The dilema of what to take (and carry) is a compromise between safety and sanity.

Hence this is a section on the gear that I have chosen to take. I hope it helps others.

I did a trial run. After a few days walking across a very boggy Lake District Circular path, in the rain, carrying 5 days of dog food, I realised that my load was too heavy.

All my gear has been bought to keep me warm in the mountains in winter, not France in the summer. So I have taken advantage of 30 years improvement in technology, to equip with the gear below. I have listed weights, suplier, my expectations and a review (ongoing). My winter kit is also listed for comparison.