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I hated yesterday

Al the optimist

Veteran Member
In the middle of my training walk yesterday I came upon 2 walkers with large backpacks. Obviously they were not having a few hours amble like me, so I commented "You look like your doing a serious walk". The reply surprised me. They were walking what is probably the longest walk in Great Britain! They were walking from Lands End (The south west tip of England) to John O'Groats (Far north west of Scotland). When I encountered them they had been walking for four and a half weeks and were about half way through the some 1,100 mile journey. Can anyone can all guess what was going through my mine for the rest of my walk?
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
"I wish"....

The book that first hooked me into long distance walking was "Journey Through Britain" - John Hillaby's marvellous account of his walk from Land's End to John O'Groats. And still one of my favourite books.
 
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It reminds me of a training walk that I was doing, when I met this guy, not much older than me, with about 24 or 26 years old. I looked at him, and since we were both on the Camino, I asked him if he was doing the Camino. He told that he has been doing a walk from the east most point in Spain to the west most point in Portugal. And he was coming back by then. Walking >.>
 
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Kanga,

I wish I hadn't read your comment ... I checked Amazon straight away for John Hillaby's book to find that it was selling for over £60!
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
re: the John Hillaby book "Journey through Britain".
I read it not long after in came out in paperback format (late 60s [?]or early 70s) and the subsequent "Journey through Europe".
Lovely books - well worth finding and reading.
Think I still have them but Lord knows where!
 
You got it right in one Kanga.
If you liked that one, have you tried:l The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachael Joyce...

Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to how he butters his toast. Little differentiates one day from the next. Then one morning the mail arrives, and within the stack of quotidian minutiae is a letter addressed to Harold in a shaky scrawl from a woman he hasn’t seen or heard from in twenty years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to say goodbye.
Harold pens a quick reply and, leaving Maureen to her chores, heads to the corner mailbox. But then, as happens in the very best works of fiction, Harold has a chance encounter, one that convinces him that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person. And thus begins the unlikely pilgrimage at the heart of Rachel Joyce’s remarkable debut. Harold Fry is determined to walk six hundred miles from Kingsbridge (Devon) to the hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed because, he believes, as long as he walks, Queenie Hennessey will live.
Still in his yachting shoes and light coat, Harold embarks on his urgent quest across the countryside. Along the way he meets one fascinating character after another, each of whom unlocks his long-dormant spirit and sense of promise. Memories of his first dance with Maureen, his wedding day, his joy in fatherhood, come rushing back to him—allowing him to also reconcile the losses and the regrets. As for Maureen, she finds herself missing Harold for the first time in years

Wonderful book, I loved it, hope you do too.
 
If you guys are interesting in reading about other peoples walking aroudn the world ( Iam!), then you should definitely check out this book by Rory Stewart, 'The Places in between'. Here is some info on it:

'In January 2002 Rory Stewart walked across Afghanistan-surviving by his wits, his knowledge of Persian dialects and Muslim customs, and the kindness of strangers. By day he passed through mountains covered in nine feet of snow, hamlets burned and emptied by the Taliban, and communities thriving amid the remains of medieval civilizations. By night he slept on villagers' floors, shared their meals, and listened to their stories of the recent and ancient past. Along the way Stewart met heroes and rogues, tribal elders and teenage soldiers, Taliban commanders and foreign-aid workers. He was also adopted by an unexpected companion-a retired fighting mastiff he named Babur in honor of Afghanistan's first Mughal emperor, in whose footsteps the pair was following.

Through these encounters-by turns touching, con-founding, surprising, and funny-Stewart makes tangible the forces of tradition, ideology, and allegiance that shape life in the map's countless places in between.' (from goodreads.com)

I found it fantastically written, very adventurous (walking in Afganisthan!) and Cultural interesting. Can really recommend it as a 'walkabout' book!

carla
 
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In the middle of my training walk yesterday I came upon 2 walkers with large backpacks. Obviously they were not having a few hours amble like me, so I commented "You look like your doing a serious walk". The reply surprised me. They were walking what is probably the longest walk in Great Britain! They were walking from Lands End (The south west tip of England) to John O'Groats (Far north west of Scotland). When I encountered them they had been walking for four and a half weeks and were about half way through the some 1,100 mile journey. Can anyone can all guess what was going through my mine for the rest of my walk?

Perhaps a general ennui and a profound feeling of inadequacy? On the other hand, you might have acted like a dog on a leash who gets a sniff of something tantalizing and strained at your tether...;)
 
In the middle of my training walk yesterday I came upon 2 walkers with large backpacks. Obviously they were not having a few hours amble like me, so I commented "You look like your doing a serious walk". The reply surprised me. They were walking what is probably the longest walk in Great Britain! They were walking from Lands End (The south west tip of England) to John O'Groats (Far north west of Scotland). When I encountered them they had been walking for four and a half weeks and were about half way through the some 1,100 mile journey. Can anyone can all guess what was going through my mine for the rest of my walk?

Oh, but Al...., you've disappointed me sooo much, you of all here is training for Camino??? With the nickname _the optimist........, ts ts ts ts ts ts ts, I think we have to do a poll on that nickname !!!

