DS plans to walk 32 miles on his own this weekend.

[Interestingmauve]

He's in his first couple of weeks at University. Seems to be really enjoying the course, but not socialising at all. This is not any great surprise, as he's a real introvert and happy in his own company. All his life he's tended to have one good friend rather than a group, although these have changed from time to time.

Hiking is his thing and he likes to do it alone. However, a day walk would usually be about 14 miles.

I'm worried. I don't suppose I can stop him and I won't know if he goes or not if he doesn't tell me, but 32 miles without proper training (above 14m) on his own where he doesn't know the area and has no one nearby he could call for help and the nights drawing in?

On the one hand, great that he's getting out, but....

Ridiculous posters saying take a phone should leave it to more experienced hikers. Phone reception is likely to be poor! Relying on a phone is very dim.

I'm going to automatically assume anyone dismissing a 32 mile walk as nothing out of the ordinary has no idea what they're talkin about.

The vast majority of the adult population would simply not be able to do it. Well trained soldiers would only be asked to do it in exceptional circumstances. A fit and well prepared 18yo should be able to do it, but it's really not "measly"

There's been nothing in the OPs posts to suggest he won't be taking any precautions. In fact he sounds like he has plenty of hiking experience

Also the app Strava has a beacon feature which means you can track him (it might need a subscription). But be aware will use more battery

One problem with a city to city walk could be how much of it is on urban streets - that can be really tiring on the feet. The good news is that he's doing it as a there and back, so he can go 'naaah sod this' and get the train/bus home after 16 miles.

In general terms - make sure he has a 'real' map so he isn't using online/mobile maps all the time to keep his phone battery in case of emergencies, make sure he knows that there's no shame in bailing out if he's not having fun.

He’s an adult. If he’s got a phone he can call for help if need be. Encourage him to sign up to a Uni hiking or walking society

OP, are you able to say the area he's walking in? There's a world of difference between walking 32 miles from London to Reading on the Thames Path and 32 miles across the Cairngorms.

In the autobiography of John Buchan, author of 'The 39 Steps' and governor-general of Canada, he says that it was a thing in the late 19th century for students to walk the 50 miles in a day from Oxford to London ('a prosaic affair - I did it on a hot day'). One one occasion he walked 80 miles in a day from Cambridge to Oxford...

DH has often walked about 30 miles in a day and its quite doable, he has several different round routes planned out and texts me to let me know how he is doing, he also sometimes does 50 mile walking events with the LDWA. Maybe your DS might want to join one of these walking clubs in the future, I think you can be as social or not as you like

Considering some people run the marathon 26 miles in a few hours, I'm not sure 32 miles is beyond the capability of the human body.

I'd as him to download What Three Words. If he gets in trouble he texts you and you give them the three words. That's all you can do.

I think it would be helpful for the OP to mention the sort of area he would be walking in. Something like Leeds-Sheffield or Manchester-Liverpool would mean phone signal would be fairly reliable. Scottish highlands would be different probably but I doubt that's where he's headed.
I agree that people saying 32 miles is measly are talking nonsense - of course it's not measly. It'll take a good 11 hours or so at a decent pace, with breaks. But, a fit 18 year old could do it. But he does need to be prepared in case it does turn out to be more than he can handle. At 20, a friend and I headed out for a particular town across the Tuscan countryside. Halfway through, my friend got horrendous blisters, which really slowed us down. But - and this was before mobiles - we were prepared with maps and knew what time the last train went from a nearer town, so we were fine. Preparation is key.

Did you see the people who'd walked the 26 miles? I've actually done both and walking is much harder IMO, simply because of the additional time on your feet. People who walk the whole marathon will typically take about 8 hours and 32miles is almost another 25%.

Plus in an organised marathon there's support all the way should something go wrong. Really not at all comparable.

A great deal of it will have phone reception if he’s going city to city and back again.

DH is generally out about 11 hrs on a 30 mile walk, depends really on what stops he has or if he takes a, wrong turn😀

Is he walking something like Newcastle to Durham? Rather than across exposed moorlands etc. A route like that will have a lot of bail out points if he gets all funned out by it, and there's always Uber

He's an adult, stop worrying.
Loads of people do stuff like this.
Sounds like it's not exactly mountainous terrain and unless he's completely clueless, like those that set off in flip flops (and you say it's "his thing" so seems unlikely) then he'll be completely fine.

City to city doesn’t sound particularly remote.
If it was somewhere like Torridon I’d be more worried!

Look up The Great Saunter - 32 mile walk around the edge of Manhattan. Loads of people do it, of all ages and body types. Yes it's a challenge but a reasonably fit 18 year old used to longish hikes is probably going to be fine - and if he regrets it he can decide to take public transport for the return journey.

Really? 32 miles is a long way IMHO with the nights drawing in. You can do it light, with little equipment and a good chance of success but at a risk if the weather turns. Or you can do it with a well-packed rucksack in which case 25 miles is pretty tough. again, if you know the route it is fine. If you are stopping every mile to check the map it is not fine.

16 miles one way will be more than enough and he can get the train/bus home if he's knackered or it gets too late. What was his plan, anyway? To spin on his heel and turn straight back? He'll run out of time, surely.

I really don't see where the issue is here?

Your adult son is taking part in an activity that you know is "his thing" Unless you've left something out of this story he doesn't seem to have any physical or mental health concerns (other than being a bit of an introvert).

So he is walking a long way? He'll be tired the next day - possibly have a blister or two but that's likely to be the worst of it.

Let him be himself. Let him be an introvert. Thers' no rule that states all new uni go-ers have to have met a hundred new friends or signed up to a dozen societies in the first month!!!

If he’s walking between cities he’ll easily be able to go back onto the beaten track if he gets tired, where there will be taxis and buses. unclench. He’s an adult

I think it would have been better if he had told you after he had completed it then you wouldn't have had the worry. Once they leave home for Uni most of the time you don't know what they are up to which I personally think is easier. Before when they live at home you always worry if they are a bit late. My daughter has travelled the world independently since her gap year at 18. I admire her in some ways but am always relieved when she returns safely. She never goes on the tourist trail. She was away in Brazil staying with indigenous people up the Amazon just when a British woman was killed not far from her. A couple of years ago she walked to us, 28 miles bivvying in a field overnight. We assumed she was coming by train until she turned up half an hour late for lunch.
I am sure your son will be fine and I hope the weather stays dry. He doesn't have to complete it if he feels it's too much he can turn back sooner.

That is a 32 mile walk on paved roads with 000's of people around. No need for any gear other than a light bag. 7:30am to 7pm in May - very different from October.

I think some of the posters here are being rather callous and blasé. I know people who got lost on a walk through their local forest that they thought they knew like the back of their hand and had to be rescued by a mountain rescue helicopter that spent hours searching for them.

Yes this hike is doable, and yes lots of people do it, but I think it's easy for people in this country to forget that walking cross country on your own is not the same as walking to the local shops, and the elements can still kill you or make you very poorly if you're not careful. All it would take is for him to fall and injure himself out of earshot other people and he could be in serious trouble, especially if he's got no phone signal or his battery pack isn't up to standard, or he isn't dressed warmly enough.

It's not unreasonable for OP to be concerned about whether her only-just-left-home son might be too naive or shy to be properly prepared for the challenge.