Why walk?
The idea of walking from my hometown Dresden to Cork where I live and study originated from an idle moment's calculation in March 2013. I wanted to know my carbon footprint from taking the bus to work everyday in 2012 and compare it to the carbon footprint of somebody single-commuting the same distance by car. The answer back then was 203kg of CO2 for the 6km bus ride (more than likely much less) compared to 410kg for the car commute (the sources for this can be found in the Links section). Naturally, I felt fairly good about myself.
Then, however, I calculated my carbon footprint from flying back home to Germany three times during the course of the same year to visit my family. Suddenly, my carbon emissions skyrocketed to more than 1.3 tons of CO2...
Who was I kidding?
The ease and affordability of modern transport had allowed me to move 1500km away from my family, knowing that to go home would mean spending a mere 12 hours on the road whilst suffering through a few in-flight commercials (I am looking at you, Ryanair). All the while, I was happily convinced of my fairly low impact life-style, walking everywhere and reducing waste wherever I could. Yet, I was fooling myself. Sometimes, numbers can be a wonderful consciousness-raiser.
While this walk did not make much of a dint in my carbon balance (I will most likely fly back home for Christmas, this and the following year) it allowed me to discover the vast stretches of land in-between my two 'points of commute' and gain some insight into what I missed due to the luxury of modern flight.
Then, however, I calculated my carbon footprint from flying back home to Germany three times during the course of the same year to visit my family. Suddenly, my carbon emissions skyrocketed to more than 1.3 tons of CO2...
Who was I kidding?
The ease and affordability of modern transport had allowed me to move 1500km away from my family, knowing that to go home would mean spending a mere 12 hours on the road whilst suffering through a few in-flight commercials (I am looking at you, Ryanair). All the while, I was happily convinced of my fairly low impact life-style, walking everywhere and reducing waste wherever I could. Yet, I was fooling myself. Sometimes, numbers can be a wonderful consciousness-raiser.
While this walk did not make much of a dint in my carbon balance (I will most likely fly back home for Christmas, this and the following year) it allowed me to discover the vast stretches of land in-between my two 'points of commute' and gain some insight into what I missed due to the luxury of modern flight.
DID you have any experience with long-distance walking?
None, whatsoever.
When did you start and how long DID it take?
I started the walk on June 21st, 2013, and arrived on August 17th after 51 days walking and 7 days resting while covering a distance of roughly 1570km. The farthest I walked in a single day was 50.7km from Tredington, Gloucestershire, to Hereford.