Author: janet

At the last

Day 108 of the End to End in 2019 meant there were now only 10 days left to walk to John O’Groats. I was still heading north on the John O’Groats Trail, admiring balancing seals and being dive bombed by Arctic Terns. But all too soon I had to leave the JOGT and take my chances with 3 miles of the A9 to an unremarkable lay-by before the Lothbeg turn-off. It is here you will find the sign that records, somewhat out of time, the death of the last wolf in Sutherland.

Whilst it is said to have happened over 3 centuries ago and only ‘near here’ the memorial was not erected until some time later. I wonder at the gap. Was there a sudden interest in lost species? Did the local community gradually come to mourn the loss of the top predator?

In 2020, in the last week, the UK’s Red List of Mammals facing extinction has been published. It includes doormice, red squirrels, hedgehogs and wild cats. It doesn’t include weasels, but that seems to have been a close call. I definitely doesn’t include wolves. The last wolf in Sutherland died round a bout here three centuries ago.

Of all the things I’ve seen and recorded on LEJOG insects come top followed by birds. Of mammals I’ve seen rabbits (introduced by the Romans), hares (introduced in the Iron Age), Scottish Red Deer and Roe Deer (both natives), grey squirrels (introduced in the 19th century), a fox, common seals, a stoat and dead hedgehogs, the later entirely road death victims. I sometimes wonder what our landscape would look like if we put up memorials to them all.

(photo: a deer crosses the TPT in Longdendale)

There are UK mammals I still hope to see: water voles, otters and red squirrels would be my top three. I did see some red squirrels years ago on the Lancashire coast, but none recently. I saw some otters in a sanctuary in the SW but not in the wild. It seems that the native wildlife needs sanctuary from us.

From the remembered bible, the book of Revelation
I was shown the river of the water of life and on each side the tree of life was growing, which fruits twelve times a year and its leaves heal the nations.

I wonder, if the last wolf of Sutherland howls in the heavenly court,
blending her voice with the Saints, praising her Creator.
I wonder if she sits alongside the Dodo and the Great Auk
and countless other species eradicated by human activity,
on a red carpet reflecting their status,
and if all those seeking admission have to acknowledge them
before they see the Lamb on the Throne.
I wonder how many more sanctuaries will be needed
for doormice, wild cats and weasels
before we turn our lives around.
I wonder if I will return to the memorial in the lay-by on the A9
in years to come, rejoicing or in tears.
Behold, the Lamb of God: blessed are those welcome to the feast!

JAL: 03.08.2020 in Longdendale.

 

Becoming a habit

Day 107 of the End to End in 2019 also took the John O’Groats Trail that I’d first tried yesterday. It was a welcome change from the A9 and as this was day two, it was becoming a mini habit. Bob came with me on the first section to Kirkton level crossing, then I  continued on the north side of Loch Fleet to Balblair Woods. In 2003 Hannah and I had seen the rare single wintergreen here. That is a spring flower. In late summer this old pine woodland shelters creeping ladies tresses, a small member of the orchid family.

We engaged in another of our habits at Golspie when we opted for a fish and chip lunch followed by Brora ice cream. The JOGT trail continued along the coast past Dunrobin Castle. The castle has its own station on the railway line due to the insistence of the Duke of Sutherland.

On a sunny day there were a lot of butterflies, wonderful views and the walk ended at the Iron Age Broch at Carn Laith, which is cared for by Historic Scotland. There are quite a few remains of brochs in the area pointing to a history that predates the Romans in Britain. It was lovely to walk next to the sea.

In 2020 I am surprised how quickly small habits build up:  writing, sewing, cooking and walking in any order are my current habits. If it’s wet more of the indoor ones. If it’s dry gardening may be added to the outdoor ones.

As I write this I run through the LEJOG route in my mind, surprised what I remember. But then fish and chips and ice cream are memorable anywhere.

From the remembered bible, Psalm 77
Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were invisible.

