Striding ahead

Although I've known this for some time, it's only now that I can actually confess to the fact that I am a slow walker. There’s nothing wrong with that of course, or indeed shameful, and it certainly doesn't make me a lesser person, but it's not just on walks to pubs, with fellow beer enthusiasts, that I've noticed this effect, I’ve come across it in other areas of life too. I remember back in my early teens, going hiking with the youth group I belonged to, when I always seemed to be amongst the stragglers at the end of the walk, keeping company with those who got left behind. 

At the time, there seemed nothing more frustrating than seeing the lead group ahead in the distance, sitting down and enjoying a break whilst waiting for stragglers like me to catch up. You’d then find that as soon as you’d caught up, the advanced party would announce that it was time to get going, and off they’d go again. They'd had time to rest up for a while and recuperate, when you of course, hadn't.

This pattern of behaviour was most apparent on the youth-hostelling trip to the Isle of Wight, that I made, with the same group. It didn’t particularly bother me at the time, because there were others walking at the same pace as me and they weren’t concerned either. There was also something of a rebel about me back then, and not conforming was part and parcel of the scene I was involved with, at the time. As the week drew on, we got lost on more than one occasion, which was quite easy, as none of us had a map. We knew roughly where we were supposed to end up, and usually, once off the hills, there were buses we could catch. On at least one occasion, we managed to get a bus that either went directly to, or pretty close to our final destination for the day and arrived ahead of those who had stayed the course, on foot. 

The group leader, who was the local vicar (it was a church youth group), never seemed bothered about people being left behind, working on the basis of self-reliance, and “toughening us up”. Perhaps he should have done, since he was a man of the cloth, although in those days, I don't think any qualifications were necessary to be in charge of a youth group. Fortunately, none of us came to any harm, even though there were cliffs we could have fallen from, or rivers we might have drowned in, proving perhaps, that the vicar of Wye & Brook was right in his approach, even though it would be frowned upon today.

Back to the walking, as well as the present day. Many of my beery trips out, start from Tonbridge station, which is reached by a 20-minute downhill walk from Bailey Towers. I’ve lost count of the number of times I've set off only to be overtaken by people coming up from behind. Once they’ve passed me, they seem to disappear off into the distance, arriving at the station some considerable time before me. I appreciate most of them are probably seasoned commuters, who know exactly how long their journey is going to take, but their speed does seem a little disheartening at times.

They are obviously people whose natural walking pace is much faster than my own, and this includes individuals of both genders, many of whom seem to stride effortlessly by. Fortunately, I normally factor in sufficient time to not only reach the station, but to purchase my ticket as well. The other occasions when I’ve noticed this head down, fastest foot forwards approach has been during company business trips to Cologne, where we were exhibiting at the International Dental Show (IDS).  The mornings would begin with breakfast at the hotel, followed by a walk past the main station and then up across the river Rhine, via the Hohenzollern Bridge.

The latter is a similar structure to London’s Hungerford Bridge in so much that it carries pedestrians, alongside the train tracks, across a wide river. Once across the Rhine, we would make our way to the Köln Messe exhibition halls, where the show was taking place. There was normally half a dozen of us, and I was never part of the leading group, as there were colleagues who walked so fast as to give the impression of participating in a relay race. Nevertheless, we all arrived, each morning, at the company stand in time for the show’s opening. I've given up trying to emulate these people, although the joke is Mrs PBT’s thinks I'm a fast walker. I probably am, compared to her but certainly not when it comes to many, if not most, of my contemporaries.

Back to hiking, or rambling, if you prefer, and the last major long-distance footpath I walked, was the North Downs Way, which I completed in September 2022. After starting this LDP as part of a group, I ended up walking the majority of the trail on my own primarily because I felt that as my pace was slower, I was holding the group back. This is why I recommend walking solo, at your own pace, as it allows you to see what you want to see, take breaks for meals or drinks as needed, find a discreet place for personal needs, enjoy the solitude and experience the joy of being in nature alone.

There are exceptions to this, especially if you can find a walking partner whose pace matches your own. I was fortunate to experience this with my friend Eric, 15 years ago, when we completed the South Downs Way LDP, walking the trail in strict linear fashion, east to west (Eastbourne to Winchester). This was different, and perhaps more satisfying, than the piecemeal approach I adopted for the North Downs Way   

Our walking pace must have been equal, because I don’t recall ever feeling rushed, or feeling that our progress was too fast, or too slow. Perhaps it had something to do with stature, as we are both of similar height, and build, although now I am carrying quite a bit more weight. It might also be down to leg length, which must have a bearing on one’s stride. I don’t know my friend’s inside leg measurement, but at 29”, mine is on the short side, and Mrs PBT’s likes teasing me about it.

Having recently turned 70, I am pleased I can still enjoy outdoor activities and appreciate the great outdoors. I am aware though, that my stamina is not quite what it was 10 or even 5 years ago, but this is a natural part of aging, and despite this my aim is to continue walking as often as possible. Walking is an excellent form of exercise, allowing one to maintain fitness while enjoying the fresh air and the beauty of the English countryside.

Although this has been rather a brief post, and not particularly beer related, I would be interested to hearing about others' experiences when walking, whether individually or as part of a group. For much more detailed information about hiking, and walking in general, I strongly recommend checking out Rambling Man, the highly informative, and also entertaining website of seasoned walker, Andrew Bowden. Andrew has completed many of the long-distance footpaths in the British Isles, and as well as recounting his experiences of walking these trails, his blog is packed full of useful facts, figures and important information for those inspired to hike some of these paths themselves.

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