u/TrainingPerception32

I’m starting the End to End Trail (LEJOG) at the beginning of May and wanted to ask if anyone here has done it, or even just sections of it.

Would love to hear any genuinely useful tips on route highlights, best views, worthwhile detours, decent pubs/cafes/restaurants, longest food carries, resupply gaps, and any places worth making time for.

I’m also interested in what gear people actually used and what worked well or didn’t in those conditions — shelter, sleep system, waterproofs, layers, footwear, power bank size, pack setup, anything like that.

I’ll mostly be wild camping, and 25–40 miles a day is usually my rough min/max range and has been for my other long-distance hikes, so I’d be keen to hear whether that changes any advice on pacing, food carries, resupply, or route choices.

Would also be good to hear about how you found camping logistics in different sections, favourite and least favourite parts, weather surprises, water availability, anything that started causing problems after a few weeks, things you carried and never used, bits of kit that became unexpectedly essential, and anything you wish you knew before setting off.

If you’ve done the whole thing or even just parts of it, feel free to throw anything at me.

87 miles in 3 days, averaging 26 odd miles a day. Wild camped the whole thing with an 8–9lb base weight, and I still had about 4 bits I didn’t even use, so there’s clearly still more trimming to do.

That was the whole point though. Proper LEJOG shakedown. You can stare at a gear list at home all day, but a few long days out there soon tells you what actually earns its place and what’s just come along for the ride.

First night I woke up covered in slugs because I couldn’t be bothered to get in my bivvy, which felt like a strong start. Last night I had a fox circling the shelter for about 15–20 minutes, which was surprising when you wake up to something pawing at the tarp and just see a pair of eyes in the dark staring at you. It was weirdly funny though, just how confident the little guy was. Made me laugh in the morning more than anything. That’s a big part of why I love the Cricket and bivvy setup though, you actually feel part of the environment instead of shut off from it.

Funniest part is I woke up this morning feeling like I hadn’t even hiked, which probably means I’m more ready for LEJOG than I thought haha. Legs felt good, body felt good, and 26 mile days felt weirdly normal.

Good trip. Few things confirmed, few things getting cut, confidence up.

Any questions fire away.

87 miles in 3 days, averaging 26 odd miles a day, wild camped the whole thing with an 8-9lb base weight, and I still had about 4 bits I didn’t even use, so there’s clearly still more trimming to do.

That was the whole point though. Proper LEJOG shakedown. You can stare at a gear list at home all day, but a few long days out there soon tells you what actually earns its place and what’s just come along for the ride.

First night I woke up covered in slugs because I couldn’t be bothered to get in my bivvy, which felt like a strong start. Last night I had a fox circling the shelter for about 15-20 minutes, which was surprising when you wake up to something pawing at the tarp and just see a pair of eyes in the dark staring at you. It was weirdly funny though, just how confident the little guy was. Made me laugh in the morning more than anything. That’s a big part of why I love the Cricket and bivvy setup though, you actually feel part of the environment instead of shut off from it.

Funniest part is I woke up this morning feeling like I hadn’t even hiked, which probably means I’m more ready for LEJOG than I thought haha. Legs felt good, body felt good, and 26 mile days felt weirdly normal.

Good trip. Few things confirmed, few things getting cut, confidence up.

Any questions fire away.