Okay, I'll run though what I'm using, wearing, eating, for anyone researching a long distance walk of their own.
Rucksack is 65 litre, Berghaus, a bargain at 40 quid, although it does take in rain quite quick.
TO SLEEP
Sleeping bag, 3 season, Deuter. It's still a little bit cold at night but will hopefully be warm enough/too warm over the summer so the underwhelming comfort now will balance out.
Sleeping bag liner - adds a couple of degrees, helps keep the bag clean
Bivvy bag, Alpkit. Breathable but waterproof, this means I can sleep outside without a tent and still keep the sleeping bag free of damp/dew/light rain.
Sleeping mat, Thermarest. Keeps the cold of the ground from soaking into my bones.
Tarpaulin to go under the sleepng mat, put my gear out on it, stops everything getting dirty.
Poncho, military issue, use as a waterproof during the day and shelter at night, if I can be bothered, I'd rather find a barn though to be honest.
Tent pegs, aluminium
Cord, about 3m, to make various types of shelter with the poncho, Ray Mears style.
TO WEAR
Two pairs of leggings
One skirt to wear over leggings because my bum is like, totally massive.
Three tops (that vary according to the weather, I can swap them when I pass through Mach, right now I've one long sleeved and two t shirts)
One fleece gilet
Three pairs of socks
Two pairs of liner socks
One pair of fluffy mohair bedsocks (just sentimentally, cos they were a gift, but they stop Deep Heat getting all over my sleeping bag!)
Underwear
One knitted headband, for warmth in the mornings
Waterproof jacket
Shoes - Asics fell running trainers, mens size 8 (I am normally a size 6). I started off with a pair of Traversera fabric boots, which were bought in the stressed out run up to the walk, were too small and gave me a blister of doom, so I changed after 100 miles to a pair of full leather Meindls, they are great boots but made my plantar tendons underneath my feet start tingling and cramping so, in Bristol, after 225 miles, I changed to these fell runners and they've been brilliant, my feet can stretch out and they're light and flexible. I just have to be a bit more careful about where I tread; can't slosh through puddles....
TO EAT
Couscous, to be made with cold water in the evenings.
Dried parmesan type cheese
Muesli, to eat with cold water in the mornings.
Whey protein, put on the muesli.
Trail mix - whatever combination of nuts, seeds, dried fruits I've put into a bag that week. To eat all day
Multi vitamin - to round out my unbalanced diet
Glucosamine sulphate - to try and repair the joints I'm giving such a pounding
Sometimes bananas, tomatoes, boiled beetroot or carrots, depends if I've been near a shop.
Sometimes sweets, to eat with the trail mix for a slow and quick release sugar mix.
One spoon
One fork
One bowl
One Opinel knife
Aluminium water bottle, 1 litre.
OTHER STUFF, GADGETS
Compass
Safety whistle
Guidebook for whatever path I'm following, when I do the Cistercian Way it will be maps....so much more complicated.
A paperback - this is a totally uneccessary added weight, but I love reading and don't like to do it on a screen.
Phone and charger
Purse
Small notebook and pen
Postcards, stamps
A foldable keyboard - Think Outside Stowaway Keyboard - this is totally brilliant and means I can blog from a smartphone without having to use the fussy screen keyboard. An absolutely brilliant invention and totally worth the extra 150/200 grams.
First aid kit.
Deep heat cream, for every night on my feet.
Peacocks handwarmer - another brilliant invention, runs on lighter fluid, 25ml will keep this warm for about 18 hours and it's been essential when sleeping outside on cold nights.
Tin of lighter fluid, 125ml
Matches
Cleaning kit - flannel, Lush shampoo bar which also does as soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, moon cup. I'm pretty minimal with washing (go on, call me a stinker!), flannel doubles up as towel.
Donation tin, strapped to an arm strap of the rucksack so it's very visible and always on my front.
Two bamboo walking poles, one carrying a Welsh flag!
This all adds up to a weight of between 13 and 14 kilos, depends how much food I'm carrying. I really wish I could carry a rucksack of 10 kilos, but I really don't know how to downsize to that extent. I haven't gone for special lightweight gear, it costs a bomb, I just mostly used what I already had.
Stuff I did pack to begin with but took out:
A battery pack, supposedly holding up to four smartphone charges - too heavy. I'm trying to see how I get on without it, might make a compromise if I find it really difficult to keep my phone charged.
A little diary, probably only weighed 40 grams but I wasn't using it.
Scarf, hat, gloves - they were useful at the beginning of March but too warm now. I wish I had the gloves occasionally, if it's cold rain but not enough to get them back.
Waterproof trousers - bulky and I can use the poncho as a massive all in one.
Rucksack cover - didn't fit over the sleeping mat, can use the poncho instead
Basha - military issue shelter/tarp type thing, too heavy and I can use the poncho in emergencies. Plus I'm getting hosted a lot more than I thought I would.
Round foam roller - to release knotted muscles. I'm just not using it, it's too painful!!
All the extra food - just in case, just in case, just in case. It ended up being 2 kilos of just in case. It's Wales, there are shops everywhere, you will never need to carry more than three days of supplies.
