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

Aware that heavy rain could be an issue today, I was up at 6am and broke camp by 7:15.  I ate a quick breakfast standing by my packed backpack pleased to have got all away before any rain. In full waterproofs and with only light rain I left at 7:40. I walked to rough the attractive town of Kington and started the climb up Bradnor Hill and the highest golf club in England - although with they welcome walkers, unfortunately I was far too early for them to be open - I’d have loved a coffee!  I took my wet gear off at this point as it seemed like the risk of rain had passed at least for the moment. But at 9:50 I was walking into mist! Just at that point I was chuffed to see a pair of very smart redstarts. And finally I was delighted to be walking along the dyke at Rushock Hill - the rest of the day was a revelation for this, and was capped by seeing a stonechat sounding its alarm. The walk from Kington to Knighton is a series of pretty steep hills and walking between Rushock Hill ...

I woke with alarm at 7:30. Bit of a headache but otherwise fine.  I took my time wiping the tent down as there was a lot of condensation today and eventually broke camp and got away by 9:30 having chatted to a young lady who had walked from Chepstow on the Offa’s Dyke Path, but had hit her limit yesterday as the 20 mile walk from Pandy over the mountains had been too much for her. She reckoned, like me, that 12-15 miles was more than enough. She was having whisky with her coffee and then getting taxi back to Chepstow with 3 other people - I asked her to give my love to the 3 “10 trekkers” if in fact it was them. It was a pleasant walk by the River Wye - downstream this time - and I saw another pair of goosander, and continued through fields to a road where the path started to climb. I stopped here for early elevenses as I was already starting to tire. The path then led, soft underfoot, through forest which was being cleared. The larches were coming into leaf, and the smell of pine ...

Well this is fun, I’m warm, it’s not raining, but the wind is blowing a hoolie. The tent is coping well but the noise of buffeting is keeping me awake so I’ve decided to have a midnight feast (a cold “hot cross bun”) and kill a bit of time.  If it keeps up I’ll break camp at dawn and head down towards Hay on Wye, and have a leisurely time down there. I’ve always wanted to go and browse the bookshops so here’s my chance! It’s half an hour past midnight. It’s a full moon tonight and every so often it clears from the cloud and casts a strong beam of light into the tent. I’ve been out to tighten the guy ropes with a slight improvement …. Or maybe that was just a temporary lull in the wind. It’s amazing the different sounds the wind is making with the tent - from chair timpani to a sail flapping aimlessly in the breeze, and all the variations in between. I’m quite pleased that part of the tent is rigid but the long slanting sides I think would inevitably have some slack unlesss the grou...

I finally left the Inn at 9:30. I couldn’t have asked for a pleasanter stay with an excellent breakfast, and a bacon and marmalade butty wrapped in foil to enjoy at lunch! The sound of house sparrows chirruping cheerily as I laced my boots outside made me think of home and the garden with a little home sickness. But I was ready and looking forward to today’s challenge now! As I left I noticed the millstone grit appearance of the drystone walls which reminded me of Derbyshire and the Peak District. Strange to think I’d be there in a couple of weeks now. The walk continued across undulating but generally rising farmland with gorgeous Welsh ponies and a rather cute if dopey donkey as I descended into one valley. I stopped just after 11 for a break and some calorie input before the pull up onto the ridge of the black mountains. The pleasant, rich pastureland had continued with some fairly lively young heifers just below me … on the other side of an electric fence! And if you’re curious the...

I headed into town for coffee and pain au chocolat then resupply at Waitrose. Minor drama as I got trapped between their two automatic doors - apparently they aren’t supposed to be operational because of shop lifting.  Bizarrely, I had to fight with claustrophobia - it obviously set off a panic response in me, and caused some consternation and embarrassment for the staff.  I took my time breaking camp - the tent was very wet with condensation but I wasn’t too cold last night despite the frost.  I won’t put a reflective blanket on top of the sleeping bag in future as condensation forms on the underside making the sleeping bag damp. It turned into a pleasant leisurely start and I set off just before 10:15 after chatting to the friendly campers on caravans around me. The tree blossom is in full swing now and wisteria is starting to flower on the front of some of the houses … I wonder how mine is doing on the pergola. It was already heating up as I left campsite so I was alre...