European Peace Walk - 2018 DATES

[kaixo]

I have been checking daily for the 2018 dates and for registration to open.
Anybody know what's going on?

 

[edandjoan]

They organizers are some what disorganized. For example in the PDF file of the route we received the maps and route cues did not match up. Also we arrived at some "prearranged" accommodations but they were not expecting us for a day or two later. The costs for lodging are wrong and in one case even the lodging. It is an interesting route with much to glean, just be prepared.

 

[kaixo]

I think by this time last year you were already registered and awaiting the PDF file. No?
I'm enjoying your blog. Thanks.
I have never asked this question on my previous travels but here goes...Any recommendations for a woman traveling alone?

 

[edandjoan]

As a woman this is not a route I would walk alone. Sunday mornings were the worst. Men gathered at any bar, drinking, and cat calling. One Sunday I was walking ahead with another lady and the men started in and then my husbands come behind us 100 yards and they got quiet. Also there were time we were hacking down shoulder high weeds with sticks we picked us. It was nice to have some one to go first. We walked the whole way with packs, some parts of the path hadn't been walked as there are instructions in the pdf about how to taxi ahead.
Ask yourself why this walk, there are so many others that are better marked and maintained. But if you feel confident then go for it.

 

[AML]

I have been checking daily for the 2018 dates and for registration to open.
Anybody know what's going on?

I have been wondering this also! I emailed the EPW organisers but received no reply.

@edandjoan, that's disappointing its somewhat disorganised, can you give more info on the actual accommodation and costs?
Thanks
Aidan

 

[AML]

@edandjoan, just seen your EPW blog.....thanks

 

[edandjoan]

I have been wondering this also! I emailed the EPW organisers but received no reply.
@edandjoan, that's disappointing its somewhat disorganised, can you give more info on the actual accommodation and costs?
Thanks
Aidan

Accommodations could be a hostel, a hotel, private home, guest house etc. So the prices were different and some included dinner and/or breakfast . Some you could purchase a la carte. So for one most nights were between 20-35 euro for a bed. One person charged us more per person because "not everyone" stayed with her. The organizers had promised her "x" amount of people and she had a bunk room for us and some beds were empty. Ours was not a cohesive group, as some went off for a day or bused ahead a day or just got lost. It is very hard for the small business person. We walked during the European holiday season when they want and need to fill their accommodations. There were to be 8 to start on our date. Six showed up the first night and four us stayed together for a good while. One took a couple of days to Zagreb so we were five as two walkers showed up about half way through. Then three days later they were gone and we were three. There were two others that would show up from time to time and always drunk.
Expectations play a part in one's journey. We learned thing about ourselves and were just talking about that this morning as we leave for Portugal in a couple of hours to walk the Rota Vicentina.

 

[AML]

Accommodations could be a hostel, a hotel, private home, guest house etc. So the prices were different and some included dinner and/or breakfast . Some you could purchase a la carte. So for one most nights were between 20-35 euro for a bed. One person charged us more per person because "not everyone" stayed with her. The organizers had promised her "x" amount of people and she had a bunk room for us and some beds were empty. Ours was not a cohesive group, as some went off for a day or bused ahead a day or just got lost. It is very hard for the small business person. We walked during the European holiday season when they want and need to fill their accommodations. There were to be 8 to start on our date. Six showed up the first night and four us stayed together for a good while. One took a couple of days to Zagreb so we were five as two walkers showed up about half way through. Then three days later they were gone and we were three. There were two others that would show up from time to time and always drunk.
Expectations play a part in one's journey. We learned thing about ourselves and were just talking about that this morning as we leave for Portugal in a couple of hours to walk the Rota Vicentina.

Thanks!

Bom Caminho Rota Vicentina, I think this route will be very nice.
Aidan

 

[marie Louise]

I have been checking daily for the 2018 dates and for registration to open.
Anybody know what's going on?

Somebody posted that registration should be opening in November.

 

[marie Louise]

They organizers are some what disorganized. For example in the PDF file of the route we received the maps and route cues did not match up. Also we arrived at some "prearranged" accommodations but they were not expecting us for a day or two later. The costs for lodging are wrong and in one case even the lodging. It is an interesting route with much to glean, just be prepared.

