Planning LEJOG walk for summer 2009/10

[skaus84]

Hey everyone, this is my second post on this site in a good few years! Couldn't remember my old user name / password so had to create a new account. Also posted for skill advice in bushcraft and survival skills section, any advice would be appreciated!

I'm planning on completing the Lands End to John O'Groats walk either summer 2009 or summer 2010 whilst on my break from university. I expect it to take about 12 - 14 weeks and I plan to wild camp every night I can. I will probably be completing the walk on my own, unless I can find someone crazy enough to come with me! I'm working on my fitness and sorting out my finances for whilst i'm away.

I have a fair bit of experience wild camping and a reasonable level of experience in hill walking. I was a member of the army cadet force for five and a half years, so I have a great deal of love and respect for the countryside. Although I am a little rusty, I used to be very proficient in all aspects of map and compass.

Kit I intend to take:

Bergen (I have an army type bergen which is 100ltrs, looking to buy something smaller)

Sleeping kit:
2 man tent (looking to buy) or army style basha (with army issue goretex bivvy bag, bungees, pegs and para cord)
Softie 3 or softie 9 sleeping bags that I am happy with. (Will take softie 9 unless we get really good weather!)
Cotton sleeping bag liner


Three quater thermarest

Cooking kit:
Army issue steel mug
Solid fuel tablets (reserve?)
Gas cooker (need to buy)
Plastic spork
Water bottles (Platypus x 2 2ltr)
Waterproofed matches and lighter
Cleaning kit (scourer, soap etc)
Emergency rations
Millbank bag & (chlorine tablets?)

First Aid Kit:
Assorted plasters
Triangular bandage
Meopore tape
Sterile dressings
Pain killers
Petroleum jelly
Gaffa tape (5mtrs)

Navigation:
Silva compass
Waterproof map cover (Ortileb A3 document case)
OS maps 1:50000 & 1:25000 (Guide books as necessary)
Waterproofed notebook & pencils
Petzl head torch & batteries (spare batteries)
(Spare torch & batteries)

Wash kit:
Soap & soap dish
Toothbrush & paste
Shampoo
Razor & spare blades
Shaving gel
Shaving mirror
Toilet roll
Q-tips
Nail clippers
Towel

Miscellaneous:
Knife and whetstone
Survival bag
Extra para cord
Flint and steel
Housewife
Snare wire

I am looking to keep my bergen as light as possible, carrying only essentials.

Is there anything that anyone could think to add or omit from that list that I have not included, or have included unnecessarily respectively?

 

[Treemonk]

You seem to be duplicating in most areas. If you have a tent then why the basha, bivvy bag and survival bag? Why a 2 man tent for just yourself? Why on earth TWO sleeping bags?
Isn't vaseline aka petroleum jelly? why 3 triangular bandages - how about blister kit and a dab bag with foot powder?
Why soap and shower gel?
What about water purification?

Have you given any of the lightweight hiking sites/forums a look?

 

[wicca]

I find a poncho handy as well as the tent Skuas, for quick shelter at brew stops, but I see you've listed a basha so same idea I suspect. Are you going to rely on just boiling to clean your water? You haven't listed your personal gear but if I may remind you, don't forget a decent pair of gaiters mate worth their weight in gold especially the other side of the Wall.

 

[skaus84]

Cheers for the replies!

Changed Vaselene to petroleum jelly and forgot to delete the vaselene.
The survival bag just stays in my bergen at all times. Not sure if i'm going to take the bivvy bag, depends on whether I take a tent or bivvy.

Listed both sleeping bags because the softie 3 is a summer bag and the softie 9 is three seasons. Together they make a 5 season bag for if its really cold.

Clothing:

Goretex jacket
Fleece
2 tshirts
2 pair walking pants (lightweight)
Wool hat, gloves, shemagh
Hiking socks
Shorts / sandals for swimming
Hiking boots (need to buy)
Lycra shorts (for walking to stop chaffing)
2 pairs spare boxers
(Thermals? Never bothered wearing them when I took them camping last October)

 

[wicca]

Have you got the sleeping and bivvy bags yet Skaus? If not, there's a couple of places advertising what they call a 'sleeping system' basically a light summer bag, a heavier winter bag, and a liner all in a Goretex bivvy bag, so you can choose what you need to use according to conditions. Just thought it might be cheaper than buying individual items.

 

[skaus84]

Already got the kit above unless otherwise stated. Had most of it since my days in the army cadets, all still in really good condition too!

 

[sapper1]

Ditch the maps and get a guide book for the whole route.
Ditch the army cooker and get a proper one (trangia or gas) the army one won't last the distance
Don't bother with matches,more trouble than they're worth, get half a dozen throwaway lighters instead
get a mag lite or similar in addition to the head light
Get a blister kit and break your boots in before you go.

