WALK 1000 supplement

#WALK1000MILES2019
DO IT FOR ADVENTURE
‘It couldn’t
have gone
better!’
I started walking seriously
in February this year, after
reading my first copy of Country Walking.
I wanted to climb a mountain just to prove to
myself that I could actually do it! My wife and
I had visited Porthmadog on holiday in 2015
and 2016. From there we could, at times, see
Snowdon and, as it was often cloaked in low
cloud, we referred to it as The Mythical Mountain.
Then, in July, we were once again in the area and
I set my heart on walking ‘my’ mountain. After
much research I decided that the Snowdon
Ranger Path would allow me to reach the
summit, alone, without risking nasties such
as Crib Goch – I’m not great with heights!
Honestly, it could not have gone better! The
path was easy to follow and provided a safe but
challenging route to the summit. The weather
was almost too good to be true – dry, clear,
sunny, warm and with little or no breeze.
Setting off from the car park at just after 7am on
a Monday morning meant I avoided the crowds
and didn’t actually see a single person until
around a quarter mile from the summit. By the
time the first tourist train was arriving at the top
I was on my way back down. A great feeling!
My tips are know your limits and work within
them. Research, then research some more.
It pays off in the end. Take photos!
Richard Crooks, 51, Derby
‘Discovered on
my doorstep’
This gate leads up a hill to an old Iron Age
fort less than two miles from my house –
I never knew it was there until I walked
a 1000 miles! How mad that I’d walked
1000 miles before I discovered the
beauty on my own doorstep!
Karen Hegarty, 53, Worcestershire
86%
say the
challenge
gave them a greater
sense of adventure
‘I had no idea...’
Scrambling up
Crib Goch, Tryfan
and the Bristly
Ridge on my first
visit to Snowdonia
I had no idea how
challenging British
hills could be!
I loved it so much I am seriously thinking
of moving there at some point!
Iwona Gabrys, 46, Bournemouth
‘A mini adventure of discovery’
I discovered there are six hills
over 2000ft in Wensleydale and
decided to walk up them all! All
were fabulous adventures on my
own, in remote parts of the Dales.
Several have no recognised
routes to the summit, so it was
an experience discovering them!
Jo Winship, 73, Yorkshire
‘Now walking is a
habit, I’m addicted’
By making walking a habit, I’m
addicted and, as a result, booked
to do three long-distance walks
in 2019 – the Queen Charlotte
Track (in New Zealand), the
Cotswold Way and Offa’s Dyke
Path in June. But I will never
forget my first hoar frost in the
South Island of New Zealand.
Paul Graham, 44, Auckland, NZ
More than just a mountain’
Best memory?
A wild camp in the
Peak District in
spring. 15 miles with
kit and stunning
views over Edale
as the sun set.
Stunning.
Tim Smith,
43, Bedford
I’ve done things
I never thought I’d
do, walked further
in single journeys
than I thought
I could. Seen some
lovely places and
eaten in some really
good pubs!
Vicky Ford,
29, Boston
I found myself alone after a break-up and with a huge loss of confidence.
So I decided to try to climb Scafell Pike alone to see if I could do it in the
hope conquering that mountain might help conquer some of my insecurities.
I’m a large lady and not at all sure of foot. I had a few mini panics about
‘whatever was I thinking’ but I didn’t want to give in. At the end of the
day I realised I’d conquered much more than just that mountain!
Slow and steady can still triumph, and facing fears helps quash them. Take your time, enjoy
the view and celebrate your achievements – the Facebook group is great for this. I conquered
several fears and proved that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. I’ll never be like the guy
carrying a guitar I met at the top, who’d already summited three times that day and was heading
down to start a fourth ascent – but I do believe that my own achievement was pretty cool too.
Pat Akerman, 58, Halifax
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WALK 1000 MILES 2019 37