I am sorry you had such an experience. I walked the EPW this summer starting early June and I found that the guidebook instructions were for the most part spot on. I only got 'lost' on one occasion. A couple of times, it was only through my inattention that I missed a red arrow, and I simply retraced my steps and picked up the correct trail. The other walkers in my group and I were always expected and warmly welcomed at the various accommodations for the night. Even when there was a bigger number of us turning up after the Ljubljana stopover, the hosts always managed to find enough beds to accommodate us.
Please remember that the EPW is still in its infancy. It has made great progress in its 4 years of existence, and I am sure it will continue improving. I will certainly consider walking the route again in the near future.

 

[edandjoan]

@marie Louise. That’s interesting as a number of our host were frustrated at the lack on people who they expected and they didn’t show. They had made space available and had empty beds. I didn’t say all, but several expressed this to us. We were able to find our way while others in our “group” were not. And the maps do not match up with the cue sheet, that’s just a fact. Did you walk the whole way? We did and found that often where the instruction gave info to take a taxi is where trail markings dropped off and where we whacked through shoulder high weeds and briers.
We are glad we did it as we are always in for an adventure.

 

[Minou]

I walked the EPW in 2016 and it was wonderful. Information for 2018 should be posted soon either on the EPW facebook page or on their website. I think the hosts get frustrated because some individuals sign up for a certain start date but then change their plans and leave a day earlier or later whatever may be the case. I believe this is something the organizers should tighten up somewhat and I am sure it will as time goes by. Like Marie Louise said, this walk is in its infancy so you have to be adventurous and flexible to tackle it. As for the trail, there is no place where the trail ends and you are to taxi forward. The option to taxi is provided if you are finding the distance too long. If you hacked through weeds then you got off course somehow. Or the trail had simply become overgrown and the arrows were hard to spot. I walked in early June and so had no issues with this but wondered about people later in the season when plants took over some of the trails. As for walking alone, I wouldn't recommend for anyone simply because there are so few walkers and the path goes through remote areas at times. If you hurt yourself, you may be at that spot for awhile before anyone found you. We were never harassed by anyone. I would walk it again in a heartbeat but my walking partner wants to try new routes.

 

[marie Louise]

Hi edandjoan. Yes, I did walk the whole way and did not skip a day. I agree completely with what Minnou posted in that it could be that wherever the trail was so overgrown that you had to hack through the undergrowth would probably mean that you had missed an arrow and you were not on the right track. I started on the 3rd of June 2017, and only one section had very high weeds (and you are warned about it in the notes), but the trail could still be followed without any hacking at grass. Perhaps by the time you passed, it got overgrown?
As for the hosts, it has to be remembered that these people have opened up their houses and put their lives on hold just to welcome us for the night. It is only fair to phone and inform them if you will not be turning up that night.
Finally, as for the taxi parts, that info has only been included for walkers who would like to make the day's walk easier. The trail keeps on going, well marked, till the day's accommodation for the day.

 

[kaixo]

I appreciate all the replies, thank you.
Like @AML, I emailed the EPW organizers but have not heard back.

As a woman this is not a route I would walk alone.

@Minou and @marie Louise do you agree? I prefer to head out on my own and I have had wonderful experiences walking alone in Spain and France. But the EPW is unknown territory for me, so I appreciate you sharing your experiences.

 

[edandjoan]

This is not the first or last time we picked up sticks to whack through shoulder high stinging nettles and I do believe that is a red arrow. I took this photo before I had to put away my camera. There was always arrow where we walked and even the one on a sign that had been turned around pointing the opposite direction did not fool us. Check your cue sheet for the day it says when you come to felled trees, climb over and if there are more felled trees and it says find your way to the top and the hut at the top (page 61). And not one of the six of us that day found a red arrow and we did scout out two paths to the top. Those are just facts.
It was an adventure and one we were glad to have completed. There was one day we decided not to follow the arrow, by our choice, as the cue sheet and plot a route map did not match up and had a great adventure.
I just think people need to have info to make an informed decision.

 

[kaixo]

That's a great foto @edandjoan and slightly intimidating! Is it safe to assume that once you hacked through the stinging nettles that you did find the actual path once again?
Still waiting for EPW registration to open.
There's plenty of time between now and June to gather info.
Thank you to all for posting your thoughts and experiences.

 

[Domnall]

I have been checking daily for the 2018 dates and for registration to open.
Anybody know what's going on?

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1112187972249692&id=396941733774323&__tn__=*s*s-R

 

[kaixo]

Thank you for the link @Domnall.