I’ve been feeling the tension build this week. On Saturday I leave for Portpatrick and the start of the Southern Upland Way, with my first day’s walking being on Sunday 28th April.
It’s been fairly quiet at work too, and as a consequence I’ve had very little to keep my mind busy and I’ve felt the nerves begin to take hold and the butterflies start to flutter more and more as the week has progressed. I’ve been a bit grumpy too, as I wish the week away and can’t wait to get started on this year’s long distance walk.
I don’t recall the last couple of years being anything like this, but then I seem to think I’ve been busy at work, almost right up until it’s been time to leave – this obviously helps divert my mind away from the anticipation.
The kit is stacked on the table in my office and I’ve still to do a full test pack, but it doesn’t look all that big a pile – which is surprising, as the kit list takes over a 100 lines in my spreadsheet!
Tomorrow will probably be even worse than today as I drum my fingers waiting for the off. Follow me as I walk, through these pages and via the medium of Twitter (@LoneWalkerUK) and I will let you all know how it’s going.
6 thoughts on “Come on….. come on!”
Hope it all goes well and the foot troubles stay away for you. I’m slowly getting my fitness levels up and gear together for my first long distance walk along Hadrians Wall in July. I know it’s wishing my life away but I can’t wait and time seems to be dragging. Your Kit list post was a great help in working out my own. Ta.
Same here, except with last minute frantic work thrown in. I’m heading for Cardiff the same day you head for Portpatrick, to do at least the first third of the Cambrian Way, so won’t be following you much during the walk, and will catch up after – I should be home before you finish. Hope it goes well after all the foot trouble you’ve had, and I also hope the curse of 2013 long walks doesn’t hit you (or me for that matter) too.
I had the same thought with @dean_read having to call a halt with tendon problems on the Pennine Way and I’ve sort of accepted that if it happens to me, I’ve done all I can to try and avoid it. But there’s only so much you can do until you just have to put your faith in your body and go for it.
I’m like a cat on hot bricks this morning – I can’t sit still. The clocks all seemed to have stopped as well 🙂
Hope the Cambrian Way lives up to your expectations – once I feel confident enough to backpack solo for multiple weeks I may well try it myself. LEJOG next year should hopefully provide that. Have a good one Matt, see you when we both get back 🙂
same here, memories of WHW and anticipation for GGW has been on my mind constantly.I started WHW with full kit intending to wildcamp all way. That soon changed to Travel-lite from Drumquassie farm and hostels, cabins etc where available. I need to do a hell of a lot more training to be able to camp when I finally do LEJOG in one go. Maybe in 20 years time they’ll have invented a “hoverbag” which floats along behind back. Or a tent,mat and sleeping bag for 100gm !
Good luck for the walk mate. I travel up friday to Dumfries, train to glasgow saturday, then to Fort William , start GGW on Sunday. Did the WHW in September, doing it again in september. Can I just say reading you WHW and GGW blog was my inspiration to get out there and do it finally. Brill read .I found myself in a similar situation as yourself and thought “well if you can do it so can i, no excuses.Hope you’ll check my blog out. http://landsendtojohnogroats1.blogspot.co.uk/
.I still haven’t finished it though, still sat outside pub in Kinlochleven! I apologise in advance , i may have subconsciously availed myself of a sprinkle of alliteration due to reading yours! But I do like them.
My ultimate aim is LEJOG. I cant see it happening till I retire so i thought i’d link it up a week or two a year. Next year, Gretna Green to as close to start of WHW as I can do in a week.
I’ve followed your blog for a couple of years now and was wondering when you’d get round to the ultimate one so again best of luck for the big one.
Look forward to reading your South upland way blog
All the best
Colin
Hi Colin, hope we both get reasonable weather next week, but either way hope you have a great walk. I’m so pleased to hear you’ve enjoyed the journals and if they inspired you then that’s an added bonus 🙂
The LEJOG is looming! Less than a year to go and it’s front of mind in everything I do, all my training is working towards that event and I’ve got several long weekends planned for later in the year to hone the camping skills.
I’ve added your blog to my reader, so I’ll be following your future updates with interest 🙂