The Stage Book
The Long Way
The trail
Back on the trail Sign the register

The Stages

Sixteen men keep the huts of the Long Way, every one an AI character and a grown man. Read a page, or skip down to the Stage Book and walk one stage.

Order
Most walked with New on the trail Any hut At his hut now
Age
25 to 3435 and up
More filters: hair, look, build, who he is
Hair
BlondeBrunetteBlack hairRedheadSilver
Look
EuropeanSouth Asian
Who he is to you
AdventurousCaringConfidentDominantFlirtyIntellectualMysteriousPlayfulSarcasticBest friendBossColleagueCrushExFriendNeighbourRoommateStranger
06AI Mirko Babic Mirko, 26 Cycle courier 02AI Emil Solberg Emil, 29 Rope access technician 09AI Hamish Dunbar Hamish, 55 Shepherd 08AI Pascal Rinaldi Pascal, 52 Rural postman 11AI Lukas Wendt Lukas, 31 Kayak guide 14AI Gethin Pryce Gethin, 50 Dry-stone waller 16AI Marcel Duval Marcel, 53 Cross-country coach 12AI Bjorn Halvorsen Bjorn, 48 Ferryman 04AI Tane Ruru Tane, 37 Fell runner and surveyor 10AI Ravi Menon Ravi, 28 Physiotherapist 01AI Fergus MacAra Fergus, 34 Hut warden 13AI Ignacio Prieto Ignacio, 44 Vineyard pruner 07AI Orin Faulkner Orin, 39 Sailing rigger 03AI Jacques Thibault Jacques, 41 Ballet teacher for adults 15AI Stellan Ek Stellan, 25 Wind turbine technician 05AI Konrad Leitner Konrad, 46 Mountain guide

The Stage Book

Sixteen written stages of the Long Way, one for each hut, in trail order. Every note has the stretch, the day's sky and the man waiting at the end. Filter by section or by sky, then walk one: the note goes to him as your opening line and he answers from his door. Nothing tracks your progress, so take them in any order you like.

Coast · ShowersStage 1. Saltgate Hut to Kittiwake Head, 14 km of cliff path.West wind, showers off the sea till eleven, then a dry spell the warden does not trust.Fergus MacAra has the kettle on and the window bunk saved.Fergus MacAra Walk this stage Coast · WindStage 2. Kittiwake Head and the chain path, 9 km.Fresh north-westerly on the cliffs, gulls riding it, sun breaking through late in the afternoon.Emil Solberg is on a rope below the path and will not say much until dusk.Emil Solberg Walk this stage Coast · FairStage 3. Marram Bay, 11 km of dunes to the boathouse.Flat calm and a light haze, the bay holding its breath until two.Lukas Wendt has a double kayak on the sand and a free front seat.Lukas Wendt Walk this stage Coast · ShowersStage 4. Down into Brennick Harbour, 12 km.Rain clearing from the south-west, tide turning at four, the flags on the quay finally lifting.Orin Faulkner is climbing down from a mast with a story already started.Orin Faulkner Walk this stage Coast · ColdStage 5. The Sound of Ure, crossed by oar, 2 km of water.Cold clear evening, a long swell from the north, the far shore sharp as glass.Bjorn Halvorsen holds the ferry at the jetty with a blanket on your seat.Bjorn Halvorsen Walk this stage Coast · WindStage 6. Out along the headland to Skerrow Point, 13 km.Steady wind off the sea, dry underfoot, long gold light after six.Ravi Menon is stretching on the hut doorstep and has already noticed how you walk.Ravi Menon Walk this stage Moor · MistStage 7. Up onto the moor to Peatwater Bothy, 16 km.Mist down by four and thick on the bog, lifting by morning, the shepherd says.Hamish Dunbar has the stove lit and the door open.Hamish Dunbar Walk this stage Moor · FairStage 8. Along the walls to the Drystane Hut, 10 km.Cloud on the tops, dry below until evening, larks over the heather.Gethin Pryce is at his wall with a stone he wants you to choose.Gethin Pryce Walk this stage Moor · WindStage 9. Windle Moor and the turbines, 12 km.Twelve metres a second on the tops, blades turning, the sky moving fast and clean.Stellan Ek is coming down a ladder at dusk with a thermos and a grin.Stellan Ek Walk this stage Moor · FairStage 10. Over Letter Cross to the post hut, 11 km.Rain cleared at nine, the heather smells of it, a soft afternoon after.Pascal Rinaldi has a letter for you on top of the pile.Pascal Rinaldi Walk this stage Moor · ShowersStage 11. The moor road to the last moor hut, 15 km.Drizzle from noon, puddles on the track, a rainbow nobody asked for at five.Mirko Babic rolls in with a parcel, a flat tyre and a very good mood.Mirko Babic Walk this stage High ridge · ClearStage 12. Up the vine terraces on the south face, 9 km.Sun on the south face and a light sea breeze, the warmest stage on the trail.Ignacio Prieto looks up from the vines and knows your walk at once.Ignacio Prieto Walk this stage High ridge · MistStage 13. Cairn Ridge, eight cairns in five kilometres, 14 km in all.Cloud below the ridge at dawn, lifting by ten, a southerly at your back.Tane Ruru is waiting at the first cairn with his stopwatch out.Tane Ruru Walk this stage High ridge · ColdStage 14. The roped crossing of Gendarme Col, 8 km.Cold start, cloud building from the west after midday, so the rope leaves at seven.Konrad Leitner reads the sky, then your face, then picks the line.Konrad Leitner Walk this stage High ridge · FairStage 15. The Long Edge, 24 km without a shortcut.Morning fog off the ridge by nine, then high cloud and a light wind all day.Jacques Thibault is stretching a knee against a fence post and wants company.Jacques Thibault Walk this stage High ridge · ClearStage 16. Down from the ridge to the harbour at Endhaven, 22 km.Clear sky and a north wind behind you the whole way down.Marcel Duval sets the pace at the front and asks you to keep it.Marcel Duval Walk this stage