Sometimes I see footprints as I walk, signs that others have used this route.
Sometimes I see stones piled one on top of another, signs our forebears lived here.
Most days I see plants and insects, signs that other creatures value these places and we should too.
Whatever habits I may build up, may I be mindful of their effects on the smallest and most vulnerable;
may this be my commitment every time I walk through the green.

JAL: 02,08.2020 in Longdendale.

Caution! Alternative Route

Day 106 of the End to End in 2019 started at Dornoch which has both a Cathedral and a Jail, and also a chocolate shop (which I forgot to mention yesterday). The first pause on the route was at Loch Fleet. I remember when we first saw Loch Fleet, which is a nature reserve, when Bob walked LEJOG in 2003. What an amazing sight. For our morning entertainment seals were balancing and bobbing; all was quiet.

The next part of the route was experimental. We’d heard of the John O’Groats Trail and I got the map in Tain, but I’d not tried it yet. It’s main aim was to provide an off road alternative to the A9 from Inverness to john O’Groats. we’d done our best to find our own version of this, which was why I’d gone across the Black Isle (which was totally lovely). But by Tain we were running out of options so I was glad to find the JOGT map. However, there were some warnings: it was not all necessarily signed, it was somewhat experimental, it might be affected by high tides and there were places without bridges. With this in mind, I was cautious. However, I saw the small logo on a fence post and decided to try it: better than the A9 I thought.

It turned out to be part of the route of the old Dornoch Light Railway which went from The Mound (my end point today) to Dornoch and which had lead to its rise as a tourist destination. It was rather overgrown. At one point I was swimming through chest high bracken. However, it was green and it did go where it said it would and I was soon on the way across the end of Loch Fleet and meeting Bob.

Most of my alternative route plans have so far worked out more or less (obviously so, or I’d not be still writing this). Even on the TPT I took a few alternatives, like a small footpath round a wood at the start of yesterday to avoid the road south of West Cowick. It’s good to try an off road route and my theory is you can always come back if it proves impassable. As it was, in 2019, I was less than 75 miles from John O’Groats and there were more sections of JOGT to try over the next few days.

From the remembered gospel: Jesus said ‘Go by the narrow route: it leads to life!’

Route finder, I love your directions.
These green routes amaze me and lift my spirits.
May I always tread gently on the earth.

JAL: 01.08.2020 Yorkshire Day, in Longdendale, Derbyshire.

Keep right on

Day 105 of the End to End in 2019 began at Tain airfield and the first place of interest was the town of Tain. It has been a place of pilgrimage for several centuries and the 1000 mile mark came up in the town. It was also notable for a walk along the A9 which is the main road to John O’Groats, some 80 or so miles away at that point.

I am still walking in 2020 this time on the TPT. It was day 5 in Yorkshire, supposedly going eastwards but in fact mostly going westwards due to the meanderings of the trail on its way to Selby. We stopped short of there at Temple Hirst, saving the rest for another time, and made our way back to Longdendale.

Views over the fields of wheat and barley are dominated by the huge power stations of the area: Drax, Eggborough and Ferrybridge. Other landscapes nearer home are lined with wind turbines. Nearer Hatfield where we were staying stumps of old windmills are signs of previous ways of making things work.

A walk of 40 miles in 5 days, the last of which was very hot, felt very satisfactory. It reminded me pleasantly of the good feelings long distance walking can bring. I look forward to some more, albeit a few weeks from now.

From the remembered bible: The wind blows where it will. 

The blowing wind, useful or dustructive, reminds us of power, that can be used or abused.
As the turbines turn, keeping the lights on and the ventilators pumping, remind us to play our part by the decisions we make, both large and small, growing communities.

JAL 31.07.2020 walking on TPT to Temple Hirst, and then back in Longdendale.

 

 

 

All is quiet

Day 104 of the End to End in 2019 begun with a calm and quiet crossing on the Nigg Ferry. I was the only passenger. I continued onto Nigg Church which houses the Nigg Stone,  a Pictish Cross Slab which depicts the earliest known illustration of the eucharist in Britain. It was a quiet day’s walk to Tain airfield (disused).

