Episode 5: 120 Marathons, in 120 Days With Graham Wilson

I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris, and Moose for Episode 1 of the Distance Hiker Podcast. Chris took a chance on circumstance and decided to take on a coastal walk around the United Kingdom, starting back in June 2018. In this Podcast, we unpack what it takes to do such an involved walk, not just for himself, but with a large, and very lovely labrador mastiff, named Moose. I hope you enjoy the show with Chris and Moose.

Episode 4: The Listening Walk, With David Matthews

I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris, and Moose for Episode 1 of the Distance Hiker Podcast. Chris took a chance on circumstance and decided to take on a coastal walk around the United Kingdom, starting back in June 2018. In this Podcast, we unpack what it takes to do such an involved walk, not just for himself, but with a large, and very lovely labrador mastiff, named Moose. I hope you enjoy the show with Chris and Moose.

Episode 3: Walking 300 Miles And Making 300 Smiles With Katy Ellis

I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris, and Moose for Episode 1 of the Distance Hiker Podcast. Chris took a chance on circumstance and decided to take on a coastal walk around the United Kingdom, starting back in June 2018. In this Podcast, we unpack what it takes to do such an involved walk, not just for himself, but with a large, and very lovely labrador mastiff, named Moose. I hope you enjoy the show with Chris and Moose.

Episode 2: Building an app for long distance hikers with Eoin Hamilton

I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris, and Moose for Episode 1 of the Distance Hiker Podcast. Chris took a chance on circumstance and decided to take on a coastal walk around the United Kingdom, starting back in June 2018. In this Podcast, we unpack what it takes to do such an involved walk, not just for himself, but with a large, and very lovely labrador mastiff, named Moose. I hope you enjoy the show with Chris and Moose.

Walking 214/214 Wainrights in 18 Days

Wainright’s, Munros, Corbett’s. Tick lists for walkers and outdoorsy folk. Walk then, run them, camp on the summit and solidify your victory with a summit-top selfie. That’s the trend of the moment.

Most mortals prefer to steadily take their time to walk the Wainwrights, picking a few off when time gifts a free weekend. The ultimate prize? Knowing you have walked all 214 wainwrights and have a bunch of good quality mountain days and memories behind you.

But what if you had the wild idea to walk the Wainwrights in one continuous attempt? There are of course records where endurance runners have completed the challenge in an unimaginable time.

A few notable attempts are, of course, endurance legend John Kelly, who takes the FKT of 5d 12h 14m 43s supported, followed closely by Sabrina Verje who set an earlier record in 2021 of 5d 23h 49m 12s. The unsupported record goes to Christopher Gaskin with a time of 11d 10h 58m.

Impressive.

But it was our resident muncher of miles and shredder of shoes Mike @pack_backer who wanted to see how fast he could push himself to complete the challenge. Not for the glory of FKT, but for his own personal curiosity to explore where his comfort limit ends, and his resolve begins.

This account of journals has been taken from our community page, UK Long Distance Hiking, where Mike kindly shared his account with us between the emotional and physical pain of trying the challenge.

Day 1 - 11/214 Wainwrights

It started wet and stayed wet all day and through the night, I didn’t bag many pics as it was pretty horrendous throughout.

It was slow going through bogs and down steep gullies and ravines. Hats off to the fell runners as they are truly a different breed. My bum was twitching a fair few times going down embankments and the day of wet feet did my mood no favors.

Luckily I made it to the Borrowdale valley and stayed off the tops for the night, luckily I did because it absolutely battered it down all night. Unfortunately the next day I had to return home due to personal circumstances but have a train booked back out tomorrow, so will be back on the trail by the afternoon.

Day 2 - 15/214 Wainwrights

Short day today as I spent until around 1430 travelling to the trailhead. The weather started out brilliant, sunny with a nice breeze. That soon turned south when I was ascending into the hills and the cloud base quickly dropped with wind and rain picking up. I managed to plod onwards towards Glaramara and over the precarious-looking rocks leading to the summit.

The paths were all sodden and I spent my time with wet feet and hidden in waterproofs.

I managed to get myself turned around in the clag and almost went down a gully but a quick nav check ensured I was back on track in no time. I plan ed to spend the night at Sprinkling tarn but the wind was shocking so I thought it may be better at Styhead tarn. No luck there either as the wind seemed to be worse. I managed to find a spot as I began my ascent of base brown, it was a pretty poor choice on the side of a hill but offered some shelter from the wind. Or so I thought, it hammered the tent all night with heavy rain too.

Day 3 - 30/214 Wainwrights

Pretty big day today bagged 15 Wainwrights and tons of ascent. The day started in the slopes of Base Brown and the weather was horrendous once I made the steep ascent into the clouds.As I made my way over to Green Gable wind and rain picked up and pretty soon it must have been 40-50mph as I could barely walk and if I relaxed it would have easily knocked me down.I made my way to Great Gable which was just as bad if not worse, the rain was painful and I made quick work of clambering the boulders down and towards Kirk Fell. I made a quick ascent of Kirk fell by ditching the pack and soon found myself making my way towards Brandreth and Grey Knott’s. Once I hit Haystacks the weather chilled a little and I could see the amazing views. The wind was still present but was a backburner at this point. I made.my way over the mountainous ridge and soon found myself on the final leg of the day which was by far the hardest and the ascent/ descent of Mellbreak almost broke me. Eventually I scored food in Loweswater which was a godsend.

Day 4 - 45/214 Wainwrights

Today started well with the first couple of Wainwrights North of Loweswater coming fast. As I made my way back over and up to Burbank Fell the wind soon brought the clouds and the most horrendous rain I’ve been in, in a long time.Luckily I already had my jacket on and just had to whip my trousers on, my feet however were soaked…again.I made my way over the fells and as I was nearing Ennerdale the clouds cleared and the sun reappeared giving me a brilliant view of the sea and over the fells.I could finally see the progress I had made in days previous and was in awe of the scenery.I carried on down to Ennerdale and diverted to Ennerdale bridge for breakfast and a shower which was well needed.I soon made my way back towards the water and considered sacking it here for the day as I’d covered about 11 miles.However, my ego got the best of me and I was soon on the way up Grike which was a truly savage climb 😂.Eventually I reached the top, dried my tent in the wind and sunshine and admired the views for a while before cruising along the fells towards the other Wainwrights on the route.I hit Haycock and knew I was in for a good day so carried on over taking in the majesty of the Scafell massif in the distance.Eventually I reached Scoat fell and chilled for a while. I had some food and felt fresh still so thought I could crack on, bag a few more and make tomorrow a nice easy day.So cruised on over Red Pike, across to Yewbarrrow and down an unholy slope where I found a decentish spot for the night.

