Having spent many a dark evening this winter pondering maps and guides, planning routes and food drops and amassing more outdoor gear than is healthy, I now have statistics to offer! The walk, which will be covered entirely on feet and paws, amounts to 2100 miles with 569 000ft of ascent (that’s equivalent of walking almost 20 times up Mount Everest).The 160 nights 'out' will be spent camping and staying in bothies with a few B&Bs thrown in to freshen up a bit!
"You're not doing things by halves" I hear you saying. Well yes, but I intend to have a lot of fun doing it. Having completed a number of long walks in the past, and always wishing they could have been longer, I decided that it is time to have a go at a trip that takes several months to finish. It's just great fun...!
So, after what seems like months of planning it is almost finally a reality! In just two days time (01st May), I will be heading north from Kendal through the central Lakes and eventually working my way to Carlisle, Langholm, Moffat, Sanqhar, Ayr and Ardrossan. A trip across Arran and a ferry or two will see me through to Oban and onto Mull for the first Munro - Ben More at 3172ft. The route will then zig-zag across both familiar and unfamiliar areas throughout Scotland.
Never having really thought of writing a blog before (what do I do that would be of interest to others?) I have now decided to take the plunge in order to update family and friends of my progress. Hopefully show them some of the wonderful landscapes I'll be passing through. I do hope it's all of interest. As I have not really caught up with the technology bits and pieces (PDAs and the likes), a daily blog is not really an option. I shall however be posting words and pictures back as regular as possible.
So as Mike Cawthorne sums up in his great book 'Hell of a Journey', for the next five months 'I will be locked into a fantasy of adventure, of benefit to no one and causing concern in many'. I do hope you enjoy this blog and please considering donating to the two charities I am walking for.
PS Chocolate
Corrie (her indoors) just informed me that my daily ration of 100g of chocolate over 160 days of walking amounts to 16kg in total!! Woww...not sure whether this is good - she says good.
Best wishes
John Dunbavin
2 comments:
Hello John. I'm Nigel who you met at the top of Beinn Dubhcraig on Wednesday, 21 June. I had a fantastic week climbing the Munros around the Bridge of Orchy area. I am now back at home in York and looking forward to my next trip to the Highlands. You and skye look to have made good progress around the Crialarich area.
I spoke to a friend who had also done the Aonach Eagach ridge and he confirmed my thoughts that it is a definate no for Skye.
I wish you good weather and midge free days for the rest of your great Highland odyssey.
Nigel
Hi John. I hope you and Skye kept feet firmly on terra firma on Wed 28 May. I was only on top of Suilven and was hanging on grimly in a severe gale. Did my own Ben More Munro in glorious weather 2 days later- but that was Ben More Assynt, with a bit of scrambling Skye might find interesting. Very best of luck to both of you. Gil
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