Author Topic: Linking up a few long distance paths  (Read 5010 times)

Beth FF

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #15 on: 09:18:34, 28/08/19 »
Good luck, Beth.

You must come back and walk the Scottish coast sometime though - a really tough option following the west coast, mind you - all those sea lochs!


Thanks Richard  :)  I'm unlikely to do the west coast of Scotland to be honest. I know what I'm doing is seen by many as "extreme" but that's the long term element more than the environment. I really don't like camping, so that makes walking really rural areas almost impossible without support, and I'm not keen on hills/mountains or remote areas either. I definitely steer away from anything described as really tough too because my motives are enjoyment.

Dread

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #16 on: 09:33:15, 28/08/19 »
Hi Beth. I really admire what you are doing. I'd love to do somethin similar but it will probably have to wait until  I retire and the kids get older.  If you don't mind me asking,you how does accommodation work out if you don't camp? Do you have a lot of friends or is it all b&b?

Beth FF

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #17 on: 09:58:18, 29/08/19 »
Hi Beth. I really admire what you are doing. I'd love to do somethin similar but it will probably have to wait until  I retire and the kids get older.  If you don't mind me asking,you how does accommodation work out if you don't camp? Do you have a lot of friends or is it all b&b?


What I do is put requests for accommodation on my Facebook group (Beth Foot Forward charity coastal walk) and often I get strangers offering me their spare rooms. Sometimes B&Bs will offer a room for free. Otherwise I pay for B&Bs and hotels, but I try and keep this to a minimum as it gets extremely expensive and I'm self funding. Sometimes I can't find anywhere to stay in the area I'm hoping to stop, so then I have to see if I can get a bus to the next closest place to stay. If that doesn't work then I have to miss sections out altogether.

Dread

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #18 on: 10:17:45, 29/08/19 »
Thanks Beth, that's really helpful.  I suppose that the choice of charity is important to get links to your Facebook and for the goodwill. Good luck with the rest of your walk.

gunwharfman

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #19 on: 12:52:12, 29/08/19 »
From reading your likes and dislikes it sounds to me that you need to walk in the south of the UK, Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex and Hampshire, their landscapes seem to fit your criteria.

So as a suggestion how about linking, with train stations at the beginning and end, The North Downs Way, West to East, The Greensand Way, East to West, The High Weald Trail, West to East and ending with the Sussex Border Path, East to West, finishing at Emsworth on the South Coast? A long zig-zag walk, about 400 miles or so, (could be more) all waymarked and ending on the south coast.

Everything you've identified on your list is in all of these walks.

sussamb

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #20 on: 12:56:12, 29/08/19 »
Bonus would be closer to your sister if I recall correctly, and me of course  O0
Where there's a will ...

Stube

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #21 on: 13:39:39, 29/08/19 »
The longest single inland route is the Monarch's Way at 625 miles through the black country, cotswolds, mendips and south downs - it links with many other LDPs. lots of canal walking in the Midlands and few climbs apart from the section between Bristol and Wells.
Or try the various Macmillan Way walks - all essentially coast to coast walks through central southern England and Wales. They can be linked in several ways to create circular or zig-zag options.
Both ways are waymarked and have guidebooks available and intersect several times.

richardh1905

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #22 on: 14:51:35, 29/08/19 »
I definitely steer away from anything described as really tough too because my motives are enjoyment.

My motives are enjoyment too, Beth, but for me a bit of 'toughness' heightens the pleasure.
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Bigfoot_Mike

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #23 on: 17:27:10, 29/08/19 »
From reading your likes and dislikes it sounds to me that you need to walk in the south of the UK, Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex and Hampshire, their landscapes seem to fit your criteria.

So as a suggestion how about linking, with train stations at the beginning and end, The North Downs Way, West to East, The Greensand Way, East to West, The High Weald Trail, West to East and ending with the Sussex Border Path, East to West, finishing at Emsworth on the South Coast? A long zig-zag walk, about 400 miles or so, (could be more) all waymarked and ending on the south coast.

Everything you've identified on your list is in all of these walks.
If you get to Emsworth, you could then add the Wayfarers Walk and then the Test Way, ending at Eling (which has a tidal mill) near Southampton.

Stube

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #24 on: 10:57:25, 30/08/19 »
e
Quote
If you get to Emsworth, you could then add the Wayfarers Walk and then the Test Way, ending at Eling (which has a tidal mill) near Southampton. 

Ok if we're playing this game

From Eling it's a short hop to Hythe and the Solent Way through the New Forest to Christchurch (last bit is E9). Thenn North to Salisbury along the Avon Valley Path, then east to Winchester on the Clsrendon Way. About 200 miles in total from Emsworth.

At Winchester you are spoilt for choice:
North on the three Castles Path to Windsor.
Northeast via the St Swithin's Way to Farnham and the North Downs Way.
East along the South Downs Way.
South East to Portsmouth on the Pilgrim's Trail (it continues to Le Mont Sant Michel in France)
South on the Itchin Way to Southampton.
Other routs are available!

Beth FF

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #25 on: 11:09:39, 30/08/19 »
Wow, some great ideas, thanks gunwharfman, Stube and Bigfoot_Mike  :D

Doddy

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #26 on: 16:28:05, 30/08/19 »
Doddys End to End
                          Miles
Cape Wrath trail                    200
West Highland Way                95
A South of Scotland Way       60
Pennine Way                 267
A White Peak Way               67
Heart of England Way               93
Cotswold Way                100
Bath to Barnstable               80
Barnstable to Lands End       188
                         1140
I did it in seven sections, mostly about two weeks long and wild camped 90% of the time. The mileages are my best estimate as I did not use guide books on most and some paths were done before I had a GPS. I did do Lands End to Poole on another trip for the South West Coast Path.

Warbler

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #27 on: 11:45:23, 31/08/19 »
I'd never heard of the Three Castles Path. Looks quite interesting......It's planted a seed!

richardh1905

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #28 on: 16:05:28, 31/08/19 »
Don't overlook England's canal network, Beth - towpaths make very pleasant walking.
« Last Edit: 16:09:15, 31/08/19 by richardh1905 »
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Stube

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Re: Linking up a few long distance paths
« Reply #29 on: 21:52:24, 01/09/19 »
OOh canal options.

Amberley take the Wey-South path to Guildford.
At Guildford follow the Wey Navigation to Chertsey.
At Chertsey take the Thames Path upstream to Kemble. (Easy camping on this route)
At Kemble switch to the Thames-Severn Link canal.
At the junction turn north for Gloucester (and the Wye valley) or south to Bristol.
At Bristol use the Avon Walkway towards Bath and the Monarch's Way or the Cotswold Way.

These routes are waymarked, and I have walked most if not all of them.

You could prefix this route by following the line of the defunct Chichester-Arun canal. Tou join the Arun at Ford which you and follow north to Amberley or take take the more direct cross-country route. (The river meanders) The path is not custom waymarked, but is signposted.

Overall about 250 miles to the Severn.


« Last Edit: 21:55:35, 01/09/19 by Stube »

 

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