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Planning my route has been a far more difficult process than I’d imagined it would be. For one thing the best maps to use for planning a walk are the OS Explorer maps and there are 6 of them covering the area between here and Newcastle. Then there is the fact that the national network of footpaths does not yet form a continuous route from north to south. I’ve been thinking about which places to visit along the way and trying to get my brain thinking in walking, rather than driving distances. Two places that look very close on the map and might be half an hour’s travel in a car could actually add two days to my journey!
I’ve been out walking for the past two weekends trying to translate the distances on the maps into time and effort and I think I’ve now got a fair idea of what the first week looks like. What follows is not set in stone. As a wise man once said, “plans will develop as events unfold”.
Wed 25/06/08 Day 1
- DCHS to Elphinstone (East Lothian)
- ~12.5 miles
- Staying with my Godfather.
Thurs 26/06/08 Day 2
- Elphinstone to Gullane Bay via Longniddry on the John Muir Way
- ~12 miles
- Probably camping near remains of St Patricks chapel.
Fri 27/06/08 Day 3
- Gullane to Tyninghame via North Berwick & East Linton following the John Muir Way.
- ~12miles
- Probably camping in Binning Wood
- Tyninghame to Cockburnspath via Dunbar and Dunglas on the final stretch of the John Muir Way.
- ~13 miles
* Everything up to here can be seen on OS Explorer map 351
Sun 29/06/08 Day 5
- Cockburnspath to Eyemouth following cliff top path
- ~14 miles
Mon 30/06/08 Day 6
- Eyemouth to the Holy Isle of Lindisfarne via Berwick upon Tweed
- ~21 miles
- Staying in Marygate House
Tue 01/07/08 Day 7 Rest day – enjoying the Holy Isle
For info on the John Muir Way visit http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/content/0,1094,1033,00.htmlSee also http://www.northseatrail.org/
For those who are interested in meeting with me somewhere along the way I will attempt to keep up to date information about my progress on this blog. Whenever possible I will phone home to let people know if I am on, ahead or behind schedule. My training walks have made it very clear that I will be heavily reliant on the charity of people along the way. If you fancy coming out, feeding me a banana and walking a little way with me, I will be very grateful - and I'm sure to have a story to tell in exchange for your gift.
See you on the trail,
Ewen
4 comments:
Ewen! Are you coming anywhere near East Anglia? I would really like to come and cheer you on. I can arrange for accomodation as well. Whatever you need, just let me know and I'll be your man in the East of England!
Hello Ewan,
I am a 27 yr old Aussie living in Sydney. Last year I did a 2500km bike ride to raise money and awareness for Partners. It was such an amazing trip and it was full of really special un-planned moments. I hope you have heaps of those too.
What you're doing is really edgy, imaginative and beautiful. You've got the prophetic imagination thing down pat.
I eat rice for breakfast and lunch most days so I can offer a bit of solidarity with you there.
I'm going to let people know what you're up to.
It's refreshing to see people saying, "Stuff this, it's not good enough what's happening in Burma, I need to do something." I'll be keeping up with your journey.
Peace to you brother.
Love Matt Godfrey
PS. Enjoy the walk.
Would love to have been with you at the start of your walk from Drummond to the Scottish Parliament. You sneeked out!!
Hope you receive a lot of good will from others on your route and take care. Thoughts are with you. Cath
Really with you Ewen. Wish I could have walked with you for some of the way. Murray send his best to you. He is in Mae Sot, Thailand with Hle Bee School working with the Burmese refugee kids. Sheila will be with him shortly. I will be going out there at the end of the month to do teacher training with Burmese refugees, having given up my University of Strathclyde job. Keep going into the wild man....
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