h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When I finished college, some of my friends and I considered driving around the world. Getting somebody to sponsor us with a car and driving up and down the continents until we'd hit them all (of course, this meant some time in ships, but as little as possible)

We eventually gave up on the idea as being too crazy.

But I like the idea of your walk. In the eastern US we have a thing called the Appalachian Trail which runs along the mountains from Georgia to Maine, enabling you to walk the entire way up the east coast. Camping areas are provided on the trail and it passes through some developed areas where you can buy more food and stuff. And post offices in towns along the trail accept 'General Delivery' packages for hikers and hold them for a few weeks to help them replenish their supplies.

Yes, I know, this sounds like the start of a great Guide Entry. I'm planning to do it over the holidays!

BTW: If you do it, try to send letters to Peta or the Post at the very least, this is something I think the whole community would enjoy following!

- Jimi X

Thanks!
There's coastal paths around most of the edges of Britain, and a lot of fishing villages and stuff, which would make it all a lot easier. The part I'm not sure about yet is going around Scotland... it's got a very crinkly edge and not much habitation in parts! I would have to time it all very carefully, so I don't find myself in Scotland in the middle of the winter.
I think somebody has walked round the world, in the way that you considered driving. Must have taken a while though. I've recently read a book by a woman who walked the entire length of Africa (vertically), and another by a guy who crossed Europe. They're walks were straight, and so easier to measure; I haven't got a clue how far my walk would be though!!

If I do it, it would hopefully help me to write H2G2 articles about every town / area that I walk through, which would be good.

Next year, I'll walk around Asia....

You must REALLY like to walk!

I am currently 666-miles into a 1540 miles Land's End to John O'Groats walk. (Indeed, I am setting off today to get another 250 miles done).

As part of this walk, I am walking the Cape Wrath Trail in Scotland - this leads from Fort William to the very north-western tip of Scotland and is *very* remote. It is mostly coastal walking (or within a fair few miles of the coast).

From Cape Wrath I am heading eastwards along the northern coastline of Scotland to John O'Groats. I am hoping that these two large sections will take me about four weeks next year.

There are various books on walking around Britain - Andrew McCloy has written a book called "Coastwalk" that only covers England, and John Merrill (the first person to walk the entire coastline of Britain has a smilar book.

You will also have to be careful to avoid the glorious 12th, the start of the game shooting season on the 12th of August each year. Many hills are not open to the public for safety reasons from this date onwards.

Presonally, I chose to do my rather long walk (although not as long as yours - AFAICR the entire coastlne of GB is over 5,000 miles long) in stages as it easier to get the time off work a few weeks at a time and it spreads the memories over a couple of years.

That's still a lot of walking!! WOW!

Well done Discjirm, you're getting further than I am at the moment! I still hope to do the walk sometime in the next few years but it's delayed at the moment for medical reasons.
I've heard of John Merrill (he's in the Guinness Book of Records) but haven't tracked down his book yet. He did it in the 1940's and I suspect land access wasn't such a problem then . I think he's the only person who's ever walked round Britain but I may be wrong.
I've heard varying distances quoted for the circumference of Britain, from 5,000 to 10,000 miles. A certain mathematician (Mandelbrot) had a lot to say on this subject; namely that it's impossible to find the circumference of Britain, because the more detail you look for, the longer the distance is. (eg. if you choose to measure round each stone, it'll be a lot further than if you measure round each headland) or something like that.
Anyway, good luck with your walk , tell me how you get on!

Hey Discjirm, just wondering if you're out there... i stopped by your page tonight, but you haven't decorated yet...it takes a while to move in, i know!

Well, maybe i'll catch you later then...


Saint Zax*
*a hound on the heels of lost researchers...

Hey, guys,

Here it is 8 yrs later and I'm wondering how you all got on?

Peregrin, did you ever do any of that walk?

I'm hoping to start an around-Britain charity walk (but not coastal) on 15 May 2008. I'm reading all I can on the subject and came across your postings by Googling.

Cheers,

David.

There's lots of talk of opening up the coastline as a National Trail, which is exciting:
http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/5327964912746496?category=50007
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/england-coast-path-improving-public-access-to-the-coast
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/532915/ECP-south-map.pdf

Hope it actually happens...

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