Today in 2020 it’s day 4 of our TPT eastwards walk, this time starting from Braithwaite. The first three miles were straight along the New Junction Canal. There were some quiet reflections, lovely plants including wild watercress and some quiet black headed gulls.

Meanwhile Bob was finding it difficult to park at our first proposed point due to an angling competition. He went onto the second, but all this meant I actually walked further than him today. We met at Topham Ferry Lane (ferry no longer available) and made our way through a series of quiet lanes and paths.

We both remarked how quiet the walk was with very little traffic or other extraneous sounds. The flat countryside, mostly used for cereal growing, was doing what it does best: just letting time pass quietly.

From the remembered bible: Be still and know I am God.

As the Swans glide and the plants grow,
As the cereal crops push their way skywards,
As the clouds shuffle across the blue,
So I am glad for a still calm day and the quiet around me.

JAL 30.07.2020 TPT Eastwards, Braithwaite to Shearburn Plantation.

 

Two seats

Day 103 of the End to End in 2019 was a wonderful and most memorable walk across the Black Isle. Last year was a butterfly summer such that warm winds from the south had blown thousands of Painted Lady butterflies to the area. I well remember walking round a corner into a huge cloud of them, more than I could count.

This year, I’ve not yet seen a Painted Lady, but winds have mostly been coming from the west. However, I have seen a lot of other butterflies. Today on our TPT Eastwards trek there were quite a lot. With regularly spaced buddleia along the small Yorkshire lanes there were plenty of Peacock and Red Admiral. But there were even more Large White and a small orange butterfly called Gatekeeper.

The best section of the walk was through Owston wood, a lovely shaded green route. Lunch was at Trumfleet, a village with a very large name stone. But more importantly it had two seats, one in a bus shelter for bad weather. The second, opposite it, in the sun was the one we choose. Trumfleet was a, small village but it had two seats!

It also had a disused railway route unfortunately not used by the TPT. We therefore walked round to Braithwaite by road and finished in the car park by the New Junction Canal.

From the remembered bible, psalm 1. You will be happy is you do not ‘sit in the seat of scoffers’ but stick to God’s ways.

For the comfortable seat,
The lunch to scoff with a friend,
And the way ahead on a sunny day,
Thanks be to God.

JAL 29.07.2020 TPT east, Bentley to Braithwaite.

 

Flowering lane, wooded trail

Day 102 of the End to End in 2019 was across the Black Isle, a place of flowery lanes and wooded paths.  Moving on to 2020 my second day on the TPT eastwards was also along flowery and wooded paths.

One of the things I enjoy most about long distance walking is the opportunity to enjoy the natural world, especially flowering plants and the insects.

At this time of year many of the plants are showing pink or yellow flowers. On sunny days plenty of butterflies are about.  Today was windy but not wet. The TPT is an excellent route, a path with a good even surface and lovely views of the River Don.

The Boat Inn had closed sometime since Bob walked past in 2013. In its place was a small snack van selling tasty lemon muffins. Leaving the River Don, the last section of the route to Bentley was on a disused railway path. We arrived at Bentley Park in good time. The whole route had taken about the same amount of time as yesterday’s.

From the remembered gospel: Jesus said ‘Look at the Lilies of the field’.
It’s lovely to walk a route lined with flowers, or a path shaded by trees. They make the way pleasant.
May we make the way pleasant for others, offering courtesy and support to fellow travellers, sharing the route, treading gently.

JAL 28.07.2020 Denaby Ings to Bentley via TPT.

Counting Hairs

Day 101 of the End to End in 2019 began with me getting soaked in heavy rain on the Kessock Bridge as I crossed from Inverness to the Black Isle. It was the record for the fastest soaking on the whole LEJOG. I got changed in the lay by after the bridge where Bob was waiting for me.

