The Route

As a basis for our journey we followed the central route through Britain (see book listing in Journal).

Passing through Cornwall and Devon we walked along lanes, public footpaths and bridle trails with a short stint on the Camel Trail near Dunmere.

Through Devon we also followed similar ways and did some miles on the Two Moors Way.

From Taunton in Somerset we walked along the Taunton and Bridgewater Canal and across the Somerset Levels to magical Glastonbury. From there it was cross country to Bath where we began the beautiful Cotswold Way.

From the end of the Cotswold Way at Chipping Campden it was easy to link up a number of Long Distance Paths:

  • Heart of England Way

  • Staffordshire Way

  • Gritstone Trail

  • Then along the Macclesfield Canal, the River Goyt and on forest walks to Glossop.

  • From Glossop we walked along a cycle trail to Crowden where we met the Pennine Way

By the end of the Pennine Way we were in Scotland. The walk through the green Scottish borderlands via such places as Kelso, Melrose, Innerleithen and Peebles brought us at last to Edinburgh.

Then it was a mixture of lanes, old green roads, old military roads, the glens and the dreaded A9 to our journey's end.

The Journal of this walk will take you day by day through the beauty of Britain from its southern beginning to its northern end (for us it was that way around but a beginning can be anywhere, as can an ending).

Lands End and John O'Groats. Yes, I could see the similarities that people talk about in the feel and look of the land but for us it was very different. The distance was behind us and not ahead. Ahead was The Light Isles, the Orkneys and we will leave those for another day.