For you non British folks…coming from a French Canadian 😉… that would be 21 sleeps! Really looking forward to what should be an incredible and different walking experience...different is always good! ☺️
Note to anyone reading…this blog has a few Diversions...they have absolutely NO tie whatsoever to the topics at hand...Coast to Coast walk and 2024 Camino/Other walk choices. Diversions are clearly identified...they are just for fun... therefore you may well practice “dynamic reading” which is what Paulo...my Camino walking friend told me he does…I think “dynamic reading” is a warp speed version of skimming. 😂. If you choose not to “dynamic read” grab yourself a cup of coffee and simply relax...
Diversion # 1 - reference to being a French Canadian. I recently found a 1,400 page PDF which researched in depth the Desautels (mother’s maiden name) family lineage in Canada. Pierre Desautels arrived by boat from France with 105 other settlers in New France September 23rd 1653. At the time the non indigenous population of New France (later part of Canada) was estimated to be 650. Having recently visited Newfoundland it is clear that other settlers had arrived there prior to 1653.
Sooo... Pierre...a tailor by profession was my great great great great great great great grandfather.
Jean-Baptiste Desautels...a Voyageur... coureur de bois...initially worked for the North West Company and then the rival Hudson Bay Company... arrived in Manitoba in and around 1815 and was buddies with Lord Selkirk who established the Red River Settlement.
Sooo...Jean-Baptiste was my great great great grandfather.
I am a 10th generation Canadian...feels pretty cool! Now whom do I identify best with... Pierre a tailor or Jean-Baptiste a Voyageur...coureur de bois. Absolutely no question considering my utter lack of clothing sense and the excitement associated with being a Voyageur...coureur de bois ☺️. Now a few people reading this will simply break down laughing considering my woeful canoeing record (tend to fall out or tip canoes...never my fault!) however Jean-Baptiste for sure!
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| Proof Positive! - Voyageur…coureur de bois |
Five fun facts on the Wainwrights Coast to Coast (C2C) walk...which in 2023 is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary... as per a Ramblers 2022 article ...
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| Wainwright’s UK Coast to Coast Walk |
The First to Complete the Coast to Coast
The first person to complete the iconic Coast to Coast walk was, of course, the man who popularized it - the legendary Alfred Wainwright.
Wainwright brought the idea of the hike to prominence in 1973, when he published his acclaimed book ‘A Coast to Coast Walk.’ Although the route has been revised multiple times since then, much of its course has remained the same. This includes its starting site and endpoint (St Bees in Cumbria and Robin Hood’s Bay respectively).
The Highest Point
There are various highs and lows located along the Coast to Coast route, with some sections ascending breathtaking mountain peaks. The highest point of the walk is at Kidsty Pike in Cumbria, which reaches an altitude of 2,560 feet (780 metres) - that’s over twice the height of the Eiffel Tower.
A Parade of National Parks
One of the best parts about walking the Coast to Coast path is the rich tapestry of natural scenery you encounter along the way. This is largely thanks to the fact that the route passes through a total of three incredible national parks.
The first is Cumbria’s beautiful Lake District, which is later followed by the glorious Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors.
One of the World’s Top Trails
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the Coast to Coast is that, despite its widespread popularity, it has never been made an official walk. However, this hasn’t stopped it from receiving international acclaim. Note: On Aug 12, 2022 it was announced that the Coast to Coast would become a National Trail. This transition will occur over a number of years.
In fact, in 2004, Wainwright’s Coast to Coast was named the second-best walk in the world by a panel of expert hikers. It even ranked higher than globally celebrated treks like Everest and the Inca Trail.
Completed in Record Time
The fastest time it has taken someone to complete Wainwright's Coast to Coast on foot is just 39 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds. This record was set only last year by Gloucestershire runner Damien Hall.
Diversion # 2 while walking and daydreaming two thoughts popped into my head a couple of weeks ago! 1) I would realize a life long dream and get a hole-in-one golfing and 2) Greg would be successful in his quest to set a World Record with his 3 teammates in the Canadian Outdoor Championships running in the 4 x 800 Meters Relay. WELL...☺️
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August 14, 2023...tee shot...NEVER been closer! Ok short hole...hit a wedge... my first ever hole in one...almost!
