Day 16 (and a bit into Day 17 too)

On the final day of my walk I will leave Penzance early in the morning and take the short 9.1 mile (3 hour) walk to Lands End.

Lands End

This will leave me with a couple of hours to kill before I have to make my way back to Penzance to catch my train home. I haven't got too much planed other than a picnic.

For some reason I typed vegan picnic into Google

After completing the walk, taking a few pictures and returning to Penzance I will catch the train to Ipswich (via London). In case anybody happens to be about, I'll be on 17.39 Penzance to Paddington, coach B, seat 49A on the 20th July and the 06.00 Liverpool Street to Ipswich, coach C, seat 76A on the 21st July. Come and say hi.

As those of you with some concept of time have surely realised the journey home takes me out of one day and into another. This is because the powers that be, for some reason beyond my comprehension, decided against a direct route from Penzance to Ipswich, which surely would have made my trip home that much more pleasant. So, on the advice of  my friend Pete, I will sit in the Liverpool Street McDonald's for around 4 hours occasionally buying some sustenance to keep them from turning me out until my train is ready to depart.

At 7.30am on the 21st of July 2011 my ordeal will be over.

Day 15

The penultimate day of my walk.

I will be making my way up from the southerly Lizard to Penzance. Home of the Cornish Pirates, the only decent sports team in the whole of Cornwall.

The Cornish Pirates

Another fact for all you sports fans, Matthew Etherington (from Truro) is the only professional footballer in the world from Cornwall.

Matthew Etherington sees dead people

Today's walk will be the final proper one (as I run out of land before I can go too far on the final day), I will cover 23.5miles over 8 hours.

The end is in sight.

Day 14

Day 14 is a bit different from the other days in so much as I am actively adding distance to my walk. Over day 14 and day 15 I will be making my way from Truro to Penzance, the distance of this would have been 26 miles and passed through my old residence Redruth. This could have been done in a single day.

Redruth's Medieval style restaurant. The only reason anyone would go to Redruth.

However I chose not to take this action, but instead opt to spread the journey over two days and and cover 52.4 miles just to go to a place called Lizard.

The lovely coastal village of Lizard

I have since been told that this is indeed a lovely part of the world, but when I was planning my route I chose it merely because I found the name amusing. So on day 14 I will be moving from Truro to Lizard (28.9 miles and 10 hours walk).

Hopefully it will be worth it.

Day 13

Day 13 unlucky for some, but not for me. I shall be returning to the town I was born, Truro. Truro will only be a 7 hour walk (21.4 miles) from Fowey (Foy). I will probably use my time around the town to go to the pub and maybe get something to eat.
In summary (relatively) relaxing walk to a quiet town I just happened to get squeezed out into. Bliss.

The very hospital I was born in, I think.

Day 12

Not long left to go now. After walking an epic 41 miles the previous day, day 12 is going to be a breeze. On this day I shall gander (I am running out of synonyms for: walk) the mere 28 miles (10 hours walk) from Plymouth to Fowey (pronounced Foy, apparently). On this day I shall finally pass into Cornwall and the county of my birth (Cornwall). I expect nothing but clear skys, big waves and old people from here on in.

The lovely seaside town of Fowey/Foy

Day 11 (and the promise of media coverage)

I few weeks ago I sent an electronic internet-mail to Ipswich's premier local paper the Evening Star/East Anglian (as far as I can tell they are the same thing apart from one is available in the morning and the other in the evening) telling them about my walk. Today they called me, I answered a few questions and tomorrow I am having my photo taken. I am not sure whether to dress smart, in the hope that my appearance helps me to raise more money, or dress like a fool, in the hope that my appearance amuses my friends.
I'll let you know how it goes.

Today is my mammoth day. on the 11th day of my walk I will cover 41.8miles (14 hours walk) purely because I didn't think there was anything interesting to see in the area, just barren land. I will be shattered. I think I have somewhere to stay that night, so at least I'll have somewhere comfy to sleep.

Day 10 (and a tale of boots)

Firstly lets get the boring stuff out of the way. On day 10 I will amble from Lyme Regis to Exeter, this is a distance of 28.8 miles and will take approximately 10 hours.

Great. Done.

Today I thought that it would be a good idea to go for a walk to Levington, a relatively short walk (about 4 miles from my front door (I keep my front door at home)) to try out my borrowed boots and see if this charity walk will be as hard as people are telling me.

Other than being caught in a monsoon the four miles passed in about 45mins and the walk was pleasant enough. At this point I said (to myself, but also out-loud):

"I think I'll take the coastal walk home."

Monsoon

This would add about 2 miles to the return journey, but as the weather was clearing (coupled with my preference of travelling a nice distance like 10 miles rather than the outwardly offensive 8 I had intended to do) I thought. why not?

This question was soon answered.

About half a mile into my walk coastward the sole of my left boot 'left' my boot. My emotions were:

• Initial confusion
• Unfounded hope
• Realization
• Panic
• Drowsiness
• Acceptance

I trundled on a little further safe in the knowledge that my boot was still doing more good on my foot than it would do off it. This soon changed, more layers of boot flaked away until it was just weight on my foot. So I took it off and carried it.

I walked for 5 miles.

I walked for 5 miles over sharp stones.

I walked for 5 miles over sharp stones and shells.

I walked for 5 miles over sharp stones and shells and (a surprising amount of) broken glass.

I walked for 5 miles over sharp stones and shells and broken glass and through (surprisingly deep) water.

To add insult to injury I passed three shoes on my walk. 

The first was a brogue, black, about my size and for the right foot. Bugger.

The second was a DC, black, about my size, for the right foot and filled with what can only be approximated as custard. Double bugger.

The third was Clarke's, navy blue, clean, in near perfect condition and it was for the left foot. Perfect, or it would have been if it wasn't unsuitable for anyone with a foot larger than a Coke can.

I eventually made it home after passing several amused dog walkers (none of whom offered any help whatsoever). Now I have prepared a little game. I am about to show you 4 pictures, 2 belong to my right foot and two belong to my (roughed up) left. See if you can match the pictures to a foot.

A

B

C

D

Answers on a (e-)postcard (owenjohnston88@msn.com) for your chance win a (soiled) insole.
Oh, a big thank you to Lawrence for the boots! 

Day 9

Another hugely uneventful day planned. Weymouth to Lyme Regis. 27.7 miles. 9 hours.

Pfffft.

Lyme Regis... In the past.

Day 8

Week two will begin early one morning in the lovely seaside town of Swanage. I will then weave my way along the coast until I hit Weymouth, roughly 27.7 miles and 9 hours walk away.

There is little to note about Weymouth other than decent footballer Steve Claridge has a spell as both player and manager there... Sorry.

Three men in white dance around Steve in order to improve this years crop.

Day 7

The end of my first week.

I will be walking from somewhere in the New Forest to Swanage (city of lights!) this will take 10 hours of walking and I will travel a total distance of 30.1 miles.

But wait there is more! I will get into Bournemouth at about lunch time, then I shall make my way to Sandbanks to catch the ferry! This means that I will be able to stick to the coast and will maybe get a few lovely views and have a chance to rest my (most likely blistered) feet.

The Ferry

(Potentially) my feet.

I will then only be an hour or two from Swanage. The local tourist board has recommended to me the following:

• The Swanage steam railway
• Corfe Castle
• The Victorian pier
• And the Tank Museum
• 
  

Steam train passing the castle

I doubt I will have time to take in all these sights, but I will sleep all the more soundly with the knowledge that they are there.

Day 6

Day 6 is the first of a few highlights for me on this walk as not only do I get to walk through the Southampton, on of my favourite places:

I also get to camp out of the night in the middle of the New Forest, which is an adventure in itself. It is unlikely I will have a time like this:

It is more likely to be like this:

Or even this!:

Provided I last the night (I'll be packing heat), I shall be energized and refreshed, safe in the knowledge that there will only be ten more days to go.

Day 5

The only thing that possibly be construed as interesting on the 5th day of my increasingly uneventful walk (I haven't even started yet!) is that the walk from Littlehampton to Portsmouth is almost exactly 30 miles and will take almost exactly 10 hours of walking. That is it.

I am aware that I do not have any relevant pictures today so here is one from my archive:

Day 4

OK, it is late and I can't really be bothered to this one, but I have to.

On the fourth day of my tour I shall leave Seaford in the early hours and make my way to Brighton (12.2 miles and 4 hours walk).

I was recently in Brighton as part of a road trip, so for this reason I am not too fussed about seeing it again (saw it last month with no money, will see it again with less). The only possible up side is that I see my 'Pop Idol' (nothing to do with the show) Guy McKnight again.

