Longest Walk / Hike

[Countryfox]

2 minutes ago, Buce said:

 

It helps that it's a Southern Hemisphere hike, though.

 

Most of the hikes I have planned are in the North, so could only do one a year during the Northern Hemisphere Spring/Summer; this one would be done over the Southern Spring/Summer which is our Autumn/Winter.

 

Ahh ...   good thinking Batman ! ...    let me know when you’re doing it Bucey and I might come and do a bit with you ...    

[Buce]

47 minutes ago, Countryfox said:

 

Ahh ...   good thinking Batman ! ...    let me know when you’re doing it Bucey and I might come and do a bit with you ...    

 

Sure, that'd be cool.

[Alf Bentley]

1 hour ago, Buce said:

 

Another one for the bucket list:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-45663960

 

So many hikes, so little time.

 

Sounds good, though maybe a bit long for me.

 

Funny enough, a journey from Puerto Montt is already high on my bucket list. Back in 1990-91, I set off to travel overland - and sea - from LA to Chile/Tierra del Fuego. The idea was inspired by Paul Theroux's "Old Patagonian Express" travel book, in which he travelled from New York to Argentina, partly by train.

 

I made it to Chile - more specifically to Puerto Montt - but not to Tierra del Fuego, as I ran out of cash and had to fly home from Santiago. The only alternatives would have been to starve myself on a very long boat trip down the Chilean fjords or to go via Argentina, which would have been a major hassle, not only the travel across the Andes but getting hold of an Argentinean visa a few years after the Falklands War. There were no buses in southern Chile, so walking, a boat or Argentina were about the only solutions.

 

I've promised myself that one day I'll return to Puerto Montt and make that boat trip. I'm now dreaming of making it a longer trip - travelling back up through Argentina to Uruguay and/or Paraguay and Brazil....but by public transport, not hiking, and probably not for at least 4 years due to daughter's age.

 

Let me know if you make definite plans to do this hike in 4+ years time. You're clearly a more serious hiker than I'll ever be, but I might be on to do a section with you, if you didn't mind some temporary company. 

[Buce]

47 minutes ago, Alf Bentley said:

 

Sounds good, though maybe a bit long for me.

 

Funny enough, a journey from Puerto Montt is already high on my bucket list. Back in 1990-91, I set off to travel overland - and sea - from LA to Chile/Tierra del Fuego. The idea was inspired by Paul Theroux's "Old Patagonian Express" travel book, in which he travelled from New York to Argentina, partly by train.

 

I made it to Chile - more specifically to Puerto Montt - but not to Tierra del Fuego, as I ran out of cash and had to fly home from Santiago. The only alternatives would have been to starve myself on a very long boat trip down the Chilean fjords or to go via Argentina, which would have been a major hassle, not only the travel across the Andes but getting hold of an Argentinean visa a few years after the Falklands War. There were no buses in southern Chile, so walking, a boat or Argentina were about the only solutions.

 

I've promised myself that one day I'll return to Puerto Montt and make that boat trip. I'm now dreaming of making it a longer trip - travelling back up through Argentina to Uruguay and/or Paraguay and Brazil....but by public transport, not hiking, and probably not for at least 4 years due to daughter's age.

 

Let me know if you make definite plans to do this hike in 4+ years time. You're clearly a more serious hiker than I'll ever be, but I might be on to do a section with you, if you didn't mind some temporary company. 

 

My plans pretty are pretty much made for the next four years, Alf, so it's unlikely to be done before then.

 

Yeah, I think it would be nice to have some good company.

 

 

[Countryfox]

 

1 hour ago, Buce said:

 

Sure, that'd be cool.

 

48 minutes ago, Buce said:

 

My plans pretty are pretty much made for the next four years, Alf, so it's unlikely to be done before then.

 

Yeah, I think it would be nice to have some good company.

 

 

 

Blimey ...   we’ll soon have half of foxestalk plodding through Chile ! ...    

[Izzy]

2 hours ago, Buce said:

Sure, that'd be cool.

 

1 hour ago, Buce said:

Yeah, I think it would be nice to have some good company.