One year later two things were similar: rain and blue trousers. It rained today on our first day of the TPT east walk which began at Wombwell. I was wearing the blue trousers I usually wear on rainy walking days. There was some rain but not as much as we’d thought and the blue trousers didn’t get too wet.

My hair has got quite long during lockdown, but it was quite long a year ago. Getting wet hair on a windy day means it blows about a lot. But hey, even these hairs have all been numbered, so wet hair is just a minor matter on the head front. I saw some of my favourite stripy caterpillars early on, and I noticed even they had head hairs.

There were lots of great wildflowers, much as I remember from the Black Isle last year. It was good to be walking again. We’ve opted for a Travelodge in South Yorkshire for a few nights this week to do this section of the TPT.

From the remembered gospel: Jesus said ‘God has even counted the hairs on your head’.

Hair counter, you astonish me:
Each creature has its own head hairs,
Even plants have hairy parts.
On another day walking,
Even though wet and windy,
My heart begins to sing again
Of the Way through the green.

JAL 27.07.2020 TPT East, Wombwell to Denaby Ings.

100 days walking!

Day 100 of the End to End in 2019 was the 100th day of the LEJOG. It was awesome then and it still is looking back a year: I had walked for 100 days. On day 100 of LEJOG I completed the Great Glen Way and walked into Inverness. It wasn’t our first visit to the city but I was the first of the three of us to complete the Great Glenn Way in Inverness (Bob and Hannah had taken different routes from Drumnadrochit).

The finish line of the Great Glen Way was underwhelming when you consider how long it was and the energy expended and the weather walked through. There were other things to see in Inverness, like the small islands in the River Ness which are like a floating botanical gardens. There’s also a memorial to Edith Cavell beside the river, next to the War Memorial.

Of course I’ve walked more than 100 days but getting to three figures was a milestone, so to speak. There were a mixed bag of routes to the end to come but the end was almost in sight. Different anxieties are introduced. Having come this far, I didn’t want to not make it to the end. But I knew there were still a lot of challenging sections to come.

From the remembered bible from psalm 100: Let’s go to God’s place! Happy and joyful, let’s skip along like a flock of sheep and rejoice!

Remembering and rejoicing, skipping along,
I rejoice with you, Shepherding One.
The way ahead still has anxiety inducing turns,
but we’re together on this route and that feels good.

JAL: 26.07.2020 In Longdendale.

The cafe at the end of the universe

There’s really only one subject for Day 99 of the End to End in 2019 and that’s the cafe at the end of the universe. After a lovely, but hot, walk along the Great Glen Way, through some forested bits strewn with large orange fungi called Birch Boletos, I eventually came to it.

It had been signposted from some distance away with cheery home made signs announcing the various possible consumable items from the menu. As it got hotter and the cafe got nearer I became more determined to reach it. Eventually I came to the last sign post which indicated a turn off the main path into the woodland. Now anyone who has done any kind of walk knows to beware of signs  like this, after all it could be miles away.

I risked it. I met a couple coming back towards me and asked about the cafe; was it really this way and was it far? They gave the necessary assurances and I continued to an archway,  a rather odd collection of hand made furniture and a lot of chickens. I had arrived at the cafe at the end of the universe.

I sank down on a bench and was soon served by the proprietor: a cold drink and cake were ordered. When they arrived my photo was taken for the Facebook archive and I tucked into the feast. Meanwhile, Bob was coming back in the other direction and was soon enjoying his own cool drink along side me. He later said, he wasn’t sure he was ever going to persuade me to leave.

And that’s the thing about the cafe at the end of the universe, which was actually in their back garden: no one wants to leave, ever.

From the remembered gospel: Jesus said, ‘I’m coming to your house for tea’.
Of all the references to sharing food in the gospel, this one is the most homely.

Welcoming One, how wonderful it is to share food together in any part of the universe.
As the lock down eases, we look forward to the sharing days and the celebrating ways,
remembering, retelling and rejoicing, in the kindom cafe at the end of the universe.

JAL: 25.07.2020 In Longdendale (and sadly not in Canterbury as originally planned).