- but myoutdoorwalks were never too
adventurous. Oen theywere repetitive.
I didn’thave the confidence to navigate
routes around national parks, nor did I
have anyhiking friends to learn from.
I felt doomed to an outdoorlife of never-
ending walks around Epping Forest.
At the beginning of2014, a work
colleague mentioned her boyfriend had
joined a local walking group on Meetup.
com. I had never heard of the website.
A little research revealed thatit was an
online social platform focused onbringing
together people who sharea common
interest.Fortunately, hiking was well
represented, with plenty of active groups
hosting events from local day hikes to
Everest Base Campadventures.
Withno designs to become the next
Sir EdmundHillary, I decided to head
to Guildford the following week and
join up with the intriguingly named
‘Outdooraholics’.Despitelooking forward
to seeing what the day would bring, I
was a little nervous. e moments before
meeting the group bought back memories
of my first day at school. When I arrived
on thatcold, drizzly morning, my new
hiking classmates werewaiting for me - 25 or so Outdooraholics all huddled
together. e hike leader in the middle
of the crowd gave me a warm welcome.
LeavingGuilford behind, weembarked
on a 12-mile circular through the Surrey
Hills. Any nerves quicklydisappeared
once in conservation withgroup
members. e outdoors seemed like the
ideal place to makenew friends.
e day passed in a flash. Lovely
scenery, fresh air and plenty of exercise
le me full of positivevibes. Finally, we
ended our hikeat a traditional pub for
a well-earned rest and a congratulatory
cheeky pint. Perhaps meeting like-minded
folk was mybiggest win. I had found my
people, and I couldn’twait to signup for
the next event.
[previous spread]Ak-Say Urur Valley [clockwise from top]A home away from home; Summit group
shot on Mama Mountain; Yurt decorTHE FURTHERwe walked into
Kyrgyzstan’sKok Kiya Valley, the more
its vast size became apparent. e land
seemed timeless, with no roads, houses or
electrical pylons in sight. Without these
signs of modern life, mymind focused
unhindered onthe beauty of the terrain.
e rolling,mustard-shaded foothills we
were walking through were gloriously
juxtaposed againstthe daunting snow-
capped peaks of the 7000-metre-plus
Tian Shan mountains.
Wemade our wayto the tallest peak
of our trip, Mama Mountain. Atjust over
4000 metres, the summit laya 700-metre
steep climb above our base camp. e
altitude change was clearly noticeable.
Fortunately, our Meetup group was
sensible enough to take itslow, with no
alpha characters pushingthemselves to the
limit. atmeasured walk was a chance
to get to knowother members of the Go
London Hiking Group, most of whom I
was meeting for the first time. e diverse
mix of ages, ethnicities and occupations
made for an exciting team. One minute
I was in conversation with a financier and
the next a yoga teacher. Atthis rate, I’dbe
wealthy and healthyin no time.
Short ofbreath, we all stood proudly at
the top ofthe summit. Wecongratulated
each other, selfied away and captureda
few group shots. From that height, 3000
metres beneath the highest summit ranges
of the all-encompassing Tian Shan, the
river tributaries resembled arteries and
veins pumping life into the land below.
at surreal vistainspiredboth gratitude
and astonishment. I couldn’tquite believe
I was here. Rewind to five years earlier and
the thought of ahigh-altitude trek halfway
around the world seemed inconceivable.
FINDING FELLOWSHIP
I’ve always hiked solo.e combination
of solitude and the sounds of nature
became myantidote to busy London life
Photo:^ G
aryBebbPhoto:^ D
avid^ WeddenKYRGYZSTAN
52 The Great OutdoorsAugust 2021