Walking

It's also liberating that you can get on bus or train when you need without worrying about the bike!

We started the North Downs Way at the start of the year, done the first two sections so far. It's very well signposted, although section 2 was a long slog through constant mud and had a few fallen trees to scramble over. I think we did 18 miles in total because we added a diversion for lunch. Seen lots of birds of prey both times. Next section is box hill which I've done before so should be ok.

Good point.
I’m actually waiting for a train right now. I’m in SE Asia though so you can get anything you’d like on the train. 😁

Did you have any joy with this? I'm considering a walking trip of similar length in France, probably somewhere within an hour or so of Paris so I can Eurostar/SNCF it there and back. Considering a section of the Loire but it's pretty flat and I quite fancy a bit of undulation.

Just realised there's a Walking thread here.

We did the Yorkshire Three Peaks (ccw from Horton) on Saturday. Second time and managed it a bit quicker!

A highly recommended route for anyone who's looking for a challenge. :)

That looks ace. A bit beyond my capabilities at the moment, but working my way up to that amount of distance/elevation this year.

I'm doing the Vanguard Way at the end of the month from Croydon to Newhaven, which while not as hilly is still pretty hefty in terms of length. Splitting it into three days, so averaging c.35km a day.

Woah that’s a proper walk! If you can do that, I reckon Yorkshire Three Peaks will be okay. The steep ascents (and descents!) are particularly sapping, but Friends of the Three Peaks - and I guess National Trust/councils - have done some great work on the paths.

This is interesting I will try this. I
had not done any through hiking for years just day hikes until the last bank holiday when I did a slightly shorter route than you suggested here but again over three days. Detling to Folkstone following the North Downs Way. 20km first day, 25km second day, 20km third day.

I'd be interested in that route from Detling to Folkestone if you recorded it/have a GPS of it.

@ketsbaia

Sorry, only just seen this message.

This was the route I followed: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46198447

I need to edit the route to add in the second campsite.

I stayed at both of these and they were good

https://www.pitchup.com/campsites/England/South_East/Kent/charing/hillcrest_farm_wild_camping/

https://www.pitchup.com/campsites/England/South_East/Kent/Ashford/little_lynton_acres/

Nice one. Thanks.

Doing the Vanguard in a few days, so if it doesn't kill me, I might try this later in the year.

I’ve got a pole related query.

My wife is doing a 26 mile hill walk for charity. I wanted to get her some poles. Will any poles do? Or are some better than other? Are there benefits to poles?

If she’s never used a set there may be no benefit as proper technique is important, IANAHiker though.

There’s a technique???

Look it up, you’ll be amazed.

Did most of the Vanguard Way last week, but had to bail out at Chiddingly due to my daughter being unable to walk any further in her ill-fitting boots. Have to say mine (Merrell Moab 3) didn't exactly live up to their 'waterproof' billing either, which made what was a pretty muddy walk soggier than it perhaps should have been.

Anyone got any recommendations for actually waterproof walking boots? 'cos the Merrells are absolutely not cutting it. I'd hesitate to say they're even water-resistant.

As for the route, it was terrific. Reasonably well waymarked, plenty of incredible views and enough refreshment stops. Actually looks like a really long pub crawl as there appears to be a pub at the end of each section. Unfortunately for us, the soaking it got in the week leading up to our attempt rendered a lot of the bridleways borderline impassable.

Ticks. Watch out for these pesky little parasites when out and about this summer if you're straying off the beaten path. To avoid them, the best advice is wear full length trousers or carry tick tweezers if you insist on shorts. Don't be tempted by any 'burn them' or 'drown them in oil' removal remedies either. Anything like that raises the chance of them vomiting and giving you Lyme disease if they are infected.

I had two last week down in deepest rural Devon and made the mistake of dowsing one in oil as that was what some Italian friends suggested the last time I had one 20 odd years ago (in Italy). The nurse removing it made it perfectly clear I shouldn't have done that.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio­ns/lyme-disease-signs-and-symptoms/lyme-­disease-signs-and-symptoms

Finished the London Loop over the weekend and now looking for another challenge fairly close to the capital. Have already done the Capital Ring, the Thames Path (north and south) and the Green Link Way, so thinking bits of the north downs next maybe.

Anyone got any good routes doable in a day? Happy to travel to and from start and end points. Maybe up for overnight stays on a good end-to-end route too. Cheers.

Did 40k of walking last weekend and I'm not sure my cycling socks with my winter FiveTens are the best combo. Nice blister below my big toe for some reason. Kinda odd spot but I guess something is moving around too much.

bhttps://www.strava.com/activities/12006199270

Anyway, I only have these shoes or my massive goretex hiking boots. Given I'm off the bike for a bit and want to do some more of this, are there any decent, light but not superlight, durable walking shoes that I could combine with, I dunno maybe a merino sock. Something I'd use when it's dry and gives a bit more grip if I'm scrambling uphill than my FiveTen MTB shoes do and maybe aren't fully sealed in the front so there's some airflow?

Not an airflow option but Jim Green African Rangers might be good for walking.

I wanted something more like a sneaker, a trail running shoe but not actually a running shoe if you get me? I mean, I have no idea what's specific about a dirt running shoe vs. a walking shoe but I was thinking they'd be light and airy and grippy but the extreme versions might be a bit too fragile.

You may find something on FKT site (running routes generally,so might be a bit long) ,just zoom in on the map and click on red dots for route's
https://fastestknowntime.com/routes

Nice one on the loop! Have wanted to do it for ages, but a bit slack about getting transport for walks.

One thing I started a few years back was walk every road of my borough (Islington), and once I finished that, I started on neighbouring ones. The map is quite impressive, but the gains end up becoming quite marginal when you need to walk ages to get to roads you've not walked.

I get a blood blister under the big toe nail hill walking with trainers as there is no shank inside the shoe and no real support over the forefoot so my slim feet just hit the toebox when walking downhill, found the answer to be approach shoes which don’t allow as much movement and support the foot way better than a soft trainer they are also stiffer due to the shank.
No idea if some versions trail shoes come with enough support on the uppers but a lot of them look quite flimsy.

I bought a pair of Altra Lone Peak 8 for the summer and am delighted with them. Lightweight, sturdy, grippy sole and breathable. They're not waterproof, but they dry out really quickly. Dunno about durability yet as I've only done around 100+km in them, but am heading off for a long walk down the Loire next week, so will know more about how well they last then.