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My Story
Hiya! I’m Juli. I find myself so often getting lost in google searches that start with ‘best long distance hikes.’ A lot. And that’s why I thought I should start a blog to virtually meet other like-minded people. If you’ve found my website then I’m guessing we share a common passion for hiking (yay you!).
For me, it all started with one of the world’s epic pilgrimages – The Camino de Santiago. I had no real long distance hiking experience prior to that and yet somehow I walked the 750 KMs from Pamplona to Santiago. It took 29 days and I loved (almost) every minute of it. There was a rhythm to the road – the sound of my walking poles tapping the ground – like a metronome. A simple daily routine – awake before dawn, breakfast, walk, rest & lunch, walk, siesta, dinner, sleep, and repeat – it was all we needed to do everyday. But then years passed (six to be exact -where did the time go?!) before I got back on the trail. During that time career and house renovations took over my life and the rhythm of the road became a faint echo. The only time I wore my hiking boots was when I took my dog for a walk. Fast forward many years later when I (finally!) leapt at the chance to dust off my backpack. I had wanted to go to Scotland for years (perhaps a little inspired by Outlander, just a little) and so I took a summer holiday and hiked Scotland’s West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way with my sister. It felt great to be back on the trail. I could breathe again. My backpack had that familiar feel – even when I complained that it weighed too much. For me now, vacation = hiking a long distance hiking trail. My goal is to hike (at least) one long distance trail (more than 50KM) a year and my list is long! In the last couple of years I’ve added Iceland’s Laugavegur Trail and Ireland’s Kerry Way to my achievements. And, I’ve day-hiked in Montenegro and Croatia, and in my own backyard along the Bruce Trail. The idea of going on a long walk on vacation is one of luxury – even when the accommodations on these long walks can be simple mountain huts with no flushing toilets – and so I appreciate each and every luxury from bagged lunches and terrible mattresses, to battling the elements and wearing the same thing for days. I am incredibly fortunate that I walk for pleasure. Hikes on my wish list include the Mount Kilimanjaro, Torres del Paine in Chili’s Patagonia, Sweden’s Kungsleden, the Annapurna Circuit, England’s Coast to Coast, the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, New Zealand’s Te Araroa, any part of the G5, the North Camino, Newfoundland’s East Coast Trail, and the picturesque Cinque Terre… so many trails, so many decisions! I want to hike it all! Thanks for stopping by! Looking forward to virtually meeting my fellow hikers. Juli Categories |