In other words..."fvck off and leave me alone, I want to do it by myself" 

[Buce]

3 minutes ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

 

In other words..."fvck off and leave me alone, I want to do it by myself" 

 

No, not at all. Although I'm perfectly at ease hiking solo, hiking with the right company is as good or better.

 

Get yourself some boots and make it a foursome, bro.

[Izzy]

2 minutes ago, Buce said:

 

No, not at all. Although I'm perfectly at ease hiking solo, hiking with the right company is as good or better.

 

Get yourself some boots and make it a foursome, bro.

I'm in bro. Always up for a foursome 

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Good for you Bucey. I hope it lives up to your expectations.

[fuchsntf]

Go for it fellas!!   Dont lose the thought...hey take your kids no matter what age they are....

30 years ago my first 2...age 3 and 5,youngest on the Annurpurna circuit,several Original base camps circuits,no sherpas.

rest n play,plus the hikes ,30-60 km,days n days away..doing 100m up 2000m down 800m,up 3000meters,down 1000m,up 4000m....India/Pakistan/Nepal.

Mexico,S+N.America...choose your trails,grab your wives by the hair,get your kids rucksacks,and off with ya!!!

 

you or your kids won't have a better education...Brexit palava over...City 2times fa.cup...which you'll see anywhere live accept Britain.

 

I am now disabled,my Trekking days, are over...(depression and tears). My wife and I were not rich,we didn't chase for a house,until we came

Back..after.3 or 4 times..  There really is nt anything that starts or ends with responsibility!!!!  Only the education of life towards your love ones!!!

my son,actually didn't get his Abbi( A-o- levels until he was 22) my daughter got her masters,without a great educational start,has a young girl.

you think,you dare...you do.  You have memories galore!!! A slightly different perspective on lives spectrum,but discovering without loss of

Pride....you stay the same people,rarely makes you financially better off.....and seeing more doesn't make you special,but ....but..but

you and your own did it!!!! For yourselves.

 

The craziest thing,you will be in the middle of your eager planned hike with your best rigout....n the middle of nowhere,

100 or 1000km from any civilisation then you will meet somebody,who walks a whole day,

To earn 3,4,maybe 10 of some currency,wearing simple shoes,that laughingly has covered twice your distance,and says hello to you

Twice on his/her return,but will share time and grace with you,plus exchange some great local Info..you don't find in books!!

 

 

[Buce]

 

I discovered this website today.

 

It describes over 308,000 miles of hiking trails all over the world.

[Buce]

 

Has anyone been to Luxembourg?

 

I'm heading out there for a week or so next summer to hike the Mullerthal Trail (actually it's three shortish trails - 38, 37 and 37km respectively, that can be conveniently linked to form a longer one) and I'm wondering how widely English is spoken - my French is not so much rusty as corroded.

 

Edited 23 November 2018 by Buce

[Max Wall]

1 minute ago, Buce said:

 

Has anyone been to Luxembourg?

 

I'm heading out there for a week or so next summer to hike the Mullerthall Trail (actually it's three shortish trails - 38, 37 and 37km respectively, that can be conveniently linked to form a longer one) and I'm wondering how widely English is spoken - my French is not so much rusty as corroded.

 

Man you do a lot of hiking. This is a lifelong thing right? How did it start, on holiday, little skint and had to thumb lifts or has it always been a passion?

And, if you can be arsed, what's your best ever hike and why? I'm genuinely interested.

[Buce]

1 minute ago, Max Wall said:

Man you do a lot of hiking. This is a lifelong thing right? How did it start, on holiday, little skint and had to thumb lifts or has it always been a passion?

And, if you can be arsed, what's your best ever hike and why? I'm genuinely interested.

 

To answer that properly will take more time than I have right now, Max.

 

I'll get back to it, though.

[Alf Bentley]

37 minutes ago, Buce said:

 

Has anyone been to Luxembourg?

 

I'm heading out there for a week or so next summer to hike the Mullerthall Trail (actually it's three shortish trails - 38, 37 and 37km respectively, that can be conveniently linked to form a longer one) and I'm wondering how widely English is spoken - my French is not so much rusty as corroded.

