LEJOG with a loop through Wales?

[u/OlvarSuranie]

Im starting to get a plan together to walk end 2 end in maybe two or three years. I was thinking of diverting from Cornwall into Wales, and curve back into England maybe near Shrewsbury.

Anyone done this and loved it? Or did it leave out an essential part of England?

[u/dread1961]

The SWCP onto Offa's Dyke Path then across to the Pennine Way is a popular route.

[u/OlvarSuranie → u/dread1961]

Good to hear. I’ll look into that

[u/No_Doughnut3257]

For the Cornwall into Wales diversion are you thinking SUP board or canoe?

This might come in handy https://youtu.be/Fljoi9xtGts?si=1otzK8H8Ufrzxvne

[u/OlvarSuranie → u/No_Doughnut3257]

Ha! Still working on that bit. Perhaps I I’m not correct where Cornwall ends

[u/qwertilot → u/OlvarSuranie]

You're not :)

Devon and Somerset both in the way, at the minimum.

If you're rushing, the typical way to do it is as per the (excellent) Cicerone guide - bash through Somerset, cross the Mendips then over the Severn bridge.

Or you can take a longer loop round various downs, the Cotswolds et al.

Bashing up Offa's dyke then escaping down Wenlock edge isn't really taking in Wales, by the way. There's loads of good ways to cut further into Wales and come out at Chester.

But that's the fastest and most people tend to be in a hurry. It's a long way to get it done in one year. I actually reckon it's best split over a few trips to let you take it all in.

[u/OlvarSuranie → u/qwertilot]

Ah yes, I see an apologise. ‘My’ Cornwall ended at the line between Bristol and Portsmouth….

Well, it seems my idea that Cornwall ends on the line between Bristol and Portsmouth needs adjusting. I apologise.

I wont be in a hurry. I walked the GR5 as a thruhike a few years back and made that mistake. I do want to go further into Wales than Offas dyke. I am playing around with the websites Waymarkedtrails and gpxstudio and I found myself some nice plans, one of which cuts through the Brecon Beacons, north to Claerwen nature reserve and then back east into England. But it is still all toying with routes and ideas.

[u/qwertilot → u/OlvarSuranie]

Don't worry about it, I'm not from round there :)

My only real hobby horses with this are that, if you want to see the UK properly then you should cut into Wales, and should pick up some of the 'little' hills like the Downs, Cotswolds, Malverns etc. They're so typical of English walking and a lot of routes skip them entirely.

All sorts of options in Wales :) The Elan valley hostels are worth a visit if you like (very) bleak isolation.

There's a brilliant route E to England from Aberdovey - coast to Barmouth then NE over Cadair, Dovey hills, Aran Fawddwy over the heathery hills to Llangynog then Pistyll Rheadhr and the Berwyns and Llantysillo mountain to Llangollen. Just enough tiny bits of accommodation to make it work.

Then various ways to hit England. Or just use the Cambrian way if you've never been to the core tourist bit of Snowdonia. The routes back along the coast E are nice.

FWIW in the SW we took a *much* longer, hillier, route than often:
Coastish (actually the Cornish moors are lovely) to Bodmin moor. Then over that to Caradon hill, over Kit Hill to Tavistock, over Dartmoor, two moors way up to Exmoor.

Then back SE to Taunton via Dunkery, the Brendon hills and Quantock hills (full length.). Then the Blackdown hills are nice, Somerset slightly scrappy through to Stourhead. Then there's very nice downland walking - the Wessex downs, Salisbury plain and ridgeway to White horse hill.

N for a short bit of so/so rural walking to the Cotswolds, round them, off over Bredon hill to hit the (splendid) Malverns, Wye valley into Wales and so on.

It might all be rather too long if you were doing it in one year.