We are Wayne and Danielle Fenton…
And We Love To Hike!
Spurred on by the life quote: ‘You only live once’ but embracing the philosophy ‘You live every day’, we love nothing more than putting on our backpacks and heading off for some outdoor adventure whenever we can. This was not always the case – call it a mid-life crisis, or just time for a change… But having taken a career break and diverted off the traditional path for a while, we discovered a joint passion for the great outdoors and long distance hiking.
Whether you’re looking to get fitter, lose some weight, reduce stress, or simply clear your head and appreciate the wonders of nature, hiking delivers almost immediate rewards. For us, having got together as a couple in 1997, it was exciting to find a brand-new common hobby that allowed us to have fun and make memories, whilst spending time together.
Our first pair of walking boots were purchased back in 2010 during our RTW trip, where we went on to hike in various parts of South East Asia, China, New Zealand, and the USA. Since then, our enthusiasm has not waned. In November 2013, we embarked on an epic 6 month journey around South America, travelling overland in a custom-built truck, camping for 70% of the time. This gave us the opportunity to undertake several mutli-day hikes which include tackling the ‘W’ Trek in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, hiking down a kilometre into Colca Canyon in southern Peru, making a sunrise trek to Mount Fitzroy in Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina, going on safari in the Brazilian Pantanal, as well as joining a community based trek through the Lares Valley to Machu Picchu, a stunning alternative to the Inca Trail.
These shorter treks simply ignited a passion for more! So in May 2014, we came home to hike the length and breadth of England, completing both the Pennine Way and Coast to Coast Path as training for our ultimate goal – the 211 mile John Muir Trail across the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in western USA. The scenery is so incredible that the JMT remains our most awesome and influential hike to date, enticing us to go for the PCT in 2018. For anyone who’s not sure – the PCT is the 2,659 mile long Pacific Crest Trail that runs south to north from the U.S. border with Mexico to the U.S.– Canadian border in British Colombia!
Whilst saving for the trip, we continued to hike regularly in our home country, England. In 2015, we completed the West Highland Way in Scotland, tackled the Yorkshire ‘3 Peaks’ and trekked across the island of Corsica on the GR20 – one of Europe’s toughest trails! Following this, we attempted the Beacons Way in Wales, but had to abandon the thru-hike after 2 days due to severe weather – all of which you can read about in our blog trail reports.
Hiking On In 2016…
We had a busy year, both hiking, writing and getting to grips with new photography gear! After much research and debate, we made some amendments to our long-distance hiking kit-list, which included lighter-weight waterproof outers (because every gram counts) as well as a backpacking tent upgrade. After careful consideration of reviews, we upgraded our ‘Double Rainbow Tarptent’ to a ‘Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3’. Our photography kit also expanded with the addition of a GoPro Session (for when it rains, as it so often does!) and a Phantom 4 drone that enabled us to get some great aerial footage on the Kungsleden, (when it didn’t rain), during our first hike in Sweden!
We were also thrilled to have had our second hiking guide book published in early June! We once again had the pleasure of working with Sandiberg Press, producing an additional title for their ‘Plan & Go’ Series based on our own research and experiences of hiking the Pennine Way in 2014. If you are a prospective C2Cer or Pennine Wayer, you will find that our guides describe in detail what to expect from a journey on either of Britain’s most popular trails. They also provide all of the essential planning information regarding how many days it will take you depending on your level of fitness, how to navigate along the route, the best time to go, how to organise transportation, what accommodation options are available in terms of camping, hostel, B&B or hotel, and where you can resupply with food and drinks. Supported by step-by-step instructions and first-hand recommendations, you will be well-equipped and feel more confident about completing these memorable English hiking adventures – each guide’s sole purpose to save you time and effort with your own preparations.
You can find out more about our Coast to Coast and Pennine Way titles, read reviews and place an order through Amazon by clicking on the picture links below.
‘Plan & Go: Kungsleden Guide’ Published In 2017!
In August 2016, we tackled Sweden’s long distance Kungsleden trail from south to north, taking us into the Arctic Circle for the very first time. During our planning stages, we found that there was limited information about the trail written in English and it was very difficult to get up-to-date information on prices regarding the several lake crossings that form part of the trail. Hence, we have produced our own hiking guide as a means of supporting other hikers planning a similar endeavour, which includes comprehensive information on the full length of the trail, starting from Hemavan in the south, traversing the full 270 miles to Abisko in the north. Published in May 2017, it is another addition to Sandiburg Press’ ‘Plan & Go’ series and can be purchased on Amazon by clicking the picture link below. (Also available from other online retailers.)
2017 – Hiking Through The Spanish Pyrenees On The GR11
In August 2017, we set off on a new hiking adventure, which involved walking part of the GR11 across the Spanish Pyrenees from Candanchu to Senet, taking in the beautiful Ordesa National Park. Looking upon serene glacial lakes and sweeping vistas, we felt right at home wandering through lush green valleys nestled between limestone cliffs and soaring peaks – the largely unspoiled, wild mountains so reminiscent of the John Muir Trail in the USA.
Completely wowed by the stunning scenery of the High Pyrenean mountains, we vowed to make a point of returning to hike the entire 850km coast to coast route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, following a combination of the GR10 in France, GR11 in Spain and the HRP (Pyrenean Haute Route). (Hence sparked the beginnings of a plan for our 2019 summer walking adventure!)
2018 – Long-Distance Hike Of A Life-Time – Embarking On The PCT!
2018 was an epic one, spending 166 days walking between Mexico and Canada! Our journey on foot across the Western USA will hold life-long memories for us as we got to literally live and breathe the great outdoors every single day whilst forging lasting friendships with like-minded people. As we hit Washington close to the onset of winter, it was our stubbornness and determination to reach the finish that won out over the deteriorating weather, but we have to admit there were a handful of times we were close to giving up. Having to deal with the increasing daily miles, encroaching wildfires and an unexpected arm injury, the whole endeavour became more of a mental battle than a physical challenge to keep going. Grateful to have the opportunity as well as each other for moral support, we completed the 2,659 miles on 23rd September 2018! You can read all about our PCT adventure here and see videos of what the trail is really like by clicking on links to our YouTube channel.
Walking From The Atlantic To The Mediterranean During Summer, 2019
Last summer we returned to the Pyrenees and embarked on a coast-to-coast traverse from west to east. Starting at the Atlantic coast in France, we walked a combination of the GR10, GR11 and HRP to the Mediterranean and finished across the border in Spain taking in the best of what this incredible mountainous region has to offer. After the regimental feel of the PCT because it was necessary to finish before winter took hold, we allowed ourselves a generous 8 weeks to complete the 500 or so miles, which translated into very pleasant daily averages of 15 miles or less. This might sound easy, but we have come to learn that in the mountains it isn’t necessarily the distance that matters, but the number of hours it takes to complete a particular section. As with all of the European long-distance trails we have experienced so far – from traversing boulder fields to scree slopes to snow fields – the demands of the terrain can mean that progress is slow. Therefore giving ourselves a much more relaxed pace as we were on ‘holiday’ after all, we completed our coast-coast traverse in 55 days.
Planning Our Next Adventure…
Exploring the world together on foot is what we love to do! Sharing those adventures by putting pen to paper to write about our experiences on the trail, as well as trying to capture the heart and soul of a place on camera, is the purpose of this blog. We hope that our growing knowledge and expertise will serve to inspire, as well as facilitate your own exploration of the great outdoors, wherever that may be.
We are always planning our next adventure. Follow our footsteps and photographs on here and on our social media feeds. Or come and join us on the trail. Above all, make time to get outside. Safe hiking and have a great summer wherever your own adventures take you!