Walking Forum
Main Boards => Long Distance Walks => Topic started by: AFANASIEW on 18:40:26, 24/06/18
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Having just completed a 289 mile section of the South West Coast Path as preparation for doing LEJOG next year, I've blogged about the first day, Land's End to Penzance (https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/06/24/swcp-day-one-lands-end-to-penzance/) for those who may be interested. The rest is to follow.
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Sounds like the yha you stayed at in penzance. I didn't rate it much too. Cheap accommodation for standard hotel goers. Think I was the only walker there. The washing machines looked unused which is a shame as most more remote yha don't seem to replace washing machines when they break down. Must have been warm on those cliffs this month...
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Sounds like the yha you stayed at in penzance.
That's right. The New Zealand couple were walking a section of the SWCP and there were also cyclists there. I'll always opt for YHAs where available, particularly for the number of calories you can consume for breakfast, when provided, but also for the drying rooms, enabling you to wash and dry kit overnight.
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Impressed with your sighting of the Choughs, and the fotie. Awesome. O0
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Day 2 now done:
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/06/26/swcp-day-2-penzance-to-porthleven/
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Let's do this one day at a time - so here's day three:
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/06/26/swcp-day-three-porthleven-to-the-lizard/
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At last, day 4, The Lizard to Coverack:https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/06/27/swcp-day-4-the-lizard-to-coverack/
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Day Five gets me to Falmouth, not without controversy!
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/06/29/swcp-day-five-coverack-to-falmouth/
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Falmouth to Hemmick Beach, one third of the walk done after 6 days.https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/06/30/swcp-day-six-falmouth-to-hemmick-beach/
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SWCP Land's End to Lyme Regis, Day Seven - Hemmick Beack to Par Sands. Loving youth hostels, hating Eden Project YHA.
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/01/swcp-day-seven-hemmick-beach-to-par-sands/ (https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/01/swcp-day-seven-hemmick-beach-to-par-sands/)
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An interesting and amusing read. Thanks for sharing. O0
Regards Keith
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An interesting and amusing read. Thanks for sharing. O0
Regards Keith
Thanks for the feedback, Keith.
Tony
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Day 8 and a glorious, sunny Sunday for walking Par Sands to Polperro, my favourite fishing village.
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/02/swcp-day-eight-p…ands-to-polperro/
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Day 9, a slightly grumpy day.
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/03/swcp-day-nine-po (https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/03/swcp-day-nine-po)…hitsand-bay-fort/
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Day 8 and a glorious, sunny Sunday for walking Par Sands to Polperro, my favourite fishing village.
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/02/swcp-day-eight-p (https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/02/swcp-day-eight-p)…ands-to-polperro/
We live in an odd country Tony. If you'd whacked the seagull with the plank for stealing your cream tea the RSPCA would want you locked up for life whereas if a human had tried to rob you of your treat you would be entitled to lay them out with your plank and just claim ' reasonable force' if challenged.
I have a good chuckle most nights reading your reports ;D
Regards Keith
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If you'd whacked the seagull with the plank for stealing your cream tea the RSPCA would want you locked up for life...
Fair point, Keith. Living in Weymouth I'm used to seeing people, and sadly not just tourists, feeding the gulls, thereby training them, in Pavlovian fashion, to associate humans with food. They invite attacks. It was, though, locals who cheered one time when I witnessed a gull being run over by a white van. The driver didn't brake.
Regards
Tony
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Day 10 - Over the Tamar and over half way:
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/04/swcp-day-10-whit…fort-to-plymouth/
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. It was, though, locals who cheered one time when I witnessed a gull being run over by a white van. The driver didn't brake.
>:( :( :'(
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>:( :( :'(
Jac, may you never have a gull land on your head or your pasty nicked. Or one drop down your chimney. Or be woken by them early every morning. Or your child attacked. They're fine in a seascape on a gallery wall.