I had a brief chat with Ken my golfing friend as to whether we could consider this to be a gimme hole in one...why not so close 🤣. No dice so officially a birdie 2! 🥲
 | August 12, 2023...Langley BC...NEW WORLD record for 4 x 800 meters Masters ages 60 - 64! Left to right Mark Pinckard (BC), Chris Deighan (Ont), David Guss (BC), Greg Athayde (WINNIPEG, MB), Alternate runner (Guy Arbez WINNIPEG, MB June 21, 1987)☺️
It should be noted that the Alternate runner did not get an opportunity to run...who knows how much lower the time would have been if he had run!!!
The previous Canadian record was 10 minutes 32.83 seconds...previous World Record was 9 minutes 29.57. A new world record was set at 9 minutes 16.90 seconds! Yeah Canada! Yeah Winnipeg! Well done Greg!
The next day Greg went toe to toe with Mark Pinckard in the Canadian Seniors 60-64 Individual 800 meters. That had to be a photo finish as Greg came in second .02 seconds behind. Apparently Greg’s sister told him that if he had any sort of belly he would have won 🤣. |
Sooo...at this pace Greg should be able to run the Coast to Coast 317 kms in roughly 15 hours thus smashing the 39 hour current record time! While Greg is doing this I will have a somewhat lonely walk across England ☺️
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Waypoint51 a website dedicated to the top 18 UK trails says this about the C2C.
"So how good is it? Well, let’s just say that in places, you’ll rue all that time you spent sleeping, eating, going to school and work, watching telly, playing sports etc etc etc…. Time that seems simply wasted when it could have been spent on the Coast to Coast.
Small wonder that it’s Britain’s most popular long-distance trail.
If you were to take a look at a map of England, you’ll see there are three national parks lying in a row from west to east. Those three parks are the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, and Wainwright’s route crosses through all three.
Of course, it doesn’t require any great insight to plan a trans-Britain route that crosses all three; that’s not genius, that’s just common sense. But the beauty of Wainwright’s Coast to Coast is in the detail: it’s not that it passes through three national parks, but the route that he chose for his path through those three parks that is so clever.
Deciding to cut through the Lake District via the gorgeous valleys of Borrowdale and Patterdale, and the tourist hot-spot of Grasmere, not only enables trekkers to sample some of the prettiest places in the Lakes, but also to conquer some of its most famous summits too, including High Crag, Haystacks, Greenup Edge, Helm Crag, Helvellyn, Striding Edge and Kidsty Pike. These names may not mean much to you now – but trust me, on the route, when you’re climbing them, nothing else will matter.”
Of the 18 trails in the UK rated for difficulty the C2C walk was rated as the second most difficult by WayPoint 51"
"2. Coast to Coast 🥾🥾🥾🥾🥾 This trail ranks highly for several reasons: it’s a long trail, the signage is often absent (especially in those places where you really don’t want it to be), there are lots of very steep climbs and descents, and lots of places where facilities are few. The fact that there are so few signposts is slightly mitigated by the fact that there are often quite a few people on the trail. (We’ve also been very detailed in our guide book, to help you find the correct path, as often the most obvious trail is not the one to take!) Still, completing this trail is a proper challenge – though, admittedly, a very pleasurable one too.”
Of the various trails with the best final destination WayPoint51 rated Coast to Coast as a runner up
"We also really like the finale of the Coast to Coast, at lovely Robin Hood’s Bay, a scrumptious little fishing village on Yorkshire’s east coast, with a hotel-cum-bar at the bottom, the Bay Hotel, which caters almost exclusively to C2C walkers, selling certificates and T-shirts for those who’ve taken their last step on the trail.”
On the topic of getting lost WayPoint51 had this to say 🤣
"So where might I get lost? It’s easy to get lost on the Coast to Coast Path – indeed, it’s almost part of the experience. Nearly everybody who loses the trail does so in the Lake District, during the first three days of the walk. The lack of signage, the sometimes poor visibility and the number of distractions – the beautiful views, and the effort it takes to climb the slopes, for example – means it’s easy to lose concentration and get disorientated.”
