Last summer, I embarked on a journey that spanned 7,600km (4,722 miles) along the European Divide Trail, a route that takes you through nine different countries, from the Arctic Circle in Norway to the Atlantic coast in Portugal. The inspiration came from a fortuitous article I stumbled upon on bikepacking.com. What started as a mere curiosity gradually turned into a three-month adventure that I’ll never forget.
While I had some experience with bikepacking trips, this one was on a whole other level. My friend Max joined me on the first leg of the journey, and we met Anna from Sheffield on the first day of the European Divide trail. We eventually teamed up and spent the next three weeks cycling together. The trail was designed to follow the Great Divide mountain bike trail in the US, and it takes you through a varied terrain of forests, mountains, and remote areas that cross many cultural and political divides across Europe.
What made the trip special was the people we met along the way, who showed us kindness, generosity, and unforgettable moments. Dutch couple Marten and Karin saved us from running low on supplies one morning in Sweden by offering us their packet of biscuits and chocolate bar. A man in Sweden helped us cross the Lainio River after we missed the ferry, and in Germany, a man named Benni offered us a place to camp on his family’s land and food for the evening. Everywhere we went, we were met with generosity and kindness.
Lessons learned from the trip were profound: civilization isn’t always civil, problems will always arise but the trail will teach you how to solve them, never pass up the chance for a good swim spot, lube your chain, and strangers make great friends. The experience of the trip helped me gain confidence and expertise that has translated into other areas of my life – I can now do things that I couldn’t before.
Overall, the European Divide Trail was an incredible, life-altering experience, and I would encourage anyone with a sense of adventure to try it. While I didn’t do much preparation for the trip, I did have maps and planned each day as I went, looking for places to stop for provisions. Completing the trail taught me that if you’re not fit enough at the start, you’ll be fit enough by the end. So go out there, take on an adventure, and let the trail teach you what you need to know.
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