Take part in our new group challenge and join us in a virtual hike along the beautiful 630-mile South West Coast Path this March.
Have you ever wanted to hike the South West Coast Path?
Spring is on the way, and to celebrate its imminent arrival we have a fun, collaborative virtual walking challenge for all our members to join in with!
We know it's been tough and isolating for a lot of us this winter dealing with lockdowns and not being able to get outside and hike together. So we've designed a challenge that'll get you involved in a group hike like no other you've been on before!
We're going to hike the entire 630-mile length of the South West Coast Path together (well, sort of).
Throughout the whole of March, we want you to get outside and go for your local walks, whatever COVID restrictions will allow during that time, and track how far you've been. Even if it's just a quick 1-miler to the local park, we want you to log it on our team spreadsheet to add to our grand total.
Between the 2000 members in this group we should be able to complete the 630 miles by the end of the month. We want to encourage you to share your pictures from your walks (no matter how dull you might think they are! Yesterday I took a picture of a pigeon sitting on a bench - clearly lockdown is getting to me!) and we'll periodically let you all know where we are along the coast path. You don't have to share your pictures, but please do share your mileage.
We'll be starting in Minehead and walking all the way down through Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset to Poole. That's a loooong way.
How do I track my mileage?
You can track your miles a number of different ways. Why not use an app like Komoot or Strava? Or if you don't have a smart phone, or don't like having an app running on your phone whilst you are out, one of the best ways to track your miles is by signing up for a free MapMyRun account and log them when you get home. Perhaps you have a Fitbit or some other step tracker with an app that tells you your mileage. There are so many free ways to do it and you've got lots of choice.
How do I submit my mileage?
If you are a member of our Facebook group you'll find a form pinned to the top of the group page where you can log your miles. If you aren't on Facebook, please send us an email (bristolhikergirls@gmail.com) and we'll send you a link to the form that you can use every time you want to log a walk.
How often should I submit my mileage?
That's really up to you, but we'd love to be able to give you regular updates on the group's progress around the coastline, so do log your walks regularly - perhaps every walk you do or once a week?
How do I share my photos?
You can share your photos with us on the Facebook group's main page. We'd love as many photos as possible - no matter how dull you think they might be - and we'll make a little collection at the end and try to match your photos with photos of the corresponding points along the SWCP trail. You can also upload a photo of your walk when you log it using our form.
Why would I want to do this?
We want to encourage our members to get outside and enjoy the approaching spring. If you are feeling a little isolated and fed up of not being able to be sociable, then this is a great opportunity to get involved in a team project and get fit in the process!
Oh and also, we'll be giving away a prize to the two members who log the most miles :)
So get out there folks, and let's get tracking those miles :D