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The list looks fairly comprehensive. I'd second the comment about the need to take a bit more food. Those mug shot pasta things are fine as a snack but aren't enough in my experience to be a proper meal. If you search here and online for food ideas there's absolutely loads of information. Have a great trip.

"I agree there's often too many middle classers in youth hostels"

Can you imagine if someone said: "There's too many working class people in youth hostels"? I hate the idea of categorising people on the basis of class and to claim that there's too many people of whichever class is abhorrent. Not a great way to introduce yourself to the forum.

And a ruined priory to have a look around as well! Great location

Wow. This certainly got a lot of replies - I'm glad I'm not the only one frustrated by this. Thanks for the recommendations about trail running shoes. I'll check those out.

I agree that the term approach shoes is over used - proper approach shoes with a stickier sole designed for more technical terrain are certainly different to the more general walking ones. On a few websites, I've seen the shoes divided into walking and more technical types which makes sense.

A bit of a rant....

I'm after a new pair of shoes for walking (trainers, approach shoes, whatever you want to call them) but it seems that almost every model now has a Gore-Tex liner. I want to avoid these but it seems the manufacturers think we want to have hot, sweaty feet in shoes that don't drain! I guess it's a sign of how powerful Gore-Tex is as a symbol of "high tech" gear. 

My plan is to go into the shops, try the shoes on and then ask if they can order in a non-Gore Tex version if possible. It seems places like Cotswold and Blacks, the only retailers where I live, almost exclusively stock shoes with waterproof linings which is a pain.