Monday 1 February 2010

Naming No Names.

This first day of February seems like a fine time to explain why my pilgrimage is taking place at this woefully inappropriate time of year – it’s The Archdeacon’s fault.

Back in 2007, when we started to plan this walk, one of the first things we had to do was find a suitable date. Archdeacon’s being very busy people (most of them, anyway), this involved a substantial amount of humming and hawing as my friend thumbed through his schedule trying to find a month in which the people of Dorset could release him from their cares. February 2010 was that month.

More recently The Archdeacon has quite rightly come to the view that this is in fact a very silly time of year to walk across Scotland, and so he won’t be joining me until I get to Bishopbriggs. Obviously I bear my dear friend and mentor absolutely no ill will whatsoever over all of this, and if at any point my tone should suggest otherwise, you must assume that my better nature has been effected by the bitter cold.

Tomorrow morning I fly to Glasgow, where my Dad will be collecting me; then it’s ninety miles to Oban, the ferry to Mull, thirty-six miles across Mull, and a ferry to Iona. And then dinner.

I’ve been feeling a bit apprehensive since Friday, when I went over my journey plan one last time – it is quite a long way to walk, and there are some fairly long legs. However, I’m sure when I start to cross Mull on Thursday morning it will be with a song in my heart – I just hope it’s a song I know the words to.

Here’s what we’re looking forward to:-

Thursday 4th Across the western half of Mull, 18 miles.

Friday 5th – Across the eastern half of Mull, 17 miles.

Saturday 6th – Oban to Arduaine, 19 miles.

Sunday 7th – Arduaine to Kilmichael Glassary, 15 miles.

Monday 8th – Kilmichael Glassary to Inveraray, 22 miles.

Tuesday 9th – Inveraray to The Drovers’ Inn, 20 miles (most looking forward to).

Wednesday 10th – The Drovers’ to Balmaha, 21 miles (least looking forward to).

Thursday 11th – Balmaha to Drymen, 7 miles, with my Dad.

Friday 12th – Drymen to Bishopbriggs, 19 miles, with my Uncle Jimmy.

Saturday 13th – Having a bath.

Sunday 14th – Bishopbriggs to Bothwell, 19 miles, with The Archdeacon (from now on) and Susie (for the day – and I’ve bought her card already, as opportunities to do a bit of shopping are likely to be scarce once I cross the border).

Monday 15th – Bothwell to Lanark, 18 miles.

Tuesday 16th – Lanark to Biggar, 17 miles.

Wednesday 17th – Biggar to Peebles, 16 miles (still don’t have anywhere to stay).

Thursday 18th – Peebles to Selkirk, 17 miles.

Friday 19th – Having another bath.

Saturday 20th – Selkirk to St Boswells, 15 miles.

Sunday 21st – St Boswells to Jedburgh, 9 miles (still don’t have anywhere to stay here either).

Monday 22nd – Jedburgh to Yetholm, 15 miles.

Tuesday 23rd – Yetholm to Wooler, 13 miles.

Wednesday 24th – Wooler to Fenwick, 11 miles.

Thursday 25th – Fenwick to Lindisfarne, 6 miles, with Susie again.

2 comments:

  1. I find myself suddenly having loads of practical questions like, do you wear the same clothes for 3 weeks or will your dad be having to pop along to the launderette (or a local Loch) while you walk? I'm sure (very sure!) that every detail has been carefully worked out though and just want to say Good Luck!!

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  2. Hey.. we just wanted to wish you the very best of luck. We'll be reading every update....

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