PCT | Mile 2653.1 | DAY 142
Total miles hiked 2106.5
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I made it. ⠀
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I haven’t yet found the words to articulate just what this means - to me, past me or even to future me. My heart is full, my head is spinning and my feet hurt. Really really hurt.
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I am truly humbled. ⠀
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I found peace in the silence of the nature I have been so lucky to live in for the last few months.
I’ve been touched by the kindness people have shown us on this trail, from small town hitches to middle of nowhere trail magic at trailheads.
I feel stronger than I have ever felt, my inner voice has grown loud. I feel beautiful. I feel proud. ⠀
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I made it.
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#pct2019 @pctassociation #pct #womenwhohike #loveherwild #loveherwilduk #ukhikers #optoutside #adventure #proud #mountainwoman #hikelikeagirl #mountainsforthemind
Making the most of a last mini adventure this year to the highest point in Portugal - Torre Plateau in the central massif of the Estrela Mountains 🏔️
The road was closed so we decided to hike up from the hotel, taking a route that took us down across an old glacial plain and then up past a reservoir to walk along to what opened out to become the plateau. There were two big golf ball-like former radar towers in the distance that felt like they were getting further and further away the closer we got and the snow just kept getting deeper - it was like some kind of cold, snowy optical illusion!
The trail was all but a meter below us somewhere in the snow and I’m pretty sure I could hear the mountain goats laughing at me as I kept postholing and falling through the snow on almost every other step, right up to my hips! Just as I was completely fed up it, the golf balls appeared right in-front of us as did a car park, a roundabout, and people!! Somewhere in the 5 hours of flailing around in the snow, the road had opened!! 😂
The Kerry Way | 115.5 miles
(Or 133miles, depends what guidebook you read!)
8 days
1 wild camp
1 pub garden camp
1 slight change of plans for Claire
1 hotel
1 hostel
2 camp sites
1 night on the floor of Claire’s van by the side of the road
2 pairs of socks, 1 pair of camp socks
12 cheese strings
3 packets of Taytos
1 packet of Hunky Doreys
6 sachets of porridge
3 shops at Central
1038479492736493 pictures of lambs
Turns out I’m not great at keeping stats but I’d like to think I make up for it in being able to walk real far.
Feeling very grateful (and quite stiff!), what a great trail with rewarding views and serious amounts of weather luck, now I want to go back and visit all the cute towns properly!! Also, it would not have been even half as amazing if not the best trail buddy/soul sister/best friend/trail shuttle @the_wandering_pixel 💚
#kerryway @kerrywayhiking@_thru_hiking #thruhike #optoutside #hikeireland #loveherwild @hiiker_
A little throwback to our once in a lifetime adventure where @the_wandering_pixel and I walked ourselves to Machu Picchu 🦙⛰️
#salkantaytrek #machupicchu #hikingadventures #optoutside
Reached peak silliness in the dolomites with my first proper Via Ferrata! This one is Via Ferrata Oskar-Schuster 🥹
Clip clip bish
#viaferrata #valgardena #dolomites #hottogo
Wicklow Way | 79.9 miles | 4 days
Here’s a glorious little slice of mine and Claire’s jaunt on the Wicklow Way. From @the_wandering_pixel forgetting to pack dinners, me treating myself to some truffle ravioli and my entire bag smelling of it for 60miles, Claire’s filter not working, me forgetting rain pants at the rainiest time and my dirty water bottle making everything taste like plastic, we had the BEST time!
In classic fashion saw a 4 day opening and thought sure, that’s doable! We were off to a giddy start when our ‘night before’ hotel moved us to a room with the 2 most antisocial single beds in, the little village bus from Enniscorthy to Bunclody not being on google maps and a wonderfully kind man offering us a hitch to the trailhead so we didn’t need to do the road walk.
We set a very loose plan of 20 mile days and wild camped each night. There was a bit of road walking which I bemoaned at the time but it never took away from the green green ambling we did over and through valleys. It’s a gorgeous walk to look ahead and see the topography of where you’re going to be heading towards.
We hiked southbound to Dublin, it was a real treat on tired legs to end at the Wicklow Mountains where Claire did so much of her walking when in Dublin. Marley park is a painfully long walk on shin splints though, but an incredible park non the less! Glendalough was a highlight as the skies cleared to blue after a misty morning climb as we descended down towards the lakes, the thought of a bench, hot coffee and maybe a chance to dry the tent was playing in my mind as the lakes appeared ☀️
#wicklowway #thruhike @hiiker_ #optoutside #hikerlife #hikeireland #wicklowmountains #eseaoutdoorsuk
Who doesn’t love a bit of rambly end of year cheese?
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This time last year as I was reflecting on 2022 and all the big ups and downs that came with it, I tentatively set out for 2023 to be a quiet year of hiking, and no major goal setting. No big plans and to not lump a load of self made pressure to ‘make something of this year’.
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Turns out I’m nooooot very good at following instructions as I had a mini career change, started with a PT to finally overcome my constant knee pain, put myself in therapy, made some fab new friends and reunited with some old BUT I am incredibly lucky for the year that I have had 🤗
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Hiking stats:
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Thru trails hiked -
Snowdonia slate trail
Walk the line charity night hike
Slieve Bloom Way
Lyke wake walk (24 hr challenge hike)
Isle of Skye trail
Walkers Haute route
East mendip way
West highland way
Ben Nevis (walkers path)
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Nights spent in a tent (roughly):
21
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I didn’t track my miles this year but with some bad maths it roughly comes in at 690 miles of thrus and weekend wanders 🤗
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I hope everyone who I was able to cross paths with this year knows how much I appreciate your time 🤗 It is never ever lost on me how lucky I am to be surrounded by some pretty incredible people, my heart is so full of gratitude and love ❤️
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I also hope 2024 brings some good positive energy; that you are able to get out and enjoy nature, hold space for yourself and others when needed, that you learn and grow within your energy’s capability, that you recycle and campaign for a better world in whatever way you can 😘
#2023recap
