Author Topic: Walking with young children  (Read 2322 times)

WILDWALKINGUK

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Walking with young children
« on: 14:47:41, 07/02/19 »

Hello. I am just introducing myself as I have been a lone walker (miserable git possibly) for the last 40+ years that I have been walking all over the Uk but since doing the TGO Challenge last year, I realised how great the social side of the walking was and how much I had learnt over the years. So I have joined to hopefully help others and myself, as my first post was asking for help with my LEJOG.
and encourage walking with children as they can do more than you may think, mine did Wainwrights Coast to Coast at the ages of 6 and 8, Pennine Way at 8 and 10.
Mark

richardh1905

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Re: Walking with young children
« Reply #1 on: 14:57:36, 07/02/19 »
Welcome to the forum from Orkney, Mark.

It is a great thing to give the gift of walking to children - by that I mean an enthusiasm for an activity that can last a lifetime.

My father took me up Helm Crag near Grasmere when I was seven, and I have tried to pass my enthusiasm to my children (well, I've succeeded with two out of three, anyway). My youngest at eleven is really keen, and climbed Ben Nevis, Ben Hope and Scafell Pike last year, to name a but a few.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

Ridge

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Re: Walking with young children
« Reply #2 on: 15:25:24, 07/02/19 »
Hi and welcome.
I don't think anyone will need encouragement to take their kids walking it is sometimes the kids who will need the push.



I walk because I went walking with my Dad and have passed it on in varying amounts to my children. My son will probably complete the Wainwrights this year. My daughter, who is generally less keen, is off on a 50km challenge hike in 10 days and they are both doing their gold DofE expedition this summer.

1slandmonkey

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Re: Walking with young children
« Reply #3 on: 17:02:02, 07/02/19 »
I'm trying to encourage mine too. I have a boy and girl aged 6 and so far they have done 2 Wainwright's an outlying fell and Roseberry Topping.
Sometimes they need the push to get out but when they do they love it. We normally build up to it and make the day interesting for them. Play games on the way, share map reading, even though they can't quite read it yet. Carrying it makes them feel important.
I'm also introducing them to the Durham Wildlife Trust so they can learn more about the outdoors and the wildlife around it.
They're already very aware of the environment, climate change and what they can do. To. Promote wildlife.
I think we have to educate the youth today. There is too much time spent in doors on computers these days.

WILDWALKINGUK

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Re: Walking with young children
« Reply #4 on: 18:10:25, 07/02/19 »
I have spent hours sat beside many a stream watching the children playing in it and it became a rule that if we passed a play area they could go on it.
It helped that I was never in a hurry or trying to keep to a schedule, we usually camped rough fortunately. Also kept the price down.
 O0

BuzyG

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Re: Walking with young children
« Reply #5 on: 11:09:13, 09/02/19 »
Beats me how any one can not enjoy the great out doors and I guess that starts when some one take you on that first hike as a child O0

Last weekend I sent out a family chat and some pictures, sat a top Fan Y Big, in the Bewitching, snow covered, Brecon Beacons.  A few hours later my son responded, from the top of Mount Olivier, in New Zealand.  Brought a huge smile to my face. 

Ridge

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Re: Walking with young children
« Reply #6 on: 18:13:12, 09/02/19 »
Beats me how any one can not enjoy the great out doors and I guess that starts when some one take you on that first hike as a child O0 
I guess people who play golf would probably say something similar about their hobby even though it is an anathema to the  rest of us.
Quote
Last weekend I sent out a family chat and some pictures, sat a top Fan Y Big, in the Bewitching, snow covered, Brecon Beacons.  A few hours later my son responded, from the top of Mount Olivier, in New Zealand.  Brought a huge smile to my face.
O0
I had a similar, though less exotic, experience last weekend. I put on our family whatsapp a picture of my daughter and I walking in the snow near home and my son immediately posted him and his girlfriend in the snow in Derbyshire.

WILDWALKINGUK

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Re: Walking with young children
« Reply #7 on: 18:15:37, 10/02/19 »
Hello
I have just been asked if I had a blog about my Lands End to John O'Groats walk that I am setting of on next week. If anyone is interested you can follow my progress -  https://wildwalkinguk.com/
Twitter @wildwalkinguk
Mark

gunwharfman

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Re: Walking with young children
« Reply #8 on: 20:20:16, 10/02/19 »
The best walk for children I can think of is 'the Stevenson Way' starting at Le Puy en Velay in France.

Download (its free) 'Travels with a Donkey in the Cevenne' by Robert Louis Stevenson and have a read. Look up the route on your PC and then investigate donkey hire in the area. Hire a donkey from the Le Puy area, or more than one, take your childen, follow the route and finish at St Jean du Gard or earlier, for example at Florac. The donkey(s) are picked up from there by the hiring company and they return them back to the Le Puy area.

I've walked the route, the small hotels that I saw have paddocks to cater for the donkeys as well.

En route I met 3 German families with 4 donkeys, wives and their childen, all travelling together, reminded me of the TV series 'Wagon Train.' The children loved it!

WILDWALKINGUK

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Re: Walking with young children
« Reply #9 on: 21:23:09, 28/04/19 »
Many thanks for your messages and I have now finished my LEJOG and the final instalment is now on my blog. Great walk and people.

richardh1905

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Re: Walking with young children
« Reply #10 on: 08:06:46, 29/04/19 »

Congratulations! What a walk.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

 

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