Charity walk from John O'Groats to Land's End
in aid of

and

 Gambia Education & Teaching Support

High winds and driving rain have failed to stop Horsham fan Kevin Hodder on his fundraising walk from John O’Groats to Land’s End. Just over a week into his trek to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Support and the Gambia teaching trust, he has totalled more than 200 miles, at an average of 20 miles a day, as he works his way south through the Scottish Highlands. Affording himself just a ½ day’s rest, the 24 year old has scaled the heights of Ben Nevis, hiked along the banks of Loch Ness and even spent the night in a converted chicken coup ! You can follow Kevin’s route below

Just over two weeks into his trip and Kevin has finally crossed the Scottish border into England, travelling past Carlisle as he continues his journey South. After the dramatic weather that accompanied his first week, Kevin was able to enjoy a few days of fine walking conditions before the wind and rain made it's unwanted return on day 15.

It was sunshine all the way for Kevin's third week on the road as he made his way through the north of England, picking up donations on the way - not to mention the odd friendly pint !

Week 4 and the donations keep coming, and so do the blisters ! But there are friendly faces and a roast dinner to mark the end of Kevin's first month on the road. 30 days in which he has walked a total of 640 miles ! Well done Kevin, you're on the home stretch !!!

Day 1: Saturday 4th August
John O’Groats to Thrumster (20.9 miles)

Day 2: Sunday 5th August
Thrumster to Berriedale (22.7 miles).
Spent the night camped out in the village playing fields (complete with swings and a roundabout) in the pouring rain

Day 3: Monday 6th August
Berriedale to Brora (22 miles).
More wind and rain so opted for the luxury overnight dwelling of a room above a pub

Day 4: Tuesday 7th August
Brora to Tain (20 miles)
via a 900 metre long bridge through strong winds

Day 5: Wednesday 8th August
Tain to Dingwall (26 miles).
At last…a day of sunshine and made the most of the conditions to walk the furthest so far !
Pitched up in a campsite next to Ross County FC

Day 6: Thursday 9th August
Dingwall to Drumnadrochit (23 miles).
Along the banks of Loch Ness and a return to the wind and rain

Day 7: Friday 10th August
Drumnadrochit to Invergarry (22 miles).
No sign of Nessie yet as the first week is brought to a close having covered a total of 157 miles

Day 8: Saturday 11th August
Invergarry to Fort William (23 miles)

Day 9: Sunday 12th August
Ben Nevis and the Highland Way.
Only 7 miles walked today as Kev opted for a ½ day rest, meeting up with his parents to take the trip up Ben Nevis (via cable car) only to see nothing from the summit due to the continued poor weather !

Day 10: Monday 13th August
West Highland Way (18 miles).
Negotiating 1500ft hills in the wind and rain made it a tough journey before spending the night in a converted chicken coup in the middle of nowhere.

Day 11: Tuesday 14th August
West Highland Way to Crianlarich (23.5 miles)

Day 12: Wednesday 15th August
West Highland Way to Loch Lomond (20 miles)
Spent the night on the bay of the Loch, only a few feet from the water's edge

Day 13: Thursday 16th August
Loch Lomond to Dryman (19 miles)

Day 14: Friday 17th August
Drymen to Airdrie (28.5miles)

Day 15: Saturday 18th August
Airdrie to Douglas Water (19 miles)
The bad weather is back again, raining all day. Cheered by the news of Horsham's win against Maidstone

Day 16: Sunday 19th August
Douglas Water to Moffat (24 miles)
via a back road that ran alongside the M74

Day 17: Monday 20th August
Moffat to West Linnbridgeford (23 miles)
stayed overnight at a campsite next to Hoddom Castle

Day 18: Tuesday 21st August
Hoddom Castle to Scalesceugh (26 miles)
out of Scotland now, approx 4 miles south of Carlisle

Day 19: Wednesday 22nd August
Scalesceugh to Shap (22.8 miles)
Weather sunny. Felt good as he did over 20miles in 8hours although found it difficult to escape from the B&B landlady until he'd given her some gardening advice !

Day 20: Thursday 23rd August
Shap to Kirkby Lonsdale (22 miles)
Very hot and sunny. Managed to fit in a quick pint en route, in true Lard fashion.

Day 21: Friday 24th August
Kirkby Lonsdale to Newton (22 miles)
Slow, hard work. Very hilly. Very hot and sunny. Chaffing in areas you don't want to chafe in!!!
Everything slowed him down today; the chaffing, his rucksack needed constant adjusting and when he got to the
farm campsite there was nobody around as they were busy on farm. Still busy next morning when he left so had a free night

Day 22: Saturday 25th August
Newton to Clitheroe (9 miles)
Rest day. Set up at campsite and was offered a cup of coffee straight away by a camper and her 10 year old son.
Ended up having BBQ with them! They were F.C.United supporters who made a £5 donation

Day 23: Sunday 26th August
Clitheroe to Todmorden (21 miles)
Stayed at Todmorden Cricket Club. Stopped in garage for water - another £5 donation!
Cricket Club donated a total of £157.92. Got his drinks bought for him all night long then had to put.
tent up in the dark. Met some very nice people at the club.

Day 24: Monday 27th August
Todmorden to Greenfield (21 miles)
Managed to stop at a pub for something to eat and was bought a pint by a regular. Stopping at farm campsite.
Farmer looks like old Albert who comes to football. Still hard going due to hilly terrain. Now done 509miles.