Have I ever gotten lost on long walks 😂 ...many, many times... however given I am writing this today I have always found my way home ☺️. This time will be no different...Mac’s Adventures GPS to follow, Wikiloc trails downloaded as backup, simply following others who seem to know what they are doing and finally relying on our collective analytical abilities from the IT and Business worlds 🤣. We will get lost at some point guaranteed...I know that ahead of time…that adds to the final story! Greg will always argue in hindsight that his suggestion would have been the right one 😳
A recent example of getting lost...and the fun and adventure associated with finding the walking track again...Day 3 2023 PEI Island Walk
"The adventure of the day
At roughly the 7 km point an Island Walk sign clearly said turn left next street. My GPS track said keep going straight 🤔. Note: I later learned that the sign I saw...while similar to Island Walk signs...is actually a sign for a scenic driving route.
Given the Island Walk is so new it is likely undergoing route changes so I turned left…almost immediately there was an Island Walk sign so all good!
A very pleasant walk…but no more signs…fortunately I have downloaded maps to go along the GPX track that I am following. I decided that if by a certain point in time I had not seen another sign that I would go crazy and create my own path back to GPX track.
And so I did…it was like being an early explorer to Canada…except with roads in place 😂…I walked through farmers fields on red mud roads and eventually hooked up with the original track.”
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| Green line is the official route: orange line is my adventure! |
Diversion # 3 A few years ago various family members took the 23andMe Ancestry test...I find the results really interesting...further to the Desautels info above my background Ancestry 3 highest countries are: France 58.0% (no surprise), British & Irish 22.7% (a little surprising), Spanish & Portuguese 11.0% (Arbez has to have a Spanish connection!)
However the result that I find most fascinating is that I have Neanderthal DNA greater than 63% of all 23andMe customers...not in the least bit surprising to me 🤣. Apparently they test for 7,462 variants and I have 247 of them! I have 8 variants associated with Neanderthal traits.
Six of them come from one parent only however...wait for it...Having a worse sense of direction is the only trait where I have 2 traits or from both parents! Incredible!
Sooo...it’s all explained...I can’t help getting lost sometimes...the Neanderthal lineage did me in!☺️😄
Finally WayPoint 51 rated the Coast to Coast as the most beautiful walk in Britain so that about says it all!
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| Lake District Scenery |
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| Looks a little tricky here |
On four separate days we have a choice between a low or high route...Mac’s Adventures recommends taking the high route whenever possible for the views...no question this will be the preferred choice!
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Famous Cairns along Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk
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Bottom line how can I not be excited about this walk!
Preparation - Physical, Mental, Equipment, Dangerous Animals
Physical
For me walk consistently every day with a few small hills thrown in for good measure. Nothing fancy...someday I will make it back to the gym but for now simply want to be outside roaming...
Jan 1 - Aug 21, 2022 Fitbit stats
Steps 6,453,000 (rounded to nearing thousand...can’t be too accurate 🤣)
Kms 4,821
Avg Kms per Day 20.7
Jan 1 - Aug 21, 2023 Fitbit stats
Steps 6,804,000
Kms 5,082
Avg Kms per Day 21.8
In 2022 I started walking the Camino Primitivo with Paulo and then completed the Camino San Salvador on Sep 16, 2022.
- Total walking days 17
- Distance kms 443 kms
- Avg kms per Day 26.0
- Feels like kms per Day* 31.7
* Feels like kms are modified for elevation gains/losses
In 2023 Greg and I will start walking the C2C on Sep 17, 2023 (extra night in St. Bees).
- Total walking days 13
- Distance kms 317 kms
- Avg kms per Day 24.4
- Feels Like kms per Day* 29.5
* Feels like Kms are modified for elevation gains/losses
From a pure numbers comparison...2023 C2C pre-walk preparation is a little stronger...5% greater than 2022. The C2C walk is 72% the length of the 2022 Caminos and the Mod Kms per Day 93% of the 2022 Caminos.
It’s time now to taper my walking over the last few weeks…
The C2C is clearly not a walk in the park...it will be quite challenging for sure... however the physical preparation is there. Does being a year older factor in this...no why should it...well it better not... a year older has nothing to do with anything! 🙂.
Mental
Essentially my mindset is simple...I really enjoy the challenge...the walking experience…done this before and know I can do it again. Why cloud the picture with of all kinds of scenarios which could lead to an unsuccessful walk.
