Oavid Wishart photo

GARETH Hill, in shorts, leads a drop-in group for a walk along Jericho Beach in Vancouver. Hill is the founder
of Love Vancouver Walks, and offers a number of Lower Mainland locations for interesting strolls, in addition
to winter walks in Arizona'and weekend breaks on Bowen Isiand.

GOING for a walk is
pethaps the simplest
and most satisfying way
to travel — an outing
that can range from a
stroll along Spanish
Banks to being foot-

~ Leave tour buses and traf-
fic jams behind, take to
heather-covered hills in
Scotland or hike over a carpet
of summer wildflowers on
Whistler’s mountains.
Exploring Vancouver is
one way to start. With that in
© mind, I sought out Gareth
Hill; founder of Love
Vancouver Walks, which led to
a thoroughly enjoyable two-
hour,'10-km (6.2 mile) walk,

/ vam hike, ramble or whatever you

want to call it along Jericho
‘beach and through the UBC
¢ Endowment Lands.
‘ Hiltl’s been doing this for a
a long time. While studying at
the Royal Academy of
a. Dramatic Art in London he
‘Jed walks to London theatres
and pubs. He taught English
and drama at St George's
_ School for 25 years and con-
tinues to coach rugby, soccer
mand cricket there. In the last
- few years he’s also been doing
*a Will Power Walk tied in to
Bard on the Beach (“ar merry.
1 heart gocth all the day”), and
_ Reel Rambies takes in movie-
set Vancouver houses and
ends up — where else? — at
:the Burrard and 5th movies,
popcorn included.

He does winter walks in
‘Arizona and is planning week-
end breaks on Bowen Island.
Also coming up is a book on
Vancouver walks.

4, Vanier Park, says Hill, is
‘Vancouver's best-kept secret.
oa He also likes Stanley Park, and

offers a morning literary lap
from the Vancouver Rowing
Club through the forest trails.
Groups are small and costs
range from $3 to $6. Call
731-0968.

_ Ifyou are more ambitious
and happy to write a fairly
large cheque, there are com-
panties such as the British-
based Wayfarers offering.
week-long walking trips in
Britain, France, Italy and
Switzerland. You can choose
from a gentle doddle around
the Cotswolds to a challeng-
ing hike from coast to coast.
To fit the 190-mile (306 km)
route into a week, Wayfarers
has selected the best 85 miles
137 km.

The Loire with its
chateaux, the glorious
Dordogne, the vineyards of
Burgundy and Provence await;
you don’t have to get off the
bus to smell! the lavender and
scent of wild thyme and rose-
mary. It’s all around. There’s
a truck to carry the bags, a
station-wagon with refresh-
ments — and a lift if you need
it. And every evening an
appetite for a good meal. Call
800-249-4620.

Progressive Travels of
Seattle also has walks in
France and Italy and has a
new one in the Basque coun-
try and another in Portugal.
This company also does bicy-
cling tours, including a new
one in Spain and Portugal.
Call 800-245-2229.

Backroads has a large range
of walking, and biking trips,

Adventure Tour #!
Feathers

wande

from California to Bali, some
of them under canvas. Call
Fresh Tracks Adventure Travel
Service at 737-7880.

Expect to pay around
$2,000 a week for any of
these vacations. There are
cheaper ways of course. You
can buy a Lonely Planet guide
and a backpack, hop on a
charter flight to Europe and
put one foot in front of the

‘other. At your first hostel

you'll find people of all ages,
advice on where to go and to
eat, and perhaps companions.
And there’s always something
new.

In the north of England

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the final 45 miles (72 km) of
the Cumbrian Coastai Way
has opened, and you can now
follow the trail of St Cuthbert,
a Celtic monk who lived in
the 7th century. St Cuthbert’s
Way starts near the ruins of
Melrose Abbey in Scotland,
where the heart of Robert the
Bruce was recently found, and
ends 100 miles (160 km)
away at Lindisfarne after cross-
ing a causeway uncovered
only at Jow tide.

Of course you can also go
for a walk with a little white
ball and something to hit it
with. But that’s another
story...

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