#57 BORDER JOLLY (OR, A BIT OF PHILLIP AND SARAH)

Welcome to LEJoG Day 57, and to Scotland Day 57 pre-amble I toyed with several options for this post title, marking the momentous final border crossing between England and Scotland. Eventually I went back to my first idea, rhyming with the favourite dog breed of both my auntie and one of my anonymous blogging inspirations. […]

#54 “UP AND DOWN I’M UP THE WALL” (AND THROUGH THE BLOODY TREES)

Welcome to LEJoG Day 54, unless you’re a barbarian (in which case keep out!) Day 54 pre-amble Today’s post title is inspired by the lyrics to this song from 1982. Here’s the key refrain: You keep me running round Well that’s alright with me Up and down, I’m up the wall I’m up the bloody […]

#52 HIGH POINT (AND LOW POINT)

LEJoG Day 52: Come with me if you want to live Day 52 pre-amble Cross Fell (pictured) is the literal high point of this stage, this high-themed week, the entire Pennine Way and the whole of England outside the Lake District. Today was the low point of the week though, a long and not especially […]

#48 HIGH DRINKS

Because after the amuse-bouche, the feast and the cheeseboard, you might fancy a few drinks. At the highest pub in Britain. Why not? Day 48 (Saturday 20 July 2019) Hawes to Tan Hill (16½ miles) Cumulative: 670½ miles Facts: Time on walk: 5 hours 55 minutes. Average speed: 2.79 mph. Weather: Grey, overcast; rain from […]

#46 FEAST

Welcome to LEJoG Day 46 – tuck in Day 46 pre-amble Certainly the best day walk on the Pennine Way so far, and arguably the best walk of my LEJoG to date. I’d go so far as to say if you don’t enjoy this stage, you’ve no business being a distance walker. With the caveat […]

#41 RESERVOIRS, FOG

Welcome to LEJoG Day 41… let’s go to work Day 41 pre-amble Today I passed or crossed no fewer than six reservoirs, including Torside right at the start. It was also a foggy day, particularly on the highest point of the stage, Black Hill (582m). Now, the really obvious thing to do here would be […]

#40 KINDER, NOT GENTLER

Life (or at least the Pennine Way) begins at LEJoG Day 40 Day 40 pre-amble Welcome to 2019, year 3 of my LEJoG. The target for this year is simple: the Pennine Way, running from Edale in the Derbyshire Peak District to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders for… well, let’s check the sign, shall […]

#39 “GOOD COMPANY…..”

…in a journey makes the way seem shorter.” For the first time, the Izaak Walton quote from the Pre-Amble does not just refer to any readers who might click on 50FootHead one day, but to the company of someone who was actually physically present with me during the walk. By mileage this was the shortest day […]

#12 THE QUAY, THE SECRET (VIA THE POINT)

You are invited to LEJoG Day 12… bring the Europop Day 12 pre-amble You know, when I set out on this walk and later decided to blog about it, I never imagined that Urban Cookie Collective would play any role at all. Yet here I am casually invoking their enormous 1993 hit, which – being […]

#11 TOWERING IN KERNOW; WEARY SOLES IN DEVON

Shortly after you cross the border between Cornwall and Devon, there are – literally – some steps coming up from a bridge. More than three, as it happens. A stairway, in fact. The temptation to use the most obvious pun for the title of this blog is admittedly hard to resist. Indeed, Devon/heaven puns have proved […]

#10 ….. HEY BUDE (REFRAIN)

Don’t be afraid, it’s LEJoG Day 10 Day 10 pre-amble Four dots were originally placed at the end, to make the reader think of “don’t make it bad”. But then I moved them and added one, because “anytime you feel the pain” seemed more relevant. The climbs in the first half of this stage are […]

#9 RICHARD OF CORNWALL

Welcome to LEJoG Day 9 Day 9 pre-amble This is a shorter day dominated by two serious cliff ascents, being Beeny Cliff and High Cliff. The latter is Cornwall’s biggest (highest) cliff, and so I christened it Richard. Well, can you think of a bigger Cliff? Of course you can’t. In fact, I struggle to think of a Cliff […]