If there is ever a piece of information that you wish you knew it’s this. If it’s not on your wish list, well at least you can bring it up at a cocktail party. What is it? It’s the longest walkable single distance on Earth. And presently, the distance stretches from the tip of South Africa to the city of Magadan in Russia. The route can be crossed entirely by foot- so one wouldn’t even need to take any form of transportation. Since Magadan is located in the far northeastern reaches of Russia- some terrain might not be walkable currently. For those who might be interested in such a trip, it covers a distance of 14,000 miles.
Now, there are certain things one needs to keep in mind. For an average person, this trip should roughly take three years. They would also have to pack quite a variety of things. And, they would need to be adept at bartering. For, they would often have to sell and purchase things on the way. Before we forget- it is important to know a particular detail about this trip. It isn’t for those with a weak heart. One will be traveling through extremely polarising terrain. They might encounter the harshest rainforests- and the coldest places. So, this isn’t exactly a trip to the Four Seasons.
The Longest Walkable Distance- But Never The Easiest
While one may shudder at the length of the longest walkable distance- this isn’t exactly a first. For centuries, people around the world have been walking long distances. While some of them could be the result of transmigration, others have found spirituality in their paths. One of the most popular routes over which people walk is the Camino de Santiago. This leads one to the shrine of St. James the Apostle in the Santiago de Compostela cathedral. The length of this journey is 500 miles- and can be quite daunting. But then, if one were to capture the difference in distance between this and the longest walkable distance on earth- this feels quite paltry. [1]
Another road that is usually taken is the Appalachian Trail. This route runs quite vertically along the eastern edge of the United States. The journey is around 2,000 miles, and people do it for their love of nature. The organization that takes care of the route has explicitly mentioned that there is nothing religious or spiritual about this journey. But the preserved natural beauty that this route possesses is enough to elicit dreams in someone.
This Preacher Has Walked The Longest Distance So Far
Along with the longest walkable distance on earth, the longest known ongoing religious pilgrimage is still under the name of Arthus Blessitt. This man has walked close to 40,000 miles over the last 5 decades. He hasn’t limited the sphere under which he would travel. To date, he has been to every single continent and country. He carries a large cross and preaches his beliefs regarding Christianity. Currently, the preacher is close to 79 years old, and over the last 50 years, he has circumnavigated the world quite a few times. And interestingly, he has already walked on the trail from South Africa to Magadan. [2]
While the journey is upon tried and tested roads, this doesn’t make it any easier. The longest walkable distance covers rough terrain- which was exhibited by Blessitt’s pace. According to the official record o his walk, he averaged just 3 miles per day. Needless to say that at this pace, the longest contiguous walk would take him more than a decade. This also includes provisions for downtime and places to crash every day.
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Sources
- “The Longest Walkable Distance On Earth Which No One Is Known To Have Completed.” Unilad. Joe Harker. July 4,2022.
- “This Is the Longest Walkable Distance on Earth.” Popular Mechanics. Caroline Delbert. December 19, 2019.