You might wonder who wants to go on a trip like this, and why we choose this trail.
We are Mark and Jolanda from the Netherlands. We met as stafmembers at a scoutcamp, and after we went on a hiking event for scouts called the AOT, our friendship grew during many hours of hiking together.
We hiked the Nijmeegse 4daagse (Nijmegen marches), and many other day or weekend hikes.
When friendship became a partnership, we started doing longer hikes in different countries. But the wish to one day hike a ‘big hike’, was always there. In 2019 we decided to go for it and we hiked Te Araroa, the long distance trail of New Zealand; 3000 km, from North to South. (see prior adventures)
Along the way we met many people. Fellow hikers with some we formed friendships for life, but most importantly, the people along the trail that offered us their kindness or hospitality. By giving us a bag of oranges on a hot day, offering a spot in the shade to sit, an icecream along the road, a place to pitch our tent, or sometimes even a place in their homes. These people made the trail a special place for us.
At the finish of the trail, Mark proposed to Jolanda, who (of course) said yes.
We decided to get married at the International Scoutcentre of Kandersteg, where our relationship began in 2008. We also decided to hike to our own wedding from our home in Kwintsheul, in the Netherlands. A hike of a little over 1600 km. So we put our packs on again in 2022.
And now, a few years later, we started to talk about thru-hiking again. Mark thinks we developed Stockholm syndrome on trail 😊
While we’re not looking forward to the smell of dirty socks, eating oats for breakfast every morning and the full body workout some trails provide, we are looking forward to the simple live on trail. Every day all we need to do is hike 25 km, find a place to camp and enjoy whatever comes our way in the proces.
We decided not to go for one of the American long-distance trails, but instead do a European trail. While we were on a ‘try-out’ on the Sentiero Italia, we saw signs of the E5. It was then that we decided to hike one of the European Great Long Distance trails. We wanted a trail that:
- Is ‘hikeable’ in one straight line in less than a year, but longer than 3000 km
- Is well marked in most places
- Is doable weatherwise in the seasons along our way
- Has an obvious start and finish
So we ended up with hiking E8, from Dursey head, Ireland to Istanbul.
Europe from West to East in 7000 km.