Day 5 - 50/214 Wainwrights

Started the day in torrential rain which I was praying to stop. Eventually the rain God honoured our blood contract and eased a little.I took this time to make the steep ascent up to Seatallan and then quickly back down for the next ascent.The rain began again and the wind howled but eventually I managed the third Wainwright which was Buckbarrow.I made a quick descent and opted for some food a little off the trail at Nether Wasdale. It was beautiful and I quickly demolished a good 5k calories and a quick charge of the powerbank before heading out.I took the time to dry my tent on the green and then carried on into the woods to start climbing Whin Rigg.The wind howled up here but the views were amazing and I quickly worked my way over and down to the tarn at the foot of the indomitable Sca Fell.

Day 6 - 57/214 Wainwrights

The day started sunny and after meeting my friend who was gonna be hiking with me today we set off in good spirits up the domineering slope of Slight Side and Sca Fell.It took a while but eventually we mad our way to the top of Slight Side and then you the shortish climb to Sca Fell.The clouds were in full force up there adding to the alien feeling landscape. It was eerily quiet at the top and we had a quick bite to eat before descending into Lords Rake and down the steep scree slope.Eventually we emerged from the darkness of the Rake and quickly traversed the valley to Lingmell which was a steeper climb than I thought (maybe the climb to sca fell was still reeling in my legs).A quick summit and we were onto Scafell Pike (often referred to as Ingleborough). We didn’t stay long as there were queues forming at the Gregg’s on top.We quickly descended into the saddle between there and Borad Crag before making our way over the boulder field towards Great End and then over to Angle tarn.The weather took a turn for the worst and we decided it was best to pitch here for the night and bag Rosett pike once we were set up which didn’t take longer than 15 minutes.

Day 10 - 106/214 Wainwrights

I apologise in advance if this one isn’t as upbeat as the last but my god this has been possibly the toughest day I’ve ever done.I started the day pretty sweet and cruised along the tops after a short climb towards Loyghrigg which was a drop down and then back up to summit.My new shoes that were waiting in Rydal spurred me on for a pre 9am arrival at the hotel.I made my way up Nab scar and Heron pike with the sun already at a blistering level.I topped my bottles up on the way which put me to around 3l which I thought would be ample.My god is the Fairfield horseshoe savage though, the sun was unrelenting and the constant dropping off the peaks to grab Wainwrights along the way really smashed my morale to bits.I debated calling it quits many times today and found myself a little upset with myself at a few points along the way.I remembered what my friend John and another buddy Chris said though, which was to take it one day at a time, one peak at a time and one step at a time.This helped and I plodded along, with little in way of water at this point. I managed to find some dregs in a stream and spent a good 20 minutes filling my bottles.Eventually I plodded along the the bottom of red screes and middle dodd where I had some food and a little rest. This made me feel a bit better and gave me the much needed energy to make the ascent.Eventually I bagged Middle dodd and made my way to red screes to camp for the night.

Day 12 - 142/214 Wainwrights

I started the day/ night at about 1am quickly packing my gear away with the aim of heading through the night and chilling in the day.As you can see from the mileage this was just an outright lie to myself.I cruised in the dark along the Kentmere horseshoe bagging the outlying Wainwrights as I went.It’s eerily quiet in the dark and I soon found myself hitting some pretty decent miles. As I was dropping down into Nan Bield Pass I saw the most beautiful sight.There was a literal shooting star or asteroid breaking up in the atmosphere, it was truly a spectacle to behold. Or I may have been hallucinating, both are equally possible 😂.I chilled on the huge stone seat like the guardian to the pass for a little while eating some cold porridge…yum.I then headed on up into the hills once more hitting Kidsty pike in no time and then onto High street and the old Roman road, which was familiar hiking territory for me and I soon hit Arthur’s like at the end within an hour and a bit. I then dropped down and up over Hallins fell and the others in the area before making the most demoralising climb I have ever faced. The Nab! This was like something out of a horror movie and was insanely steep considering its low elevation. I found myself having a tantrum near the summit and fully spat my dummy out.I then hit the Wainwrights near Angle tarn, taking a quick bath whilst I was there.I soon found myself on top of Place fell where the only thing keeping me going was the thought of some food in Patterdale which was sorely needed.

Day 13 - 150/214 Wainwrights

I started the day in a state as I’d fallen asleep against a tree and then thrown my tent up at daft o’clock in the night in a poor place. Managed a solid sleep though which was much needed.I soon hammered my way into the fells bagging the 3 Wainwrights on my way to Grizedale tarn.I dried my gear at the tarn and chilled for. A little while before deciding if I got the Hellvelyn hills done I could practically have the full weekend off.Naturally I flew up the hills and soon found myself on top of Hellvelyn with the 300 other people.I quickly escaped the mob and dropped into Swirral edge and over Catsycam before descending the embankment and onto my final Wainwright of the day Birkhouse Moor.The trip down was pretty brutal in all fairness and my knees definitely felt it, but hoards of food motivated me onwards.I restocked in Glenridding and chilled for the day and the rest of the weekend as I’m booked into the hostel tomorrow.

Day 15 - 163/214 Wainwrights

I started the day insanely early at around 0100 when the grizzly bear I was sharing the hostel with woke me up with his god awful snoring.I couldn’t get back to sleep so opted to get up and start smashing fells in for a laugh. I want particular happy as I’d paid for breakfast and would miss that and my money.Anyway, I set off towards Glenridding Dodd and not long after summiting and headed for Sheffield pike it began raining.I picked up the pace as I knew thunderstorms were coming and the peaks ain’t the place to be with lightning about.I ditched the bag near Stybarrow Dodd and ran across to bag Raise (yeah that’s right I can run occasionally, very occasionally).I made ym way back, not as fast as I was dying. Grabbed my pack and headed North to grab the other Wainwrights along the way before heading out to the Outliers of Gowbarrow and the like.It sucked big time heading out that far for such small mounds of dirt but hey ho!I soon found myself headed towards Troutbeck and Souther fell where I debated walking the A66. I opted for a quick bus ride for a few stops as it was busy.When I got to Scales I argued with myself about whether to stay at the bunkhouse or head into the hills once more.I listened to my brain for change and called it a day here, but not before ditching the pack and heading up to Souther fell for one last Wainwright of the day.