Life does not go in a straight line...neither does a long walk and there are so many variables that can’t be measured or even anticipated such as different terrain, weather or simply unanticipated events...of which I have had my share 🤔
2013 Via Jacobi - Partially detached retina on day 17, return home...surgery and with 38 rest days returned to walk day 18 into Geneva Switzerland
2018 Camino Portuguese - 250 mm of rain over 3 days...terrible blisters developed on 2nd day after which Paulo and I had a spirited discussion.
Diversion # 4 - The Spirited discussion
Paulo “ Guy you must use Compeed blister bandages on those blisters...it is the only way to solve your problem”.
Me “Paulo Compeed blisters are absolute crap...I need to pierce these blisters...let the liquid drain and then tape up my feet as best I can...and walk through the discomfort until healing takes place.”
Paulo “Guy trust me...I am a lawyer from Brazil and I know stuff”
Me “Ok fine...I sure wasn’t a lawyer... so I will use the Compeed bandages”
End Result: Disaster as Compeed bandages should only be used on de roofed blisters i.e. no liquid…skin removed. Camino grinds to a complete halt 2 days later…5 days rest...restart ~200 kms away in Porto
Or have I mixed up Paulo and Me in the first two parts of the conversation above? Hmmm...if I did this has to rate in the Top 5 dumbest decisions I have made in my life. Do not ask me for the other 4 dumbest decisions as I have almost certainly forgotten about them. However if you really are interested please contact any family member who will quickly list out many more than 4...non family members can surely come up with at least one example! 🥲
2023 PEI Island Walk - Enjoyed an evening of PEI hospitality with George an accommodation host which included shucking raw oysters (I am sure I had done this once before!). Roughly 48 hours later the wheels came off and I had to rest for 4 days...lopping off ~ 120 kms and restarting with just over 100 kms from Charlottetown.
No second guessing accepting the invitation but perhaps a creative solution would have been possible allowing me to continue walking. Two requirements 1) needed some kind of fuel i.e. maybe Boost beverages like we used to buy for my mom when she was in a personal care home and 2) continuing the personal care home thought using Depend male L/XL you know what....
Would it have worked...well I was walking along the Confederation trail...hardly ever meeting anyone...easy to nip into the woods and change Depends...just never occurred to me. I was thinking in a linear way again 😉
Amanda, a Winnipeg friend and former GWL work colleague, sent me a message after my blog posting introducing the C2C walk
"The scenery in the Lake District is amazing - I think it will equal if not surpass the views on your Camino walks.
What held me off emailing is that I didn’t want to cast any negativity on your trip but maybe my experience can help you. We were on a self guided 5 day walk in the Lake District and on the third day I slipped and fell and ended up with 2 cracked bones in my right hand. My “downfall” wasn’t climbing up and down rocky and forested hillsides - it was walking on a newly painted rain slicked bridge.
I’m sure a very experienced hiker like yourself would not have any problem with the terrain but please take into account how much rain they get in the Lake District and how that impacts your footing.”
Experienced walker or not what happened to Amanda can happen to absolutely anyone...everyone needs a little good fortune to stay on your two feet km after km.
Diversion # 5 - Winnipeg Ladies Lunch Group
Amanda forms part of The Winnipeg Ladies Lunch Group - Amanda, Dinah, Brenda, Marg and the token male (me...my life story)...oh almost forgot... I am the youngest. ☺️ I can’t believe they still meet without me given our move from Winnipeg...what do they talk about...can’t be that much fun!
How did such an illustrious group form...well Marg has at some point “reported” to each of us either as Managers/Directors or whatever title we were using (I never put weight or importance in official titles..they often get in the way of simply “getting the job done").
Marg...while a touch diminutive in physical stature wielded a LOT/TON of influence... She was a Senior Underwriter and she really knew her stuff and she also knew I was fully aware that she knew way more than I did.
Anyway I was appointed Underwriting Manager...likely based on my charm, good looks and ability to draw out the odd laugh. 😉 Here is roughly (I may be misremembering or possibly even slightly stretching things however pretty darn close 🤔) how I remember Marg and I mostly working together...
Marg comes in with a large (over $1 million annual premium) Group client annual renewal...
Marg presents her renewal findings, rationale and recommendations...all based on a single sheet of paper with writing crammed in every possible white space...often at odd angles...very difficult for mere mortals to read and understand anything.
