Age is no barrier to adventure.

This phrase is a mantra Paul and I live by. At ages 63 and 66 we’ve hiked 7,500 kms over the past five and a half years completing five epic long-distance hikes in Europe and Australia. However, when we started, we hadn’t walked more than 20 kilometres in a day! Our first hike, the Via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome, was a daunting task at 2,200 kilometres. Just the two of us, our life in our backpacks, one pair of boots and four countries to cross. What could go wrong?

Day-to-day life was exciting and exhilarating as we quickly learnt how to manage the many mental and physical challenges. By the time we walked into Rome, we were exhausted yet completely hooked. We already had another hiking adventure in mind. Bigger and more challenging. A dream to create a hiking trail from Mont St Michel in Northern France to Monte S’Angelo on the Gargano Plateau in Puglia, Italy would take a lot of planning. We named it the ‘Mont to Monte.’

Recently, we returned from fulfilling this dream, an almost 3000 kilometre life-changing journey that to our knowledge only a few people have done. However, in the end, it had to be accomplished in two parts. Back in 2022, plagued by several months of extreme heat, we came to a grinding halt in the small Italian village of Cittaducale about 120 kilometres outside Rome. After almost five months and 2250 kilometres we could walk no further. Extremely disappointed, we vowed to return to Italy and finish it.

Almost two years later, we finally walked out of Rome in stifling 37 degree heat for the final 630 kilometres. Although each day was new and thrilling, it wasn’t always easy. Daily tasks of finding food and water, accommodation, negotiating language barriers, extreme weather, aggressive dogs, variable walking surfaces plus navigating on what at times, was a non-existent track, made it very challenging. And that’s on top of walking between 20 and 30 kilometres a day!

Still, we loved it and on the final day of our journey, 24 September 2024 we couldn’t contain our bubbling excitement. But, for a moment, high on a ridge with only 6 kilometres to go to Monte S’Angelo we were worried we may not actually make it. Two aggressive dogs charged from a distant property, with no intention of backing down. I was bitten a couple of years ago and was understandably anxious. With frothing mouths and baring teeth, they backed us towards a road. Thankfully, as a car appeared we frantically scurried across the road using it as a buffer.

Luckily the sweeping views over the Adriatic Sea to Albania soothed our trembling hearts as we hiked the last few kilometers. The feeling of elation was palpable as we entered the white hilltop village of Monte S’Angelo and made our way to the Santuario di S. Michele, our final destination. By the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other we’d finally made it. We felt extremely proud.

But we weren’t done yet. After a wellearned rest by the sea, we flew to Spain for the stunning ‘Andalucian Coast to Coast’, a 420 kilometre hike through the incredibly scenic Baetic mountains. It was tough but what an adventure! In case you’re wondering? We’re not retired. We choose to “seize the day” as they say. Our hikes require a great deal of planning, staying fit, making decisions and managing the consequences however the rewards are enormou