A few minor changes to where I will be and when
After a bit more thought I have altered my itinery. Now it takes 4 days to get to Gen Clova, posssibly more than is necessary but I reckon a slow start is good as it will allow for a bit of getting used to things and fitnes to build up before we start on the longer parts of the journey.


Best of all we will arrive in Inverie on a Friday, so there's a chance some people may be able to come up for the Friday night. 


My post of 11/06/12 now gives the correct, and hopefully final itinery.

Now that we have a pretty clear idea of where we are going, my mind is turning to how we will actually do the walk. Of course a thousand questions pop up. What to wear, what to carry, and so on and it all needs to be figured out.

That said I reckon that Yvonne Choinard had it figured out when he said 'the more you know the less you need' so I'll be taking the minimum - not that I know a great deal. Navigation, food, clothes and shelter should cover most requirements - perhaps adding in communications for the 21st centuary. So it is time to start preparing a kit list. Of couse I could go very basic like the naked rambler but somehow that seems unnecessary and I don't have his resolve.

So it is more mundane decisions - how many pairs of socks or underpants? Is it better to be dirty or heavy (dirty say I, it's not like there aren't plenty of burns to have a wash in). Who will smell worse, Bonnie or myself?

What would you take and should I take a book, if so which book. Is it time to read the Grapes of Wrath?

Here's the full itinery for those that are thinking about joining in for a while or are just curious.
The walk starts of slowly so there's a chance for the body to tune up and get into the swing of things.

Early part
Day 1 Sat 25 Aug: get to Montrose, dip feel in sea and then walk to Edzall and stay in the pub.
Day 2 Sunday 26 Aug: walk up the River Esk towards Loch Lee, wild camp somewhere along the way
Day 3 Monday 27 August: continue along the Esk to Loch Lee
Day 4 Tuesday 28  up over the hills to Glen Clova
Day 5 Wednesday 29 August take Jock's Road and arrive in Braemar. (note I have made Braemar to Linn of Dee a permissible lift in car as it is a disheartening trudge along the road for 6 miles).

On to the Cairngorms
Days 6 and 7 Thursday 30 th and Friday 31st August: From Linn of Dee walk west, skirting south of the Devils point etc towards the head of Glen Feshie. Wild camp overnight and then carry on to arrive at Kinguissie. Hopefully meet up with Laura, Hannah and Gaia on this night or on the Saturday.

Into the middle
Day 8 Saturday 1st September Make my way from Kinguissie across to Garva Bridge. (this is my second and final permissible lift)
Day 9 : Sunday 2nd September: over the Corryiarick (sp?) Pass to Fort Augustus
Day 10 : Monday 3rd September: Fort Augustus to Tomdoun in Glen Garry

Onto Knoydart - no roads and one of the wettest parts of the UK. However the walking days are shorter so I hope to get up one or two hills along the way. With the option of bothies we should avoid too much trouble if it is very wet.
Day 11 Tuesday 4th September: Tomdoun to the bothy at Kinbreck
Day 12 Wednesday 5th September: Kinbreck to the bothy in Glen Dessary
Day 13 Thursay 6th September: Glen Dessary to the bothy at Sourlies (head of Loch Nevis)
Day 14 Friday 7th September: Sourlies to Inverie - dip feet in the Atlantic and then head home.

There can be something of Pilgrim's Progress about taking on an challenge like walking across Scotland.  This week, or rather last night I was tempted to compromise on doing it in one go. The problem arose because I found out that Patti Smith is playing in Glasgow on 5th September and I was thinking 'would love to see Patti Smith but she plays during the walk, would love to see Patti Smith but she plays during the walk'.

Thankfully Glasgow isn't the only night of the tour so we are able to see Patti Smith after all.

It must be a certain bet that one of the big challenges of doing a long walk is the psychology of it. Patti was easily headed off and sometimes it is good to have your priorities tested. I'm sure it all helps when you are soaked to the skin and have a further few miles to walk through a cloud before there's much prospect of pitching a tent or getting some shelter.

First training day yesterday, in the Pentlands. Laura stood in for Bonnie. It was a lovely day and felt quite a comfortable walk, but nevertheless my legs felt it, so there's a way to go before fitness is up there.

Am also thinking one of the easiest ways to reduce the amount I carry would be to lose some weight myself. I reckon half a stone would be possible and that's 7 pounds I wouldn't need to carry.