarich (YHA), Inverarnan (C), [Ardliu (C)], Rowardennan (YHA), Cashel Farm (C), Milarrochy (C), Balmaha, Drymen, Easter Drumquhassie (C), Dumgoyne, Milngavie
Kelvin Walkway (11 miles): Milngavie, Temple of Boclair, Maryhill, Kelvinside, Kelvingrove Park (YHA), River Clyde
Clyde Walkway (40 miles): River Clyde, Glasgow Green, Uddingston, Blantyre, Bothwell, Hamilton, Crossford, Kirkfield Bank (C), New Lanark (YHA), Falls of Clyde, Douglas Water, Douglas (C), Crawfordjohn, Leadhills, Wanlockhead
Southern Upland Way: Wanlockhead, Beattock (C)
Annandale Way (53 miles): Beattock, St Ann's, Lochmaben (C), Hightae, Dalton, Hoddom (C), Brydekirk (C), Annan (C) and on to Gretna (C)

Northern England: Gretna to Edale
From Gretna my route takes me south to pick up the Cumbria Way through the Lake District then forks east along the Dales Way to meet the Pennine Way heading south to it's traditional starting place at Edale.
Cumbria Coastal Way: Gretna (C), Metal Bridge, Rockcliffe, Cargo, Carlisle
Cumbria Way: Carlisle, Cummersdale, Dalston (C), Bridge End, Caldbeck, Skiddaw House (YHA), Keswick (YHA, C), Portinscale, Borrowdale (YHA, C), Rosthwaite, Stonewaite, Langdale (YHA, C), Chapel Stile (C), Elterwater (YHA), Skelwith Bridge, Ambleside (YHA), Troutbeck Bridge, Windermere (YHA), Bowness-on-Windermere,
Dales Way: Bowness-on-Windermere, Staveley, Burnside, Sedbergh (C), Dent (C), Cowgill (C), Stone House, Ribblehead, Ribbleway
Pennine Way: Horton in Ribblesdale (C), Malham Tarn, Malham Cove, Malham (YHA, C), Gargrave (C), East Marton, Thornton-in-Craven, Dale End, Cowling (C), Master Stones (C), Jack's Bridge, Lumbuts (C), The White House, Standedge (C), Crowden (YHA, C), Snake Pass, Kinder Scout, Upper Booth (C), Edale (YHA, C)

Central England: Edale to Bath
From Edale my route is south through the Peak District to Castleton then down through the Midlands to Stratford-upon-Avon and Chipping Campden before meandering south along the Cotswold Way to Bath.
Limestone Way: Castleton (YHA, C), Miller's Dale, [Blackwell (C)], Flagg, Monyash (C), Bradford, Youlgrave (YHA), [Birchover (C)], Winster, Upper Town, Grangemill, Parwich (C), Tissington (C), Thorpe, [Ilam (YHA)], Ellastone, Rocester
Staffordshire Way: Rocester, Uttoxeter (C), Abbots Bromey, Colton, Rugeley, Cannock Chase
Heart of England Way/Coventry Way: Cannock Chase, Wandon (C), Cannock Wood, Cresswell Green, Lichfield (C), Darnford, Drayton Bassett, Drayton Manor (C), Broomey Croft (C), Kingsbury, Whitacre Heath, Shustoke, Church End, [Meriden (C)], Berkswell, Balsall Street, Baddesley Clinton, Kingswood, Lowsonford, Henley-in-Arden
Monarch's Way/The Greenway: Henley-in-Arden, Wootton Wawen, Snitterfield, Stratford-upon-Avon (YHA, C), Long Marsden
Heart of England Way: Long Marsden, Quinton, Mickleton, Chipping Campden
Cotswold Way: Chipping Campden, Broadway (C), Slanton, Winchcombe, Cleeve Hill, Dowdeswell, Birdlip, Pope's Wood, Painswick, Edge, Westrip, King's Stanley, Dursley, North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge, Hawkesbury Upton, Old Sodbury, Tormarton, Pennsylvania, Cold Ashton

