Lands End to John o'Groats (and back!) in 2025

I found three routes on-line with downloadable GPX tracks. Many thanks to Adam and Mark for sharing their routes.

I loaded all three into Memory Map and then made up my own route using a combination of the three and sometimes making up a completely new route for myself.

Most walkers start in the south around April and that is what I'm doing as well.

There are several reasons for this:

• The temperature tends to stay about the same as you move north
• The toughest sections with high mountains and long days are later in the walk when fitness levels should be better
• Sections with no shops where more food will need to be carried are later in the walk
• The sun is mainly behind you
• The prevailing winds in the spring and summer generally blow from south to north
• Cornwall in the summer is really crowded
• Heading from south to north, then your maps will be the right way round

Download the three routes here...

• end-to-end
• Adam's route
• Mark's route

The northbound route (in pink) I have created (currently totalling 1,344 miles with a total ascent of 140,081 feet) starts at Lands End (no surprise there) and follows the SouthWest coast path until Padstow then heads inland on the Camel Trail and the Two Castles Trail to Oakhampton where I take the Tarka Trail north to Barnstaple.

The Macmillan Way West skirts the bottom of Exmoor to Bridgewater and onto the River Parrett Trail.

The Kennet and Avon Canal will take me to Bath where I'll join the Cotswold Way and Jubilee Way to the Severn Bridge.

The entire Offa's Dyke Path (177 miles) takes me to Prestatyn (a bit out of my way but I've always wanted to do the whole route).

The Wales Coast Path will then take me to Chester. I'll skirt around the south of Manchester across to Edale and the start of The Pennine Way (all 268 miles of it).

St Cuthbert's Way and the Southern Uplands Way lead to the Cross Borders Drove Road and then the Union Canal past the stunning Falkirk Wheel.

The John Muir Way leads onto the West Highland Way all the way to Fort William and the start of the Caledonian Canal and the Great Glen Way.

At the start of Loch Ness I turn north into the wilderness to cross the mountains for many miles with no long distance paths to follow.

The southbound route (in grey)(1,097 miles with "only" 82,033 feet of ascent) starts by using The John O'Groats Trail along the coast (which should make it easier to find food shops) and then The Great Glen Way along Loch Ness and The Caledonian Canal to Fort William.

From Glasgow I take The Clyde Walkway and The Annandale Way towards Carlisle.

The new King Charles III England Coast Path and The Cumbria Way get me to the top of The Lancaster Canal which I follow for its entire length.

I then follow canals for much of the journey down England. The Leeds and Liverpool, Trent and Mersey, Shropshire Union and River Severn take me to Gloucester and the Cotswold Way.

The Monarch's Way will take me to The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal and The Great Western Canal.

The Tarka Trail and Two Castles Trail get me to Bodmin Moor and The Camel Trail.

I return to Land's End via The Southwest Coast Path for a well earned rest!

By using long distance paths and National Trails I am hopeful that most of the route will be reasonably well marked and well walked. That should mean less fighting my way through brambles and blocked footpaths!

To view any of the GPX files, copy them to your PC and then drag them to www.viewgpx.com

Download my routes here...