Rucksack is 65 litre, Berghaus, a bargain at 40 quid, although it does take in rain quite quick.
TO SLEEP
Sleeping bag, 3 season, Deuter. It's still a little bit cold at night but will hopefully be warm enough/too warm over the summer so the underwhelming comfort now will balance out.
Sleeping bag liner - adds a couple of degrees, helps keep the bag clean
Bivvy bag, Alpkit. Breathable but waterproof, this means I can sleep outside without a tent and still keep the sleeping bag free of damp/dew/light rain.
Sleeping mat, Thermarest. Keeps the cold of the ground from soaking into my bones.
Tarpaulin to go under the sleepng mat, put my gear out on it, stops everything getting dirty.
Poncho, military issue, use as a waterproof during the day and shelter at night, if I can be bothered, I'd rather find a barn though to be honest.
Tent pegs, aluminium
Cord, about 3m, to make various types of shelter with the poncho, Ray Mears style.
TO WEAR
Two pairs of leggings
One skirt to wear over leggings because my bum is like, totally massive.
Three tops (that vary according to the weather, I can swap them when I pass through Mach, right now I've one long sleeved and two t shirts)
One fleece gilet
Three pairs of socks
Two pairs of liner socks
One pair of fluffy mohair bedsocks (just sentimentally, cos they were a gift, but they stop Deep Heat getting all over my sleeping bag!)
Underwear
One knitted headband, for warmth in the mornings
Waterproof jacket
Shoes - Asics fell running trainers, mens size 8 (I am normally a size 6). I started off with a pair of Traversera fabric boots, which were bought in the stressed out run up to the walk, were too small and gave me a blister of doom, so I changed after 100 miles to a pair of full leather Meindls, they are great boots but made my plantar tendons underneath my feet start tingling and cramping so, in Bristol, after 225 miles, I changed to these fell runners and they've been brilliant, my feet can stretch out and they're light and flexible. I just have to be a bit more careful about where I tread; can't slosh through puddles....
TO EAT
Couscous, to be made with cold water in the evenings.
Dried parmesan type cheese
Muesli, to eat with cold water in the mornings.
Whey protein, put on the muesli.
Trail mix - whatever combination of nuts, seeds, dried fruits I've put into a bag that week. To eat all day
Multi vitamin - to round out my unbalanced diet
Glucosamine sulphate - to try and repair the joints I'm giving such a pounding
Sometimes bananas, tomatoes, boiled beetroot or carrots, depends if I've been near a shop.
Sometimes sweets, to eat with the trail mix for a slow and quick release sugar mix.
One spoon
One fork
One bowl
One Opinel knife
Aluminium water bottle, 1 litre.
OTHER STUFF, GADGETS
Compass
Safety whistle
Guidebook for whatever path I'm following, when I do the Cistercian Way it will be maps....so much more complicated.
A paperback - this is a totally uneccessary added weight, but I love reading and don't like to do it on a screen.
Phone and charger
Purse
Small notebook and pen
Postcards, stamps
A foldable keyboard - Think Outside Stowaway Keyboard - this is totally brilliant and means I can blog from a smartphone without having to use the fussy screen keyboard. An absolutely brilliant invention and totally worth the extra 150/200 grams.
First aid kit.
Deep heat cream, for every night on my feet.
Peacocks handwarmer - another brilliant invention, runs on lighter fluid, 25ml will keep this warm for about 18 hours and it's been essential when sleeping outside on cold nights.
Tin of lighter fluid, 125ml
Matches
Cleaning kit - flannel, Lush shampoo bar which also does as soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, moon cup. I'm pretty minimal with washing (go on, call me a stinker!), flannel doubles up as towel.
Donation tin, strapped to an arm strap of the rucksack so it's very visible and always on my front.
Two bamboo walking poles, one carrying a Welsh flag!
This all adds up to a weight of between 13 and 14 kilos, depends how much food I'm carrying. I really wish I could carry a rucksack of 10 kilos, but I really don't know how to downsize to that extent. I haven't gone for special lightweight gear, it costs a bomb, I just mostly used what I already had.
Stuff I did pack to begin with but took out:
A battery pack, supposedly holding up to four smartphone charges - too heavy. I'm trying to see how I get on without it, might make a compromise if I find it really difficult to keep my phone charged.
A little diary, probably only weighed 40 grams but I wasn't using it.
Scarf, hat, gloves - they were useful at the beginning of March but too warm now. I wish I had the gloves occasionally, if it's cold rain but not enough to get them back.
Waterproof trousers - bulky and I can use the poncho as a massive all in one.
Rucksack cover - didn't fit over the sleeping mat, can use the poncho instead
Basha - military issue shelter/tarp type thing, too heavy and I can use the poncho in emergencies. Plus I'm getting hosted a lot more than I thought I would.
Round foam roller - to release knotted muscles. I'm just not using it, it's too painful!!
All the extra food - just in case, just in case, just in case. It ended up being 2 kilos of just in case. It's Wales, there are shops everywhere, you will never need to carry more than three days of supplies.
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