Thru Hiking

Introduction That yearning for the outdoors just wouldn’t leave me last week, so I dived at an opportunity and booked a short-notice day off work on Friday; with sunny skies and high pressure forecast, it was the perfect opportunity to get some miles in. In 2022 I hiked along The Pennine Way (2022) from Edale to Hebden Bridge in three days; being the first days carrying the weight, I remember it being an absolute schlep! With just a few days, that walk fit the bill perfectly with its easy-access to trains. ...

Introduction After Nadti left The Pennine Way (2022) in 2022, we spoke of reconvening to complete the last half of the walk together; from Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Kirk Yetholm. Well, it didn’t exactly go to plan… The Injury Just a few days after the end of The Cambrian Way (2023) - which ended due to a knee injury - and on the day we arrived an unnecessary journey up Pen-y-ghent left me with the worst knee injury I’ve sustained to date. ...

Introduction In early April 2024, I set out on an adventure to tackle the Lands End to John o’ Groats walk, in actuality I was planning to walk from Lizard Point to Dunnet Head; the southernmost, and northernmost points of the UK. My plan was to tackle the 1,300 mile challenge over a three-month period. I carefully researched the main stages of the route; the list of planned trails included the South West Coast Path, Offa’s Dyke, The Pennine Way, The West Highland Way, The Great Glen Way, and finally, The John o’ Groats Trail. ...

Photos All the photos in this post were provided by the courtesy of Conor Lamb. Introduction In 2023, I set off on The Cambrian Way with Conor - with whom I met on the The Pennine Way (2022) - and his friend Mike; we set out to walk the northern part of The Cambrian Way (Snowdonia), but unfortunately, we didn’t quite make it to the end. ...

Introduction I’ll be honest, I’m still pinching myself after completing The Coast to Coast. This 192-mile route took me from St Bees on the Irish Sea to Robin Hood’s Bay on the North Sea, passing through some of England’s most stunning landscapes. A Friendship Revisited I undertook this walk with Nadti, whom I met on The Pennine Way (2022) two years earlier. We have hiked together a few times since that trip and this one was a chance to relive old memories and make new ones. ...

Introduction I still remember the day I set out on my first thru-hike of The Pennine Way, a 268 mile national trail and the oldest in the UK. It was 2022 and I had been itching to get out into the wilderness ever since I decided to do the walk. Little did I know, it would be an experience that would change me forever. The Weight of Preparation I packed my fears – or rather, I was over-prepared – with far too much food. The weight of all those provisions resulted in a recurring knee injury that’d plagued me throughout the hike. It was a harsh reminder that sometimes, less is more. ...