I've spent a lot of the last few months buying up various pieces of kit which I'll need for the challenge, walking boots, a new back pack etc. The one item I'm still unsure about however is walking poles. Opinions about walking poles seem to be mixed. On most kit lists they're listed as 'optional'. They seem to be the marmite of the mountain walking world - people either tell me they couldn't have survived without them or swear that they are the worst thing ever created.
I've had the opportunity to try out a colleagues poles for a couple of walks, and have to say didn't get on with them too well. I've never seen myself as someone particularly devoid of rhythmn but I couldn't seem to get into the 'swing' of using them, it worked out something like one 'movement' of the poles for every 2 1/2 steps, when I finally gave up they were just a pain to carry. Of course this training was in the very flat Norfolk countryside and it may be different where hills are concerned. I'm off to Portugal in a few weeks to do some training on 'proper' mountains so my plan is to try to get hold of some walking poles for that then make my decision, watch this space.....
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