Starting out?

Depends what LDW, Tony. If you have a look at the Harvey maps, they do trail maps for many LDWs. Back it up with a Cicerone book (or other guidebook) and that is probably all you need for the trail. For hills - that's a different matter.

http://www.harveymaps.co.uk/acatalog/HARVEY_Route_maps.html

Also, the Ramblers' Assoc have a listing of trails in the UK. Here's Scotland's list:

http://www.ramblers.org.uk/info/paths/pathsregion.html#SC

I use the Memory Map 1/50k for planning trips. Then download the waypoints to the Geko GPS.

Planning is fun  

Thanks Mike that is a great site!

And Duncan - those Harvey Maps are exactly what i was thinking of! bit of ESPN between us

So its kinda all coming together even though here in NZ i cannot get my hands on the maps/books .....

A Cicerone Book for the walk(s) + Harvey Map and/or regional OS 1:250 000 map. For my 'branching off' or 'day walks' - Instead of buying multiple OS maps to cover them, I'm going to buy Memory Map + PDA / GPS unit. I'll print out the walks in detail, and also upload them to my GPS/PDA unit - only using them for that part of the walk.

I'm sure this is all old-hat to you experienced LDW'ers out there

Here in NZ its relativley easy as all the few tracks are well marked and you cannot really deviate, as the land is mostly owned ... no right to roam / access here!!!

dunno how you're set in NZ but here amazon is a pretty good source of all things OS. I guess demand is unlikely to be high for OS maps of the scottish highlands in NZ but you never know!!  Just done a little research - seems you don't have, but from the (admittedly limited) googling I've done on it people find delivery from uk amazon rather than US and their range of OS maps is very very good.

Thanks Roger for the time and effort. I can wait until I land in UK before I decide on what maps to buy, i have a few weeks at the end of July for pure planning and kit list buying

Hmmmmmmmm so the more people i speak / email to about Scotland in August the more people tell me midges might just ruin it for me....

Any candid advice would be welcome? given the fact that I can do SOME of the Scottish trails probably September instead, would it be better for me to do other walks without the midge threat, say a National Trail(s) in England in August instead? I'm commited to SE Asia in October - I cannot move this forward due to their rainy season..... that then puts me into November to continue with the walks.....i'm not worried about the cold, but constant rain....hmmmm...

Find some midge info here, Tony

http://www.midgeforecast.co.uk/2008/

They aren't all-consuming. Take precautions, i.e. suitable repellent (I pack Agropharm or DEET-based Jungle Juice, as Avon's Skin-so-soft just doesn't work for me.) and a head-net. Some people use these burning ring things for keeping the beasties away from tents.

Choose your pitch carefully, eg away from places where they lurk (eg, not near the thistles at Geldie Lodge)  or at height, or seeking out a breeze.

Neither of my LDWs were done  in the Summer, and I tend to head to the hills during that season. I've only had midges annoying me when I was pitched in woodland, or at Geldie Lodge

Hope that helps.

Of course, I'm not saying that you shouldn't go hiking in England & Wales. Just remember which country's got a civilised access code (excluding parts of Dartmoor, the Lake District, and a small part of the Brecon Beacons). But that's a different matter.

Great advice - thanks both of you. That midge forecasting is awesome, the things you can get on the internet eh!!! the routes look ok until glencoe - oooh rating 4 !!! ouch!

I think i've decided the "spine" of my route - NORTH on the Pennine Way from close to where I will be based in Manchester up to either 3 points.

1. close to Carlisle and cut across WEST into Carlisle on the 'Roman heritage' way - then local routes NORTH and onto the Southern Upland way or local routes NORTH to Glasgow.

2. as (1) but head North at Carlise on the 'Roman' way to Jedburgh and connect WEST into the Southern Upland way , taking in 'Borders Abbey way loop ' (historic buildings!!!)

3 Stay on the Pennine way till the near the end and cut across WEST onto the Southern Upland Way near Kelson heading WEST

Depending on time and other factors, just finish the Upland way and rest (!!) , or if going is excellent, find a route to glasgow (via the Clyde Coast Way at Ayr?) and start the 'West Highland Way' and then maybe the Great Glen way, although i'm keen to explore the West islands...

I've yet to full research the Pennine way, so i'll see about that over the next few days and how long it would realistically take to walk the stages I want to.

If anyone has any comments about the above, please feel free!!