Day 97 of the End to End in 2019 continued along the Great Glen Way from Invermoriston beginning with quite a steep uphill section. You might be forgiven for thinking that the Great Glen Way had become a series of rest days after yesterdays unscheduled rest stop for poor weather. Truth was the Great Glen Way was quite demanding, especially coming as it did after the Three Lochs Way and the West Highland Way. There’s no doubt I was tired, so rest days had helped. After all I was not aiming for a record breaking LEJOG.
Unlike Ann Sayer, member of the Long Distance Walkers Association, who’s obituary I read yesterday. She still holds the record for the fastest Land’s End to John O’Groats walk by a woman. Completed in 1980 it took her 13 days, 17 hours and 42 minutes. She walked 830 miles (a lot by road) and averaged nearly 60 miles a day (which is over 3 times what Bob and Hannah each did on their LEJOGs and over 6 times my average). She died in April 2020 aged 83. I salute her and anyone who walks the End to End.
I’m amazed how much of it I can still remember, even quite small details. Last night when I wasn’t sleeping, I ran my memory fast forward over the route from the Great Glen to the end. It was wonderful. On day 97 Bob, who had come with me on the first morning section, and I arrived at the Stone Cave. This is one of those places where all three of us have visited, and it definitely appeals to the hermit in me, although it is rather small.
Much more of course, do I remember the cake. Day 97 ended at the Bunloit Pottery which serves fantastic cake (although I seem to have failed to photograph it which is surprising). It’s OK to pray for cake, especially on an End to End.
From the remembered gospel: Jesus said: ‘When you pray do it like this…’
High Holy One of Heaven, named as Father by your Son,
May the uniting of earth with heaven begin now and never end,
as we weave together your kindom.
May the bread we receive today be justly gathered and shared:
forgive us when we fail at this,
as we forgive those who fail us.
May we not be tempted to water down this commitment,
else we fall into less wholesome ways.
JAL: 23.07.2020 in Longdendale.