Day 16 - 184/214 Wainwrights

Today started fairly steady and I quickly climbed to Blencathra where the John Beamson Summit stone is (if your unsure what I mean Just Google John Beamson and blencathra summit stone). Anyway I headed over to Mungrisdale which was a short trip and then over to Bannersdale before heading North to bag the far Wainwrights.The trip was fairly steady although completely shrouded in cloud and rain (most of the day above 600m was spent like this).I made quick progress as it was quite miserable and I wanted to be down from there asap.I waded through the river near Carrick which went well up to my thigh where I’d chosen, luckily I was already soaked 🤣.I then hit the embankment to bag carrok fell and then west to the next peak.After this I made my way southeast to hit Knott and then North once more for the final outliers.The rain had stopped by this point but visibility was poor and it was still soaking wet.I quickly made my way to Great Calva and the prepared for the upcoming slog of going up Skiddaw from the North.Turns out it wasn’t too bad and I soon summited. Ditched my bag on the way to Little man and Lonsdale fell.I then backtracked to carlside ditching the pack again to make short work of Ullocm Pike and then dropping down into Dodd wood.I ditched the pack again the woods and headed up to Dodd and then searching for somewhere to camp.Turns out it was few and far between so I had to just keep cruising until something came up.The trail does provide…eventually 🤣.

Day 18 - 214/214 Wainwrights

I started the day really early with first light and quickly realised it was going to hurt.The long ascent up Grizedale Pike was gruelling and then to drop down after bagging a few Wainwrights to nearly ground level was truly demoralising.I headed back up listening to music to stop me from hearing the screams of my knees. Eventually heading back into the hills and bagging Grasmoor just as the weather closed in.And close in it truly did, I had a few little testbites but it was truly horrendous. The Lake District for some reason had decided to end our relationship in violence.I headed over the fells and ditched the bag to hit the Wainwrights in the outlying loop before dropping down and back up before…you know it, heading down again.The climb up to Robinson was grim and the war with the weather really opened up at this point. It was miserable and I was hurting, so the Lakes really kicked me whilst I was down.I headed on over pretty much with my head in the sound following the trial and bagging wainwrights as I went. I soon found myself at Dales Head and realised with a shock I was actually almost done.The added morale made me cruise down and up High Spy like it was a curb on the road. I soon headed over Maidens Moor and then the final push to catbells was in sight.My knees were screaming at this point but they were an afterthought to me hitting that last hill. And hit it I did, getting a super sick rainbow at the summit which was soo cool and almost felt like the Lakes had forgiven me for leaving.It’s gonna take a lot of processing over the next couple days but I’ll put an update about it soon.Happy trails and ☮️ Out

Episode 1: A Walk Around The UK With Chris and His Dog, Moose

I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris, and Moose for Episode 1 of the Distance Hiker Podcast. Chris took a chance on circumstance and decided to take on a coastal walk around the United Kingdom, starting back in June 2018. In this Podcast, we unpack what it takes to do such an involved walk, not just for himself, but with a large, and very lovely labrador mastiff, named Moose. I hope you enjoy the show with Chris and Moose.

HIKING AND GRIEF: A PERSONAL JOURNEY

From reading posts on the Long Distance Hiker website and Facebook group, it’s clear that trekking across the countryside holds many advantages for our wellbeing. The mind clears, the heart calms, the soul uplifts and the body benefits: the effects are both re-energising and empowering. So, when life smacks you in the face, it’s time to get those boots on and head out the door.

Sometimes, though, it’s not as simple as that. Sometimes, things happen that just don’t give us a chance to rely on our regular coping mechanisms. In such cases, it’s how we adjust to circumstances that matters. And walking can certainly play a part in that.

DAD

Our Dad passed away peacefully in early August after a few months of declining health. During the final few weeks, my siblings and I took turns in caring for him day and night. Everything else in life became very secondary. Then, when he passed away, having to deal with grief, sort the funeral and clear his home affected us emotionally in ways that we couldn’t have known before.

Up until this time, I’d always found that an afternoon spent in the local woods or walking along the Thames was enough to reset my mind, so that I’d come back a functioning adult. But time felt so compacted and also stretched in this period that walking and nature weren’t helping me process matters.

Then in early September, on one of the rare occasions I felt like reading, I came across a chapter in ’52 Ways To Walk’ by Annabel Streets that explained walking briskly each day during times of high tension is a great way to counter stress. The walk needs to be for at least twelve minutes as this allows the chemicals in the body to have the necessary effect.

Understanding this gave me a renewed purpose in my walks: suddenly what had been a routine walk with muddled thoughts through my town, now became a near-meditative experience that helped build resolve. Reading that simple and effective information formed the crucial moment in which I dealt with my grief in a more gentle way.

Soon, my body and mind were craving a return to the countryside, and, more specifically, to trek along bodies of water.

THE RIVER OF LIFE

Whilst I researched how to cope with grief, I came across the River Of Life. This analogy suggests that as we flow along in life certain events will throw us completely off course, e.g. death, unemployment and homelessness. The important thing is that we somehow keep moving, even if it feels like we’ve hit rapids, rocks or are heading for a waterfall. A person may feel endangered and in jeopardy, but movement is the key to survival.

I found this quote on www.sidebysideuae.com which I found quite consoling:

“We can all take wisdom from the river – it personifies that moving while challenged is at the core of what wisdom really is – No matter what obstacle comes my way, be it mental, be it physical, I’m going to direct my flow in the direction I want it to go.”

Again, something that I’d read had influenced me, and it was time to footslog along the River Thames again.

IN THE FLOW

Over the following two weeks, I completed a solo hike along the Thames and walked half of the Blackwater Valley Path with a mate. I often recited the above quote to myself to totally immerse myself on these river walks. I’m not totally sure how or why this approach to dealing with my grief worked, but being in nature and a change of mindset left me feeling I could begin to cope better.

