How long would it take an average 10 year old to walk 200 miles, how many days, how many breaks?

[Walkingtimes]

My youngest wants to do something for a charity v. Close to home and has got one idea of walking from (hospital) X to place Y (close to cause).

Should I encourage/discourage, of the former how to go about planning! Thanks for any feedback.

Could you borrow a camper van/ motor home. That way you can schedule breaks and toilet stops easily, you can drive off to sleep then return.

Would he really want to walk 200 miles over consecutive days, no matter the weather, with no breaks, no time with his mates, no home comforts like screens or his usual activities?

What would happen if he was sick, or injured, or the weather was too hot, or too unpleasant? Or if a campsite got flooded etc?

I'd encourage him to try something a bit less ambitious first. He may be able to manage 10 or 12 miles fairly easily once or twice, but doing it every day for the best part of three weeks is a big ask. I have a friend who has done a lot of long distance challenges for charity, both on foot and cycling and he says the real challenge is the pressing on day after day, regardless of weather and any adverse conditions. Any one of the days in isolation wouldn't be difficult for him - it's going to bed knowing you're going to do it all again the next day, and the next. He's ex military, pretty fit and mentally tough but he's found some of his challenges difficult. Blisters can be a real issue (or saddle sores if cycling long distances) even for hardened hikers so I'd be a bit worried about that for a youngish child. I'd start with a shorter distance personally and if it goes well he can do this when he is a bit older.

Depends on the child. One of mine at 10 would and could walk as much as a very fit adult. The other would whinge if they had to walk to the bus stop!

15 days, 10 miles morning, 10 miles afternoon/evening
2 days on, 1 day off.
You may need to contact b&b and pubs on route to see if you can hire a room by the hour (you can explain the reason) to rest, feshen up

Would you be doing this in the school summer holidays come rain or heat wave?

20 miles a day - possibly, with some training and good footwear. provided it's reasonable footpaths without steep hills.

so 2 weeks with a couple of rest days

Although an active boy, when he walks normally it’s done with long breaks in between miles vs steady walking.
My concern is his growth plates and long term injury. Pavement walking is hard on the joints.

If your kid wants to do it, help him sort out the how and let him crack on.

https://www.scottsgreatwalk.com/about-scott

Ds3 is just turned 8 and he regularly walks for 6 miles. We're out for about 3.5 hours, we certainly don't rush and it includes a good 45 minute rest in the middle.

That's just a regular weekend coastal dog walk, and he does it with ease. So if 'trying' I'd say he'd be more than capable of walking double that over the course of a whole day. However, doing that day after day for a couple of weeks would no doubt take its toll.

It's no doubt a big task and would need trainung but I do think some people seriously underestimate kids as shown by this thread. He's 10 not 5. I can't see why it would need to be spread over a month!

I think it needs to be virtual, or by a faster means of transport (cycle?)

Id suggest go and do a ten mile walk, that’s a good starting point for getting a feel for what’s realistic.

Walking 200 miles is a massive under taking and a logistics challenge. Something ‘harder on the day’ but for fewer days might be a more practical option.

eg. Pick a meaningful point 40 miles from one of them and do it over a weekend.

It will depend hugely on terrain and elevation. Hilly, rough ground will obvs be slower going smooth, level routes. I'd say you need to build in some rest days too - maybe every third day? But maybe 10 miles a day if walking all day.

Maybe it's just me, but I can't think of many 10 year olds who would happily walk for 20 miles a day, for several days at a time.

My son and his friends walked the West Highland Way when they were 15, this took 5 days and covered 96 miles. It was tough so I’d think carefully about expecting him to walk more than 10 miles per day (obviously dependent on terrain and what he’s carrying).

We did walking holidays with DC at that age and we'd have aimed for 12-15 miles per day, a bit longer if it was easy going terrain.

But this one wants to?

Cycling is worse as they'd need to be on roads at some point.

I guess they could cover approx 12 miles a day if fit and the weather is kind to you. But it would cost a lot in accommodation and food en route, money that a charity would probably appreciate more.

I'm shocked at the number of people who think this is impractical. It's what most of our family holidays looked like, and I take myself off on at least one long distance walk pa every year now.

Obviously the family will need to support it, but it sounds like that's the plan. I think it's a great idea.

And before people say my DC will be traumatised by it, DS2 plans solo long distance walks himself now, as a young adult.

He might 'want to' but it's not a realistic thing to do, unless virtual (and slowly)

I don't think a 10 year old fully understands the logistics required to do something like this.

I would just say no, and help them find another way to raise money in a more realistic way - maybe they could give half their pocket money each week/month for a year to the cause?

Otherwise I would assume it would be other people's money that would be funding this rather than the 10 year olds?

He might not understand now, but he can learn, with the support of his parents.

Of course it's realistic to plan a walking trip to cover 200 miles during the school holidays. Yes, it will cost money, but so does any family outing or holiday.

Youth hostels are brilliant for families OP.

If it costs more money than it raises what on earth is the point?

200 miles is a very long way, far longer than Gold Duke of Edinburgh and most 10 year olds will get very bored with the whole thing long before it ends.

It's self indulgent nonsense and requires adults to say no.

I agree with @Ted27.

The costs of hotels is going to outweigh what he raises.

To me this just sounds like a younger version of teenagers going off to other countries building a well etc.

It's an adventure, the family have a good holiday, walking is good for you, he'd learn loads about planning, navigation, organisation, walking and talking as a family, communing with nature.

Does everything you do raise more money for charity than it cost or there's no earthly point to it?

I agree the fundraising won't be the biggest reason for doing it, but it would definitely be worhtwhile if it's something wants to do and the family are on board. I feel excited for him.

How about suggesting this year he does 50 miles over 3 or 4 days, with the aim of aiming for 100 next year and 200 when he's older?