Author Topic: Acts of kindness when hiking.  (Read 675 times)

gunwharfman

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Acts of kindness when hiking.
« on: 10:41:21, 27/08/19 »
I heard this subject being discussed the other day and I started to think about my experiences. Most acts of kindness for me have happened in France, on more than one occasion people have let me camp on their lawn or outside on a verge. People have stopped me and offered coffee/water, etc plus a very memorable time when I was offered and drank half a bottle of wine! Difficult to get going after that. On a bad weather night being offered the opportunity to camp on a mobile home veranda, made the intense thunder and lightening much easier to deal with. Or the time when I'd too much to drink, I left my money on the bar and the landlord chased after me in the dark to give it back to me. Kindness can make a good walk even better!

I've met some very kind people in the UK as well, similar to my French experiences. I remember the old lady, in her garden near Hawes, with curlers still in who insisted on giving me a big cup of tea and biscuits. At that point on the Pennine Way, I was so grateful. Or the man, lounging on a sunbed in his garden in the wilds of Kent, who insisted I should join him for lunch, cheese, pickles and so on because he was just interested in the lives of the people who strolled passed the bottom of his garden as they walked the High Weald Trail. And last but not least those very kind people who have stopped to offer me a lift when I've hitchhiked.

barewirewalker

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Re: Acts of kindness when hiking.
« Reply #1 on: 12:41:42, 27/08/19 »
I think there is a topic on this very subject in the back pages. Your experiences are very similar to mine, glasses of iced cold lemonade passed over a garden fence and invitation to take the weight of in a pleasant garden setting with refreshments thrown in.

One such invitation stand out in my mind from a very long time ago. I hitched up to Langdale to meet an old school friend, and waited most of a morning. After a quick bout of Pike O Stickle, Pavey Ark and Harrison Stickle in 1hr 55mins as timed by a kind barman, who looked after my rucksack and climbing gear, with a promise to look out for my friend. As I seemed to have been stood up, I decided to hitch down to Snowdonia, where I would stand a better chance of finding a climbing partner.

Around midnight, found me walking along the N.Wales coast road, potential lifts dwindled to zero, so over a wall, not much moonlight, flat patch of grass between some rhododendrons and up with mountain tent; perfect bit of, wild camping, as it is referred to today.

I overslept a bit, strenuous day before, one look out of the sleeve entrance, had me out, like a rat out of a pipe. I was in the middle of some particularly posh caravan park, on an individual pitch and my weekends beer money was in serious peril if I got caught. Everything went into the rucksack in a flash, but my speedy evacuation was stopped by a hail from one of the caravans, with dragging feet I reluctantly allowed myself to drawn closer, then a mug coffee was thrust into hand, the invitation to sit at a breakfast table made and full English was served on a promising summers morning.

As I confided with my friendly hosts, my fears, I was reassured that no daily fees were sought, far too posh, sites on annual subscriptions, places by invitation only. As I walked away, not climbing over a wall, I passed under the lofty portals, entrance to a stately driveway, well fed and with beer money intact.
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

Warbler

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Re: Acts of kindness when hiking.
« Reply #2 on: 16:48:17, 27/08/19 »
While walking Offa's Dyke Path earlier this year, I had to abandon about 4 miles after Kington with an Achilles tendon strain. I'd arrived at a quiet country lane with a village about a mile away. Having checked online, I discovered there was a bus stop and a pub there.

So, my plan was to reach the bus stop, catch a bus to Knighton (my original target for the day), and pop in the pub for a pint if time permitted, before finding a bed for the night. I'd tackle the long journey home in the morning. As I was limping into the village, a guy was doing some work outside the front of his house. I got chatting with him, explained my predicament and my solution to it. He explained that there was no Sunday bus service, and the village pub had closed down. He did say there was another village 3/4 mile further on, and had a pub that was open.

So, change of plan. Get to the pub in the next village and order a cab to Knighton.

By this time I was limping quite badly. But a couple of minutes down the lane, the guy I'd been talking to pulled up alongside me in his car and told me to jump in, he'd run me to Knighton. Knighton was about 10 miles away.

I was quiet staggered by this act of kindness (he had no reason to be in Knighton that day). He explained that last year, he and his wife had walked the Camino de Santiago. They had no real experience of long distance walking, and couldn't speak Spanish, but they had received so much help from local Spanish folk.

I'm guessing maybe this was his way of trying to "balance the books", karma wise. I was certainly very grateful.

 

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