A picture of Brighton pier (taken on our recent road trip)

Guy McKnight and myself on my 20th birthday, down ol' Brick Lane (I was seriously hung over)

After Brighton I will continue as far as Littlehampton (19.4 miles and 6 and a half hours walk), where I shall rest for the night.

Thant will do, night!

Day 3

On the third day of my journey I plan to go from here:

Hastings

To here:

Seaford

Via here:

Eastbourne

Now I know what you're thinking, Seaford does not look nearly as interesting as Hastings and Eastbourne. You are right, I typed 'Seaford attractions' in Google and this is what I found:

Yes, that's right this is as good as it gets...

Anyway this leg of the journey is a total of 24.6miles and should take about 8 hours. If anyone knows anywhere nice to sleep, such as a memorial bench or barbless shrub, do let me know. 

Day 2.

Well, avid readers of blogs, here is the second installment of this blog, the second of many blogs. I do so hope that this rather haphazard and hashed piece of writing will not put you off blogs in the future. Well there is the obligatory gibbering gibberish out of the way.

On the second day of my walk I shall hope to cover exactly the same distance as the day before (a cumulative 26miles) wandering from Dungeness (still need a place to stay people!) to Hastings (wiki: Hastings, battle of). Fortunately for me (and for you as this post will be a lot shorter) I should have somewhere to stay that evening, thanks to the power of relatives!

relative power

As with my previous days walk I will pass through several quaint and amusingly named places such as; Jurys Gap, Guestling Thom, Pet Level and my favourite Lydd.

I have no fantastic plans for this day, none that differ too wildly from the other 16 days; walking, eating, walking, sleeping, walking, looking, walking... You get it, I know.

Short and sweet. Done. See you tomorrow!

From Humble Beginnings ...

As many of you are aware in just under a months time I will be embarking on my charity walk from Dover to Lands End. For those of you that do not know this... Surprise!

This is quite a distance. For those of you that do not know just how long a distance it is, I got the boys in the lab to make this for your benefit.

Dover is here:

and Lands End is here:

And they are this far apart:

The chevrons mark the direction I will be travelling.

The rays of beautiful sunshine represent both the start and end (Lands End get it?) of my journey. I realised that this was confusing, that is why I added the chevrons.

Literally coast to coast! A man coastal walk as well, none of this Cumbria to Yorkshire rubbish!

I took this challenge on partly as a means pass the time over the summer and partly to avoid getting a proper job... So far it has achieved both these goals with ease.
Unfortunately there are hidden costs to this otherwise flawless plan:

Firstly, I actually have to plan this walk. This has proved fairly easy, given that I intend to take no more than a sleeping bag, a small tent and not enough underwear with me.

Secondly, I actually have to do this walk. I have planned a rough route (or 'rout', if you're American (say it out loud)) which should take roughly, exactly 16 days. I am booking a train ticket home on a the 16th day so as not to let myself slow off during the journey. This is purely to add to the danger of the exercise (walk).

This blog will not just be a record of my preparations, it will not just be a record of the walk itself, oh no. This blog will also serve as a desperate call for help. I am doing this walk solo and I haven't planned anywhere to stay. There is a very real chance that I will be sleeping rough. With this in mind if anybody, knows of somebody (or is somebody) who lives in (or near) any of the places that I will be spending the night near, perhaps you could help organize some impromptu (and free) accommodation for the night.

Well here is the first taste of what the next few days are bound to be like.

Day 1. 4th July 2011

Arrive early at Dover.

I will then walk along Folkestone road all the way to Folkestone (according to Google maps this is 8 miles and will take about 2 and a half hours).

Along the way I will see some of the great towns and villages of the area, including (but not limited to) Hougham, West Hougham, Church Hougham and Hougham Without.

I will then hug the coast (figuratively) until I reach Dungeness (18 miles and 5 and three quarters hours walk). This will be where I lay my head for the first night of my walk, so if you know anyone in the area who has a warm bed, cold bed or carpeted floor please let them know about me and we can see how charitable they really are. If they can't house me just call them on the evening of the 4th and remind them that I'm out there.

Note: I must admit that the amount of time Google is predicting it will take me to walk from place to place seems a lot, but I will be weighed down and I think a more leisurely pace may be nice.

Well that is it for the first blog, tune in (log on) tomorrow for day 2 and the next exciting installment of... UNEMPLOYED GRADUATE MAN!

If you would like to sponsor me (the money is going to charity after all) you may do so here: http://www.justgiving.com/Owen-Johnstons-big-walk