hi all
slogger, just interested to see how much your pack weight is, and what sort of equipment your using.
Im starting the end of may, and am also a lightweight backpacker. Got the pack down to 9 kilo's, with no sacrifice to comfort or safety thats including 2 litres of water.
Like yourself have no planning, just walk until i find somewhere great to pitch.
shinsplints.

Like others, I'd really prefer to just have a start date fixed and then take it as it went until I finished - that's what I've done with previous LDPs. This time, I do have a date I must finish by so a bit more planning was necessary.

I've got a feeling that as I get fitter nearer the date, I'll be moving back the start by a day or I can see I could end up with a couple of short days.

[This message has been edited by Fellwanderer (edited 04 January 2007).]

Hi, Also lightweight camping start date 14th June, not sure of my pack weight yet and i'll be walking till i've had enough, sleep when i'm tired. Looking at a 20 mile day minimium, so should finish in 12/14 days.

hi
Yorkybuzz, 20 mile a day minimum,
I tried this last year on half the pennine way (finished at hawes) and found it pretty tough, We walked 12 hours a day sometimes in 30 degree heat. Carrying camping gear.
You have to be very fit, and carry some means of purifiying water.
tom.

We did the PW last summer - combination of really warm days and dreadful wind and rain - in 14 days. We made use of a courier service. I'm not saying that 14 days was easy but we didn't have any real problems. We trained hard for it, had good gear and prepared well. I guess only you know how fit you will be and how experienced you are. Good luck!

My then 13 year old son and I did it last year. We went "5 star" - baggage couriers, 20 days and hostels/B&Bs throughout, full-board wherever available. OK, you don't get the "freedom" with this approach, but that didn't prove to be a problem at all.

The main thing, is that all this allowed us to really totally enjoy the Pennine Way - which we did.

I've walked the Lyke wake walk in 15 hours, and we did the cleveland way in 4 and half days, last year the coast to coast in 10 days, we use the three peaks of Yorks as training usually in around 9 hours. Admittedly we did'nt camp staying in YH and BB's, its not that i like doing it that fast but getting time off work is the hard part. To get a twenty day window from work to do the Pennine way and recover ( with a stag do in Newcastle on the way home) has been very hard and i've had to go cap in hand to workmates for 'swapped' shifts.
First time i've camped on a long distance walk but i'm looking forward to it, i'm doing it alone and water is a concern. Love to hear from anyone who has one something similar.

Regards Yorky

PS re Tomread

Tom i read your journal it was great reading it, it was quite an adventure and you and your son must be very proud. It has helped me plan my trip and given me things to think about, maybe staying in the odd YH or barn mainly to wash clothes and shower in hot water occassionaly.

Love to do something similar with my son except swap the Silkmen shirt for a Rotherham one, if only i could prise him away from his computer.

Yorky,

Very interested in your Lyke Wake Walk adventure. Really keen to do it but have failed to get any back-up crew. Any information on your LWW crossing gratefully received.

Tom,

Never thought I'd write the following words... Isn't Paul Ince doing a fantastic job at Macclesfield Town!!?? Perhaps though he should have a goalie on the bench.

Easier said than done when you've already had two first team squad keepers injured in the last month! I guess a 4th keeper will be brought in on loan any day now! Then again, the red card will probably be overturned, as the video replay clearly shows that Shevchenko dived. It was a good day out for me and the lads anyway.

Thanks for the comments on the journal. I've ground to a halt with it over Christmas, but Once Brewed to Bellingham should be uploaded tonight, and the remainder soon after.