WALKIE TORQUAY

Hiking provides substance and purpose. Putting one foot in front of the other has so much holistic value. These thoughts were the deeper wisdom that I’d gained, and it was only natural to expand upon them. In addition, by actually taking the River Of Life analogy and putting it into practice on hikes, I recognised that I was nurturing myself as a person.

With this clarity, I decided the best thing I could do to further my understanding was to pummel my legs into oblivion by heading to the coast for a few days. After looking at a few options, I found an inexpensive and highly-rated B&B in Torquay. When travel day came, I zipped out my front door quicker than a cheetah with its backside on fire.

My dad was a funny, uncomplicated Irishman who lived life by his own rules and didn’t worry about the future. These traits were how I’d conduct myself on this break: have a laugh, keep it straightforward, and plan nothing in advance. So, on the first evening in my hotel room, I wrote down the names of the four places I’d visit – Torquay, Brixham, Paignton and Dawlish – on four separate bits of paper and put them into a sock. Then, I swung the sock above my head for a few seconds, put my hand in and my first destination was revealed.

DAY 1: DAWLISH

After alighting at the train station, I marched along the stream at the heart of the town centre. I followed it’s course for a couple of miles before reaching a Norman church that marked my turnaround point. From there, I headed towards the terracotta cliffs. I pondered if the sharp climbs would exhaust my legs for the days ahead, but looking out to the gentle sea on this blue sky day was enough to resuscitate my pins.

The highlight of this day, though, wasn’t anything to do with hiking or nature: sitting on the beach, being still and munching on a homity pie overloaded my senses!

DAY 2: BRIXHAM

I didn’t venture along clifftops or a beach on this day, but instead walked along the bustling harbour and an impossibly long pier. By the end of my time here, it astounded me that I’d knocked up nearly ten miles from wondering around this harbour town.

DAY 3: PAIGNTON

Walking up and down the cliff sides of the South West Coastal Path, I checked in on how I was doing: calmer than I’d been in the last few weeks. I just allowed my mind to flow unhindered to where it needed to be. With Dad’s presence as resounding as the wave breaks against the rocks below, I realised that grief is a very personal journey, and very much as uproarious or serene as the sea itself. This comprehension was an answer I’d been looking for without knowing it. Accepting this further wisdom was key to me coping.

DAY 4: TORQUAY

The sea views calmed and mesmerised me. I understood that bodies of water played a central role to me dealing with my grief – and hiking underpinned that. Furthermore, I grasped that the importance of being by the sea, a river or a stream was that by observing the flow of water, on a deeper level I was keeping myself in the flow of life. This was another sprinkle of wisdom that I cherished in my heart.

Another ten-miler through the town’s hilly streets and along the beach left me more battered than the cod in a seafront chippy. A gentle Irish voice sang in my head: “Go to the pub, son. Go to the pub.” After a couple of pints, I’d recuperated and noticed the enduring lightening of my mood carrying on from the previous days.

And with this, I toasted my dad in the full knowledge that I’d found a way to cope with my grief.

NEXT UP

My family and I travel to Ireland in December to lay our Dad’s ashes next to his mum’s grave. You’ll be home to rest, Dad. Every time I hike near water, I know you’ll always be close.

To anybody reading this, I heartily recommend a good long river or coastal walk the next time difficult situations arise. Hiking and spending time in nature truly have the ability to help us overcome adversity and the challenges of life, and help us to build fortitude.

Wet weather wildcamping. My first sleep in the wilderness

Back in July 2022, my four friends (Aaron, Robin, Pete and Robert) and I visited the Old Man Of Coniston for our annual mountain trip. This was to be the smallest mountain we’d trek – we’d hiked the highest points in the UK and Ireland with a few others thrown in to this point – but we weren’t going to underestimate this ascent in any way. Plus, this trip had the added bonus of us wildcamping for the first time.In order to prepare for our adventure, we’d taken advice from experienced wildcampers and watched a number of YouTube videos. My friends’ shelters included a tent and bivvy sacks. I decided on a poncho tarp latched to a hiking pole secured by tent pegs and bungee cord for my shelter; I felt that this would be lightweight and adequate enough. I practiced building my shelter a few times in my back garden, so by the time we hit Cumbria I was reasonably confident I’d be okay.

As there was a small gang of us making the journey, it was easy for us to spread our collective load between us. What’s App group chats saw us comparing weights of camping stoves and torches to gain a good understanding of the lightest items to carry. This meant that we had room to take a few little extras for the big sleep outside: the idea to waking up to sizzling bacon on a mountainside was appealing!

FIRST STOP: THE PUB!

So, come the big day, we piled our rucksacks into the car, having made sure we’d done one final itinerary check beforehand. We left our base camp at a mobile home park in Millom around midday as the lure of the mountains called to us once again. And after a hefty, long Sunday lunch at The Ship Inn just outside of Coniston, the hike began at 3pm.

We started along a B-road before beginning to climb up through farm fields. Aaron was our navigator for the day with his trusted compass skills, and before long he’d led us to the main path that’d take us to the mountain peak. If it had been down to me to set our direction, I think I’d have taken us to Carlisle!

I liked this trek a lot: for the most part, the valley rose up alongside the path, so there were hardly any steep drops that would send my head in a spin. You see, I have a fear of heights, and I never know how I’m going to be on a mountain until I get there; on Scafell Pike in 2016, for instance, I’d turned up full of beans, only for my head to give out halfway up as I feared for my life looking down on the valley below. So, to be leading from the front and engaging in banter most of the way up the Old Man was a joy to me.

FROM PEAK TO SLEEP

One of our pre-hike worries had been the weight of our packs slowing us down. Yet, we reached the peak of the mountain with only a few minor mumbles and strap adjustments. The weather had also been favourable despite the threat of rain. Mind you, the pints that had been downed in the pub prior to the footslog were beginning to take their toll on a few members of our group at this point.

The map was spread out as we hunted out our sleep spot : Blind Tarn. This leg of the journey involved descending the Old Man on its other side, bounding across boggy fields and a rushing river before taking on more boggy fields and a final ascent to our destination.

After becoming lost a few times, we’d made it. By now, it was 9pm, and energy levels were sapping. I whipped off my boots and socks, and enjoyed the cool waters of the tarn soothing my aching feet. Taking in the scenery and the isolation, we all cooed in unison as to the rugged beauty of the location.

