Dream Vacation: Walking the UK

Dreamspinner's blog theme this month is 'dream vacation', so I thought I'd blog about the best trip I ever took. Two things you may not know about me: 1) I'm an Anglophile and 2) For many years I was into long distance walking. I was president of a volkswalking club in Seattle for a few years, and I've done a 10K in all 50 US states (except Alaska, which I haven't gotten to yet).

In 2009, I did a walking trip in England with a friend of mine. We did about a hundred and twenty miles on the Southwest Coast Path and half the Coast to Coast trail. We booked our trip with a company called contours. They reserve all your B&Bs and also pick up your luggage in the morning and drop it off at your next destination. So all you need to carry is a day pack and you walk from B&B to B&B. It's perfect.

I adore the long distance walking trails in the UK. The Southwest Coast Trail, as the name implies, hugs the southern coastline of England. The Coast to Coast trail cuts straight across England close to its narrowest point. Both are spectacular trails.

Here're some pics!

Southwest Coast Path -- St. Ives to Pendeen

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My friend Marcia and I ready to head out from St. Ives. Click on any of these pics for a close-up.

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Southwest Coast Path -- Pendeen to Porthcurno

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Getting absolutely drenched at Land's End, the furthest SW point in the UK.

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Southwest Coast Path -- Porthcurno to Penzance

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Southwest Coast Path -- Penzance to Porthleven

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Southwest Coast Path -- Porthleven to The Lizard

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Southwest Coast Path -- The Lizard to Coverack

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Southwest Coast Path -- Coverack to Falmouth

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Coast to Coast Path

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Marcia took the photo above of me in rain gear with my camera. I was really into photography at the time! And yes, I lugged that beast every step. And it was worth it.

So that's my dream vacation. I hope to go again to the UK to walk the Cotswolds Way with my husband.

What's your idea of the best trip on earth?

Eli