Words of the last hike

Author: Hossam Searg - Feb 2021

300 km across the UK

As the journey has come to an end, a temporary end, it is time to share some moments of 2020 that bring happiness. This young man has successfully hiked more than 300 km across the UK, wandering in the beauty of God's creation. To give you a bit of context, a hike usually starts with a train trip to a starting point where the journey begins. Each hike is around 23-31 km distance of beautiful sceneries with the company of lovely genuine people. I usually walk through green fields, jungles, lakes, mud and horse poop, a lot of horse poop. Do not judge it, it is part of nature; And nature is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. Sorry, Forest Gump. After a pretty long day of exhausted muscles, experiencing four seasons in the same day, I go home with this sense of appreciation for the simple little things -I really do- like a warm shower and a good sleep! Not to mention the most exciting part of this journey, the warm cup of tea at the end of each walk!

Some reflections

If I can describe this experience in two words, I would say that “nature heals''. Nature always has something to offer to my soul. It gave me the opportunity -as always- to disconnect from the crowded busy life, evaluate my rooted worries and embrace my values and beliefs. This relatively long distance helped me take one step forward to know myself better and to get closer to Allah. It was a valuable step in my journey towards self-awareness and mind clarity. Hopefully, this temporary end would not last for long, as Gary Snyder said once “Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.”. It is where I belong and where I genuinely feel connected.

Thank you, all the beautiful people who came along the way, and for the hillwalking society for making this possible.