Day 56 & 57 – Orkney’s Neolithic Wonderland
Skara Brae – Ring of Brodgar – The Standing Stones of Stenness – Maeshowe, 12Km and 5000 years Although ScotlandContinue Reading
Blog postings along the way
Skara Brae – Ring of Brodgar – The Standing Stones of Stenness – Maeshowe, 12Km and 5000 years Although ScotlandContinue Reading
Orphir to Kirkwall, 16Km This morning the rain was lashing against the window when I woke up. AccuWeather said itContinue Reading
Dounby to Orphir, 32Km That’s more like it! Two stages in one day. Change and Forgiveness done. Tomorrow I haveContinue Reading
Birsay to Dounby, 16km Tomorrow’s theme on the pilgrimage will be Change and this is the photo for tomorrow. ButContinue Reading
Evie to Birsay, 22Km St Magnus is the patron saint of Orkney and pilgrims have been walking the St MagnusContinue Reading
Keiss to John O’Groats, 22Km then ferry to Orkney Another exhilarating clifftop walk today brought me to the end ofContinue Reading
Wick to Keiss, 17Km I’m not going to complain about the weather because I’ve been so fortunate in Scotland. It’sContinue Reading
Occumster to Wick, 27km (No 75 bus and boat) I looked out of the window this morning and saw …Continue Reading
Dunbeath to Occumster, 17Km I was expecting these last four days on the John O’Groats trail to be difficult. I’veContinue Reading
Brora to Helmsdale, 21Km (bus to Dunbeath, 24Km) Rose camped last night and arrived at the Sutherland Inn this morningContinue Reading
Golspie to Brora, 10Km There was a noticeable shift in the scenery today. The sea pounds the coast like itContinue Reading
Dornoch to Golspie, 22Km Golf is one of those games I would probably enjoy if I played it. I thinkContinue Reading
Tain to Dornoch, 13Km For the first time in two years the Royal Burgh of Tain Pipe Band took toContinue Reading
Alness to Tain, 21Km Tain is such a nice seaside town and has everything you need for a short break.Continue Reading
Culbokie to Alness, 15Km I met Rose at Netherton Farm B&B yesterday, as planned, and we’ll walk together for theContinue Reading
Inverness to Culbokie, 21Km The Premier Inn’s restaurant was closed, “no staff”. Wetherspoons was only selling beer, “no staff, noContinue Reading
Rest day in Inverness I booked a rest day here in Inverness because it seemed like a good idea. NoContinue Reading
Drumnadrochit to Inverness, 32Km Drumnadrochit is the monster epicenter of Loch Ness. There is a theme park (Nessieland) and anContinue Reading
Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit, 23Km Today’s walk was a continuation of yesterday’s lovely walk, high on the Great Glen above LochContinue Reading
Fort Augustus to Invermoriston, 13Km I’m staying two nights here in Fort Augustus at the southern end of Loch NessContinue Reading
South Laggan to Fort Augustus, 16Km I stayed at the Forest View B&B in South Laggan last night. It wasContinue Reading
Gairlochy to South Laggan, 20Km It’s not everyone who has a 45 foot girth Sequoia in the garden. Last night’sContinue Reading
Fort William to Gairlochy, 16Km A canal towpath, like a former railway track, is a dream for the long distanceContinue Reading
Rest Day in Fort William I knew I was going to like the West Highland Way and it really wasContinue Reading
Kinlochleven to Fort William, 25Km It’s a tough little walk, this West Highland Way. A cursory glance at the mapContinue Reading
Kingshouse (Glencoe) to Kinlochleven, 14Km There’s usually a good reason why a stage of a long distance footpath is onlyContinue Reading
Tyndrum to Kingshouse (Glencoe), 31Km My B&B host, Heather produced a pot of homemade marmalade and was delighted to findContinue Reading
Inverarnan to Tyndrum, 21Km Today was the first rainy day but it was only an intermittent shower or two, nothingContinue Reading
Rowardennan to Inverarnan, 25Km It felt like a free ride today on what is the hardest stage of the WestContinue Reading
Drymen to Rowardennan, 26Km I liked Drymen. My B&B was centrally located between The Drymen Inn and the “top rated”Continue Reading
Lennoxtown to Drymen, 26Km My hotel last night had a jacuzzi bath with a waterproof TV but I didn’t botherContinue Reading
Kilsyth to Lennoxtown, 16Km I’m just north of Glasgow, it’s just down the road. So close and yet, so far.Continue Reading
Falkirk to Kilsyth, 21Km I must have been taught about the Roman Empire at school but I would probably haveContinue Reading
