UPDATE: July 31st, 2024: Claire Allen has now successfully completed her walk around the coastline of Great Britain. It took her just under a year (50 weeks to be exact), covering a total distance of around 4,000 miles.
The 45-year-old described her favourite moments as “discovering secret swim spots, sleeping in bothies, cheese sandwiches on the Wales coast path, the climb out of Lulworth in Dorset to reveal Durdle Door and the hundreds of people I met and spent time with along the way.”
As for her worst moments, she added: “There were plenty of hard days but no 'worst' moment. Waist deep bogs on the Cape Wrath Trail, dinners that contained more midges than macaroni on Scotland's west coast and sodden feet for days on end.”
Claire used five pairs of INOV8 boots and shoes during her adventure. Her favourites were the ROCFLY G 350 which she described as “super-comfy, lightweight and a great fit.”
In May, National Walking Month, INOV8 ambassador James Forrest caught up with adventurer and charity fundraiser Claire Allen, as she was nearing the end of her epic 7,000km+, 12-month walk around the coast of Britain.
Claire Allen, a 45-year-old communications and charity fundraising professional from Bristol is fully behind the therapeutic wonders of walking. A friend of the INOV8 brand, Claire is nearing the home straight of a grand adventure walking 7,000km around the coast of Britain.
Let’s start with the stats – everyone loves stats – so can you tell us how far you’ve walked so far, how long it has taken, how far you have to go and what the total distance will be once you finish?
I started walking on the 8th August 2023 at John o’Groats. I’ve walked about 5200km in just over nine months (with a few rest days thrown in and a couple of weeks off at Christmas). I’m expecting to finish by the end of August 2024 – so another two or three months and 1500-2000km of walking. However, the west coast of Scotland beckons so it could take longer…
What was your motivation for taking on this amazing challenge?
I’ve lived in the same city, doing the same kind of work for nearly 20 years. I wanted a shake-up, a change of scene, and to do something hard to feel proud of. In a way, it didn’t really matter what that was – as long as it ticked a few boxes. I wanted a physical challenge, I wanted to travel without flying, and to do something that friends and family could easily be part of. My friend Adam recommended Elise Downing’s book ‘Coasting’ – her story of running the Great British coastline in just 10 months – and then by chance, I saw Chris Lewis interviewed by Ben Fogle about his multi-year coastal odyssey. A walk or hike or run round the coast of Great Britain felt perfect. It was a neat and tidy loop - that started and finished in the same place.n!
What have been the best and worst parts of your journey?
The best? There’s no staying still - I love that every day I’m heading somewhere new and different. It’s what I look forward to each morning – along with my first coffee. The constant small (and not so small) kindnesses of strangers are amazing too. From the woman working in a café who refunded me the cost of a coffee and teacake when I told her what I was doing; to the couple in a campsite who let me stay in their holiday cottage for free after trying and failing to repair my tent which had been ripped open by a fox; to the father and son – visiting from America – who asked the B&B owners to rustle up a packed lunch for me just before I left. It sounds clichéd but these little interactions put a spring in my step when I most need it.
The worst? There’s no staying still! There have been lots of days when I’ve felt sad about leaving somewhere. I have an ever-growing list on my phone of places I want to go back to. Telling myself I’ll be back again makes it less difficult to move on. As you’d expect – the weather has been tough too. This winter hasn’t been great – the wettest February on record really made itself felt. The mud slows me down and turns what should be a six-hour day into eight. Being buffeted by gale force winds is not only physically tiring (and occasionally a bit scary), it gets into your head and makes it hard to think about anything else.
Walking round the coast of GB takes a long time. I’ve never done any one activity for this long and there’s no getting away from the fact that some days feel monotonous. When I start to question why I’m doing what I’m doing, it’s usually a sign that I need to sit on a bench for 20 minutes, phone a friend or do something other than walking. A swim in the sea or a look around a museum or castle is always enough to break up the day.
How has trail life changed or impacted you?
My priorities are completely changed. Everything I took for granted when I was working – finding shelter, food, water, social interaction – are now the things I have to prioritise every single day. I like my own company and thought I’d be happy spending long stretches of time on my own. It turns out – I need interaction and conversation as much as the next person. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I’ll do when I’m finished. I’m still not sure but having woken up in a different place for the last 300 or so days, I’m not sure I’ll ever go back to 9-5 office life.
Which have been your favourite sections of the coast and can you pick out some of the best landscapes you’ve experienced?
The South West Coast Path, and the Wales Coast path where there are no disappointing days. I love the fact that I’ve walked both of these epic trails in their entirety – they’ve formed the backbone of this journey so far. Further north – the Fife Coastal Trail is a magical stretch, dotted with fishing villages, tidal pools and dolphins.
Have you had any low moments when you thought you wouldn't finish the walk?
There hasn’t been a time when I thought I wouldn’t finish, but there have certainly been low points. Walking through every one of storms A-J, picking up suspected Lyme Disease – treated quickly and effectively by Newcastle’s NHS, and chasing away a hungry fox but not before he’d ripped open my tent to get at some cheese. I’ve raised nearly £15,000 for homelessness charities so far so there’s no way I can give up now.
Has wild camping been an enjoyable part of the adventure?
It’s a work in progress. I’ve wild camped a handful of times so far and once I cross back into Scotland, I’ll do more. It’s one of those things that gets easier the more often you do it, but it takes practice - identifying a suitable spot, making sure you’re prepared with food and enough water, leaving no trace. When everything falls into place - you’ve found the perfect pitch, watched the sun go down and woken up to the sound of birds, there’s nothing better. But the reality often involves rain, car parks or curious cows. Finding somewhere to stay every night has been the hardest thing about this adventure – and it’s what led me to raise money for homelessness charities Shelter and Only A Pavement Away. For me, sleeping somewhere different each day is a choice. I know I have a home to go back to if I need it. For thousands of people across the country, there is no choice.
What have you learnt about Britain and Brits?
There are more nice people than not nice people.
What kit are you using?
I’ve just laced up my fifth pair of INOV8 shoes – I’ve switched it up between hiking boots over winter and trail running shoes through the warmer months. And my INOV8 merino long sleeve and performance hybrid jacket have carried me through the winter too. Other than that I’ve used an MSR tent and a Sea to Summit sleeping bag and mat.
Could you share any tips, tricks or advice for anyone else thinking of a grand adventure like this?
As far as I can tell, there is never a good time to go on holiday, have a baby or walk round the coast of Great Britain. If you want an adventure – whatever size – you can’t wait for the right moment to arrive – it won’t. You have to take the first step – whether that’s simply saying it out loud to somebody, and everything else will follow.
So far Claire has raised more than £15,000 for @sheltercharity and @only_a_pavement_away, but she would really, REALLY like to reach her goal of £25,000 goal by the time she finishes (which isn’t that far away).
You can donate HERE
You can vote for Claire in the Endurence category of the 2024 Just Giving awards HERE
