Days 3 & 4: Botallack to Hayle Estuary

At the end of Day 4 I have now clocked up 58 miles (according to my phone). These last two days have been great walking without my backpack. Over the next few days I'll take a look at trying to reduce the weight of my backpack so I can work my way up to the full load for once Martin has left.

Yesterday (Day 3) featured hail, sun and, a stiff cold easterly wind but today (Day 4) the glorious sun returned despite a strong bitter wind.So far, wrens, Cornish choughs, and stonechats have kept me company, with a beautiful wheatear leading me along for awhile on Day 4. And the seals have made an appearance with their heads up in the water while they sleep.

Day 3: Botallack to Zennor

Day 4: Zennor to Hayle Estuary

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Day 101: Keiss to John O’Groats - The Final Day (14.6 miles)

Being the last day, it felt important to wear my old beastly friend of the trek - the large rucksack. I was actually surprised how comfortable - and comforting it was! Maria and I set off with Martin at 9:30, letting some heavy rain go through first. We would have to watch ourselves on the cliffs as the forecast was for 45 miles per hour gusts from the west. Within minutes we could see Keiss castle before us but for Maria, I think seeing seals bobbing up in the water was more interesting, not least because Georgie was desperate to see them too. Martin turned back and we told him to let Georgie know. The path was overgrown with wet vegetation, and it wasn’t long before Maria reported that the inside of her boots were starting to get wet. It wouldn’t take too long before mine followed (by 10:20!): with rotting stitching it was the reason I had originally decided to swop over to my new boots all those days ago down in St Ives, Cornwall. Oystercatchers were clearly alarmed by our proximity...

Choosing the Route

Since I was first diagnosed with CLL, and started long distance walking, I've been fortunate enough to walk the North and South Downs Ways (2018), the Norfolk Coastal Path (2019), Coast to Coast (2021), the Menorcan Coastal Path and the Ridgeway (2023), the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, the Dales Highway and the Cotswold Way (2024). In amongst those, I walked the Pennine Way (2020) and the South West Coastal Path (2022) for charity. In walking these routes, I realised that I love walking on my own, enjoy being immersed in the surroundings around me, able to go at my own pace, stop, observe, and simply be. I love the high moors and mountains but also our beautiful rugged coast - especially the north Cornwall coastline. I very much wanted to re-walk that part of the South West Coastal Path but extended to Penzance - a stretch with which I had been particularly taken. I also wanted to re-walk the Pennine Way - eventually postponing this so as to incorporate it into t...

I’ve done it!

After 101 phenomenal days of walking and an unbelievable 1346.7 miles, I finally arrived at John O’Groats this afternoon. I am so pleased and so relieved. As you might imagine, the family and I are spending the evening celebrating, and I’ve been banned from writing my blog tonight! So a blog post will be coming out tomorrow with more detail on the eventful Day 101, but for now if you will forgive me, I shall kick off my boots, relax and enjoy a glass of prosecco!

Walking Lands End to John O'Groats 2025 for Alzheimer's Society

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