• Northbound
• Southbound

Item	Weight	Cost
Camping Kit
Osprey Exos Pro 55 Rucksack	947	£215
Gossamer gear - The One Tent (incl bag)	529	£300
Tent pegs x14 plus spare guy rope (to be replaced by lighter pegs at 42g)	140
Repair kit for tent etc.	42
Amsteel 2.mm superlight cord (5 metres) (5g per metre)	25	£15
Wolf solo 1.35m x 2.5m DCF Tarp	88	£189
Tent drying towel	32
Thermarest Hyperion 20 UL Down Sleeping Bag	594	£399
Cocoon Silk Mummy Liner	116	£80
Big Agnes Zoom UL Insulated sleeping mat (wide) r4.3	501	£175
Nemo Fillo Elite Pillow	82	£58
Flextail Zero Pump with Battery	48	£41
Thermarest Z seat sit mat	60	£25
Silva Smini Fly Headtorch (USB-C)	39	£38
Gear Aid Tenacious Tape Repair Tape	34	£12
Pruning kit (saw/knife/secateurs combo) for overgrown paths	140
Thetentlab DirtSaw Deuce #2 Trowel	16	£25
CNOC Outdoors Hydriam 750ml Collapsible Flask - 28mm	27	£17
CNOC Outdoors Vecto 2L Water Container - 28mm	77	£28
Eurohike water bottle - to be replaced by single use plastic bottle at 15g	115
Hydroblu Versa Flow Lightweight Water Filter	54	£33
Hydroblu Versa Flow Activated Carbon Filter	36
Whistle	22
Compass	34
Pen	10
Cocoon Mosquito Head Net Ultralight	16	£10
Gossamer Gear Bumster Waist Pack	86	£38
Wash bag (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, flannel, disposable razor, nail clippers, sun cream, tea tree, tick remover, eye mask, ear plugs, first aid)	748
Stickle Tarn Trekking Poles x2	244 each	£80
Spare trekking pole ferrules	30	£10
Stick Stashers (Garage Grown Gear)	48	£29
Keys for home + CRT Key (showers and toilets)	32
Purse incl cash and cards etc.	142
Frontier UL Cutlery set (Knife + Spork)	16	£18
3x Clothes Pegs	20
Selection of dry bags		£150
Clothing
Pink hat	158
Mountain Equipment Zeno Jacket (pitzips and pockets)	341	£150
Paclite Gore-tex waterproof over-trousers	250	£130
Montane Anti-Freeze Lite Down Hoodie (jacket)	329	£168
Extremities Xdry gloves	84
Omm Core T base layer shirt	98	£75
Mountain Warehouse Extreme 70% Merino wool long sleeve shirt	194
OMM Paclite shorts	52	£32
Multi-Sport Mesh Boxer Brief Fly Pants (1 spare pair)	74	£22
Socks (1 spare pair walking socks - Darn Tough)	156
Socks (for indoor use)	42
DLX Waterproof socks	110
House shoes (Skechers air cooled Goga Mat) (includes 12g ziplock bag)	416	£35
Altberg Mallerstang 8.5 Extra wide Mountain Walking boots	884	£290
Montaine Trail Gaiters	42	£30
2 spare handkerchiefs	30
R1 Air Beanie hat	29	£33
Ventilated walking hat	106
Tech
Laptop	1,116
PC Mains adapter, lead + mouse in dry bag	360
RSHTech 4 port USB charging hub + Mains to USB charger/adapter by Aulola + 2 short USB cables	106
Phone Samsung Xcover6 Pro	254
Spare phone	254
Phone battery x3	220
Power Bank - Nitecore Carbo 20000 (20,000 mah)	314	£130
Garmin In Reach Mini 2
Suunto Vertical Steel Solar Watch	89	£499
Suunto watch USB charger	5
JBL earbuds incl case	60
Gorilla tripod with phone attachment	64	£10
Fitbit Zip + battery change tool	20
Hollyland bluetooth microphone kit	142	£110
Hollyland accessories and drybag	28
Zipper-Pull Thermometer by ThermoWorks	14	£18
Brifit Wireless Thermometer	14	£8
Bank Card reader	58
Spare zip lock bags x8	28

 

Things I would like to have taken if I was stronger
A proper camera - weight depends on which one	388-2000
Drone for aerial photography (maybe DJI Mini 4 Pro)	250
GoPro for underwater and stabilized video	157
Extra battery pack for USB charging	314
Cooking equipment	200-400
Alpkit Hunka XL Waterproof bivvy bag	490	£70
Chair Zero by Helinox (Folding camp chair)	482	£121

I found the following information very useful:

• The excellent Web site from Mark Moxon at https://www.landsendjohnogroats.info
• Land's End - John O'Groats Association.