The Westcountry: Bath to Land's End
To skirt Bath and Bristol the final section of my route forks southwest over the Mendip and Quantock Hills to Minehead then follows Cornwall and Devon's spectacular north coast to my ultimate destination, Land's End.
Limestone Link: Cold Ashton, Northend, Bathampton, Monkton Combe, Midford, Coombe Hay, Dunkerton, Radford, Hallatrow, Hinton Blewett, West Harptree
Monarch's Way: West Harptree, Priddy (C)
West Mendip Way: Priddy (C), Draycott
Samaritan's Way South West: Draycott, Rodney Stoke (C), Westbury-sub-Mendip, Glastonbury (C), Street (YHA), Walton (C), Moorlinch, Chedzoy, Bridgwater, Goathurst [Enmore], Timbercombe, Trescombe [Flaxpool (C)], Quantock Hills, Bicknoller
Macmillan Way West: Bicknoller, Williton, Hungerford, Withycombe, Dunster, Minehead (YHA)
SW Coast Path: Land's End: Minehead (YHA), Porlock (C), Porlock Weir, Countisbury, Lynmouth, Lynton, Lynbridge (C), Woody Bay, Hunter's Inn, Coombe Martin (C),Watermouth (C), Ilfracombe (C), Lee, Mortehoe (C), Woolacombe, Croyde Bay (C), Croyde (C), Braunton (C), Chivenor (C), Barnstaple, Instow, Appledore (C), Westward Ho! (YHA), Buck's Mills (C), Clovelly (C), Stoke (C), Morwenstow, Maer (C), Bude (C), Widemouth Bay, Wanson (C), Penhalt (C), Crackington Haven, Beeny (C), Boscastle (YHA), Tintagel (YHA, C), Trebarwith Strand, Porth Isaac, Polzeath (C), Padstow (C), Trevone, Harlyn, Trevose Head (C), Treynarnon (YHA, C), Porthcothan (C), Mawgan Porth (C), Trevarrian (C), Whipsiderry (C), Newquay, Crantock (C), West Pentire (C), Perranporth (YHA, C), St Agnes (C), Porthtowan (C), Portreath (YHA), Coombe (C), Gwithian (C), Black Cliff (C), Hayle (C), Lelant (C), Carbis Bay (C), St Ives (C), Trevalgan (C), Zennor, Pendeen (C), Botallack (C), St Just (YHA, C), Sennen Cove (C), Sennen, Land's End, Penzance (YHA)

YHA = Youth Hostel, C = Campsite

Well, that's the plan!

I'll Walk the High Road: John o'Groats to Land's End

Now that I've decided to do it there are several yes/no choices that need to be addressed:
No, I will not to get fit in advance but will use the first few weeks in preparation by including light training days - backpack free strolls around interesting towns or short circular local walks or simply shorter hike days, after all, I'm in no great rush - I want to enjoy this. Yes, I'll camp out most nights. This allows more freedom as you don't have to book ahead and if you really do get stuck you can fly-pitch - tread lightly, leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photographs. The downside, you do have to carry camping gear. No, I will not cook but aim to eat light, mostly a fruit and liquid breakfast, a take-away picnic lunch and splurge on a sit-down dinner - hopefully I'll have earned it. Plus, I'll squeeze in morning coffee and afternoon teas as and where I can, so there is no need to carry cooking gear.
No, I will not have back-up but will be self-sufficient and launder clothes as I go, mostly at campsites and hostels which usually have reasonable facilities.
No, I will not buy OS maps en-route or carry a guide book or pratnav. I'll take A3 size copies of Landranger map sections along my route, annotated with campsites, hostels and food pubs/restaurants beforehand. These lightweight copies can then be discarded or easily posted home leaving my library of OS maps pristine. I will also rely on some route strip-maps such as those edited and designed by Harvey Maps.
Yes, it will be a fair-weather hike with warm sunny days and balmy nights.

Kit list:

• Rucksack
• Tent and repair kit, combination padlock
• Mattress and pillow case
• Sleeping bag
• Walking boots, trainers and sandals
• Socks - three pairs double-skinned cotton, one wool
• Trousers - walking, evening and shorts
• Boxers - three silk
• Vests - two cotton
• Shirts - long sleeve, two short sleeve and tee-shirt
• Fleece - jacket, pullover and hat
• Mackintosh (just in case)
• Compass and whistle
• Map photocopies of route - annotated with campsites, hostels, pubs and restaurants
• Map carrying case and waterproof document case
• Camera and waterproof case, mini-tripod
• SD cards, USB card reader
• Torch, rechargeable AA batteries and charger
• ATM card, cash, credit card, YHA card
• Money belt, waterproof wallet
• Travel alarm clock
• Reading glasses and case, spares
• Diary and pen
• JOGLE verification form
  
• Candle and lighter
• First-aid kit - water purification tablets, plasters, blister plasters, antiseptic wipes, Vaseline, thermometer, scissors, sterile water, antihistamines, strong pain killers, super glue
• Sewing kit
• Knee support
• Shower bag - soap, shampoo, razor and spare blades, travel towel
• Dental - telescope toothbrush and paste, dental tape, mouthwash
• Chord washing line
• Plastic cup, hand-held immersion heater, tea bags and coffee granules
• Plastic plate and knife
• Water bottles
• Plastic wine glass
• Penknife with corkscrew (for taking stones out of horses hooves)
• Sense of humour

Budget guesstimates:
Accommodation (campsites, hostels, B&Bs or pubs) £10/night
Food and drink £20/day
Internet and laundry £ 3/day
Total budget £33/day
So, say 100 days walking, trip total: £3,300 or £1,000/month

Back in Bangkok

Friday 17 June: My flight to Heathrow is not until Wednesday night, so I have five-days of shopping and making running repairs in Bangkok. I'm so impressed by the injection-free, unhurried, careful, painless filling given to me by Dr Pagaree at Dental Time Khao San on Jakra Pong Road that when she suggests that I also have my two old stained front-fillings replaced with new ones, I agree. I've never looked forward to going to the dentists before.
Tuesday 21: I must have walked past Wat Bowonniwet many times but today I see it from a different angle and pop inside, it's a delight.
Wednesday 22: Another very good massage at Wat Pho, then a haircut, before I head to the airport for my flight home. I've now been travelling for two years and two days, I'll be glad to get back to Great Britain.
Some more photos of Bangkok.