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

The route I have created (currently totalling 1,354 miles) 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.

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!

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.