The torch started its 8,000-mile journey at Land’s End, where Olympic gold medal winning sailor Ben Ainslie was the first runner. The first week of the Olympic Torch's journey has seen huge crowds gathering to greet it along the way, and headline-grabbing bids on Ebay for the torches.

Torchbearer 001 Ben Ainslie holds the Olympic torch

Torchbearer 001 Ben Ainslie holds the Olympic torch and waves to the crowd before he begins the first leg between Land's End and Sennon - photo LOCOG



The Olympic Flame made its journey from Greece and arrived in the UK on May 18, ready for the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay to begin the following day. Representing peace, unity and friendship, the Flame started its 70 day journey around the UK towards the Stadium. The torch will be carried by 8,000 runners and will travel to within an hour of 95 per cent of people in the UK over the course of its 10-week journey. The runners were nominated by someone they know, and chosen for their inspiration, they range in age and occupation, from charity fundraisers to successful athletes.

In the first week, the torch has already visited the National Maritime Museum at Falmouth, St Michael’s Mount, the Eden Project, Glastonbury Tor and the Clifton Suspension, ending up at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. It then continues its journey via a series of landmarks, a few of the highlights of the weeks to come include:
Week 2: Cardiff to Liverpool

(May 26-June 1)
Including visits to Caerphilly Castle, Cliff Top Railway, Aberystwyth, Beaumaris Castle and the top of Mount Snowdon. A torchbearer will carry the flame to the top of the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire and the week ends at Mersey Ferries in Liverpool.
Week 3: Liverpool to Glasgow

(June 2-8)
The third week starts at the National Sports Centre on the Isle of Man anda number of locations on the island, then it goes off to Northern Ireland where it will be carried in the grounds of Stormont House, on to the Derry/Londonderry Peace Bridge, Enniskillen Castle and Croke Park before ending the week at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.
Week 4: Glasgow to Newcastle

(June 9-15)
Week four starts at the National Indoor Sports Arena, Glasgow and includes visits to Luss Pier on Loch Lomand, the Nevis Range, Rockness festival in Inverness, John O'Groats, Balmoral Estate, the Falkirk Wheel, the Forth Rail Bridge finishing at the Tyne Bridge Zip-Wire.
Week 5: Gateshead to Blackpool

(June 16-22)
Week five starts at the The Sage, Gateshead and goes via the Angel of the North, Hadrians Wall, the walls of York Walls, the Steamer MV Tern at Bowness on Windermere in the Lake District and Kendal Castle. Then at Blackpool a tram will carry the torch before it goes up the town's famous tower.
Week 6: Lytham St Anne's to Derby

(June 23-29)
Week six starts at Royal Lytham and St Anne's, Fylde. Its visits include Old Trafford, the Headingley Carnegie Stadium in Leeds, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield as well as the National Coal Mining Museum, the Dock Tower in Grimsby, Lincoln Cathedral, the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham and Nottingham Castle, finishing at Chatsworth House in the Peak District.
Week 7: Derby to Chelmsford

(June 30-July 6)
Week seven starts at the National Memorial Arboretum, continuing via Tamworth Castle, Warwick Castle, Kenilworth Castle, Coventry Cathedral, Rugby School, Foxton Locks in Leicestershire, Coventry Football Club, The National Space Centre in Leicester, Rutland Water, Nene Valley Railway, Sandringham House, Cromer Pier, Norwich Castle, Lowestoft Ness Point, Southwold Beach Huts, Ipswich Marina and Christchurch Park, Hadleigh Farm Games Venue and Basildon Sporting Village.
Week 8: Chelmsford to Bournemouth

(July 7-13 July)
Starting at the Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford, it will visit the Lee Valley Games Venue, Cambridge Trinity College and go punting on the River Cam Punting before continuing to Hertfordshire University, Bletchley Park, Blenheim Palace, the Eton Dorney Games Venue, Windsor Castle, Ascot Racecourse, Winchester Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral and The Cobb at Lyme Regis. It then stops off at the Olympic Sailing venue - the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy, before continuing via Stonehenge and Portland Bill to Durdle Door.
Week 9: Bournemouth to Guildford

(July 14-20)
Starting at Bournemouth Pier, on the penultimate week of its journey, the torch will visit Needles Park and Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, before a flying visit to Guernsey and Jersey in the Channel Islands from Southampton Airport. On its return it will visit the Historic Dockyard and Fratton Park in Portsmouth, Arundel Castle, Brighton's Royal Pavilion, the Channel Tunnel, Dover Castle, the Turner Gallery in Margate, Canterbury Cathedral and Brands Hatch.
Week 10: Greenwich to Olympic Park

(July 21-27)
The final week of the flame's journey will start at the Royal Observatory and Meridian Time Line, Greenwich, via Newham and Hackney Festivals, the Erith Yacht Club, Crystal Palace Park, the All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It will then visit Crystal Palace Park and the National Stadium, Crystal Palace before finally making its way to Buckingham Palace.

For more information on Ben Ainslie and his Olympic campaign see Support Ben Ainslie and Ben Ainslie wins record sixth world Finn title. There is also a sailing relay taking place, with a replica torch from the last Games to be held in the UK in 1948, see Sailing Relay features replica Olympic Torch from 1948.