The Unhurried Hiker

 

I asked myself so many questions before I embarked on my solo road trip to Scotland in September 2023. Was I capable, was I confident enough, was I fit enough, strong enough, would I be safe, did I have the right gear, would I feel alone and vulnerable? All of this, spinning round in my head making me doubt my decisions, the plans I had made and my expectations for this long-awaited journey.

With my fingers vigorously tapping on my keyboard typing into that little window in the centre of my laptop screen, I dived into the infinite black hole of knowledge, that is Google, and started to narrow down where I would stay each night and what to do when I got to my daily destination. What I learnt along the way, far exceeded any experience I could have imagined. Maybe ignorance carried me somewhat, but I was happy to ride on the back of not knowing what was ahead of me. Well, it was educational, enlightening, cleansing, spiritual.  I had time to think, with clarity, about how I felt in the moment, without interruption or consideration. I pushed myself physically and mentally to limits I didn’t know existed. That one trip has been the catalyst to this catalogue of adventures, to discover and record where I go, how I feel, my thought processes, what I reflect on and the impact it will have on my life, my relationships with people and my mind set in the future.

I am far from the stereotypical hiker; in fact, I would go so far as to say I am probably the opposite of what you envisage when you think of a hiker. The examples I see in the media of men and women sporting the latest trends and the biggest brands are often wearing garments far outside the confines of my bank balance or body shape. They have long, slim limbs that happen to be long enough to fill every one of the 33 inches of inside leg on those walking trousers. No foot long, excess fabric flapping around the ankles of these beautiful people! The waterproof trousers hanging on the shop rails may well be wide enough for my chunky thighs if I choose a pair with enough X’s before the LARGE, but I could make a second pair with what’s south of my walking boot laces. The idols on those websites are not struggling to walk and talk at the same time, they do not have fatigued muscles or aching joints, goodness no… they have airbrushed complexions of perfection, not a hair out of place and are all shiny like a new coin. Well, that’s definitely not my reality!

My stats include being 5’1” short in the morning, marginally unfit, on the east side of 45 years old, with size four hobbit shaped feet and sporting some old injuries. There is a vast chasm that exists between my silhouette and the toned outlines of the photogenic, pixel perfection images that stare back at me from my screen. By design, my stunted stride means I am slower than most, I have learned to accept that it is not about the ever accumulating time on someone else’s Garmin watch, it’s about the time I take for me, precious time that gives me what I need to escape for a while, recharge, clear my head before jumping back on the train tracks of my rich, but all consuming life. It has led me to think; I can’t be the only one!

Not all of the trips I embark on will be epic adventures. I live in the flattest part of the UK, sometimes there just isn’t the time or the funds to travel to the breathtaking views of the hills and valleys and stay away for the weekend. I will find all kinds of places to appreciate the beauty in the changing seasons, the hibernation of the flora and the new life when it re-imagines itself all over again. To cross paths with fascinating people who have stories to tell that will capture me and inspire my imagination. To come across masterful architecture that makes me wonder how did they do that? To do this going solo or to share the company of friends and family who I am blessed to have in my life. All of which will bring a smile to my face when I reminisce in months and years to come and remind myself that, This Girl Can!

 

 

 

I hope this platform will be multi-faceted. Not only to share with you where my little feet take me but to empathise with the emotional rollercoaster of setting yourself a challenge that may seem way beyond your physical and mental capabilities. To tell you that it might take you a bit longer than the average Joe, but you are also worthy of the euphoria that floods your body when you exceed your expectations, finally cross that finish line or touch that stone monument at the highest point of a Munro Mountain. To offer you reassurance that not fitting the mould of the model doesn’t mean you can’t find your own way, in your own time, to reach the same summit as those who have gone before you or those who will follow in your footsteps. Being out of breath and aching from top to toe means you are still alive. That the only journey that really matters is the one you are on and that its totally acceptable to be an Unhurried Hiker.