Contact Me: Hoping to walk LEJOG Spring 2010

Subject: Hoping to walk LEJOG Spring 2010
Posted: 11 Sep 2009 5:14 pm

Hi,

Thanks for an awesome site Mark, it's a mine of useful information, easily the best on the web for LEJOG/JOGLE advice.

I'm hoping to fulfil a long held ambition by walking LEJOG for charity, starting late March 2010. At the moment my walk depends on whether or not my employers (a well known UK PLC) will become my main sponsor, ie grant me paid leave while I walk and get their publicity machine behind my fund raising effort, at the moment the vibes are very good, so I am starting to get excited. If they don’t get behind me my financial circumstances will delay my attempt at least a year or two

I have three questions;

1. My job involves making deliveries outdoors on foot in all weathers, I have been doing this 6 days a week for 9 years, walking an average of 12 miles per day (pedometer measured). I reckon this must give me a good head start in the fitness department, so I only plan to do a few practise walks wearing my full kit. Am I correct to make this assumption? I’m 42yo, fit and healthy.

2.I live in Devon, on several of the early days this gives me the chance to be picked up by the Missus, go home for all my usual home comforts and a good nights sleep before being dropped off to continue from the same spot the next day, also this gives me the bonus of only needing to carry minimal kit on those days. Other friends and relatives may also be doing me similar favours in the first half of the walk. This isn’t cheating is it? I don’t think it is as long as I do every single step of the walk, always resuming where I stopped the day before. I will get no help in the second half of the walk and will combine rough sleeping with B&Bs.

3. In fairness to my employers I would prefer a quicker than average route to minimise time off work. I am prepared to forfeit some of the beautiful scenery to keep the day count down. I’m not too bothered by walking on Tarmac. Any route suggestions? At the moment Avon Bridge/Severn Way looks attractive.

Thanks very much, advice from anybody gratefully received.

Gary

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Subject: Answers for Gary
Posted: 12 Sep 2009 7:24 pm

Hi Gary,

Picking up on your paragraph numbers,

1. I'd say your fitness level is quite exceptional. Except for the unforeseen (hmm), you have it made.

2. Cheating? You make the rules for your own hike. As long as you don't deceive anyone, you can do what you like. I'd say as long as you walk the entire route, you've done the job.

3. My Lejog's were 900-950 miles with a fair bit of road surface. Check out http://mylongwalk.com and write to me from there for more route info if you like.

Cheers,
Daryl

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Subject: Thanks Daryl
Posted: 13 Sep 2009 9:46 am

Cheers for that Daryl. I am having a good look at your route.

It's a great blog, highly recommended reading for all interested in JOGLE/LEJOG.

Your link above is broken (due to the comma at the end), this one should work;

http://mylongwalk.com/

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Subject: Spring LEJOG
Posted: 14 Sep 2009 12:52 pm

Hi Gary.

Just to echo what Daryl said:

1. You are correct to make this assumption. You sound super-fit! Your main concern will be how the full kit feels, but in terms of fitness, that sounds fine.

2. This isn't cheating, and most LEJOG walkers do this at some point - after all, if a friend offers you a bed for the night, you're hardly going to refuse! As long as you start from the same point that you ended, it's all above board.

3. Daryl's route is a good one to check out, as you're probably finding. If you do decide to go up the Pennines instead, there are plenty of corners you can cut, and you could go straight north from Edinburgh to Inverness instead of taking in the West Highland and Great Glen Ways. If you don't mind Tarmac, then you shouldn't have any problems finding a shorter route; I did meander quite bit...

Happy to answer any further questions (as, I'm sure, are others), so feel free to post here if you've got any other queries. Have fun planning!

(Daryl, I've removed the comma from the link above.)

Best wishes,

Mark

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Subject: Gary - Spring 2010
Posted: 28 Sep 2009 2:16 pm

Gary
I am a novice to long distance walking but I am hoping to plan a start for the end of March. So many I have spoken to have recommended not to go it alone. Would you consider an "End to End" companion?
I have done some walking in South Wales, where I live. Snowdon, Pen-y-Fan(several times) and the Neath Valley.
I am retiring early at the age of 53 in a couple of months time so I will have an opportunity to increase my physical capabilities over the winter.
What do you think???

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Subject: Alone or not?
Posted: 28 Sep 2009 3:39 pm

Gary,

It's a personal thing whether to go it alone or with a companion. Mark's Links page shows that it can be done either way, successfully and happily.

I did it alone except for a few days when kind friends joined me. On those occasions, the companionship was great.

But, over the long haul (and those words are significant), I think that "alone" is best. Ask yourself how the following would play out, and see what you think:

1. You want to walk 14 miles a day and your companion wants to push for 20;

2. You like trails, and your companion likes roads;

3. You have to get back to work on date X, and your companion likes to dawdle;

4. You shower, and they don't;

5. You can afford B&Bs as long as you avoid restaurants, and your companion wants to camp and eat out;

6. There are just so many times that you want to hear the same lament (or joke, or opinion, or voice);

7. Why didn't they bring their own camera (or soap, or blister treatment)?

8. You told them to buy high-quality boots, and they didn't listen. Now you're stuck in BFE* for three days;

9. You need time alone each day, and they are incessantly sociable.

I would guess that age makes us more tolerant of other people, but at age 66 I still hike alone!

Cheers,

Daryl
- - -
*BFE is an acronym better not spelled out.

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Subject: Alone or Not?
Posted: 28 Sep 2009 7:37 pm

Each to their own, I suppose.I would hope that there would be some positives in being accompanied as, I am sure, there would be fors and against in either circumstance.
It is an exceptionally important aspect of LEJOG and I need to get it right.As would any potential companion. I am starting to realise how very personal the whole project is becoming.I am sure I still have much to learn.

Dave Jay

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Subject: reply
Posted: 29 Sep 2009 12:44 am

Thanks for the offer Dave, very much appreciated, but I'm probably not the best person to walk with. For a start I will be looking at a higher than average daily mileage on a a less scenic than average route. My employer will be expecting me to take part in local publicity events on the way which would be an annoying inconvenience for a companion. Also I couldn't really ask to bring a friend along to the people who have offered to put me up. Bearing in mind the other issues mentioned by Mark and the fact that I'm still only 50/50 whether I will be going next year makes me a bad option.

Gary

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Subject: Alone or Not?
Posted: 29 Sep 2009 8:18 am

Hi Gary
Everything you say makes sense. Thanks, so much, for your reply.
Who knows, if you do get off in 2010 our paths might cross.
The very best of luck with your endeavours between now and Duncansby Head.
One thing I will be taking with me to share will be improvised humour.In fact I intend to remain impoverished!!

Sincerest regards
Dave Jay

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Subject: Walking alone
Posted: 1 Oct 2009 9:17 am

At the risk of plugging my own website (!), the arguments for solo travelling vs travelling with others are extremely similar:

www.moxon.net/travel_tips/solo_travel.html

Particularly the bit about showering.

Mark

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