A Blizzard, A Stroll And An Improvised Shortcut

Hey all,

Wow. Time really does seem to be zooming along at the moment, I find it hard to believe that it’s already been over a week since my last post but the calendar is determined to prove otherwise. The weather on the other hand appears to have lost its calendar altogether and after careful consideration has decided that it's now winter. I was somewhat surprised therefore when I drew back my curtains on Sunday to find that someone had stolen my fine spring morning and replaced it with a winter wonderland. Still, on the plus side the sun was out and it wasn't raining for a change so I figured I might as well grab my rucksack, pull on the boots and go for a trundle around Cannock Chase.

I'm quite fond of Cannock Chase. Not only because it's a lovely place for a stroll that's right on my doorstep but also because I've been walking up at the Chase with my family since I was a kid. I remember my dad used to drag my brother and me for a ramble every Christmas Eve in a valiant but vain attempt to wear us out so that he and my mum could enjoy a bit of a lie-in come Christmas Day. Another family favourite is a short stroll from the Punch Bowl (car park in a little valley) to the stepping stones (speaks for itself really) which is only a couple of miles at most but has nonetheless been the Sunday afternoon walk of choice in our family for years. That being the case there was really only one place for me to tromp about amongst the snow and so I shrugged into my pack (it's slowly getting heavier as I acquire more gear though for the time being it's still quite acceptable) and set out along the usual trail.

It was one of those walks where I didn't really have a plan, though a quick glance at the map provided me with a vague circuit of seven or eight miles which I figured would be ideal. I was quite content just to wander along at my own pace and enjoy the snow covered landscape before me. I found myself contemplating what exactly it was about snow that makes everyone into a budding photographer. There's no denying that a snowy scene can be exceedingly photogenic but after dodging around my forth camera tripod (conveniently set up in the middle of the path for maximum annoyance) I did begin to wonder whether I'd accidentally wandered into an outdoor photography convention. Such was my musing on the snow's appearance that I totally failed to spot the fact that it is also rather adept at concealing the various tracks and trails criss-crossing my route. This fact was hammered home rather effectively however when it suddenly occurred to me that I hadn't seen another person in about 20 minutes (the Chase is something of a magnet to outdoorsy types on a nice day) and whilst I wasn't lost I also had no idea where I was going. A hasty consultation of the map later, I had a plan to rejoin the trail.

I'd take the next path to the right and join up with the main road that I knew was running vaguely parallel to my route somewhere just out of sight (I could hear the occasional traffic quite clearly so I knew it was probably only a mile at most). I could then follow the road to the next junction where I could pick up another trail to take me along a winding stream and back into familiar territory. It started promisingly enough, the next path I took was wide, clear and most importantly heading in the right direction. Sadly said path also thought it would be amusing to lead me the brink of the road without a hitch and then dump me unceremoniously in an overgrown copse of trees. I wasted the next 20 minutes trying to find a way around the obstruction before finally losing patience and battering my way directly through the stubborn undergrowth whilst the snow from the branches above battered its way directly down the back of my shirt. It must be said that despite this little hiccup the rest of the walk went like clockwork. I found the next path a little further down the main road as I had expected and after a brief moment where I thought I had gone astray once again the little stream appeared from under its snowy blanket and led me all the way back to the stepping stones. Not a particularly strenuous walk really, but every mile I get in my boots makes them that little bit more comfortable which is going to pay dividends when I hit the trail for real.

Speaking of hitting the trail, I've now finally pinned down a start date for this little adventure after spending forever trying to find the best way to dodge around the bank holiday. I shall be setting off from Land's End on the 21st May with the hope of arriving in John O' Groats some 91 days later on the 19th August (though this will no doubt alter once I get under way). This gives me little over 5 weeks before the big day which is not much time at all given how the past week has flown by. It has however allowed me to add a bit more structure to my itinerary to the extent that I think it's ready for its first public appearance. What follows is my plan as it stands at the moment although until I stagger into John O Groats in August it should really be considered a work in progress. Still, it should give you some idea of where I will be and when, so if you fancy joining me for a day or two you'll know vaguely where to look.

Until next time folks.