Linlithgow to Falkirk, 19Km Once again, there was quite a lot to see along the John Muir Way today. AfterContinue Reading
South Queensferry to Linlithgow, 26Km I booked a 7am breakfast and secured a table with the best view of theContinue Reading
Edinburgh to South Queensferry, 27Km I like Edinburgh. There are probably many interesting city walks exploring the streets and buildingsContinue Reading
Rest day in Edinburgh Whatever you think about the Royal Family, it’s always worth paying £13.50 for a peek behindContinue Reading
Port Seton to Edinburgh, 18Km Today it was not about the journey but the destination. The JMW did it’s bestContinue Reading
North Berwick to Port Seton, 23Km When John Muir made his 1000 mile walk from Kentucky to the Gulf ofContinue Reading
Dunbar to North Berwick, 26Km I’m walking the John Muir Way backwards. The prevailing winds are westerlies so most walkersContinue Reading
Rest day in Dunbar If you’re watching a quiz show and there is a question about conservation, national parks etc.Continue Reading
Longformacus to Cockburnspath, 30Km Ho, Ho, Ho said the taxi driver. It’s Long-form-acres and Co-burns-path, he emphasised when he collectedContinue Reading
Lauder to Longformacus, 25Km Heavy rain overnight. I could see rain falling all around me today, wonderful dramatic clouds inContinue Reading
Melrose to Lauder, 16Km After four consecutive 30Km days on the wilds of the Southern Upland Way, today felt likeContinue Reading
Innerleithen to Melrose, 30Km The weather is unbelievable. No one can remember a summer like it. There’s been no rainContinue Reading
Scabcleuch to Innerleithen, 31Km That’s a photo of a sheep fold I slept at The Gordon Arms last night, aContinue Reading
Moffat to Scabcleuch, 29Km The walk this morning was so stunning that I made a quick video (35 seconds) soContinue Reading
Overfingland to Moffat, 31Km I’ve spent the past three nights on a sheep and cattle farm on the edge ofContinue Reading
Sanquhar to Overfingland, 24Km I think I’ve got to the bottom of my flooded boots drama and it’s my ownContinue Reading
A rest day in Sanquhar Lowa has responded to my plight of drenched feet in their nearly new boots. TheyContinue Reading
Stroanpatrick to Sanquhar, 33Km Having lost “not a few” of his readers yesterday, the author of my Cicerone guidebook wasContinue Reading
Craigenbay to Stroanpatrick, 29Km Neither of those places actually exist. Craigenbay is just a drop off point for walkers atContinue Reading
Bargrennan to Craigenbay, 30Km I started the day with a healthy breakfast. The B&B was full with seven people allContinue Reading
New Luce to Bargrennan, 30Km It was down to the serious business of walking across Scotland today. Little Portpatrick isContinue Reading
Stranraer to New Luce, 24Km I intended to include a photo of each day’s porridge to give the blog aContinue Reading
Portpatrick to Stranraer, 15Km Portpatrick is also the start of the E2 European Long Distance Footpath which runs down toContinue Reading
There’s more to Britain than England, of course, so I’m continuing my 2020 northbound journey through Scotland towards the distantContinue Reading
I risked more smoked salmon with scrambled eggs for breakfast this morning and all was well. Today was more likeContinue Reading
Wooler to Fenwick I knew it would happen. For the past three weeks my bag has been magically transported fromContinue Reading
Kirk Yetholm to Wooler You might have detected from the time and probably incoherent nature of yesterday’s blog that IContinue Reading
Windy Gyle to Kirk Yetholm More glorious sunshine, more cloudless skies, more autumn colours on the moors, more English folkContinue Reading
Byrness to Windy Gyle What weather!! We’ve been blessed with another fine day today. When I was fighting my wayContinue Reading
Bellingham to Byrness Goodness, what a remote part of the world. It’s an endless land of moors and a fewContinue Reading
Once Brewed to Bellingham It’s not what it used to be, the night life along Hadrian’s Wall. I ate sausagesContinue Reading
9am taxi this morning because he’s busy ferrying the children to school before then. Today’s walk was only 10Km andContinue Reading
Slaggyford to Greenhead A strong wind blew all last night but the day dawned peacefully, a bright sunny day withContinue Reading