Then, it was time to build the shelter once more. We ate quickly and soon bedded down, too zapped of energy to talk much.

BLOWN AWAY

Blind Tarn is framed by steep rock faces on three sides, so we thought we had adequate enough protection from the elements As rain crept in at 1am, we were stirred from our slumbers. By 1.30am, I was having to hastily reconstruct my build amid a howling gale. The bungee cord had twanged off in a random direction causing the hiking pole to collapse. With the help of my friends, we were able to secure my tarp with more tent pegs and rocks by all four corners before it got blown away like an unwanted rag.

I slid between the tarp and the ground sheet, and huddled under my sleeping bag. By 3am, and unable to sleep, I heard Robin’s teeth chattering; he declared that he’d had enough. I called it time too as, by now, water had flooded my sleeping bag via the gap in the poncho tarp for the hood. Reluctantly, and feeling extremely gutted and soaked, Robin and I packed hastily, and headed back to the car.

Still, at least we got to see a sunrise before reaching the warmth of the car. Aaron, Pete and Robert joined us a few hours later having battled the night out, and returned my missing bungee cord to me!

FOR THE FUTURE

In her book Extreme Sleeps, Phoebe Smith shows how a bad first experience wildcamping should never put you off. In fact, the author is so adept at wildcamping by the end of the book that it’s almost a way of live for her.

On the way back to the car that morning, Robin and I were reflective in this vain rather than dismissive of future wildcamping adventures. We want to stick at it to gain more experience of immersing ourselves in nature in this way.

And we know one way to make our next sleep in the wilderness much better: TO USE A BLINKING TENT!!!!

Walking the Pennine Way In 9 Days

The Pennine Way (PW) starts in Edale, Derbyshire and finishes in Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish borders, it covers a total of 268 miles and follows what is often referred to as the Spine of the UK.

It winds its way up and over mountains, follows valleys and rivers, crisscrosses reservoirs, plows through farmland (get what I did there 😉), passes through forest, and of course traverses what it is most known for I would say is the sometimes bleak, beautiful and mesmerizing moorlands. All the while making its way Northward.

The Pennine way is without a doubt one of the most beautiful and challenging long-distance trails in the UK, it can be very exposed and it can make you feel like you are completely alone out there thousands of miles away from civilisation, which is amazing right?

My Plan

My original plan was to head to Wales but logistical issues the night before scuppered that idea.

Instead, I opted to hit the PW nobo, I had a goal of finishing it within the Easter break but was happy if that didn’t pan out.

I had aimed to take it steady covering 15-20 miles a day, but in retrospect should have known I would just lie to myself.

Day 1

I started the trail in Edale, the official start point at about 09:30 after scoring some pasties from the café next to the train station. I headed out, passing by a fair few people and getting chatting to them along the way. I soon found myself facing Jacob’s ladder where I knew I was in for the first tough climb of the trail and it’s a corker too.

I chilled at the bottom near the river, airing my feet out and eating some sausage rolls (they’re a re-occurring theme on this trail :D). Some of the people I had passed along the way caught me up and began their ascent up the notorious steps.

I decided on taking the Pony track as it isn’t as steep to start with and soon caught them up at the intersection. I got chatting to a couple who were doing the trail in 3 sections, with this one finishing in Horton. It was great speaking with them, and we soon parted ways as I headed to Kinder Downfall. 

The wind was relentless up on the plateau and I really struggled to walk a straight line which meant no rest too. I refilled water at Kinder Downfall and cruised on along the ridge before dropping down and back up Mill hill and over to Snake Pass. I quickly made my way over Bleaklow which was still quite boggy. I always forget how bleak, Bleaklow is on the summit, it’s like being on the moon. 

Anyway, I scoffed some food up there and cruised on down Torside Clough remembering I camped here last time in 2020, but not today. I was still feeling fresh and knew I had a few more miles in the tank so kept on slaying the miles which came thick and fast.

I cruised along Torside reservoir before heading back into the hilly moors and over Laddow rocks and man was it windy up there. I nearly took the plunge a few times but managed to keep cruising.

I soon found myself at Black Hill which is where I met a couple in 2020 who I’m still friends with now, so the nostalgia was awesome. The weather quickly closed in though and it soon became a hailstorm up there which in shorts was pretty pants. I kept on cruising though and found myself at Wessenden head reservoir where I found a nice spot all cut and fresh so opted to spend the night here. 

27 miles walked

Day 2

I woke up nice and early, packed up, and got to cruising, the wind was pretty bad, and it was foggy so visibility was poor. I soon passed by reservoirs and over the moorland where I got speaking to some guys doing a marathon along the PW.

I thought it would be the first and last I would see of them but as I cruised over Standedge I somehow caught them up. From there we played relay up to White Hill which they said was the halfway point so we’re headed back now.

We parted ways and I kept cruising towards the M62, unfortunately, the little café nearby was closed as they were doing a refurb, so I was unlucky (it is however open now). I cruised on over the bridge and followed the moors, but the weather quickly became very bad, and I soon found myself walking through driving wind and rain with some hail thrown in for good measure.

I found myself debating sacking it off at this point as I was cold, wet, and miserable. However, this is all part of the fun and I cruised along to the White House pub and scored some hot food and a drink. I decided to see if the weather would chill which it did a little bit.

I kept on going making my way past Blackstone edge reservoir and towards Hebden Bridge in the rain. As I got near Todmorden the weather chilled out and the wind dropped which was an absolute godsend.

I reached Studley Pike and was awed by the scale of it like I am every time I’ve been there. I decided to head into the woods for the night as I knew it would be a little warmer and less wet in the dense canopy.

17 miles walked

Day 3

I woke around 0400 and packed down my gear before heading down into the steep valley where Hebden Bridge sits. I waited for the post office to open and had some breakfast before posting some gear home (my cooker and a jacket). I quickly followed the old PW and up into Heptonstall which I highly recommend as an alternative as it’s so beautiful there. It really does have the feel of an old medieval village still. 

I soon found myself at Mays’s shop where I raided her pastry collection and had a drink and chat with her. Mays shop really is something special and is the place to be on the PW, it’s amazing and May is super cool too.

I set off again following the trail towards Gorple reservoir before swerving a right and heading on over to Walshaw Dean reservoirs which looked to be quite low considering it was winter not long ago. I was being chased by the weather at this point and made a beeline for High Withens at the speed of a thousand gazelles, fuelled by Mays sausage rolls.

