One Does Not Simply Walk into Mordor: Our Year-Long Walking Adventure
Starting from 1st April 2025 until 31st March 2026, Chris and I are embarking on a mission: to walk the distance from Bag End to Mordor — all 1,779 miles of it — to raise money for Alzheimer’s Society. And along the way, I’ll be sharing our walks, adventures, and mishaps with you here on the blog.
Most of our walks will be based around Grimsby, Cleethorpes, and the surrounding Lincolnshire countryside, but we’ll be mixing in some micro-adventures further afield too. Some will be easy, some will be muddy nightmares; but all of the will bring us one step closer to Mount Doom (and hopefully a lot of donations for a great cause).
This, of course, is also a huge challenge for us both, to improve our physical and mental health, so we will need all the moral support we can get.
Walk 1: People’s Park, Grimsby
Route Type: FitRoute walk
Distance: 1 mile (2 laps)
Terrain: Paved, flat
Accessibility: Wheelchair and pushchair-friendly, suitable for dogs.
Facilities: Toilets and cafe available (Coffee in the Park)
We decided to start with something simple to kick things off. We know this might be odd to some people, but Chris and I are literally starting from scratch with these walks, and we would rather build up lifelong habits alongside this adventure, than throw ourselves in too deep and make us hate walking so much, that we don’t want to carry on once we have completed our challenge.
This walk included a nice, easy loop around Grimsby’s beautiful People’s Park. With a crisp breeze and the first signs of spring in the air, it was the perfect way to start a journey that will eventually (if everything goes to plan) see us crossing the equivalent of mountain ranges and desolate plains.
Rather than following the suggested route, we chose to walk it backwards. Our logic? End at the cafe, not the start, because every hero’s journey deserves a good coffee at the finish line. So, we began at the old bandstand, a cast-iron structure still standing proud despite the decades, and set off under a canopy of slowly greening trees.
It wasn’t exactly Mordor; more dogs chasing tennis balls and kids feeding ducks than orcs and ash clouds; but it was peaceful and lovely in its own way. We spotted daffodils starting to bloom near the pond, and the scent of fresh coffee floated across the park whenever the breeze changed direction.
There’s something satisfying about starting small. A reminder that even the longest, most intimidating journey begins with a single, slightly chilly mile.
Would I Recommend This Walk?
Absolutely — especially if you’re just getting started with walking. People’s Park is flat, scenic, and full of life, but small enough not to feel overwhelming. And ending with coffee? Highly recommend.
Next up: a slightly longer stroll… and maybe some orc-spotting (or at least a steeper hill).
