Is walking 8 miles without stopping realistic expectation?

[MorganSeventh]

Meeting friends for a walk tomorrow morning, finishing with a pub lunch. All good. However friend who is organising it, who is a keen walker, has suggested we set off at ten and has booked lunch for 12:45.

She's sent through a map of the route, and while it's flat and on a good track, it's just over 8 miles (13k). I queried whether 2hrs 45 would be long enough to cover it, and her view was yes, as we'd walk at a steady 20 minutes a mile. Which is fine as far as pace goes, but doesn't allow any time for breaks.

Is that a reasonable expectation? We're 4 fairly fit women in our 40s and in itself 8 miles isn't a super-long walk, but 2hrs40 continuous seems quite a long time to go without stopping, for what was meant to be a relaxed amble with friends...

Totally agree that its doable but not much fun.

If its flat it will be ok, if you are climbing up hills more of a challenge.

On a walk like that the group are supposed to go the pace of the slowest walker. Having said that my ex h was always about two minutes ahead 🙄

I think you will be fine and surprised what you can achieve! It might inspire you to do it more regularly x

I think at 20 minutes per mile on a flat route this will leave plenty of time for stopping for a drink/photos/sit down. 20 minute miles aren’t particularly intense for fairly fit (as you’ve described yourselves) people.
My friend and I walk 8 miles in around 2 hours every week (no stopping) and we find it manageable. Add in the heat and the extra 45 minutes I don’t think it will be a route march at all, just a fairly nice paced walk in the sun.
Enjoy, the pub lunch will be a lovely reward!

Fine if it's a frog march, if you want to chat and enjoy it then no. There's no problem with getting to a booking a little early so why not leave 15, 20 minutes earlier and it just gives you a little more breathing space. 8 miles is a long way in one go anyway.

I do that on my own. If I was with friends I'd want to be chatting and stopping so I'd be leaving at 9...

Yep flat would be fine. Your break is at 12.45 so what other break are you expecting?!

imo every healthy teenager or adult should be able to walk 8 miles.

the proposed speed however is too fast for a leisurely walk. I plan for 3 hours to leave time for chatting and taking in the scenerie.

Even things like fixing a 'setting off time' don't tend to go to plan. If you meet in a car park at,say,10, then there's the inevitable faffing whilst digging out boots from the car, rolling up rain jacket and re-packing backpack, discovering a bit of gravel in your shoe, sorting out paying the parking fee and so forth. And that's even supposing everyone arrives on time.

Agree.

I’m really surprised by how many people would have an issue with this... I don’t see that as at all challenging.

9 am start, not 10 am.... ie go now 😃

This is less about fitness and more about being honest about how long all the faffing takes when several people are involved. Even stuff like going to the loo if you park somewhere with limited toilets.

Look @MorganSeventh,
My DH and two teens would have no issue at all with that. 2~3 hours walk wo a break is OK.

No way I would do even half of that. But I have a health condition that means I can NEVER walk that far, breaks or not.

I really depends on who is going for the walk. Your friend is clearly a keen Walker. You are not (otherwise you wouldn’t ask yourself that question).
I think you need to have a word with her. NOT in a ‘your idea of an 8 miles walk is crazy’ type of thing. But just letting her know that FOR YOU, it’s a bit much. Tell her how much you think you can manage (let’s say 5 miles) and then take it from there.
You obviously also have the choice of saying ‘it’s too much for me, I’ll leave you go for a walk together and then I’ll join you at the pub/another outing’

@lastqueenofscotland

I’m really surprised by how many people would have an issue with this... I don’t see that as at all challenging.

I wouldn’t see it as physically challenging, but it is in not a generous timetable for a leisurely walk.

All I’m thinking about is how sweaty and smelly you will all be when your having lunch consorting how hot it is. Yuck.

@lastqueenofscotland

I’m really surprised by how many people would have an issue with this... I don’t see that as at all challenging.

People have differing levels of fitness and stamina to you obviously, not really all that surprising :) Most people aren't saying it'll be too challenging however, just not the leisurely stroll that the OP seems more inclined towards.

I'd probably plan on doing 5km an hour walking but that's urban stopping to cross roads etc. I can comfortably walk faster but if it was a social walk with a lunch booking to aim for I'd be leaving at 9:30.

We do this often (although more 10-12 miles on our favourite route) and enjoy it.
It isn’t for everyone

I'm 48 and 3 stone overweight, but I walk a lot. I think this sounds perfectly doable for people who are fit and healthy.

Teen dd and I often do a similar walk to one of the local villages, have lunch and then walk back. About a 16 mile round trip. We spend just over 5 hours walking altogether. We have never felt the need to stop on the way, though we are always ready to sit down and eat when we reach our destination. If there isn't a lot of uphill terrain, I think you might surprise yourself with how easy it is to keep going.

I'm a qualified walk leader and we are taught to allow for 3km an hour as an average for an enjoyable pace with time for photos, looking at the scenery, toilet stops, drink breaks etc. It isnt a case of can you walk 8 miles in under three hours, its whether it's fun. 1245 feels an odd time for a lunch booking. Even 1pm gives a more relaxed feel.

It's "doable" but that's totally different from being something people want to do. If everyone is happy with your friend taking the lead and dictating this pace then fair enough.

Yes, the way it's doable it's not a sociable one.

I can do it on my own, music in my earphone and away, but not walking with friends.

TBH I think that part of the issue here is knowing the distance.

I think a lot of people could set out on a walk and when they reach a pub suddenly realise that they’ve walked 8 miles.

But when you know in advance that it’s going to be 8 miles there’s an almost psychological feel to it, knowing how far it is, how long you have to do it, wondering how far you’ve gone and how far you have left etc.

I have a serious heart condition and I know I couldn’t walk 8 miles. In fact I walked 4 miles the other day, much of which was uphill, and by the time I got home I wanted to collapse in a heap on the floor (I didn’t.) But I could have done it before I got sick, however if someone told me it was an 8 mile walk I would be over thinking it from the outset, whereas if I had just set off on a walk and discovered by the time I got to the pub that I’d walked 8 miles it wouldn’t have phased me at all, iyswim?

I would love that as I regularly walk that kind of walk, however, I do it in my own because none of my friends are up for brisk walking...they just sort of amble. So I love walking with them but have no expectations they will walk a decent pace, which you would need to get there in time.

Overall though it is perfectly doable, just take a water bottle and sip as you go.

That sounds really doable. It's the kind of walk and pace I do with my children (youngest is 7). We get most of the walking in before lunch then have a short walk after to get to a station to go home.