I soon found myself at the old farmhouse where I scored some shelter (could be a good place for a night if the weather was bad), I chilled chatted to a lady, and then hit the trail again in the rain.

I soon passed by Ponden reservoir and began the ascent into Ikornshaw moors which I remember were very boggy. I bog hopped for this section playing flagstone roulette at the points where they existed. Amazingly, I managed to keep dry feet and didn’t fall in any of the mud.

I stopped at one of the hunting lodges to air my feet and eat some food before heading down into Cowling where I considered sacking it off for the day.

The weather gods were kind to me though as it became bright sunshine which spurred me on for bigger miles and I cruised over the landscape which I noticed had changed from the Peak district moors to more managed farmland which marks the beginning of the Yorkshire Dales.

I soon found myself in Lothersdale and scored some hot food and a quick recharge of the power bank and phone. I decided at that point Gargrave would be the end of my day which was still a fair distance away.

I kept on walking over the endless farmer’s fields and stiles eventually hitting the canal where I stopped for a little while. When I set off again my right foot was hurting pretty badly, and I was soon limping along and debating whether I was badly injured or not. 

Within a couple of miles, I could barely load bare, the churned-up fields didn’t help and my feet were soon drenched which made me even more miserable. I kept on plodding forward though and decided to stop for a pint where I got chatting to some cool older dude who offered his front garden for the night. I snapped his hand off at the offer and he even squared me a shower. 

I tried getting to sleep around 9pm but the pain in my foot kept me tossing and turning for about 2-3 hours before I drifted off…

32 miles walked

Day 4

I woke up and immediately packed up and felt my foot, it was a little bit swollen along the top and still painful to walk fast. I opted for a short day with a finish at Malham cove where I planned to spend the night. 

I made my way over the farmland and soon found myself walking next to the river slowly winding my way to Malham. I stopped to rest my foot and decided the cold water would do it good so went for a dip (it was freezing).

I chilled at the riverside for an hour or so and checked my foot again which appeared to be bruised, I guess the cold water must have brought it to the surface. It did however feel a little better, so I pushed onwards.

I soon found myself in the beautiful village of Malham where I scored some breakfast and a quick recharge of batteries before making my way towards the cove. It was pretty busy around the cove, and I found myself wondering if I could push further. I climbed to the top and chilled for a bit drying out my tent and any gear that was damp or wet.

After a couple of hours, I thought I might as well try and get a few more miles in and carried on cruising down the PW. I spoke to a couple who asked which way Gordale was, I was happy to help and gave them directions before watching them walk off in the complete opposite direction which I found baffling.

I found myself lost in a crowd of walkers before Malham tarn and spoke to a few of them along the way before heading up onto the hill so I could pass by.

Once at Malham tarn I scored some food and chilled with my feet In the water for a little bit before heading down the trail once more.

I soon realized I had no choice but to hit Fountains Fell as places to pitch were few and far between, so I made my steadily up to the summit where I had a look down some of the open mine shafts up there. I think Fountains fell is one of the most underrated places in the Dales and is so beautiful. I debated walking to the tarn at the top and spending the night there but decided to head on over to Pen-Y-Ghent where that would be the end of the day.

I made my way down, being careful not to aggravate my foot, and met a cool guy who was chilling from his bike journey, I spoke with him for a few minutes before heading on to my destination.

I always find Pen-Y-Ghent looks a lot more intimidating than what it is and once I had begun my climb, I was at the top within 20 minutes and eating a sausage roll. I found a place to pitch just off the summit and watched the sunset before retiring into the tent for the night to deal with the aches and pains my body was starting to pay me back with.

19 miles walked

Day 5

I woke early doors and got to see the beautiful sunrise coming up over the summit of Great Whernside in the distance. I quickly packed my gear down whilst watching it before gobbling down a 500-calorie flapjack.

I soon cruised down from Pen-Y-Ghent and into the rolling hills following the Y3P route for a little bit. After a while, I parted ways with this and carried on towards Dodd fell and the North.

The miles came quick and fast, and any aches and pains of the previous days were left behind as my foot felt much better. I cruised on over Dodd fell keeping pace with a guy on a bike through the ascent before being outpaced on the flat.

Pretty soon I found myself sat watching the clouds overlooking the valleys around Hawes and the stunning views they brought with them until the peace was disturbed by the sounds of Motorbikes coming up the mountain, I watched them cruise by before wondering what the days would bring.

I decided to head into Hawes and score some much-needed food and to stock up the hoard on pastry and snacks for the trail. I chilled outside a pub and wangled a charge for my power bank before hitting the trail again towards Hardraw.

I was tempted to visit Hardraw force for a shower and wash but decided to keep cruising as the miles were flying by today. Before I knew it, I was winding my way up Great Shunner Fell and got chatting to people along the way.

The path was steady, and the weather was good with a nice, chilled breeze to make the miles flow faster. I soon summited and sat at the marker on top hiding from the wind and eating some pastry, chocolate, and flapjacks arguing with myself over whether to pitch here or not.

I opted for the ‘not’ and found myself gliding down to Thwaite and over the top to Keld and to Swaledale waterfall. It was around 7pm by this point and I stunk so had a look around and couldn’t see anyone.

So thought hell yeah. Shower and bath time in the river, a waterfall which I savored, unfortunately, a group of young adults was making their way down so I quickly got out and was in the process of getting dressed before I heard them laughing and telling their mates to look at the half-naked guy. Thankfully they weren’t too mean 😀 😀 😀 and my pride was left intact for the most part. 

I decided to head on up to Tann Hill as I was feeling strong still and hoped it wouldn’t be too busy up there (I know insane right?).

The moors between Keld and Tann Hill are exquisitely beautiful, and you feel like you are genuinely light-years from anywhere which is an amazing feeling.

I quickly came into view of the pub and my god was it busy, there must have been a hundred camper vans around there and the carpark was heaving. I was a bit gutted as I doubted being able to spend the night there. As I got closer, I could hear the noise and thought to myself that most nightclubs would be envious of these numbers.

I made it to Tann Hill, sat for a minute and thought I’ll get a drink and head out, but when I popped inside people were packed out to the door and there was no way I was scoring a drink ☹. 

