Itchy feet....

[maddave]

Just watched a great vid on a young fella called "Bomber" who hiked the Appalachian Trail (AT).... Has anyone here done any long distance hikes?? Longest I've done was the Pennine Way but the below vid is worth a watch....


[video=youtube;xAiRoNj7Ah4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAiRoNj7Ah4[/video]

 

[Trunks]

I think Shewie did the TGO, I'm sure he posted a report in here somewhere.

I'd love to do a section of the AT though

 

[Chris the Cat]

J O'Grotes to Lands End.
Sleeping in haybarns and Broad hedgerows.
Aint much but its the best I've got! ( Plus Coast to Coast the year after )

Best.

Chris.

 

[andybysea]

Chris the cat J'ogrotes to lands end is about as good as you can get here in blighty,good on yer,, just started doing long distance stuff myself(with a slight twist basically doing a set distance within times,only stopping for quick bite to eat,and or brew,sleep maybe 1-2 hrs in 24)ive kind of lost interest in the bushy side of things for the time being,prefering to set ourselves challenges(do this stuff with a mate) i try and get 25 miles per week done when not doing the walks mentioned above to keep me in shape.

 

[Chris the Cat]

Come down and stay with me next summer mate and we can do the 'Parambulation of the Exmoor Forest'.
Takes place every year on the wkend nearest the longest day, 32 miles over and around Exmoor with some kick bottom incline/decline ( as you can imagine! )
( pop it in Google and have a look! )

Long distance walking, love it mate, got the SW coast path in my sights!!

Best.

C.

 

[MartinK9]

Great video.

 

[John Fenna]

I tried LE to JOG when I was 20 did my knee in and finished in Co Durham.
I have done PW, Hadrians wall, Cotswold Way, Ridgeway, Offas Dyke, Pembs Coast and lots of smaller LDPs and trekked in E. Europe, Europe, Various bits of Africa and Thailand.
Longest day ever 30m with 45lb pack.
These days from the results of wrecking my knee in the first mentioned walk I cannot do much more than 6 easy miles with a day pack....

 

[Reverend Graham]

I have done Double and Triple Ironmans, the Triple was 7.5 mile swim, straight on to a 336 mile bike, topped of with a 78 mile run, all in under 60 hours I hold the UK record for the over 55s, considering a Deca, 24 mile swim, 1120 mile bike, 260 mile run, to be completed within 10 days.

Rev G

 

[sandbender]

"...Just watched a great vid on a young fella called "Bomber" who hiked the Appalachian Trail (AT).... Has anyone here done any long distance hikes?..."

I have downloaded that video to watch later, thanks. I have never walked the AT, wanted to when I was younger but ended up walking elswhere instead.

There are plenty of long distance paths in Europe, some are simply daily bimbles with a guaranteed hostel at the end of each day, some are quite arduous. Quite a few of the European walks link up to form the European long distance paths network, you can in theory walk from Ireland to Turkey if you wanted.

Toughest walk, the GR20 around Corsica.
Most enjoyable walk, the Lycian Way in Turkey.
Longest walk, the GR65 from central France to the Atlantic coast of Spain (1600km)
Longest day ever 75km (The France/Spain border to Pamplona)

If you have the time, go for it, some great times will be had.

 

[maddave]

I have downloaded that video to watch later, thanks. I have never walked the AT, wanted to when I was younger but ended up walking elswhere instead.

There are plenty of long distance paths in Europe, some are simply daily bimbles with a guaranteed hostel at the end of each day, some are quite arduous. Quite a few of the European walks link up to form the European long distance paths network, you can in theory walk from Ireland to Turkey if you wanted.

Toughest walk, the GR20 around Corsica.
Most enjoyable walk, the Lycian Way in Turkey.
Longest walk, the GR65 from central France to the Atlantic coast of Spain (1600km)
Longest day ever 75km (The France/Spain border to Pamplona)

If you have the time, go for it, some great times will be had.

I like the look of the Lycian way

 

[TurboGirl]

Wow, get you guys! The nearest I've got to the Appalachian Trail is rolling round the bed laughing at Bill Brysons 'A Walk In The Woods' when he did it... well, some of it

MUCH respect, Rev! I bet theres great pride in holding the UK record for that, it sounds extreme!

 

[maddave]

I have done Double and Triple Ironmans, the Triple was 7.5 mile swim, straight on to a 336 mile bike, topped of with a 78 mile run, all in under 60 hours I hold the UK record for the over 55s, considering a Deca, 24 mile swim, 1120 mile bike, 260 mile run, to be completed within 10 days.

Rev G

Gobsmacked !!!

 

[Paul_B]

My partner was interested in the Lycian way. what's the best section? She has what I believe is the best or only English language walkers guide for it. I think the combination of hills and coastline on it appeals. Won't get round to it for some time now as had a baby born 6 months back. Spring is best time I heard. Like a lot of Mediterranean countries Turkey gets quite a display of flowers in spring.

I've only done 10 day tour of lakes. Plus a series of 40 mile walks, last one in less than 9 hours. Did a 50 mile stroll across Wales once for fun. 17 hours. All short stuff really. I know a guy who did Pacific Crest Trail. He averaged 25 miles a day with a few rest days. He set off later in the season with the aim to go further and faster than the average trail walker. Think he caught up the crowds before the end. He had some tales including nearly getting drowned crossing a river and the trail angels. He was swept down river with his sack on but got pulled out by someone I think. Well he came back and told us the stories. Trail angels help people on the trail. From the woman who refilled a water drop on the desert stage, the people who collect walkers from airport and drive them to the start/put them up a few nights for no charge. To the one who left bags of fresh fruit where the trail passed over a road for walkers. There were many more examples of trail angels. I did like the staging post camp site with a bag of clean clothes in a tub. You strip your clothes off, put the clothes that fit you in the tub then hand your clothes over in a bag for these trail angels to wash for free. Other tubs have stuff you can take. Gear ppl left behind. My friend took an umbrella to help with the sun.

in the desert section you get covered with dust, called trail dust, which was better than sun cream. After a few days walking you didn't need sun tan lotion.

 

[sandbender]

I like the look of the Lycian way

My partner was interested in the Lycian way. what's the best section? She has what I believe is the best or only English language walkers guide for it. I think the combination of hills and coastline on it appeals. Won't get round to it for some time now as had a baby born 6 months back. Spring is best time I heard. Like a lot of Mediterranean countries Turkey gets quite a display of flowers in spring…"

Yes, spring is definitely the best time to walk, there are no OS maps or equivalents, the official guide book has a poor quality map and descriptions of the route and you really need a copy with you. The best section? I'm not sure, I liked it all, the long section along the beech was boring, there were areas with kilometre after kilometre of poly-tunnels, I didn't like that but the crack in the tea shops was good. The high meadows were really quite special, utterly quiet but for bird song and the hum of bees and insects and a fantastic range of plants and flowers.

"…Trail angels help people on the trail. From the woman who refilled a water drop on the desert stage, the people who collect walkers from airport and drive them to the start/put them up a few nights for no charge. To the one who left bags of fresh fruit where the trail passed over a road for walkers. There were many more examples of trail angels. I did like the staging post camp site with a bag of clean clothes in a tub. You strip your clothes off, put the clothes that fit you in the tub then hand your clothes over in a bag for these trail angels to wash for free.

Trail angels, I like the sound of that, I have come across similar things in Europe, but nothing quite so organised.