The Kindness of Strangers

Updated: Jul 22, 2023

With about a week left of walking we have been looking back on our experiences from the hike and keep coming back to how lovely and nice everyone is that we have met. From Day 1 of this trail we have had the pleasure of speaking with locals, holiday goers, and others walking the path and everyone has been so kind and willing to listen to our story, our cause and to also leave us with some advice regarding the path or the area.

One question which we got from someone was what was our purpose for doing this walk and although this started out of necessity it has evolved into something bigger. We have had time and brain space to really think about what is important to us and how we want to be when we rejoin non-trail life. Just having time has been one of the greatest gifts of this walk. Another gift has been the conversations we have had with people and true acts of kindness from the "strangers" we have met.

So far on this trip, and in no particular order this is the kindness we have experienced:

Offer of boiled water and milk for tea
A place to stay
Glasses of homemade lemonade
A ride when the bus schedule didn't work out for us
An offer to sleep in their field
Given a four leaf clover for luck
Donations to our cause from people we just met! Thank you again!
Advice about the trail (specifically that we should get a bell for Penny so that it can warn adders she is coming)
Offers to fill our water bottles
A boat ride!
Other hikers offers of tea and 20p coins for showers when we had no cash
So so so many treats and pets for Penny
Offer of a half eaten doggie ice cream fron a Lassie dog that just didn't like it
Meeting people at the beginning of the trail and walking the rest or the day's walk with them, having lovely chats