:p
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
If you liked that one, have you tried:l The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachael Joyce...

Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to how he butters his toast. Little differentiates one day from the next. Then one morning the mail arrives, and within the stack of quotidian minutiae is a letter addressed to Harold in a shaky scrawl from a woman he hasn’t seen or heard from in twenty years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to say goodbye.
Harold pens a quick reply and, leaving Maureen to her chores, heads to the corner mailbox. But then, as happens in the very best works of fiction, Harold has a chance encounter, one that convinces him that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person. And thus begins the unlikely pilgrimage at the heart of Rachel Joyce’s remarkable debut. Harold Fry is determined to walk six hundred miles from Kingsbridge (Devon) to the hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed because, he believes, as long as he walks, Queenie Hennessey will live.
Still in his yachting shoes and light coat, Harold embarks on his urgent quest across the countryside. Along the way he meets one fascinating character after another, each of whom unlocks his long-dormant spirit and sense of promise. Memories of his first dance with Maureen, his wedding day, his joy in fatherhood, come rushing back to him—allowing him to also reconcile the losses and the regrets. As for Maureen, she finds herself missing Harold for the first time in years

Wonderful book, I loved it, hope you do too.

This sounds like a wonderful story, have been straight onto the book depository and ordered it. Thankyou!
 
I remember reading the story of John Merrill doing that walk back in the 70's or early 80's. He wore out a few pairs of boots and ended up in hospital along the way with stress factures in his feet. I used to hike in the Wicklow mountains back then and thought I was great until I read his account of that walk. Its good to have someone to bring you back to earth now and then like the 82 year old Japanese man with one leg who I met in 2012 and he was walking his 2nd Camino.
 
If you liked that one, have you tried:l The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachael Joyce...

Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to how he butters his toast. Little differentiates one day from the next. Then one morning the mail arrives, and within the stack of quotidian minutiae is a letter addressed to Harold in a shaky scrawl from a woman he hasn’t seen or heard from in twenty years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to say goodbye.
Harold pens a quick reply and, leaving Maureen to her chores, heads to the corner mailbox. But then, as happens in the very best works of fiction, Harold has a chance encounter, one that convinces him that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person. And thus begins the unlikely pilgrimage at the heart of Rachel Joyce’s remarkable debut. Harold Fry is determined to walk six hundred miles from Kingsbridge (Devon) to the hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed because, he believes, as long as he walks, Queenie Hennessey will live.
Still in his yachting shoes and light coat, Harold embarks on his urgent quest across the countryside. Along the way he meets one fascinating character after another, each of whom unlocks his long-dormant spirit and sense of promise. Memories of his first dance with Maureen, his wedding day, his joy in fatherhood, come rushing back to him—allowing him to also reconcile the losses and the regrets. As for Maureen, she finds herself missing Harold for the first time in years

Wonderful book, I loved it, hope you do too.

Great book! I read this while walking the VDLP
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Kanga,

I wish I hadn't read your comment ... I checked Amazon straight away for John Hillaby's book to find that it was selling for over £60!

Oh, that's terrible. I hope they reprint; it's a classic.
 
If you liked that one, have you tried:l The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachael Joyce...

Wonderful book, I loved it, hope you do too.

Yes I loved it too; read it when it was long listed for the Booker.

But John Hillaby's "Journey Through Bristain" is still my favourite, closely followed by "Journey Through Europe" (he walks from Holland to the Mediterranean). He's a wonderfully knowledgeable observer of nature, and a very entertaining writer. Anyone who is a long distance walker will identify with his thought streams.
 
I wish I'd learned about all these walks about 30 years earlier!

But would you have been able to do these walks 30 years ago? I certainly wouldn't.

I read Hillaby in the 70s when I was in my late teens/early 20s. The first I read was Journey to the Jade Sea. I went on to read others by him and by other walkers such as Michel Peissel, Kuno Steuben. One of my favourites was The Fearful Void. No way could I have done anything similar then and mostly not now either. But I can walk Caminos and will continue to do so as long as my knees and wallet permit. Getting old ain't so bad.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Tom, they had got a dog and I looked on him with envy. Walking without having to carry anything!
Annie, I wish I had heard about them 30 years ago as well.
Kinky one it is only 20k and is rounded of nicely by a pub crawl with a friend through the village. I am always optimistic she will turn up on time, before I rehydrate too much!
 
Have found my copies of "Journey through Europe" and "Journey to the Jade Sea" - still hunting down my elusive copy of "Journey through Britain" - I know it is here somewhere !!
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
May I also put in a word for 'Hamish's Mountain Walk' by Hamish Brown. This is an account of the first continuous walk round all of Scotland's 'Munros' ( broadly mountains over 3000 feet). A good and interesting read.
 
"I love travelling book's no matter ....."
Then you have to read Patrick Leigh Fermor "A Time of Gifts" and "Between the Woods and the Water"
 
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"I love travelling book's no matter ....."
Then you have to read Patrick Leigh Fermor "A Time of Gifts" and "Between the Woods and the Water"

Added to the Goodreads list :D
 

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