20 Days to Go! Maps and Rucksacks...

Only 20 days to go! I start my Coast to Coast adventure on July 23rd - two weeks on Monday. I've been getting to know the route - marking it onto the eight OS maps needed to cover the walk:

Marking the route on the maps has made the 200-odd miles seem more real, and also highlights the variety of terrain. From trogging up and down the Lake District fells to walking the flatter bleaker moorland of Swaledale and the North York Moors. The route also crosses the Pennines. One annoyance with the OS maps, apart from the weight of them, is that the C2C route meanders on and off the relevant sheets, involving ingenious folding and occasional flipping to keep track of where you are; so as a backup that's easier to handle I'm also taking the Footprint maps that cover the entire walk on two sheets:

My best find for getting to know the walk has been a guide on the C2C written by Henry Stedman, published by Trailblazer. The mapping is really good - helpful for me as I'm liable to get lost....!

and finally there's all my gear...to go in my rucksack. It's all laid out, though the Kit List keeps getting changed!

  Next to do - to ring round my accommodation to check my bookings are still all fine...eek!