Day 25: Tuesday 28th August
Greenfield to Hayfield (15.9 miles)
Weather cloudy but warm. One little toe red and sore, the other looks like a blister with a nail.
Hobbling today rather than walking!! Starting to enjoy the whole experience of the walk now though

Day 26: Wednesday 29th August
Hayfield to Leek (24.5 miles)
Very, very tired due to people talking outside the tent till 1am. Only had about 4hours sleep.
Sunny and hot and it was a long walk. Not happy !!

Day 27: Thursday 30th August
Leek to Stone (21 miles)
Better day today. Slow start, weather cold and drizzly. Stopped at a roadside snack bar and was bought a coffee by the owner. Then stopped at a pub for dinner. After the barman had stopped laughing at him, he bought him a drink and donated £10.
Now up to 570 miles walked

Day 28: Friday 31st August
Stone to Codsall (26.5 miles)
Not a good day things keep going wrong.
Thought it was only 23 miles to Codsall but was actually 3.5 miles longer. Kevin was not a happy gerbil !

Day 29: Saturday 1st September
Codsall to Wolverly (21.3 miles)
Had a good start. A guest at a B&B donated £5 to put Kevin in a good mood. The weather was cloudy and warm, and he had a good walk. Met up with sister and brother in-law for meal - nice to see a friendly face

Day 30: Sunday 2nd September
Wolverly to Worcester (22.1 miles)
Another £5 donated by an elderly couple at the campsite. Set off late after talking to a couple of other end to end walkers.
Not a good day. Had to clamber over fallen trees and had to take a mile diversion around a building site. Got to campsite at 6.30pm. Found pub with carvery and had roast dinner. Total distance walked 640 miles.

Day 31: Monday 3rd September
Worcester to Twigworth (23miles)
Walked down the Severn Way today, a nice easy walk but turned out to be 3 miles longer than anticipated.
Cloudy, then turned sunny and became quite warm. VERY disappointed with campsite. Had to camp in a field with sheep
and there was only one portaloo. They charged £10 and now realised why he was the only one stopping there!

Day 32: Tuesday 4th September
Twigworth to Hogsdown (22miles)
Woken up by an angry sheep who followed Kevin, bleating loudly as if to say ''Get out of my field''. However, he made an earlier start and found time to stop in a pub for lunch and also finished the day's trek an hour earlier than planned.
Much better campsite. Walked 1.5miles to a local pub for an evening meal. Weather sunny and warm.

Day 33: Wednesday 5th September
Hogsdown to Wick (22.5miles)
While walking through the campsite on his way out, another camper stopped for a chat and gave him a saffron teacake which he says was very nice!! Stopped at a pub as it was rather hot, and naturally had to keep his fluids up after all !!!
Was given another £5 donation.

Day 34: Thursday 6th September
Wick to Wells (28miles)
A very long and tiring day. Weather hot and sunny. Tried to book into a B+B but they were full. However, the owners kindly said he was very welcome to put his tent up in their paddock. In the morning they cooked him breakfast and gave him a £20 donation. The only downside was in the middle of the night when he was woken by gunshots!! He presumed they were after rabbits !

Day 35: Friday 7th September
Wells to North Curry (25miles)
Another long day and his knees were now beginning to hurt. He didn't arrive at the campsite until nearly 8pm and then the woman forgot he was coming. But it was a lovely small campsite and the owners were very friendly and welcoming. On hearing he was looking for somewhere for an evening meal (there wasn't anywhere) they promptly cooked him a plateful of eggs, sausages, onions, beans and chips. Washed down by a HUGE mug of tea. He wasn't charged for the night either. Nice people.

Day 36: Saturday 8th September
North Curry to Wellington (15.3miles)
Only a short walk today or, as Kevin calls it, 'a rest day'. Weather very hot with bright sunshine. Very tempted to stop at a Cider Farm but instead stopped at the next pub for a pint of cider. Stopping in a B+B, which just happens to be a pub ! Watched the England game and then off for something to eat. Now walked 777miles and is approx 15miles AHEAD of schedule. Could
finish on Friday if all goes well.

Day 37: Sunday 9th September
Wellington to No Mans Land (25.44 miles)
A cooler day at last. Time starting to go slow in the afternoon

Day 38: Monday 10th September
No Mans Land to Okehampton (23.34 miles)
Another day gone but things are starting to become a bit of a chore now

Day 39: Tuesday 11th September
Okehampton to Alternun (25.48 miles)
A good night's sleep lead to a great day's walking. Started enjoying the walk again despite the fact that tomorrow will be spent on the A30 for most of the day

Day 40: Wednesday 12th September
Alternun to Higher Trenoweth (22.41 miles)
A good day's walk finished ahead of schedule. The A30 was very scary! Staying at a campsite run by a scary/lonely farmer who kept offering me food and cups of tea!

Day 41: Thursday 13th September
Higher Trenoweth to Redruth (22 miles)
Scary farmer was outside Kev's tent as he got out and asked if he wanted a cooked breakfast. He turned it down as he had to get a move on and as, I was leaving, he donated £20 to my charities.
Passed a place called Gnome World while foreign truck drivers were trying their best to run Kev over !

Day 42: Friday 14th September
Redruth to Drift (20.7 miles)
A shorter than normal day, much more relaxed and now only 7 miles from the finish.
Not much happening in the last few days just excited to get near the end

Day 43: Saturday 15th September
Drift to Land's End (7.16 miles)
THE END AT LAST !!! Kev was was met by his parents, a big banner, and a group of tourists clapped him home well ! As he got closer, his dad decided to spray him in champagne ! Looking forward to a few days relaxing before heading back to work !!

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