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Jac, may you never have a gull land on your head or your pasty nicked. Or one drop down your chimney. Or be woken by them early every morning. Or your child attacked. They're fine in a seascape on a gallery wall.
Quite used to gulls - I've lived in Southampton and Weymouth and now live in Exeter where I nearly lost my sandwich to a particularly persistent gull in the town centre last week.
Incidentally, one of the funniest things I've seen recently was a rather overweight man panting along Sidmouth seafront in (very) hot pursuit of a flying herring gull which was carrying his ice cream cone.
I don't blame the gulls for exploiting an easy food source and I certainly can't take delight in seeing anything hurt, especially intentionally.
That apart am really enjoying your blog though fervently hope I don't fall foul of your damp underpants in a hostel drying room ;)
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That apart am really enjoying your blog though fervently hope I don't fall foul of your damp underpants in a hostel drying room.
;D I'll look out for you in your 'Born Bad' t-shirt, Jac! O0
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Day 11 - and a bit of an adventure, as Enid Blyton might have said.
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/05/swcp-day-11-plymouth-to-revelstoke/
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A very enjoyable read. The route round the Plymouth docks and sea front is quite fascinating and well worth a visit, but at least you didn't get to a non existant campsite late in the day.
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A very enjoyable read. The route round the Plymouth docks and sea front is quite fascinating and well worth a visit, but at least you didn't get to a non existant campsite late in the day.
Delighted you're enjoying it. I guess I'd have made for Worswell Farm, the sensible option, had the weather not been fair or if it had been later in the day. Sometimes not being sensible is more interesting, though!
Here's Day 12, with a stimulating river crossing:
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/06/swcp-day-12-reve (https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/06/swcp-day-12-reve)…o-bigbury-on-sea/
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Day 13 - lots of fine views and an artistic end to the day.
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/07/swcp-day-13-bigb…sea-to-gara-rock/
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Still enjoying the reports Tony and still laughing. O0
Have you considered tissues rather than hankies ? The rate you're going through hankies will create a national shortage ;D
Regards Keith
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Still enjoying the reports Tony and still laughing. O0
Have you considered tissues rather than hankies ? The rate you're going through hankies will create a national shortage ;D
Regards Keith
Keith, I'm sure that, like glass milk bottles, cotton hankies are more eco-friendly than their modern replacements. But, whereas I can no longer buy milk in glass bottles, I can still use cottton hankies - when I don't lose them, that is!
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And the next one, please...
Day 14, complete with rain, strain and annoying adolescents.
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/08/swcp-day-14-gara…to-stoke-fleming/
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Four days to go and I'm struggling.
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/09/swcp-day-15-stok…eming-to-brixham/
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Day 16 - Am I nearer to or further from finishing? Not sure.
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/10/swcp-day-16-brixham-to-shaldon/
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Day 16 - Am I nearer to or further from finishing? Not sure.
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/10/swcp-day-16-brixham-to-shaldon/ (https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/10/swcp-day-16-brixham-to-shaldon/)
That's a hard walk in a day so well done Tony O0
Teignmouth has a very good Wetherspoons if you are planning a repeat of the walk!
Regards Keith
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AFANASIEW
I'm really loving your blog about your SWCP adventures - great descriptions, very entertaining! I completed the SWCP back in 2012, it took me 5 years (as a 'light weight' i.e. a 'rambler'....). Your experiences, photos and tea shop experiences really remind me of what a great experience the SWCP is.
BTW I still get milk delivered to me daily in glass bottles - maybe you could arrange to have hankies delivered daily to your camp site? ;)
JW
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That's a hard walk in a day so well done Tony O0
Teignmouth has a very good Wetherspoons if you are planning a repeat of the walk!
Thanks Keith, I'll bear it in mind. As you can imagine, there are a number of places I want to return to, given life enough!
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AFANASIEW
I'm really loving your blog about your SWCP adventures - great descriptions, very entertaining! I completed the SWCP back in 2012, it took me 5 years (as a 'light weight' i.e. a 'rambler'....). Your experiences, photos and tea shop experiences really remind me of what a great experience the SWCP is.
