Author Topic: Help Needed!  (Read 1228 times)

Skeggsy

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Help Needed!
« on: 22:04:54, 02/01/19 »
Hi Everyone. I stumbled on this site whilst I was doing some research and it looks like a great resource to help with the challenge I am currently facing. I am not a hiker/walker myself but I am looking for some help for a friend of mine whose son was tragically found dead on Christmas day 2 years ago.  Callum had a mental health condition and since his death my friend has been putting her energy into raising money, in his name, for vulnerable people, such as the homeless and those with mental health conditions.  Callum would have been 30 years old on 1st November 2019 and my friend and her Partner have decided to do a walk from Scotland (exact start point TBC) to her home town in Hertfordshire during the month of October. We have contacted a mental health charity to be the beneficiary for any money raised and they have offered to help with advertising and some of the other communications, such as setting up a blog etc. but we really have no idea how to go about planning a route that is practical and enjoyable. I also wondered if we advertised their progress in the form on a daily blog, whether you think other hikers/walkers might be interested in joining them at points along the route?  It would be great for them to have some different conversation and motivation from others on a day to day basis. Any advice you can give would be very much appreciated and I hope you don't mind me using the site for this purpose but it all feels a bit scary at the moment - and I am not even doing the walking!  Thank you.



richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12710
Re: Help Needed!
« Reply #1 on: 23:38:37, 02/01/19 »
That's tragic, skeggsy - I cannot imagine anything worse as a parent.

The route would depend to a large extent upon the fitness levels and walking experience of your friend and her partner. To me an obvious start to the route south would be doing the Pennine Way in reverse, but this is serious walking over tough terrain. Perhaps some of the hardest parts could by bypassed. They could then continue south through the Peak District, and then make use of England's extensive canal network, the Grand Union Canal in particular (towpaths make for easy walking).

I cannot accompany them as I live in Orkney, but possibly others can.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

Skeggsy

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: Help Needed!
« Reply #2 on: 07:33:37, 03/01/19 »
Thanks for the early response and helpful advice. They have a good level of fitness. Both previous marathon runners and walk several miles a day most days. They are used to long distance walking and were in Peru last year walking at high altitudes, so I am not too concerned about the walk from that perspective. It is more about plotting the distances each day to enable appropriate start and finish points. They are planning to hire an RV for the month, driven by visiting friends and relatives so they have their own accommodation and facilities each night, but clearly this maY bring its own logistical issues. I note that this site includes lots of suggested long walks so I will definitely check these out too for more ideas. Thanks for your post.

richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12710
Re: Help Needed!
« Reply #3 on: 13:47:41, 03/01/19 »
It is more about plotting the distances each day to enable appropriate start and finish points. They are planning to hire an RV for the month.....



The Pennine Way is divided into convenient day long chunks - just look at any guide for the daily start and finish points, bearing in mind that they would be doing it in reverse, of course! For flat walking (eg - canal towpaths) with a light day pack, I would have thought that marathon runners should be able to reel off 20 miles a day no problem.



And if they have an RV + drivers as backup, they can be very flexible in their planning.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

Skeggsy

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: Help Needed!
« Reply #4 on: 18:59:16, 04/01/19 »
Great. Thanks. Really helpful.

richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12710
Re: Help Needed!
« Reply #5 on: 08:09:27, 06/01/19 »

I've just stumbled across the European E2 long distance walk. This passes through Southern Scotland and England, and goes through London (before heading for the Channel and the South of France). It follows the route of the Pennine Way in the North of England, before diverting off to the west, skirting Manchester, then heading south around Stoke on Trent, Birmingham and Oxford, before approaching London from the West. An alternative start point could be Melrose, in the Scottish Borders (accessible by rail, and a lovely little town) - this is on the E2 route.


This map will give your friends some idea -


http://www.wandermap.net/en/official/1956169-european-long-distance-path-e2/#/z8/54.8101829,-1.5463257/terrain


Edit - the map seems to be a bit broken - you need to click on the "Official Routes' button to make it show the route.


WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

Skeggsy

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: Help Needed!
« Reply #6 on: 20:33:03, 06/01/19 »
Brilliant! Thanks so much.  :D

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy