I think I'd stay in Miami and go to the beach.

Hi...I'm going to be taking a walking holiday in England as well, the length of Hadrian's Wall, about 84 miles, not quite as adventurous as your trip but I'll be turning 60 and hiking by myself, so this will be adventure enough for me. If you have never hiked before, I agree with others, that the Pennine Way may be a bit much. Start practicing now. I'm using a tour company to schlep my luggage, too. They provide a list of equipment they believe is necessary and equipment which would be nice to have. I bet your tour company does as well. And they will most likely give you advice on all manner of things if you ask. I would trust their judgement since they are probably located near the area you'll be hiking and most of them are also hikers. Have a great trip. Tuli

http://slackpacker.com/ ; http://www.thepennineway.co.uk/

You have probably gone into overload with the advice you've gathered, but it you can take a little more from a guy with walking experience in the UK, Australia and NZ...
Work on these base principles....

* The weather in the UK, especially in hill country, is lousy; ie cold, windy and wet. You don't say what time of year you will be hiking, but it doesn't much matter. Prepare for the worst and enjoy the best. If you are walking the Pennines in late Autumn, Winter, you will run into seriously hypothermic conditions.

* The British make extremely good foul weather gear, and general outdoors kit for the above reasons. I would not buy gear that does not have to be 'run in' until I got to the U.K.

* Your feet are your best friends.. pamper them on the trip. Most boots you will buy today are lightweight which is OK as long as they provide good ankle support and sole cushioning. Do not confuse 'walking' boots with 'climbing' boots with fancy Italian names. Do NOT break in new boots on the walk itself. Too late.
* If you are not sure, get your feet examined by a reputable podiatrist. Many of us have varying degrees of flat feet. You may have time to get personalised inserts for your boots. If you do, make sure you buy new boots to fit inserts...
* Walking in Britain is a relatively civilised affair. You are never very far from other people. Get the appropriate Ordnance maps and use a compass.

* You will suffer from an over-burden of gear and gadgets and general junk, unless very careful. Spread out what you would like to take.... and then halve it.. you will be glad you did.

* From your rough plan I would say you are trying for too much distance in too short a time. Not enough time for smelling the roses, taking a day off here and there IF the weather is nice.
* Ease into the walk... no matter how fit, you still need 'time in the saddle'; give your body time to adjust to boots, pack; you can punch the kilometres out later in the trip, if you want to...

Hope this helps.. safe trekking...!!!

Not long ago, I read a post in another thread, -explaining that the Pennines or a similar range, -are similar to Wyoming's Bighorns, (or was it another such Wyoming range?). With the exception of comparative altitudes, -as such post did mention.

Before my posting presently, -I looked thruout *this* thread, -to see if this was where I've previously seen it. It is not. But if you can find it, -that may be a good post / thread to read as well.

Also, -I'd advise Pre-Practice hikes, -as others here have also advised. Especially for a complete, self admitted "Newbie" at it, -as you. I'm sure Sir Edmund Hillary first climbed many Appalachian / Pennine type mountains, -long before he ever attempted tackling the Himalayas. Just as say Key West's "Mt Trashmore" to Everest is not advised, -Neither is Zero Hiking to 15 miles a day over some two weeks, -as you're talking of. That said, -I *Do Not* mean to sound as if you were a complete "No Nothing Newbie Novice"!

I've read that many of your native, nearby, (unless you're in Manaus or somewhere!), Brazilian mountains, -have quite lousy weather as well! Such as the higher, Mountainous and Plateau areas of your Minas Gerais Province. I'm sure that this would also apply to many other Serras in the Southeast of your Country. Being that you're Brazilian, -Get some good Pre-Practice Hiking in, in such nearby areas!

In this regard, -I've often read of Hiking Info and Trails, -in the Lonely Planet series of Travel Books, -including their one on Brasil. Especially in your Country's Great National Parks. Some of these of course are quite close to places like Rio.

One doesn't think of lousy Paramo type weather and Brazil in the same thought, -but the general elevations of places like Minas, -much of the year, -are a lot like that! Get some Experience with that! *Then* go off to Merry, Jolly Old England!

Also, -there is, -or was, -at least one other Brazilian here, -by the name of Pict.Try reaching him for some further Advice. Pict, -if you will come to see this, -Try reaching Gord here as well.

And to the one in this thread who recommended Miami for it's Beach, -Brazilians "Already have Enuff of that" <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ! Thats, as you know, -as Central to the Brazilian Lifestyle, -as Carnaval and Soccer! One could just as well stay in Brasil for that!

At least the Pennines are Markedly Different, -if many of your own Serras are Surprisingly Much the Same!

(For the Benefit of most *Non*-Brazilians here, -"Serra" = "Mountain(s) And "Paramo" (Spanish) = the Most Miserable of Scottish and Irish Highlands / Heath and Heather Lands! ). [color:"black"] [/color] [email]gordonstoun[/email]

I've done the penine way and the best advice is not to do it. it's no fun. there are many better walks in the british isles. if you are going to give it a go anyway; good idea is to do it north to south the first few days are the hardest when going northwards.
oh and i'ts illegal to carry any locking blade in england.

You didn't say if this was an organized hike (there are many companies in the UK that set up hiking vacations for tourists) or a solo venture. If the former, you may want to start with something less rigorous. If the latter, it sounds like you're biting off more than you can chew.

Regardless the footwear, I suggest stocking up on some moleskin. Without proper break-in (of both the boots and your feet), you are going to have hot spots that will turn into blisters if you don't do something about it right then.

Otherwise, my recommendation is do a lot of smaller hikes between now and then, and maybe talk in person to more experienced hikers.

i just re-read your post on ets and realised you said you had never hiked before.
DON'T try and do the pennine way, you simply have no chance of achieving it. i did it when i was 21 a cross country runner and a constant walker who grew up on the pennines and it was still very tough. i was lucky to have two companions who were fit enough to do it, we were the only group we met who finished with the party intact. i think it's 9 out of ten people who start off dont' finish it. you don't mention whether you have companions; you'll be lucky to meet anyone this time of year doing it and hardly anyone manages it alone.
especially don't do it now it'll be wet cold and dark and since the path is badly signposted very difficult to follow. the trodden down grass from previous walkers was such a help in finding the way. we did it in 16 days with one day off. walking 12 hours a day; you won't even have 12 hours of daylight. that 15 miles a day is constant up and down, it's not as easy as it sounds.
i'm alarmed you appear to have no equipment; you mean you don't have a broken in pair of boots and don't know how to use a map and compass? that is crazy!!
the survival advice on this site is not suitable for where you are going. there's nothing to burn on the moors and no wood to make bivouacs etc. i've been hiking here all my life and don't know how to make a fire. i've never been anywhere i could.
you are never more than 3 miles from a road in england so your survival equipment should consist of a moblie phone whistle and a bivvy bag. i'd bring a sleeping bag too this time of year.
but again the best advice is not to go; the pennine way is far out of your reach; try for something pleasanter. stick to florida.