 

 

I've only been in and around Luxembourg City, where English was very widely spoken. Whether that's true in more remote villages, I'm not sure.

They have their own Luxembourgish language, too, which is a variant of German, I think.

Based on France and elsewhere, I'd guess that a lot of people will have fair to good English, particularly younger people, townies etc, but less so older people who've stayed out in the country.

[Buce]

16 minutes ago, Alf Bentley said:

 

I've only been in and around Luxembourg City, where English was very widely spoken. Whether that's true in more remote villages, I'm not sure.

They have their own Luxembourgish language, too, which is a variant of German, I think.

Based on France and elsewhere, I'd guess that a lot of people will have fair to good English, particularly younger people, townies etc, but less so older people who've stayed out in the country.

 

Thanks, Alf.

 

I'm not looking to be conversational but I always like to have enough of the local language to get from A to B without starving. I guess it's not going to hurt to take a refresher on Duolingo.

 

This is what I'm looking at.

[bovril]

7 hours ago, Buce said:

 

Thanks, Alf.

 

I'm not looking to be conversational but I always like to have enough of the local language to get from A to B without starving. I guess it's not going to hurt to take a refresher on Duolingo.

 

This is what I'm looking at.

Might have already asked this but have you ever read Patrick Leigh Femrour's three books about walking from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople? You'd appreciate it I think. 

[Buce]

19 minutes ago, bovril said:

Might have already asked this but have you ever read Patrick Leigh Femrour's three books about walking from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople? You'd appreciate it I think. 

 

No, you haven't.

 

I'll check it out. Thanks.

[Buce]

29 minutes ago, bovril said:

Might have already asked this but have you ever read Patrick Leigh Femrour's three books about walking from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople? You'd appreciate it I think. 

 

Wow, what an interesting man, I'll definitely be reading those books. Thanks.

 

It amused me more than it should that he married a woman called  Eyres Monsell.

[bovril]

1 hour ago, Buce said:

 

Wow, what an interesting man, I'll definitely be reading those books. Thanks.

 

It amused me more than it should that he married a woman called  Eyres Monsell.

They're heavy going at times, he's the kind of writer that interrupts a description of a Slovakian stream to go off for five pages on the development of Christianity amongst the Slavic peoples of Central Europe. But they're fascinating. The last installment is close to my heart as I've spent a lot of time in many of the places mentioned in the book and walked many of the same routes he had.

As you said, an interesting man with an unbelievable life story. I think the place Eyres-Monsell is named after her family. 

[Buce]

5 minutes ago, bovril said:

They're heavy going at times, he's the kind of writer that interrupts a description of a Slovakian stream to go off for five pages on the development of Christianity amongst the Slavic peoples of Central Europe. But they're fascinating. The last installment is close to my heart as I've spent a lot of time in many of the places mentioned in the book and walked many of the same routes he had.

As you said, an interesting man with an unbelievable life story. I think the place Eyres-Monsell is named after her family. 

 

So it is. 

 

According to Wiki, the land it was built on was bought from the Conservative MP,  Bolton Eyres-Monsell, 1st Viscount Monsell. 

Less amusing but interesting nonetheless. 

[Saxondale]

12 hours ago, Buce said:

 

Has anyone been to Luxembourg?

 

I'm heading out there for a week or so next summer to hike the Mullerthal Trail (actually it's three shortish trails - 38, 37 and 37km respectively, that can be conveniently linked to form a longer one) and I'm wondering how widely English is spoken - my French is not so much rusty as corroded.

 

 

 

I've been to Luxembourg - the city, not the countryside.  Yes, English is widely spoken. Actually quite a lot of Brits there working in financial services or whatever.

 

Cracking little city. I was driving down to the Alps and thought Lux would make an interesting overnight stop, which it did. Ended up getting ratted with some English expats.

Edited 23 November 2018 by Saxondale
**** up

[murphy]

Interesting thread.  I'm surprised that there is no mention of Wainwright's coast to coast.  I would definitely recommend it.

