From Land’s End to London, the Olympic flame will see most of jolly old England as a succession of runners carry the symbol of the Games through the country over the next several weeks. After starting off in the hands of sailor Ben Ainslie Saturday, 8,000 torchbearers will move the flambeau along as many miles until it ends up in London on July 27. The planners for this year’s Games decided not to hold an around-the-world relay, as was done in 2004 and 2008. Protesters hindered the progress of the torch as it circled toward Beijing in 2008. The torch will pass through England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland on its journey, being carried by bike, horseback, helium balloon, and centenarian Diana Gould, who is scheduled to take the torch July 25.