Garrigill to Slaggyford Imagine this. You’re walking the Pennine Way and you have two nights in a B&B half wayContinue Reading
Dufton to Garrigill “The highest, most remote and most exposed part of the route” says my Pennine Way guidebook aboutContinue Reading
Langdon Beck to Dufton “Would you like a cooked breakfast?”, Andrew Milnes asked me this morning. “No thank you, justContinue Reading
Middleton to Langdon Beck and back Today was almost a rest day because I have two nights in the sameContinue Reading
Bowes to Middleton Great breaking news!! 82 year old Pennine Way hiker found safe and well near Keld. He’d hitContinue Reading
Keld to Bowes The mountain rescue teams were out early looking for an 82 year old man who went missingContinue Reading
Hawes to Keld It’s a day where the 1:25000 series map becomes a work of art. I could snip outContinue Reading
Horton in Ribblesdale to Hawes Every weekend a different charity organises their own Three Peaks Challenge in which participants haveContinue Reading
Malham to Horton in Ribblesdale And that photo is the fearsome Pen-y-Ghent, today’s big challenge. I’m in the Yorkshire DalesContinue Reading
Skipton to Malham Kirk Yetholm is the end of the Pennine Way in case you thought it was almost over.Continue Reading
Haworth to Skipton I had just finished my pint at the Black Bull last night and was walking through Haworth,Continue Reading
Hebden Bridge to Haworth When it comes to Wuthering Heights, some never got beyond Kate Bush. She summed up allContinue Reading
Hebden Bridge I’m not usually the first to admit that I’m wrong. My plan was to stay in my pubContinue Reading
Standedge to Hebden Bridge At 27km, today’s walk was the longest of the Pennine Way stages but also one ofContinue Reading
Hattersley to Standedge Actually I’m exhausted and I haven’t even started it. Today was meant to be a quick 16km.Continue Reading
Bollington to Hattersley I am now working my way around Manchester. It’s always cold and wet here and it wasContinue Reading
Leek to Bollington The Premier Inn doesn’t have a loyalty scheme. It’s a shame because I’d be a gold memberContinue Reading
Kingsley to Leek The storm continued all night. The wind howled. The rain lashed against the window of my B&B.Continue Reading
Uttoxeter to Kingsley Small mishap last night when I dropped my toothbrush into the toilet. I bought a new oneContinue Reading
Rugeley to Uttoxeter Last time, when it asked me to upgrade to a meal I said no. But this morningContinue Reading
Lichfield to Rugeley It was back to normal as I woke up on Saturday with nothing more than a pleasantContinue Reading
Shustoke to Lichfield I stayed in the Old Station Guest House which was ok for the cheap price. I justContinue Reading
Kingswood to Shustoke I stayed in a hotel called the Punchbowl last night and it was first class and forContinue Reading
Last night’s Travelodge was well outside Alcester (pronounced Ulster) and it occupied a prime site on a busy roundabout whichContinue Reading
Chipping Camden to Alcester I stayed at the Volunteer Inn in Chipping Camden last night. It was okay except theyContinue Reading
Bourton-on-the-Water to Chipping Camden I stayed last night at The Manse Hotel in Bourton-on-the-Water. It’s a Greene King and excellent.Continue Reading
Woodstock to Bourton-on-the-Water Yesterday I left the Thames Path at Oxford and walked along the Oxford Canal path to Woodstock.Continue Reading
Abingdon to Woodstock I forgot to mention that yesterday’s headline was written by Bob Dylan, not me. It comes fromContinue Reading
Wallingford to Abingdon near Oxford After a few nice days, today saw the return of normal English weather. The staffContinue Reading
Reading to Wallingford This pilgrimage is very last minute and because of the pandemic and all the uncertainties of lockdownContinue Reading
Marlow to Reading We have an extreme heat wave at the moment so I set off at 6.30. I wouldContinue Reading
Breakfast options were limited this morning in Windsor. Nothing was open at 7am except McDonalds so I went inside. TheContinue Reading
One of the advantages of starting a pilgrimage from home is that I’m not short of good company for theContinue Reading
Had all been well, I would have been wandering down Italy soaking up the Mediterranean sunshine, eating gelato, drinking PeroniContinue Reading