Anyway, I thought I could hit a good mile day today so headed down into Bowes fell.

My god was this a mistake and the path quickly disappeared along with the light. I found myself dodging bogs trying in vain to keep my feet dry and considered just sleeping chest-deep in water and becoming a bog witch.

I kept hearing voices whilst traversing the challenging terrain and thought I was being stalked which made me reckless in my bog traversing.

I was praying to the moon Goddess hoping she would light my way which amazingly she did, this made me happy, and I was buzzing that the moon goddess was guiding me through the darkness.

Eventually, I found a raised wooden bridge and decided to chill there and thought I could sleep here if desperate enough, but I would still have to get out of the bog tomorrow so opted to carry on.

I made my way slowly through the terrain and eventually came to the track, which was a godsend at this point, a quick check of my watch put me at 2 am and I decided to find a place to sleep. I found a spot quickly right next to the track and pitched. 

38 miles walked

Day 6

I woke up around 5 am in thick fog and wet, my kit was pretty damp as well and I thought this needs to clear as it’s going to get grim if I can’t dry it all.

Luckily, I was meeting John from Robustours to crush some miles in the morrow, so I only had a short day to Middleton today. I soon found myself at the bridge of the Gods and the A66 crossing where if you pay attention someone has written on the little sign that this is the official halfway point.

I kept on going with visibility being poor and soon ended up with wet feet, but with it being a short day I wasn’t too bothered and headed on towards Middleton. I watched some Guys at the reservoir fishing and wondered if they were cold sat there barely moving before eating some more food and carrying on.

I spoke to another guy in the moors somewhere (or it might have been a mirage at this point) who was going SOBO, and he said I wasn’t far off Middleton now. This spurred me on, and I just about made Middleton as the clouds broke and the weather cleared, almost like the trail Gods were guiding me.

I headed into Middleton and scored a hotel room which was huge, and I took full advantage of doing some much-needed gear cleaning and admin before scoring some resupplies and then heading to the pub for a pint. I met another PW walker there who was staying nearby with her friend, they were doing a section and it was great speaking to them before they headed on back to their air B&B.

The day passed quickly, and I soon found myself laying in a soft comfy bed drifting off before being woken by the Sun.

13 miles walked

Day 7

I was up dead early and was out of the hotel before 7am, I scored some breakfast and headed to the river where the PW crosses through and the place I was waiting for John.

I spoke to a few people who passed through whilst I was waiting, and some were doing either section of the PW or the whole thing which is soo cool.

I love hearing people’s stories and the adventures and trials they have faced along the way, it’s what makes thru-hiking special…. well apart from the beautiful things you see I mean.

John arrived around 0930 and his personality shone through straight away, he is so upbeat it’s impossible to be miserable around him. We headed on up the river Tees where John filled me in on all the local stuff and best places to get shots, history of sites, and whatnot.

He’s very knowledgeable which is amazing and runs his own outdoors business so if you want a quality ML who will take you to new heights, he is the man (Robustours)

The miles rolled by, and we soon found ourselves chilling at High force waterfall and devouring some calories, I can say firsthand that corned beef and cheese wraps are not a nice combo. Trust me on this one!

We chatted and made our way over the hills and through the valleys with John’s knowledge made following the trail seamless. We soon found ourselves traversing the little boulder field before Cauldron Snout waterfall.

We chilled at the bottom of the waterfall watching people scramble up and down and eating more food 😀 before making our way up to the top and to Cow Green reservoir where John said his goodbyes as he had a long walk back. It was amazing having him join me for the day and I was buzzing from the company. 

I quickly annihilated some miles across the back of Warcop ranges towards High Cup Nick and made it there in no time. It was quite windy looking out across the huge glacial valley, but my god is this place stunning. It is just such an awe-inspiring place it’s hard to even comprehend in words. If you haven’t visited, you need to. No ifs or buts, just do it as it will blow your mind.

I sat chilling and eating more pastry whilst chatting to some people before heading along the PW. I knew what was next and that was Cross fell. The toughest part fo the trail as the climb is just savage and never-ending. I was hoping I would win at flagstone roulette up there as it is notoriously boggy.

I slowly made my way over to Knock Fell and chilled there for a while until my legs recovered a bit before heading on. I was quite nice up here and the weather was kind, and I was indeed winning at the roulette…so far.

I made my way to Great Dun Fell and found myself trying to catch up to the people in front who stopped at the top. I looked at the Golf center for a while (I know it’s not a golf centre) and then headed down to Little Dun Fell where I lost all my chips at the roulette and got my feet soaked.

Eventually, I hit Cross Fell which is the highest point of the trail and cruised on down to Gregg’s hut which is an absolute lifesaver.

Unfortunately, the people doing the Pw in front of me had left all the candles burnt out, and not bothered taking rubbish with them or sweeping the floor so I opted to do this even though I was dying.

After about an hour I heard the door go and wondered if it was the Cross Fell demons and ghosts coming for me, but it was a cool dude named Rob. Turns out Rob had started in Middleton as well that morning and ran all the way there, he was planning to run to House steads in the morning and was training for Junes Spine race which is amazing.

We chatted and told each other our stories before retiring for bed before the sun was down. It gets cold in Gregg’s hut on the night too 😀 and I was pretty chilly, so I imagine Rob was in bits, poor guy.

Anyway, I was feeling the pain when I laid down and it was like knives been twisted in my joints all over my body so it took a couple hours before I drifted off into dreamland.

31 miles walked

Day 8

I woke up in pain and needed to get moving, unfortunately, the weather was poor up there and it soon started raining. I said my goodbyes to Rob knowing he would fly by me in a few minutes.

I headed on towards Alston in the rain and as I said Rob cruised on by, I tried upping the pace for a while to keep him in my sights, but he was too quick and was soon gone. I flowed down the track towards Garrigill and noticed my feet were feeling tender now. I knew my body was under strain at this point and cracks would start showing.

I crossed the fields and the river before heading into Alston where I sorted my feet out by cutting the blisters that had formed and wrapping them up. It took a few miles of pain before I was into the groove again, but I kept going towards Hadrian’s wall. 

The weather cleared by mid-morning, and I was glad for the sun, I followed the Pw and noticed that the path was getting less signposted and a lot wilder now that I was heading into Northumberland which meant with my added tiredness I was making errors and getting off track.

