The end is nigh

David King, Dave Shaw and Roger Clarke arrive home

Last week I joined these three lovely chaps for the last few miles of a 210 mile walk. Two of them, Roger and Dave had walked from New Lanark in Scotland to Saltaire in West Yorks on a route of their own devising. David, the 3^rd musketeer, provided sterling service as a baggage carrier, accommodation seeker, occasional walker and general cheerer-upper when the going got tough.

All three are keen historians and wanted to celebrate the two World Heritage sites of New Lanark and our own Saltaire by attempting, in their own words,

“A 200+ mile walk/run/stroll/limp through beautiful countryside, reflecting on the lives and achievements of Robert Owen and Titus Salt. Was it worth it? Yes! Do it again? Yes! An increased appetite for walking? Yes! Nice meeting other travellers along the way? Yes!”

Roger happy to be back in Yorkshire

Also coming to the end of his own personal journey is Mike Brockhurst, the Walking Englishman, who has just 100 of his 1,000+ miles to go and is expecting to reach the Lizard on Aug 9^th. Remarkable.

Mike Brockhurst - the Walking Englishman

All these walkers worked out their own routes, picking bits of established paths and veering off as the mood took them, altering the way to suit the weather, the terrain and anything they fancied seeing along the way.

And that’s how it should be. One of the joys of walking, especially multi-day walking, is the freedom to go where we want, when we want and not be judged.
 
So, in answer to the person who asked why we called our route “A” Dales High Way not “The” Dales High Way. It’s because the route in the book is only one way to go –  alter it, add bits, take a detour - but above all, make it your own.