BTW I still get milk delivered to me daily in glass bottles - maybe you could arrange to have hankies delivered daily to your camp site? ;)
Ha! Love it, John. Glad to hear about the bottles - I used to deliver them at one time.
Tony
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The penultimate day - 17 of 18. Not easy at all.
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/11/swcp-day-17-shaldon-to-ladram-bay/
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I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the daily account of your walk, it brings back so many wonderful memories. :)
As this is also a preparation for your Lejog next year, whilst it may be better to get expert opinion, I presume that you need to get your legs (bones) ready for prolonged and continuous day to day walking to prevent a recurrence of your stress fracture if that is what it turns out to be.
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As this is also a preparation for your Lejog next year...
Thanks, Harland. It's still a long way off, and i hope to pack 8 kg instead of 13 - should help.
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That's it then - all over:
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/12/swcp-day-18-ladr…ay-to-lyme-regis/
Question is, what next??
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Thanks, Harland. It's still a long way off, and i hope to pack 8 kg instead of 13 - should help.
Does the 8kg include the 2kg of hankies Tony? ;D
Regards Keith
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Just read the final excerpt Tony and well done for completing a difficult walk O0
Good luck with LEJOG and presume you will be doing daily blogs of that little trip. Maybe consider downloading the Edinburgh Woollen Mill ap (if they have one) because hanky suppliers in the Highlands may be scarce.
Regards Keith
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Does the 8kg include the 2kg of hankies Tony? ;D
I'll post ahead along with the maps! ;)
Cheers
Tony
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And finally - lessons learned:
https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/07/19/swcp-postscript/
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I am by no means a "superman", 6'3" and 16 stone. No training for the SWCP but decided to walk myself into fitness. I didn't have any rest days on the SWCP and didn't have a problem with "stress fractures", I carried minimal, although not lightweight, camping equipment, (tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat) no cooking facilities. Decided that if I couldn't get food for one night it wouldn't kill me but make me get up earlier to get breakfast somewhere. The point I am making is that why should you have got a stress fracture when I didn't walking for 5 weeks. A reason may be that when I tried to walk Lejog in one go a couple of years ago I had to give up after about 3 days as I hurt my hip, I think it was from walking too fast, quite a lot on roads and walking too far each day trying to push myself. So suggest that you need to take it easy at the start in both mileage and speed. I wouldn't book ahead but carry minimal camping stuff as I did on the SWCP so that you can walk or stop as you go. My reserve food in case I had to miss an evening meal was a packet of ginger biscuits, but as you are aware I found B&B every night! Not sure that booking B&Bs so far ahead is a good idea as that, like me, may make you push yourself too much.
Instead of walking the SWCP at the start why not go through the centre of Cornwall?
Lulworth to Swanage I recorded as 4,403'. I use one walking pole, it helps my old knees get over stiles. Hankies - 2 is enough for anyone walking all of Lejog, one for the day and one for the evening!
I never did walk Lejog in one session which is a disappointment but I have now completed it having joined up the bits between the National Trails i.e. SWCP, Offa's Dyke, Pennine Way, West Highland Way and the Great Glenn Way.
Let us know when you are starting and if you are able update us frequently as, if you are OK with it, some of us may like a day or so walking with you if you are close to our home.
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Harland, i appreciate your interest and would indeed gladly meet on LEJOG - so far I'm only due to be meeting family for a day's walk in Derbyshire.
My need for training arose when my knees conked out 3+ years ago; they don't do that any more, after regular work on a cross-trainer. Apparently the cause of pain in the anterior tibialis could be any one or more of a number of things, but there are preventative steps you can take. My failed attempts on the Pennine Way as a young man have made me determined to plan and prepare quite meticulously now - I simply don't have another 39 years in which to figure out how to get it right.
How did you record the 4,403 feet of ascent?
Cheers
Tony
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How did you record the 4,403 feet of ascent?
