One of the questions to ask yourself before you decide to walk across Britain is, 'Which way should I walk?' There are, of course, two options: Land's End to John o'Groats (also known as the LEJOG) or John o'Groats to Land's End (known, not surprisingly, as the JOGLE). I decided to do the LEJOG, from south to north, for a number of practical reasons. Here they are.
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I live nearer to Land's End than to John o'Groats, so by walking from south to north, it made it a lot easier to get to the starting point (and easier to go home if I decided to give up early on).
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If you travel from south to north and set off in spring, then the weather stays reasonably constant throughout the trip, as things warm up as you go north. If you go from north to south, then you start off in much harsher weather and end up in sweltering Cornwall for the heat of midsummer, neither of which are terribly pleasant prospects for the walker with a heavy pack.
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Walking from south to north means the sun is more often at your back, rather than in your eyes. This makes for a more pleasant walk, particularly if, like me, you've got sensitive eyes.
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The prevailing winds in the spring and summer generally blow from south to north (though that's only a trend, so don't bank on it). This means that not only do you get a little extra push on your way, but more importantly the wind doesn't blow in your face all the time.
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Cornwall in the summer is really crowded, which can make life hard if you're wandering in, bang in the middle of summer. In comparison, John o'Groats is not remotely crowded, even in peak season.
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The walking in Scotland is reasonably challenging, whereas the section through southwest England is flat and relatively easy underfoot. This means that if you go from south to north, you've got an easier run at the start in which to get fit, and by the time you get to the mountains of Scotland, you'll have developed plenty of muscle.
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If you're going to use trails like the Pennine Way, the West Highland Way, the Cotswold Way and so on, most of the guidebooks describe the trails from south to north. As a result, the books are easier to follow if you're heading north.
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Similarly, if you're heading from south to north, then your maps will be the right way round. If you go the other way, you'll have to get good at reading place names upside down...
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Starting from John o'Groats, your first experience of the End-to-End walk is the tedious and treacherous A99, followed by the equally tedious and treacherous A9. As pleasant introductions to walks go, the rolling countryside of Cornwall wins hands down.
On the other hand, plenty of people walk the other way and love it, so the choice is up to you. By starting in Scotland and heading south, you avoid the midge season, you get fitter more quickly, and psychologically it feels like it's downhill all the way... and if you already live in Scotland, the choice is simple. One thing's for certain, however: whether you go for the LEJOG or the JOGLE, it's still the walk of a lifetime.