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| A realistic example of Marg’s renewal presentation |
Typical discussion flow after Marg’s presentation...
Guy: “Well done Marg but have you considered the impact of xyz...?”
Marg: “Guy, Guy, Guy...big sigh”
Guy: “Ok however I am concerned about the trends on....”
Marg: “Guy, Guy, Guy...ever bigger sigh...are you done yet?”
Guy: “Good Stuff Marg...let’s go ahead with what you propose”
Marg: “Appreciate your suggestions...great working with you"...leaves with a big smile
Guy: “Marg...wait... you forgot your presentation”
Marg: “It’s ok…all committed to memory…maybe keep it as a training tool…oh by the way I sent my renewal out last week as I was pretty sure you would agree with me!”
For me a funny and fond memory of my “managerial” days...now back to the Coast to Coast...
Equipment
Basically going with what I walked with on the 2023 PEI Island Walk with a few exceptions...
- HOKA Speedgoat V5 trail runners instead of HOKA Bondi V8 primarily due to the Vibram soles (for slippery...rocky surfaces). I fully expect to meet some folks who will say “You can’t walk in those...must have waterproof Goretex Hiking boots covering your ankles” For me Goretex has not worked well...feet get too hot...likely due to the long distances walked.
There is no right or wrong answer to whether Goretex waterproofing is right for someone...it all depends... I am attaching a link to a very good article on this issue for anyone interested or looking to make the right decision for themselves.
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| HOKA Speedgoat V5 new trail runners - so so snazzy 🤔 |
- Given that most of my gear will be carried by Mac’s Adventures I have some leeway in taking a few extra things to test out..a few examples:
- Recently purchased Anker Power Bank which fully charged is supposed to charge an iPhone 13 up to 4 times. I am testing this out as a possible option for the mystery 2024 Camino Option (see below) with Paulo.
- 22 Clif bars and on a daily basis have a couple in the backpack. I have never purchased these in advance. In PEI I was buying these at gas stations for $3.50 as opposed to the $.94 Costco price back home 😳. Note I am disappointed in Costco after a visit August 20th...NO Xmas stuff of any kind...where is the spirit...my Xmas season always starts in August at Costco!
- Kobo eReader for reading pleasure
- I may even throw in an extra pair of walking shoes...Oboz trail shoes or my HOKA Bondi's...just in case...maybe even a golf shirt as my evening wear...now do I take by blue one or my purple shirt?
Food
This may well be Greg’s # 1 concern...will we have enough food to eat? I get it...while I could probably go 2 weeks without eating and still survive...Greg clearly can’t. So a quick summary:
- All 13 nights accommodations provide morning breakfast
- 11 of 13 accommodations will prepare a packed lunch upon request
- 8 of 13 accommodations recommend making dinner reservations well in advance as the choices available quickly fill up. To date 4 pub/restaurant have confirmed...50% thus ensuring we won’t starve! 🤔
- snacks...Greg you have 3 weeks to prepare!!!
Sooo....we will be fine Greg...no problem unless of course we get woefully lost and have to overnight somewhere in the wilds of UK 🤣
Is it simply a coincidence or ?... the first pub in St. Bees is called the Oddfellows Arms...cannot think of a more a propos name for the two of us. ☺️
In all my walks I have never worried about eating...Greg and I agree it seems odd to be making reservations however Mac’s Adventures is very clear “make them...many towns have very few eating options”. So I have sent emails and await responses. If...as hoped...we make new friends along the walk...for sure we will find a way to expand existing dinner reservations! Nothing beats swapping stories...in some cases tall tales ☺️...with fellow walkers!
Dangerous Animals
The big 5 remain....Cows, Bee Swarms, Chickens, Dogs and Snakes. I will have to accept the risks associated with the first 4 and deal with them as best as I can.
Maybe you think I exaggerate the risks!!! Look at this guy…how/why in h*ll did he get himself in this position? How is this even possible? Well the attached article says he is a beekeeper who always wondered what it would be like to be inside a bee swarm. 😳 Honestly I have no idea if this story is real or not...it is entertaining though!
The trouble I will have with Greg is if the situation warrants speed and sprinting from danger...I have a distinct MAJOR disadvantage. I will have to resort to some type of diversionary tactic to gain an advantage here. 🤣
BUT snakes yikes...here is what popped up in my Google search “Snakes on Wainwrights Coast to Coast walk”.