 

[saddle_tramp]

A two man tent, bivvy bag, basha, survival bag and two sleeping bags! in summer! Why dont you take a deck chair and folding table as well?


Seriously, if you take that lot, what could be a fascinating trip, is gonna turn into a painful head-down trudge, and for 14 weeks?

have a look on here

http://www.backpacking-lite.co.uk/index.htm

and be ruthless with what you leave behind

 

[skaus84]

That's an interesting site, bookmarked for further scrutiny later!

I listed the basha kit and tent to be meant as an either / or. Probably should have mentioned that in the first place! Deck chair and table sounds like a great idea though ;-)

 

[John Fenna]

I tried this 30 years ago - and failed when I dislocated my knee. I got to County Durham.
I averaged around 20 miles per day, the longest was 30 the shortest 6 - when my rucksack frame broke and I had to hitch into a town to buy a new one(I restarted at the point I started hitching). I wore out a pair of walking boots soles covering the 1000k that I walked my route was not direct- N Cornish coast path, Exmoor, Bristol, Offas Dyke, Pennine Way). The walk is very hard on gear!
I used OS maps and LDP guides and worked out my own routes between LDPs, walking 6 days a week and doing laundry/catching up on sleep/touristy things on the 7th. The occassional stop in B&Bs helped moral in bad weather.
I found that having map/resupply drops useful and these were at pre selected YHAs, checking that this was OK with the Warden first, so that I could rely on having my battered clothing replaced, the new maps ready and seasonal gear (heavier sleeping bag, extra warm kit etc) waiting where I needed it.
The replaced items were posted home.
I took about 3 months for my trip, as part of a year out. I made a lot of new friends, had a great time and discovered a lot about my own country.
Have a great trip!

 

[wicca]

Hard on gear...just a bit!.. If you go too lightweight Skaus you'll be in and out the "Outdoor Shops" like a yoyo.

 

[redandshane]

For a trip like this i.e probably once in a life time I think would forget about the basha/bivvy bag option and invest in a top quality specialist lightweight tent it will be more comfortable in bad weather and also allow you to use campsites more easily if you wish
probably lighter at the end of the day as well
They retain their value well second hand; so you could always sell it when you are done but I suspect you would have grown so attached to it you will want to keep it
Sounds like a great venture though
best of luck


http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co...rt=24&sid=sid4fe540258b506437c0e8401be291462b

like this one

 

[w00dsmoke]

Absolutley seriously consider traveling as light as you possibly can. Your kit list is ok for an extended wilderness trip, you'll be on roads most of the way?The opportunities for wild camping for much of the route is minimal so I don't see the point in carrying alll that stuff for all of the walk.

Decent trainers with goretex socks, a small rucksack with basics. You could use a combination of backpacker hostels and youth hostels and camp inbetween. Trust me you will appreciate the hot shower and dry bed. All you need for directions is a mini road atlas or a uk touring map and compass (so in the dark you know which way you are walking!), thats it!

Try a decent long walk first before you go...coast to coast or something with the gear you intend to take on the longy and see what happens at the ned of it!

 

[skaus84]

Thanks for the replies guys, some great posts.

Planning on spending as much of the trip as I can off road!

Will get a member of my family to meet me around the half way / three quater point to do a kit exchange as needed.

I intend to camp the majority of nights, with the occasional B&B and pub meal thrown in for the odd morale boost! I certainly don't mind getting washed in cold water, quite like cold weather too. As long as I have the right kit to reduce the risk of exposure. I want to go as light weight as I can, but don't want to take stuff that will need replacing every few hundred miles. After all this probably will be a once in a life time trip! Going to plan my own route, but encompass any of the LDP's that coincide with my chosen route. Will probably take a crack at the coast to coast over easter as a prep. walk.

 

[KIMBOKO]

For short trips rather than carry three washing products, I usually use a washing up detergent in a small squeezy bottle for washing up, washing hands and washing hair. But when it comes to resupply most detergents are sold in much larger quantities than my small squeezy bottle so I become distraught as I don't want the weight of a large bottle but I am too mean to throw the surplus away!

You are making a long trip so I hope you find that you relax into the walk and it becomes the normal thing to do. You should then feel you don't need to carry emergency rations and survival bag. After all you will be taking (normal) food and a complete 'survival' pack in your tent, thermarest and sleeping bag.

 

[KevB]

Plenty of good advice already given - my penneth worth based on a number of long distance walks...
Have a good trawl through alot of lightweight backpacking sights. From my experience 30lbs is the magic number. If you can get all kit + four days food and 1 litre of water below this number then you'll be in the right ball park. Further savings can be made as your wallet and experience grows!

Remember - you want to enjoy the experience. Its the journey thats important.