Take on Britain’s ultimate long-distance walking challenge with the End to End Trail — the Land’s End to John o’ Groats (LEJOG) route. Spanning 1956km (1215 miles) from Cornwall’s cliffs to Scotland’s northern tip, this extraordinary journey stitches together many of the UK’s finest trails into one epic adventure, offering a true test of endurance for experienced long-distance hikers.

From the South West Coast Path, the trail passes through Exmoor, the Welsh borders, Shropshire and the Peak District. It continues across the Pennines, Cheviots and Southern Uplands, follows the West Highland Way, and finishes through the wild Northern Highlands to the far north of mainland Scotland. The End to End Trail showcases Britain's extraordinary range of landscapes, from coastline and lowland countryside to remote uplands and mountain regions.

This Cicerone guidebook supports you from the first planning stages to your final footsteps at John o’ Groats. It combines detailed route descriptions with practical advice on logistics, preparation, and equipment, tailored specifically to the demands of walking the length of Britain.

• The End to End Trail is divided into 61 clearly defined stages, making navigation and planning manageable, whether you aim to complete the route in one continuous journey or tackle it in sections. 
• Suggested two- and three-month schedules are included, helping experienced hikers choose a realistic approach based on fitness, experience and available time.
• The guidebook provides in-depth advice on choosing and testing equipment, carrying and resupplying food, budgeting for a multi-month journey, and building in contingency time for bad weather or rest days.
• Accommodation and services are covered in depth, with information on campsites, hostels, B&Bs, shops and other facilities along the way, so you can decide whether to backpack, mix accommodation types or walk with lighter loads.
• Carefully researched historical and local details from expert author Andy Robinson enrich each day on the trail and highlight how the route links some of Britain’s finest hill country and coastal scenery.

Walking the End to End Trail is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement: a continuous journey across an entire island that demands commitment, resilience and preparation, but delivers an unrivalled sense of accomplishment, whether tackled in sections or in one continuous push. With stage descriptions and comprehensive preparation advice, this guidebook gives you everything you need to turn the idea of walking from Land’s End to John o’ Groats into an achievable and unforgettable adventure.

Author Highlight

“Such a walk is also a great challenge, one of the greatest that many walkers have the time to attempt, and unlike many great challenges, this one is also a great experience. As well as enjoying doing it, you will also enjoy looking back on it afterwards and thinking ‘I walked all the way from Land’s End to John o’ Groats’. What more is there to say? Make your plans and go for it!”

- Andy Robinson, author of the End-to-End Trail, who also devised the route 

Map key
Preface

Introduction
Using this guide
The route
Geography and history
Safety
When to go
Planning your schedule
Equipment
Maps
Carrying food
Money
Accommodation and services

Section 1 The South West Coast Path:  Land’s End to Barnstaple
The start: Land’s End 
Day 1 Land’s End to Zennor 
Day 2 Zennor to Gwithian 
Day 3 Gwithian to Perranporth 
Day 4 Perranporth to Mawgan Porth 
Day 5 Mawgan Porth to Wadebridge 
Day 6 Wadebridge to Boscastle 
Day 7 Boscastle to Bude 
Day 8 Bude to Clovelly 
Day 9 Clovelly to Barnstaple
Section 1 Strip maps 
Section 2 The Bristol Channel and the Welsh border:  Barnstaple to Knighton 
Day 10 Barnstaple to Warren Farm, Exmoor 
Day 11 Warren Farm, Exmoor, to Roadwater 
Day 12 Roadwater to Bridgwater 
Day 13 Bridgwater to Cheddar 
Day 14 Cheddar to Easton-in-Gordano 
Day 15 Easton-in-Gordano to Chepstow 
Day 16 Chepstow to Monmouth 
Day 17 Monmouth to Pandy 
Day 18 Pandy to Hay-on-Wye 
Day 19 Hay-on-Wye to Knighton 
Section 2 Strip maps 
Section 3 Shropshire, Staffordshire and the Peak:  Knighton to Hebden Bridge 
Day 20 Knighton to Craven Arms 
Day 21 Craven Arms to Ironbridge 
Day 22 Ironbridge to Penkridge 
Day 23 Penkridge to Abbots Bromley 
Day 24 Abbots Bromley to Thorpe 
Day 25 Thorpe to Youlgreave 
Day 26 Youlgreave to Hathersage 
Day 27 Hathersage to White Gate 
Day 28 White Gate to Hebden Bridge 
Section 3 Strip maps 
Section 4 The Pennines and Cheviots:  Hebden Bridge to Jedburgh 
Day 29 Hebden Bridge to Thornton in Craven 
Day 30 Thornton in Craven to Horton in Ribblesdale 
Day 31 Horton in Ribblesdale to Hawes 
Day 32 Hawes to Keld 
Day 33 Keld to Middleton-in-Teesdale 
Day 34 Middleton-in-Teesdale to Dufton 
Day 35 Dufton to Alston 
Day 36 Alston to Greenhead 
Day 37 Greenhead to Bellingham 
Day 38 Bellingham to Byrness 
Day 39 Byrness to Jedburgh 
Section 4 Strip maps 
Section 5 Southern Scotland and the West Highland Way: Jedburgh to Fort William 
Day 40 Jedburgh to Melrose 
Day 41 Melrose to Traquair 
Day 42 Traquair to West Linton 
Day 43 West Linton to Linlithgow 
Day 44 Linlithgow to Kilsyth 
Day 45 Kilsyth to Drymen 
Day 46 Drymen to Inverarnan 
Day 47 Inverarnan to Bridge of Orchy 
Day 48 Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven 
Day 49 Kinlochleven to Fort William 
Section 5 Strip maps 
Section 6 The Northern Highlands and the Flow Country:  Fort William to John o’ Groats 
Day 50 Fort William to Glen Garry (Loch Poulary) 
Day 51 Glen Garry (Loch Poulary) to Glen Affric 
Day 52 Glen Affric to Bendronaig Lodge 
Day 53 Bendronaig Lodge to Kinlochewe 
Day 54 Kinlochewe to Inverlael 
Day 55 Inverlael to Oykel Bridge 
Day 56 Oykel Bridge to the Overscaig Hotel 
Day 57 The Overscaig Hotel to the Crask Inn 
Day 56L Oykel Bridge to Lairg 
Day 57L Lairg to Loch Choire 
Day 58 The Crask Inn to Kinbrace 
Day 59 Kinbrace to River Thurso (Dail Righe) 
Day 60 River Thurso (Dail Righe) to Watten 
Day 61 Watten to Duncansby Head and John o’ Groats 
The end: John o’ Groats 
How to leave John o’ Groats 
Recognition of your feat 
Section 6 Strip maps 

Appendix A Route summary tables 
Main schedule 
Alternative three-month schedule 
Appendix B Bibliography 
Appendix C Other sources of information 
 

Seasons

April to June, heading north, works best for this walk. This avoids the summer heat and crowds in the southwest, and reduces the risks from midges and winter conditions in Scotland.

Centres

Land's End, Barnstaple, Knighton, Hebden Bridge, Jedburgh, Fort William, John o' Groats

Difficulty

A 1200-mile walk needs fitness and preparation. It is advisable to train beforehand with long days out, carrying the weight you plan to take, wearing the things you plan to wear. You will still hit problems along the way with both your body and your equipment, so plan contingency into both your schedule and your finances.

Must See

the best of Britain's hill country, coastal scenery in Devon/Cornwall, the Peak District, the Highlands

May 2024

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