Route is planned for Lands' End to John O'Groats, 4 months of pilgrimage to ancient and veteran trees the length of mainland Britain. Starting mid- April. Excited, and a little nervous!

Beautiful pilgrimage!.

Day 50/14 As I walk on to my campsite, the sun just sets, I come across 2 beech trees that are not on the ancient tree inventory. I quickly measure them before it gets too dark and add them. They are some of my favorites of the day and a real treat to finish a day full of trees.

Day 50/13 Another ancient ash along this boundary is my last planned visit of the day. Not a long distance day by any means, but a visit to 72 trees on the ancient tree inventory over nearly 10 hours of walking. #treepilgrim.#treepilgrimage.#ancienttree.#ancienttreepilgrimage

Day 50/12 At the @nationaltrust Crickley Hill there is a lower boundary with veteran and ancient trees. This ancient ash is particularly impressive with sun setting sun behind it.

Day 50/11 Up and onto the ridge north of Birdlip, now heading northeast on my loop back towards Gloucester. It's marked as a viewpoint on the Ordnance Survey map, and it's plain to see why. I can see for miles. #treepilgrim.#treepilgrimage.#pilgrimage

Day 50/10 There are many more large veteran beech in this woodland. I pay some of them a personal visit on my walk through, stopping to admire the twists and turns of their stems. #treepilgrim.#treepilgrimage.#ancienttrees.#ancienttreepilgrimage.#ancienttreeinventory

Day 50/9 My main pilgrimage destination today, and the reason for heading southeast, is a veteran beech tree, a coppice measuring 30+ metres in girth. I sit for a long time in the shade of its many stems that tower straight up to a high canopy. #treepilgrim.#treepilgrimage

Day 50/8 After a climb I rejoin the Cotswold Way and again enjoy a view out over Gloucester and towards the @WoodlandTrust 's Churchdown Hill where I will be tomorrow after my current loop southeast. Then into the cool beech woodland of Cooper's Hill. #treepilgrim.#pilgrimage

Day 50/7 I speak with the farmer for some time. They are caring for the ancient and veteran trees on their land, and are actively restoring the wood pasture by establishing many new open-grown trees. #treepilgrim.#treepilgrimage.#ancienttrees.#ancienttreepilgrimage

Day 50/6 By now I am out of drinking water and decide to knock at a farm on my route that just happens to have many ancient oaks on the ancient tree inventory, including this stunner that is next to their entrance track. #treepilgrim.#treepilgrimage.#ancienttrees

50/5 There are a few more nice oaks on the footpath around the perimeter of the housing development. I enjoy the shade of one of them for a while it's another hot day.

50/4 The largest oak is an example how the retrenching oak may come to look like. It once had a higher canopy but for now has developed a smaller one. It is a natural process for a tree to grow up, grow down, and grow up again, and so on, as long as conditions remain favourable.

50/3 One of the oaks is showing signs of stress. The extending growth at the ends of the branches is poor; instead it's putting out shoots on inner branches, known as epicormic growth. It is drawing back to hopefully develop a smaller lower canopy, a process called retrenchment.

Day 50/2 There's a good number of well spaced younger oaks. Hopefully they'll provide future succession. I commend whoever put all this in place for these trees. A good example of how to treat veteran trees of this stature when development is going ahead. #treepilgrim

Day 50/1 Gloucester to Shurdington, 12.6 miles. First visit is to some veteran oaks on a new housing development. I fear the worst, but I'm pleasantly surprised and heartened. They have actually been given the respect & space they require with strong boundary fences and hedges.

I am being picked up tomorrow lunchtime as I have been invited to speak at a @WoodlandTrust organised event, chaired by the BBC’s Adam Shaw @AdamShawBiz, in Shrewsbury tomorrow evening (Friday 14th July) with @thetreehunter.and @Adele_R_B. I will then be dropped back to where I

Day 49/10 Finally, I head up the @WoodlandTrust 's Nut Hill to enjoy the sunset over Gloucester, & looking towards the Black Mountains & Brecon Beacons where I am heading. #treepilgrim.#ancienttree.#ancienttreepilgrimage.#ancienttreeinventory.#livinglegends.#pilgrimage.#lejog

RT @TreeTilley: There's still time to bag a free ticket to our Evening with Ancient Trees event this Friday, featuring @treepilgrim and Rob….

RT @WriterHannahBT: When I need a pep talk, like I did ahead of #TheFeatherSpeech debate tomorrow, I pay a visit to the old wise oaks. Not….