LEJOG Itinerary

21/05 - Day 1: Land's End -> Penzance (9.5 mi)
22/05 - Day 2: Penzance -> Pengoon Farm (13.5 mi)
23/05 - Day 3: Pengoon Farm -> Carnon Downs (12.5 mi)
24/05 - Day 4: Carnon Downs -> Carnon Downs (0 mi)
25/05 - Day 5: Carnon Downs -> Trekenning (17 mi)
26/05 - Day 6: Trekenning -> St Breward (17.5 mi)
27/05 - Day 7: St Breward -> Five Lanes (12 mi)
28/05 - Day 8: Five Lanes -> Five Lanes (0 mi)
29/05 - Day 9: Five Lanes -> Roadford Lake (17 mi)
30/05 - Day 10: Roadford Lake -> Bridestowe (11.5 mi)
31/05 - Day 11: Bridestowe -> Venton (13 mi)
01/06 - Day 12: Venton -> Salmonhutch (12.5 mi)
02/06 - Day 13: Salmonhutch -> Salmonhutch (0 mi)
03/06 - Day 14: Salmonhutch -> Tiverton (13.5 mi)
04/06 - Day 15: Tiverton -> Taunton (20 mi)
05/06 - Day 16: Taunton -> Street (20 mi)
06/06 - Day 17: Street -> Radstock (18 mi)
07/06 - Day 18: Radstock -> Radstock (0 mi)
08/06 - Day 19: Radstock -> Bath (12 mi)
09/06 - Day 20: Bath -> Tomarton (13.5 mi)
10/06 - Day 21: Tomarton -> North Nibley (15 mi)
11/06 - Day 22: North Nibley -> Painswick (15.5 mi)
12/06 - Day 23: Painswick -> Cheltenham (11 mi)
13/06 - Day 24: Cheltenham -> Tewkesbury (10 mi)
14/06 - Day 25: Tewkesbury -> Tewkesbury (0 mi)
15/06 - Day 26: Tewkesbury -> Worcester (14 mi)
16/06 - Day 27: Worcester -> Stourport (14 mi)
17/06 - Day 28: Stourport -> Kinver (13 mi)
18/06 - Day 29: Kinver -> Brewood (18.5 mi)
19/06 - Day 30: Brewood -> Stafford (14.5 mi)
20/06 - Day 31: Stafford -> Stafford (0 mi)
21/06 - Day 32: Stafford -> Uttoxeter (15.5 mi)
22/06 - Day 33: Uttoxeter -> Fenny Bentley (14.5 mi)
23/06 - Day 34: Fenny Bentley -> Blackwell (16.5 mi)
24/06 - Day 35: Blackwell -> Edale (12 mi)
25/06 - Day 36: Edale -> Crowden (16 mi)
26/06 - Day 37: Crowden -> Crowden (0 mi)
27/06 - Day 38: Crowden -> Standedge (11 mi)
28/06 - Day 39: Standedge -> Hebden Bridge (17 mi)
29/06 - Day 40: Hebden Bridge -> Cowling (10 mi)
30/06 - Day 41: Cowling -> Malham (16 mi)
01/07 - Day 42: Malham -> Malham (0 mi)
02/07 - Day 43: Malham -> Horton (13 mi)
03/07 - Day 44: Horton -> Hawes (12.5 mi)
04/07 - Day 45: Hawes -> Keld (12.5 mi)
05/07 - Day 46: Keld -> Middleton (18.5 mi)
06/07 - Day 47: Middleton -> Langdon Beck (7.5 mi)
07/07 - Day 48: Langdon Beck -> Langdon Beck (0 mi)
08/07 - Day 49: Langdon Beck -> Dufton (12 mi)
09/07 - Day 50: Dufton -> Alston (19 mi)
10/07 - Day 51: Alston -> Greenhead (15 mi)
11/07 - Day 52: Greenhead -> Stonehaugh (14 mi)
12/07 - Day 53: Stonehaugh -> Bellingham (8 mi)
13/07 - Day 54: Bellingham -> Bellingham (0 mi)
14/07 - Day 55: Bellingham -> Cottonshopeburnfoot (13 mi)
15/07 - Day 56: Cottonshopeburnfoot -> Jedburgh (18.5 mi)
16/07 - Day 57: Jedburgh -> Melrose (16 mi)
17/07 - Day 58: Melrose -> Melrose (0 mi)
18/07 - Day 59: Melrose -> Innerleithen (18.5 mi)
19/07 - Day 60: Innerleithen -> Peebles (9 mi)
20/07 - Day 61: Peebles -> West Linton (15 mi)
21/07 - Day 62: West Linton -> Edinburgh (18.5 mi)
22/07 - Day 63: Edinburgh -> Edinburgh (0 mi)
23/07 - Day 64: Edinburgh -> Beecraigs (21.5 mi)
24/07 - Day 65: Beecraigs -> Beecraigs (0 mi)
25/07 - Day 66: Beecraigs -> Kilsyth (20 mi)
26/07 - Day 67: Kilsyth -> Drymen (20.5 mi)
27/07 - Day 68: Drymen -> Drymen (0 mi)
28/07 - Day 69: Drymen -> Rowardennan (14 mi)
29/07 - Day 70: Rowardennan -> Inverarnan (12.5 mi)
30/07 - Day 71: Inverarnan -> Tyndrum (10.5 mi)
31/07 - Day 72: Tyndrum -> Kingshouse (17 mi)
01/08 - Day 73: Kingshouse -> Kinlochleven (9 mi)
02/08 - Day 74: Kinlochleven -> Kinlochleven (0 mi)
03/08 - Day 75: Kinlochleven -> Fort William (15.5 mi)
04/08 - Day 76: Fort William -> South Laggan (19 mi)
05/08 - Day 77: South Laggan -> Invermoriston (14 mi)
06/08 - Day 78: Invermoriston -> Invermoriston ( 0 mi)
07/08 - Day 79: Invermoriston -> Drumnadrochit (14 mi)
08/08 - Day 80: Drumnadrochit -> Inverness (19 mi)
09/08 - Day 81: Inverness -> Inverness (0 mi)
10/08 - Day 82: Inverness -> Dingwall (15.5 mi)
11/08 - Day 83: Dingwall -> Alness (9 mi)
12/08 - Day 84: Alness -> Dornoch (20 mi)
13/08 - Day 85: Dornoch -> Dornoch (0 mi)
14/08 - Day 86: Dornoch -> Brora (19 mi)
15/08 - Day 87: Brora -> Helmsdale (10 mi)
16/08 - Day 88: Helmsdale -> Dunbeath (15 mi)
17/08 - Day 89: Dunbeath -> Dunbeath (0 mi)
18/08 - Day 90: Dunbeath -> Wick (21 mi)
19/08 - Day 91: Wick -> John O' Groats (17.5 mi)