I used my SATMAP to record distance and ascent, the height would be from Lulworth YH to my nights accommodation at Swanage YH.
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I used my SATMAP to record distance and ascent...
At least yours only gave you a 16% error as against my 50-60% on the Viewranger app.
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Instead of walking the SWCP at the start why not go through the centre of Cornwall?
Harland, my retirement project was initially to be the SWCP, until I changed my mind in favour of LEJOG - hence doing Land's End to Minehead at the start to complete the SWCP. Plus it's simpler - I did start planning to walk up the middle of Cornwall, but found it fiddly.
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Even more reason to take it easy at the start as the northern coast of the SWCP is "a bit undulating"! ;D
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Even more reason to take it easy at the start as the northern coast of the SWCP is "a bit undulating"! ;D
:) Make or break! Do that, you can do the rest as it's (almost) all downhill!
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Let us know when you are starting and if you are able update us frequently as, if you are OK with it, some of us may like a day or so walking with you if you are close to our home.
As it stands, Harland, I'm likely to set of on 25/05/19, and finish in mid-August. What part of the world are you in?
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North Yorkshire, so pretty close to parts of the Pennine Way for the stretch between Hawes and Middleton-in-Teesdale that I could reach by car fairly easily - not sure how to get back to the car again but I could work something out either by letting my better half go shopping and pick me up or leave you before the end and walk back! Not looking to "burden" you with my company for the entire stretch but a day out would be good.
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Let us know when you are starting and if you are able update us frequently as, if you are OK with it, some of us may like a day or so walking with you if you are close to our home.
As things stand, Harland, and if my legs endure, I'm due to reach Hawes on 13/07 next year, take a rest day there, then on to the Tan Hill Inn on 15/07 and Middleton the next day.
If it helps, I've used the bus service along Swaledale before to return, circuitously, to Haworth after a 5-day expedition with the family.
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For those that have taken a kind interest in my travelling travails, they're brought together in an e-book 'The Hiking Obsession' (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07K34ZMK8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1541084490&sr=1-1&keywords=hiking+obsession), uner the pen name 'Andrew Beard'.
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You are well prepared already, obviously we will chat/message before then to check on progress. When are you starting?
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When are you starting?
I've put the start date back to 31/05.
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Latest update on preparations for LEJOG:https://whiteacorns.wordpress.com/2018/12/13/ready-for-lejog-or-am-i/
Have you come across anyone who's completed LEJOG/JOGLE post-retirement? I'd be interested in their experience and, in particular, how their legs fared.
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Whilst I completed LEJOG after my retirement, I did it in stages LE > Minehead > Chirk > Edale > Kirk Yetholm > Milngavie > Inverness > JOG. Not the straightest line but it kept me off road and on National Trails for a good way. In answer to your question re legs, having walked the 630 mile SWCP in one go my legs were absolutely fine. By the end I had high muscle definition especially the thighs and front calf muscles. Feet (toes and heels) needed attention but Compeed kept me going without too much trouble.
The things to take care of fairly obviously are your "mental state", take one day at a time. Don't think of all the miles ahead of you, reduce the weight of your rucksack whilst ensuring that you walk "carefully" so that your hips don't take too much pressure - don't jump from one rock to another!
Mike age 71!
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I did it in stages LE > Minehead > Chirk > Edale > Kirk Yetholm > Milngavie > Inverness > JOG
Mike, that seems to match my route - did you do around 1,270 miles? How long between stages? Did you camp?
My leg muscles are ok, in fact, if anything, the podiatrist seems to think that over-development of the calf muscles unaccompanied by stretching exercises has contributed to tight tendons.
Tony
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In total the mileage I walked including getting to and from B&Bs was 1,305 miles. I carried a tent, but didn't need it, on the SWCP but used B&Bs/Youth Hostels etc for the rest. I walked one leg a year, I didn't set off to walk LEJOG but just the National Trails - having walked a few I just filled in the bits in between.