Eventually, I cruised through Slaggyford and kept heading North with the intention of sleeping at Hadrian’s wall. The wall never seemed to get any closer though and the track became quite wild with bog city going on around Greenhead area.

I was charging my phone on the power bank and somehow managed to break the charging cable, which I was gutted about. John offered to drop me one out (what a legend, its miles out of his way) which pays testament to his character, but I said I should be fine as I’d drop off and get a new one as the trail always provides.

I made it to Hadrian’s wall and thought I could sleep near Walltown which is where I had pitched when doing Hadrian’s Wall trail last year and chilled at the pond airing my feet for an hour.

I felt refreshed after the rest and thought, this could be a good mile day, so I cruised on along Hadrian’s wall enjoying the roman battlements or remains of anyway. I fantasized about being a centurion on the wall and wondered how tough they must have been back then. Pretty soon I was nearing the end of the wall and got to enjoy a beautiful sunset as I headed north into Kielder.

I plodded along the trail up to Kielder in darkness managing to avoid any bogs and keep my feet dry, I was in a fair bit of pain by the time I reached Haughtongreen bothy and was glad for the shelter.

I walked in to see a guy sat in complete darkness with no lights on barring the fire which was closed making it pitch black. I absolutely shat myself when he spoke 😀 but he was cool enough and even lent me a charging cable, the trail always provides!

We chatted for a little bit before I retired for sleep which did not come easy. I was in utter agony, and it took me around 3 hours to drift off, I was almost crying at one point from the pains in my joints, feet and body. Eventually I drifted off into slumber town.

38 miles walked

Day 9

I woke up before the sun and knew I only had a short time left before my body gave out, so I headed on out towards Bellingham knowing I needed to make it to the Cheviots today.

I cruised along the bogs and even kept dry feet through Kielder which is almost unheard of. I hit the small diversion where some trees are still collapsed along the trail, I couldn’t face the extra miles so dived on through. It turned out it’s literally like 20-30 metres of felled trees and that’s it, so it was a good choice. I made my way over the hills and fields before hitting the Pit stop which is amazing.

I scored a drink, some nice conversation where we swapped stories and recognized ‘Impalas’ sticker on the fridge 😀 before heading on out to Bellingham where I needed some supplies.

Once in Bellingham I scored some medical gear for my blisters, and some alcohol to clean the wounds I was nursing. Next was to stock back up on some much-needed food which was to the bakeries horror as I wiped them out of most of it :D.

I sorted my feet out and headed on over the fields and hills towards the forest above Byrness and the Forest View Inn. I had been speaking with Ollie who runs the place and he had said to pop on by so that was my aim for now. I ended up with wet feet which by this point were in pain as were my legs which were covered in weird bruises like the blood vessels had burst as well as blisters from the Sun.

I cruised on over the vast undulating landscape before the weather closed in and it started absolutely belting it down for about 3 hours. This did nothing for views or my mood and made the journey slower.

Eventually, the weather broke which was amazing and I could enjoy the lush forest track to Byrness. Or enjoy it for a while anyway before I started wondering if I was gonna be walking this forever.

I debated giving the Forest view a miss but a message from Ollie made me drop in and I was soo glad I did. I met a lady who was gonna be finishing the same day as me which was proper cool. On top of that Ollie squared me away big time, he offered me food, drink, recharged my phone and even offered me a place to kip along with medical tape for my feet. So the place to be on the PW is the Forest View Inn in Byrness.

After a while chilling, I opted to head to the first mountain hut in the cheviots as I knew I didn’t have long left until my body failed. We said our goodbyes and I cruised on up the steep hill out of Byrness before coming into the beautiful Cheviot Hills which are amazing.

I made my way over the hills and soon found myself walking in the dark which was cool and is always a completely different experience. I eventually made it to the mountain hut and laid down for the night before crying myself to sleep through the pain in my body.

35 miles walked

Final Day

I woke up knowing I would be finished soon and that spurred me on through any issues I was having with my failing body. One thing that is worth noting is that water is sparce on the Cheviots so make sure you carry enough from Byrness. 

I soon found myself climbing into the mountains proper and sat in the cairn shelter atop Windy Gyle which weirdly enough was pretty darn windy. I ate most of the remaining food here and headed towards the Cheviot not knowing if I would take the detour and ascend. As I neared, I decided I didn’t have the energy for it and took the very very steep descent to the second mountain hut where I had a little rest.

I was soon back out loving the views, but the heat was punishing up there. I carried on regardless using my buff as a bandage on my leg to keep the sun off the scorched flesh. Eventually I found myself cruising out of the hills and towards Kirk Yetholm which made me kind of sad as I knew my trip was nearing its end.

I chilled a the bottom for a while before growing the courage to face the last mile or so down the road. the walk along the road was quite simply brutal, all the other climbs descents, challenges were nothing in the face of this minor road and slight hill. I think the residents and council know this too as there are numerous benches along this small section and I am not afraid to say I used them all.

I eventually dropped into the town proper and scored my certificate and half a pint at the Border Hotel.

All thoughts of regret about the trial finished when I saw Charmaine and Elyas as they had both travelled up to meet me at the trails end which was the most emotional and beautiful thing I had seen on the trail.

18 miles walked

Summary

I started the trail at 0930 11th April – 1315 20th April total time of 9 days 3 hours and 45 minutes which was never my intention and is the toughest thing I have done on the trail so far. The range of things you see along the PW is truly amazing, the hills, fields, forests, people, and weather all vary massively, and it truly is one of Britains toughest, best and most beautiful trails.

A special thanks to:

I’d like to thank all the people who I met along the way, people I spent time with on the trail and the ones I spoke to via social media. Without you Guyz I don’t think I would have finished and your support and advice were amazing.

Thank you to Montane for squaring me with some gear for the trip it was all amazing. Although I think I may have ruined some of it :D.

Thank you to Hiiker for having an amazing mapping system on their app as it made logistics and route finding so much easier meaning more miles per day.

And most of all thank you to Charmaine for coming up to meet me at the end with Elyas, this was the most special thing I could have hoped for.

What’s Next 

My next challenge will be the Wainright round in August where I am attempting all 214 Wainrights in 18 days which consists of 326 miles and 111k of ascent. 

Thank you everyone and happy trails

Peace out

Pack_backer