Journals

Our diaries....
The West Highland Way - 2006

Mark - "Our first attempt at a national long distance trail and still to date the most scenic route of them all. Blisters, achy legs, the eternal road to Kinlochleven, rugged mountains, peaceful lochs, and a loose band of people we got to know and befriend along the way."
Day 0 - Glasgow to Milngavie
Day 1 - Milngavie to Balmaha
Day 2 - Balmaha to Inversnaid
Day 3 - Inversnaid to Crianlarich
Day 4 - Crianlarich to Inveroran
Day 5 - Inveroran to Kinlochleven
Day 6 - Kinlochleven to Fort William
Summary
The Kyntyre Way - 2007

Colin - "With the addition of a couple of friends we tried out the (then) new Kyntyre Way trail on the west coast of Scotland. A tougher than expected challenge which culminated in a very demanding last day. Mark limped out of the walk on day three due to blisters, I learnt the difference between rocks and seals and we all lived happily for a week in an apartment overlooking the sea."
Day 0 - Outward Bound
Day 1 - Tarbert to Claonaig
Day 2 - Claonaig to Clachan
Day 3 - Clachan to Tayinloan
Day 4 - Tayinloan to Carradale
Day 5 - Carradale to Campbeltown
Day 6 - Campbeltown to Dunaverty
Summary




Offa's Dyke South - 2009

Mark - "Having toiled over several monster hills in Scotland we decided to visit the Welsh borders and tackle Offa's Dyke which, we soon discovered, was made almost entirely of hills. Stunning scenery and visits to Hatterall and Hergest ridges plus a few gallons of beer made this a memorable trip. If you love gradients, this is the route for you."
Day 0 - Birmingham to Ross-On-Wye
Day 1 - Chepstow to Redbrook
Day 2 - Redbrook to Llantilio Crossenny
Day 3 - Llantilio Crossenny to Llanthony Priory
Day 4 - Llanthony Priory to Hay-On-Wye
Day 5 - Hay-On-Wye to Kington
Day 6 - Kington to Knighton
Summary

Offa's Dyke North - 2010

Colin - "Continuing on Offa's Dyke and into north Wales. No brother Mark this time, but plenty more hills, the wonderfully scenic Dee Valley, a town called Trevor and possibly the worst bed & breakfast in the United Kingdom. The antics of a certain neurotic landlord provided an interesting diversion along the way."
Day 1 - Knighton to Montgomery
Day 0 - A misplaced prologue
Day 2 - Brompton Crossroads to Buttington Bridge
Day 3 - Buttington Bridge to Llanymynech
Day 4 - Llanymynech to Chirk Mill
Day 5 - Chirk Mill to Llandegla
Day 6 - Llandegla to Bodfari
Day 7 - Bodfari to Prestatyn

The Great Glen Way - 2011

Mark - "Back to Scotland again for more scenic wanderings. We followed the shores of lochs Lochie, Oich and Ness and the Caledonian canal until we reached Inverness where we celebrated ... rather a lot. This was a relatively easy trail offering spectacular views, some Fawlty-esque service and the mysterious Great Glen Way circus."
Day 0 - Fort William
Day 1 - Fort William to Gairlochy (Spean Bridge)
Day 2 - Gairlochy to Laggan
Day 3 - Laggan to Fort Augustus
Day 4 - Fort Augustus to Invermoriston
Day 5 - Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit
Day 6 - Drumnadrochit to Inverness
Summary

The Warwickshire Centenary Way - 2012

Mark - "Having had a restrained year finance-wise I opted to explore a long distance trail on my own doorstep and set off on a journey through the county of Warwickshire. Sometimes alone, sometimes with company, I discovered the delights of canal-walking, potted history, and wrote the idiots guide to losing sunglasses."
Prologue
Day 1 - Kingsbury to Hartshill Hayes
Day 2 - Hartshill Hayes to Hawkesbury Junction
Day 3 - Hawkesbury Junction to Coombe Abbey
Day 4 - Coombe Abbey to Stoneleigh
Day 5 - Stoneleigh to Leamington Spa
Day 6 - Leamington Spa to Burton Dasset Hills
Day 7 - Burton Dasset Hills to Whatcote
Day 8 - Whatcote to Upper Quinton
Summary

Postcode South - 2012

Colin - "I wondered where I would end up if I drew a line due south from my house in Ross-on-Wye to the coast. Then I looked at all the places I would pass through in between, and then I put on my rucksack and I walked it. This did not always seem like a great idea during the eight day journey."
Day 1 - Bridstow to Bream
Day 2 - Bream to Aust
Day 3 - Aust to Bristol
Day 4 - Bristol to Bishops Sutton
Day 5 - Bishop Sutton to North Wootton
Day 6 - North Wooton to Ilchester
Day 7 - Ilchester to Benville
Day 8 - Benville to Chesil Beach

The Heart Of England Way - 2013

Mark - "A second 100 mile walk through the midlands seemed like the thing to do after completing the Centenary Way so we set off on another meander through three counties, several places of historic interest, and a tour of Sheldon's fast food outlets"
Planning
Day 1 - Milford Common to Burntwood
Day 2 - Burntwood to Drayton Basset
Day 3 - Drayton Basset to Shustoke
Day 4 - Shustoke to Balsall Common
Day 5 - Balsall Common to Morton Bagot
Day 6 - Morton Bagot to Bidford-On-Avon
Day 7 - Bidford-On-Avon to Chipping Campden
Day 8 - Chipping Campden to Bourton-On-The-Water

Postcode West - 2014

Colin - "The second of my 'Postcode' walks. This time heading due west across Wales and, as I soon found out, a number of its mountains. I also discovered that if you want to see the best of people then put a pack on your back and become homeless for two weeks."
Day 1 - Bridstow to Grosmont
Day 2 - Grosmont to Llanthony
Day 3 - Llanthony to Cwmdu
Day 4 - Cwmdu to Ty Newydd
Day 5 - Ty Newydd to Crai
Day 6 - Crai to Llangadog>
Day 7 - Llangadog to Twyn Farm
Day 8 - Twyn Farm to Bronwydd
Day 9 - Bronwydd to Llanboidy
Day 10 - Llanboidy to Spittal
Day 11 - Spittal to Penycwm


The Millennium Way - 2014

Mark - "The third and final of the Holy Trinity of Midland base walks. This time a wander through the South Midlands from Northamptonshire to Worcestershire via Meriden"
Day 1 - Middleton Cheney to Upper Boddington
Day 2 - Upper Boddington to Long Itchington
Day 3 - Long Itchington to Warwick
Day 4 - Warwick to Meriden
Day 5 - Meriden to Packwood House
Day 6 - Packwood House to Morton Bagot




The Wye Valley Walk - 2015

Mark - "We liked the idea of simply following a river - nice and flat and impossible to get lost. There was a river right outside Colin's back door and it had an official Long Distance Path all of its own. It was too good to ignore, so we set off and soon discovered that a: It isn't all flat B: It doesn't just follow the river and C: Its a terrific walk!"
Day 1 - Chepstow to Whitebrook
Day 2 -  Whitebrook to Symonds Yat East
Day 3 -  Symonds Yat East to Ross-on-Wye
Day 4 -  Ross-on-Wye to Mordiford
Day 5 -  Mordiford to Bishopstone
Day 6 -  Bishopstone to Priory Wood





Short walks and day visits