Since I was a kid, my parents would frequently take my sister and me out into the surroundings of the glorious Peak District for a long walk and regularly enjoy the unique natural beauty of this extraordinary National Park. Those day trips would usually involve my Dad using his range of trusty old maps and guidebooks to find a suitable walk; we would then set off, with trepidation, and enjoy all that was on offer. Usually, such adventures were done without any moaning and groaning from us youngsters, as we not only enjoyed it, but we would begin to appreciate all the different types of hikes and terrain the Peak District offers and revel in the fact that we were all outside, being active and feeling free.

As time passed, and I became a young and enthusiastic hiker, I soon built resilience for the varied terrain types commonly found in the Peak Districts White and Dark Peak landscapes. I soon learned to cope with the ever-changing, inclement weather, read a map (properly), and fully appreciated the whole experience, especially as the walks would usually finish at a country pub or cafe, with the warmth of a log fire and something hearty to eat.

At the time, I didn't consider much about what I was exposed to or how it would help shape me and benefit me later in life. Thankfully, all those valuable experiences that played out almost every weekend and during the school holidays did help to shape me as a person and encouraged me to keep walking and maintain a strong desire to achieve more.

As an adult, walking/hiking continues to be a necessary part of my life, and wherever possible, I try to walk as much as possible. Since the disruptive Pandemic years started, my walking routine has become even more present and frequent. I would regularly complete a 1-hour walk around the local area and maximise my opportunity (by the government) to exercise daily. In turn, it allowed me to gain some much-needed exercise and help regain some necessary headspace and sanity from being stuck all day indoors.

Most of my favoured walks would take place around my local area or perhaps at the weekend. I might decide to travel further afield in the Netherlands and enjoy several areas of woodland, inland dunes, and the beautiful coastal routes on offer along the North Sea coast. Being brought up in the Peak District, my family home enables me to go back home now and again to see family and friends and enjoy many of the fantastic walks I know and have completed throughout the years.

Walking those regular hikes are often suitable because the familiarity brings us back to what we know and reminds us of who we are. They give you a great sense of satisfaction and fulfilment but also begin to push you to want to achieve a little bit more, perhaps. With that said, the desire to keep on accomplishing as much as possible while you still can is continually an encouraging voice in your head and one that it is good to keep responding to if and when you can.

The Intrepid explorer, part of my brain, is always there and will so often kick in, and in turn, I have a growing admiration for anyone who enjoys a challenge and wants to walk longer and complete longer distances. Those types of people eventually become your inspiration, and the routes they undertake become even more desirable. So with that said, I always seek any opportunity to try and do something a little bit different, and as I get older, time is often not on my side. Therefore I believe it is vital to seize the day and grab every opportunity to reach your goals or do something you perhaps didn't think you could.

The start of the Kungsleden trail in the village of Abisko, in northern Sweden.

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to have one of those memorable and meaningful moments in life, as I had the wonderful opportunity to travel into the arctic circle and the far north of Sweden - a place I had often been intrigued by and wanted to explore. To visit such an exciting place entirely out of this world was high on my to-do list. I was not only captured by the harshness and remoteness of the landscapes but was mesmerised by how this place existed and how different it was from what I would call home. As part of that little trip, I walked on part of the famous Kungsleden trail, an iconic long-distance walk and hiking trail that naturally weaves its way down the spine of Sweden and close to the Norwegian border.

During this particular trip, out in the wilds of northern Sweden. I was thrilled to walk a short stretch of the rugged trail and experience the awe and wonder of what was laid out before me as I walked along the carefully laid wooden boardwalks that kept my feet from getting wet on the soggy soil or scrambling over rocks that seemed to resemble the appearance of a lunar landscape. I was captivated by what was there and the possible excitement of walking day after day to finally reach my destination or possibly do the whole thing one day.

Walking in such an environment made me feel small and remarkably insignificant; nature is beautiful and powerful. At that moment, I believed that anything was possible, and if you set your mind to things, you can work in harmony with your surroundings. As the hike continued and I reached the crest of yet another nordic hill, these feelings were further compounded when I was greeted by a well-weathered 60-year-old lady walking solo and walking in the opposite direction. I briefly stopped and said ‘hello’ to her, and in a few sentences of broken English, she explained that she was walking to the nearby village of Abisko, the end of the trail, and she had completed her walk over the last three days. Of course, I was naturally intrigued and amazed by this lovely lady, as it was not only a chance encounter but one of those experiences that made me stop and think about my own life and what I was doing with it or perhaps what I wanted to accomplish.

Image courtesy of How To Trek Sweden's Kungsleden Trail - Realworld Adventures

As we exchanged glances and shared a few more broken words of English, we wandered off in opposite directions, and the meeting soon became a distant memory. But this moment resonated, and I couldn't help but think about what had just happened and left me feeling there must be thousands of people doing the same multi-day walks or long-distance treks along this trail and others worldwide. Since that chance encounter high on the mountain, I have often thought of returning to Sweden, attempting to hike along the entire route, and enjoying walking in such a unique and beautiful location and appreciating a naturally stunning setting while pushing my body, skills, and mind to their limits. Unfortunately, due to the impact of recent challenging times and the restrictions on global travel, that opportunity has had to remain a distant dream, a dream that hopefully will one day become a possibility.

However, it has enabled me to consider other options and do new things, like completing a week of long-distance walking and trail running in Switzerland, cycling across the Netherlands, and returning home to England (on my bike) as part of a multi-day tour. These opportunities were, of course, fabulous experiences, as I love cycling and spending time in the European Alps. They helped push me out of my comfort zone, completing longer walks covering greater distances, increasing elevation gains, and further developing my navigation skills. It builds character, allows you to feel like your achieving something new and settles your mind with positivity.

Moving forward and 'the Lure of a Long Distance Walk,' there are many more options to satisfy my curiosity and help to focus my mind. Closer to home, The Netherlands has a series of interesting long-distance routes that weave their way across the Dutch landscape and pretty much cover the length of the coast, the width of the country, or from the most southerly point to the north.

Many of these routes are found here: https://www.longdistancepaths.eu/laws/en/ and several others here: https://www.visitingthedutchcountryside.com/explore-the-netherlands/long-distance-walking-paths-netherlands/

Alternatively, when I am back in England, I would also love to do a multi-day walk along the Limestone Way—starting close to my home near Ilam and working my way up to the Dark Peak region near Castleton. I know these locations very well but have yet to put them all together in one extended route, with perhaps a youth hostel or camping stop in between.

The Limestone Way is a relatively straightforward hike, but it is set within some of the most striking countryside on offer in the Peaks or even the UK.

You can click here for the map of the Limestone Way route Limestone Way PDF

Dean Read is excellent, and he has a great way of capturing walks in the Peak District and further afield.

Castleton may also provide the perfect location start if I go to another jewel in the crown, the Pennine Way, one day. Once again, the Pennine route always seems intriguing and walking the whole route one day would be a fantastic achievement. I not only do I love the landscape, terrain, and region but have also been inspired by others, like Dean Read, who completed and captured the walk in a very humbling way.

Anyhow, enough of my ramblings. Many thanks for choosing to read this, and I hope if you follow my lead, you too will begin to reap the benefits of regular hiking routes and perhaps indulge in a challenging, longer walk sometime soon.

Gareth Mate

‘Stories From The Outdoors’

www.garethmate.com

Link to the Long Distance Walking Association The Long Distance Walkers Association (ldwa.org.uk)

The Lure Of A Long Distance Walk