 

I did it with the gf and our dogs in 2011.  220 miles through the Lakes, Dales and Yorkshire Moors, wild camping most of the way.  Magnificent, hard work and probably the best 'holiday' I ever had.  

 

I have always thought that walking is good for the soul.  Certainly for me.  I really think that if you were feeling low, a physical challenge coupled with beautiful scenery and stripped back living is a great antidote.

 

Edited 28 January 2019 by murphy

[The People's Hero]

Hiked 48 miles for charity once. Was meant to be about 42 Miles but we went horrifically off course. It’s funny now I look back at it but it wasn’t so funny at the time. 

 

Of late ive been hitting 12k-20k steps a day. Trying to do Fat burn. 

 

Im looking to get more involved in hiking as my fitness improves and have been researching some coastal hikes in Kent and Sussex. 

[samlcfc]

On 17/05/2018 at 08:16, Buce said:

 

Thank you.

 

Regarding planning, each of the triple-crown hikes has its own dedicated website:

 

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/

 

https://www.pcta.org/

 

http://continentaldividetrail.org/

 

I'll also add a link for the other two major hikes to make my bucket list, both relatively recently established.

 

The Bibbulmun Track, a 1,000 km hike through the Western Australian bush:

 

https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/

 

And, the Te Araroa Trail in New Zealand, a 3,000 km meandering hike from the tip of the North Island to the tip of the South Island.

 

https://www.teararoa.org.nz/

 

For inspiration and reading about other hikers' experiences, Trail Journals is my go-to site:

 

http://www.trailjournals.com/

 

During your research, you'll see mention of lite/ultra-lite* hiking; many hikers now take a minimalist approach to hiking, taking great pains to shave off pack weight. I've added a link to give you an idea of what it entails, and to see whether it's for you:

 

https://www.greenbelly.co/pages/ultralight-backpacking-tips

 

*Although the spelling of Thru-hike and Ultra-lite don't sit well with those of us on this side of the pond, long-distance hiking is largely an American thing, so I defer to the US spelling.

 

If there's anything else I can help you with, by all means just ask.

 

Happy hiking!

 

I remembered responding in this topic and that it contained a few members who are into their walking, so thought I'd share the details of my latest adventure, should it interest anyone who completed or might look to complete this trail in the future,

 

So I finished seeing topics like these whilst dreaming of heading out on my own adventure, and in 2019 I stumbled again upon Te Araroa's upcoming hiking season and ran with it. 

 

At the end of March, I completed hiking New Zealand's long distance trail. The official route runs just over 3000km from Cape Reinga in the northern most point of the country to Bluff in the South. All said and done, I walked maybe 2600-2700km (and kayaked the appropriate parts), opting to skip the parts which ran along highways or roads for days at a time. Mostly because of the boredom factor and I considered it time better spent elsewhere in the country, but also because long days on the road could cause injuries I really fancied avoiding on such a trip. 

 

Although inspired by the stories and pictures such as those in this thread and originally of PCT hikers years ago, I had never attempted a thru-hike myself until this one. In truth, I've not historically been a regular hiker and other than the odd occasion in the UK and trips to far flung locations, I haven't put an extreme amount of mileage into my feet.

 

The experience was absolutely incredible and having wanted to travel to New Zealand for many years, it was amazing to traverse the various landscapes by foot, sometimes heading into the mountains for days at a time to witness views that you'd not see otherwise. The terrain was often harsh and rugged, but whether it was the sights along the way or just the feeling of overcoming it, I rarely felt short-changed for the effort invested.

 

Both islands had their benefits, but I think the South Island was my favourite of the two. The trail in the north island visited some fantastic locations whilst touching upon towns and pockets of civilisation, where I had some fantastic experiences with locals who were kind enough to host me a number of times. The south island by contrast felt more grand and majestic in scope, with another level of adventure existing in the largely unpopulated mountains, valleys and plains. It felt daunting and very venturesome to head out into the ranges with just an extremely heavy bag full of food and gear, knowing that there were days and more than a few mountains before reaching the next town.

 

I return home with a strengthened love for the outdoors and a long list of places closer to home that I look forward to exploring.