Isn’t that nice..you turkey...”They won’t kill you” but the fright might just do me in! Here is what the author says:
The UK is home to 3 native snakes and a legless lizard!
The barred grass snake
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| Barred grass snake |
- Grass snakes can 1 to 1.3 meters in length and olive green in colour.
- Largest of UK’s native snakes
- Only snake that can swim
- Might mount a mock attack when threatened, or play dead!
- No need to be afraid of them...leave them alone and avoid a scary hissy fit
The smooth snake
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| Smooth Snake |
- Rarest snake in UK
- Only founding Surrey, Dorset and Hampshire PHEW!!!
- Spends most time underground...so don’t stick your hand down a hole!
The Black adder
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| Black Adder |
- Most common in the south and south west of the UK OK THAT’s GOOD
- Not an aggressive species contrary to the fear it provokes
- Can give a venomous bite if threatened
Greg if we come upon a Black Adder you can expect a burst of speed from me that will shock you!
Slow worm...which is not a snake
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| Slow Worm |
- "Completely harmless...and they are rather cute” OMG what is cute about this?
That’s it... Sept 14th leave for London Gatwick...trains etc for 6 hours to St. Bees. Have the 16th as an extra day to either get the lay of the land or if need be use in case of some travel snafu.
2024 Camino or Other Walk - September
I have provided Paulo with a number of choices for a Camino Walk (6 choices) and two non Camino Walks (2). Paulo thinks we have ample time to decide...as would most anyone else. But I am not anyone else…somehow I have an ill deserved (in my opinion) reputation of planning a little too far in advance. 🤣. Oh well it’s how my little brain works... I have fun...nevertheless I am sure Paulo will have a chance to review sometime in 2023. 🤔
I know Fall 2024 is so far away and so much can happen in life but...one must plan!
Meanwhile Paulo has decided to train for the upcoming Camino in a novel way...he says he is working on his “macho side”... I am also working on my macho side...recently took Rose (8) and Elodie (5) to see Elemental a Disney/Pixar movie which has a great story line. I shed a few tears at the end...movies where everything works out in the end generally have that effect...my macho side.
Paulo is into Jiu Jitsu...in his GUI garment...please do not refer to it as anything else as he is a little sensitive about terminology! 🤣 Paulo told me that if I come to Brazil for a visit a Jiu Jitsu session may be in my future 🫣
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| Paulo far right in the “GUI" |
Of the 6 Camino routes in Spain the one that appeals the most is the Camino Invierno / Camino Inglis combination...simply because I think the combination is a unique/quirky choice. I expect this Camino combination has very infrequently (maybe never) been completed so once again I could become a trend setter. 😄 The number of Compostela’s given between Jan 2022 - Jul 2023 are shown below. What are the chances that someone has done this combo?:
- All Camino Paths 673,723
- Camino Inglis 36,636
- Camino Invierno 3,399
Walking these two new routes would give me my 9th and 10th Camino routes...and...my 4th and 5th time walking into Santiago de Compostela! Never went that far in my dream world back in 2013.
Camino Invierno - 10 challenging days...arriving in Santiago de Compostela mid day and taking the bus that same afternoon to Ferrol the starting point of the Camino Inglis where we would walk 5 days. Overall 380 kms...25.2 kms per day which feels like 30.9 kms per day adjusted for Elevation Gains/Losses.
The two 2024 potential non Camino routes are long standing “bucket list” dream state adventures for me:
Mont Blanc Trek - Italy, Switzerland and France. Considered one of the premier mountain treks in the world. 165 kms over 10 walking days...16.5 kms per day with Feels like 24.3 kms per day adjusted for Elevation Gains/Losses. Elevation Gains - 8,720 m...Elevation Losses (9,170). That would be simply awesome!
Choquequirao to Machu Picchu - Peru. Machu Picchu is considered one of the ancient wonders of the world with Choquequirao a seldom visited ancient ruin considered by some the equal of the more famous Machu Picchu. 111 kms over 9 walking days...12.3 kms per day which feels like 21.1 kms per day adjusted for Elevation Gains/Losses. Elevation Gains - 8,580 m...Elevation Losses (9,590).
