For Helen Percy, doing anything on her own was a real struggle. But with the help of #walk1000miles she’s overcome her fears to complete a solo ascent of Ben Nevis.
‘I’ve got a history of depression and find it hard to motivate myself to do things alone – hard when I live alone, have never married and don’t have kids. I stopped going on holidays because seeing everyone else with someone just strengthened my feelings of isolation.
‘I’ve had a chronic knee problem too and life became about trying to manage pain. But then someone who was treating me asked me what my next challenge was. The only thing that came to mind was the Yorkshire Three Peaks. He said: “You can do that.” I dismissed the idea – it was something only fit walkers did. But the thought stuck, and I booked to join a guided walk of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. Before that I went for a weekend in the Lake District, but was overwhelmed. The idea of doing even a low level potter by myself was too much. I arrived at the youth hostel, slumped on the floor of my room with my back against the door and cried. The pandemic snatched away my Three Peaks goal, but in its place I joined #walk1000miles. It often took hours to motivate myself to leave the house, but the daily exercise became really important – and having a goal that I was in control of. The confidence grew and grew, and I ended up doing the Three Peaks, and completing my 1000th mile between Whernside and Ingleborough. The sense of achievement was incredible.
‘Next I decided I would climb Ben Nevis with a guide, but when the day came the wind was high and the walk got cancelled. But it improved later in the week and I decided ‘blow it – I can do it myself’. Time to find big girl pants!
‘It was cloudy on top, but I had lunch with glorious views on the shoulder of the mountain and I remember thinking to climb Ben Nevis alone, for me, was amazing. #Walk1000miles continues to get me out of the house, even when I feel like hiding, and it has definitely helped me to go out alone. Pavement pounding and local park walks have been part of my journey, but I can’t believe where they’ve taken me, and sharing with the community makes me feel so much less alone.’
