zaphod79 wrote:
I've done the WHW (at 96 miles but that might be the type of thing you would do before breakfast)
I found the monotony of the path a bit boring at times & ended up taking advantage of the right to roam by detouring up mountains & along ridges. It takes longer, but it's more fun.
The C2C path that Mark mentioned was nice at times, but there's no right to roam down there so when I found bits of it a bit dull I was stuck on the path anyway
The Arran coastal way was good, plenty of variety.
I've largely given up on official LDPs, they're not really my thing.* More fun to head to the hills in one area then make it up as you go along.
Knoydart's my favourite. It's apparently the UK's last proper wilderness, there's one wee village that you can only access by foot or boat & it's home to the UK mainland's most remote pub
Advice off the top of my head.
Liquid blister plasters are best, stick them on at the first sign of heat.
Trail shoes are better than boots if you're on a decent path unless you're carrying a heavy rucksack.** If you're planning to detour off the path then take boots or both, preferably both so you've something comfy to wear in camp.
Water purification tablets are cheap & give you peace of mind.
Don't go out your way to get dehydrated food, it usually ends up weighing the same anyway. You need to carry the water to rehydrate it mind
Powdered milk & mashed tatties are handy though, Beanfest is tasty & cuppa soups are nice on pissy wet days while you're waiting on dinner cooking.
Bacon, sausages, cheese etc were made to keep well. Beef jerky is rank rotten though.
August/September to April/May is best if you're heading up here & midges bother you. Activity in the summer varies depending on the wind & weather, if you keep to the hills you should be fine though.
If you don't already have one make a decision on your stove depending on where you want to go. ie gas is easy to get in Western Europe, but can be difficult elsewhere & it burns crap in subzero temperatures or high altitudes if it even lights.
*Saying that there are a few mountain trails in the Alps I fancy, though they involve proper climbing & that.
**You shouldn't be in the UK, you'll only need 2-3 days food at most & there's water everywhere.