Of the two the trek to Machu Picchu would be my first choice...never been to South America...impossible not to be moved by the sight of Machu Picchu. The Choquequirao to Machu Picchu trek has to be completed as part of a group walk. KE adventure a well known British adventure company has been running this trek for 10 years and 8 - 10 times per year. They take groups between 6 - 16 walkers...all trek days accommodations are in tents.
Feels a lot like 1996 when my brother Marc, Dad/Pa (74 at the time) and I went with Everest Trekking Canada to Nepal and walked 200 kms or so in the Solo Khumbu valley towards Everest.
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| Typical campsite |
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| Ama Dablam...often called the most beautiful mountain in the world |
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| Mount Everest peaking over the Nupse wall 20 kms away as the crow flies. Highest point we walked was 14,500 ft or halfway up Everest. Pa told everyone he was half way up Everest... conveniently not saying that he never set foot on the mountain! |
Paulo and I need to discuss all of this...the major downside for the Peru trek is likely the remoteness resulting in minimal if any cell/internet access for 9 trekking days. For me...likely not much of a problem...family might not even notice I am away...but for Paulo with a young family and his leadership responsibilities for the family law firm...an understandably different situation.
All TBD. Meanwhile if anyone is interested in what this is all about a PDF of the trek by KE Adventure is attached.
A few…LP, RE have expressed an interest in a walking adventure (similar to Greg who will walk the Coast to Coast) and SK who should have expressed an interest 😊 ...this may be the right opportunity. For fellow Camino pilgrim walkers I have met...CB, GK, JL, JPV...a chance to do another type of walk! A bonus is that yours truly would not be involved in planning...KE Adventures does all the work!
Will be 67 (up to Xmas) in 2024...give myself a 2-3 year max window to either do this trek or sit in my future rocking chair dreaming about it. It is calling to me!!!
A Camino Forum pelegrina trekked to Choquequiro with her son in 2012 and forwarded the following pictures...incredible!
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| Machu Picchu |
Well that’s a wrap 😅...fair amount of this and that to do...then the fun begins on the C2C walk!
And to think I was sitting here grumbling about the slope of my vege garden (must be at least 5 degrees) and wishing for a plot of flat ground - not going to happen on a mountainous isle! I'll turn my grumbles into thanksgiving for great camino training conditions (I gain 100m elevation just going up my driveway, which is considerably steeper than the vege plot!)
ReplyDeleteAnd...have I failed to inform you (or did you just ignore me?) about how to count down sleeps? You don't count tonight because it's virtually over if the sun has already set, and you certainly don't count the night before you leave, because you'll be so excited you won't sleep a wink...so you're closer to leaving than you thought....in which case, you'd be start making your last minute preparations so you are not caught unawares. Buen camino!
It must sooo hard to live in the world’s nicest country and on everyone’s bucket list! Thanks for the reminder about counting days… now I am panicking 😂. Have just gone through another of my « I longer going to blog » days. If I am going to keep doing this MUST get hold of my silly thinking…thankfully when we walk it’s much more self regulating…so darn tired 30 minutes max and publish! Seriously Rachael you blog…have you ever just said enough…no blogging this trip or ever again?
ReplyDeleteCheck out your camino forum convos!!
ReplyDeleteHi Guy, I am getting excited/nervous about our walk. While you have many miles under your belt, switching from running fast to walking long will be an interesting challenge. I have started training for the walk, but I expect it will be woefully inadequate. Of concern is the fact that I live on the prairies, where the average elevation gain/loss is maybe 0.2 Meters! I suspect that I may be lagging behind on occasion.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that if we encounter any dangerous animals (bees and snakes are my banes), I will have to unleash my finishing kick to sprint away.
I have my new Backpack, new trail shoes and now I have to decide what clothes to bring. I am a notorious pack rat, so I suspect that I may have to make some adjustments.
Snickers bars may replace a few clothes.
Since I leave home a day earlier, I think I have one less sleep to go than you do!
Thanks for doing all the planning and for the advice on what to pack.
Hi Greg
ReplyDeleteI really wouldn’t overthink this…it isn’t rocket science or even system architect stuff! You will do fine. Going up steady as she goes…this is where one can get tired…going down is absolutely the toughest especially on uneven rocky ground. Slow and careful here! If you must run/sprint pick even ground and then we will meet up much later!
It will be fun!