Gloucestershire Walk - Long distance walking tips

As I promised in the blog about our little walk to Gloucester I would give a few lessons on what we learned. Although we had talked about it for some months it was actually decided quite last minute that we would go the weekend we did. I had done a little research but not much as there is actually very little available about the route online. Hopefully this will seek to clarify a few things and impart some knowledge I wish I had known before we set out.

Make sure you can erect your tent blindfolded in a force 10 gale.

The most important thing about the Gloucestershire Way, at least the bit we did, is that there is no opportunity for supplies. No pubs. No shops. If you stick religiously to the track you will need to carry everything. Even if you are prepared to wonder several miles of the path there is very little available. The places we ate were out of necessity not choice, although on the whole they were very good. The last day we were seriously dehydrated by the time we arrived in Gloucester. If it had been a very sunny day we could have got into serious trouble. 

Make sure you refuel on essentials. One of our 5 a day from Parkend post office.

Fill your water bottle at every opportunity. Yes water is heavy but it is essential for life. If you are taking a dog this is doubly important. Chuck loves to run around and he gets himself very hot. We had to reserve some water just for him. Your dog can overheat and get seriously ill much quicker than you can. If you are following our route I would recommend leaving May Hill a bit later to hit the petrol station in Huntley once it is open. Or if it’s not a Sunday get a breakfast in The Red Lion, although I cannot vouch for its quality.

A wonderful jacket potato and salad bar in The Fern Ticket Cinderford.

The biggest threat to life apart from dehydration is animal attack. Seriously. I have been told mixed things about the boar. They mostly appeared to be interested in our tent and the fighting going on outside was certainly a little nerve-wracking but they never directly threatened us. If you are bothered by this I suggest you book into an official camp site. At least you can sue them if boar kill you. A bigger problem was cattle. If you go in the summer, which makes sense, there will be bullocks. They are like half ton puppies. They probably want to play with you but they are hyper-charged with testosterone and will trample you to death if you give them a chance. Make yourself big and loud. DO NOT RUN AWAY! They are faster than you and will just run over the top of you. Remember you have the right to self-defence. If you feel threatened wave a stick or throw something. The advice I was told is if you have a dog let go of the lead. I love my boy too much to use him as a human shield though. He was also far too distracted by the stick I was waving at the cows. And they say a German Shepherd would die for you. If you are scared of cows, stay at home or walk somewhere else. There are no ways around on this walk.

The first glimpse of Gloucester. Don't get too excited at this point. It's miles away.

Know your equipment. Don’t take anything you haven’t used before on a long trip. Thankfully we tested our tent before we left home as it took a bit of practice before we got it up correctly. If it’s cold and dark and starting to rain, putting up your tent should be second nature. Also it’s definitely worth spending an extra five minutes ensuring the ground you are pitching on is flat and all objects that may poke in you have been removed. A small roll mat will make your night much more comfortable. Finally, if you are camping in the woods check above you for deadfall. This is old branches which may fall off a tree in the night. They have to go sometime. Make sure you aren’t under them when they do. Don’t take anything you don’t need. Your clothes will smell and so will you, there is no escaping this fact. There is little point taking too much to combat this. Changing your socks and pants is essential but outer garments treated with silver should last a couple of days before you really honk. I will put a recommended packing list at the end.

Remember to take a tent warmer. Any breed will do. The bigger the better.

Pack a variety of food sources. Protein will fill you up but won’t give you the power to get up steep hills. Carbs will fuel you but won’t satisfy you. Plus they rot your teeth. A good mix is best. We had meat and cheese for sustenance and bought choccy and ice cream on the way round and indulged in some fudge in Parkend. Top tip, they have Apple Cider lollies there which I haven’t seen since I was a kid. I survived mostly on almonds as I love them and they are easy to carry. Any good trail mix will do though. 

Calypo cheers. More of our 5 a day.

As I said earlier the route is fully ‘in the wilds’. Ensure you have a map and compass and you know how to use them. You will have to refold your map several times to get to Gloucester. Make sure it is waterproof and secured to you. Without it you will be lost. There are limited signs marking the way but you could not rely upon them. I used the OL14 Explorer map from Ordnance Survey. This does not cover the last little bit to Gloucester. You can just follow the river but as we found out later this isn’t actually the correct way. We would have arrived much sooner if I hadn’t been tight and just bought the last map. You will not regret the extra £8 you spend on this purchase, trust me.

Try and time it so that you get to May Hill at sunset.

In summary, this walk is quite arduous. Especially if you are taking a tent with you. If you have not done a long distance path before I would not recommend starting out with this one. Maybe go somewhere you know, camp the night and return home. Going out and doing two nights on our first time was a bit too much. But we survived and it was certainly a positive experience if not always pleasant at the time. One last thing. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions that I can answer if you too are planning this walk.

Recommended kit:

• Tent, waterproof and lightweight. (That you can put up in the dark in your sleep).
• Comfortable rucksack moulded to your back. Not brand new.
• Broken in walking boots.
• Socks and pants for every day.
• A complete change of clothes in case you get wet.
• Map that is waterproofed and attached to you. Explorer OL14 and 179 Gloucester.
• Compass. Ensure you know how to use it. If you don’t check this link. It's the least cheesy video I could find.
• Food. A good mix of high calorie lightweight stuff. Carbs, protein and fat. Non-perishable things that won't go manky no matter how hot it gets.
• Water. At least a litre with easy access and another two for storage in your bag, this is per person. Refill at every opportunity.
• A first aid kit. Mostly stuff for blisters. A pin for bursting, a lighter to sterilise it (the pin, not the blister!) and some zinc oxide tape as a minimum.
• An appropriate sleeping bag for the weather. Two people and a dog will make a tent surprisingly warm. But be aware it gets colder as the night goes on. Scrimp on this at your peril.
• A roll mat. Try and get an inflatable one. If you get a foam one you will look a bit of a spoon carrying it around strapped to the side of your rucksack.
• A mobile phone. Preferably put in flight mode to save battery when not in use. Or buy a Nokia brick that stays charged for a month.
• Take a bag for your rubbish and your dirty underwear. ALWAYS take your rubbish away.
• A camera. Photos or it never happened.

Top Tips:

• Don’t go without letting anyone know. Make sure someone can collect you in case of an emergency.
• Put your house keys somewhere safe. You will cry if you get home and you’ve lost them.
• Check how much water and food you have every time you stop. Replenish often.
• Check the trains well in advance. Make sure you plan to get there long before the last one.
• Erecting your tent will make you warm but the temperature will drop throughout the night. Ensure you have a way of warming yourself up. You cannot sleep if you are too cold.
• Book your meals early. The pubs on the route are popular and fill up quickly at weekends. Make sure the pub actually serves food and their advertising isn't a filthy lie.
• Ensure you have studied the route on a map from beginning to end. Make note of every available opportunity to replenish. 
• However long you think it'll take, it'll probably take longer. Don't be overoptimistic with your timings and distances. You may miss a meal or worse, your train home.

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