Christmas Day Hikes Provide Comfort to Individuals Facing Solitude

For Hattie Wilderman, a 44-year-old residing in Nottingham, Christmas 2023 was anticipated to be a challenging and solitary period. Her separation from her ex-husband meant her two children would not be present for the holiday festivities. Adding to her difficulties, her cherished sausage dog, Bertie, passed away. She stated, “It was just going to me alone on my own,” adding, “I would have stayed in bed all day and been really miserable.” However, her situation improved when she discovered a Christmas Day hike in the Peak District advertised on social media. She recounted, “I thought oh my God, this could be perfect for me.” This particular hike was organized for individuals who would otherwise be spending Christmas Day by themselves. Ms. Wilderman expressed that she felt “really nervous” about attending alone due to a lack of confidence in meeting strangers, but she was “so glad” she participated. She commented, “It just made my day and I couldn’t believe how many people were there,” and observed, “There was no judgement – just people walking together.” Ms. Wilderman encourages anyone facing solitude this year to consider joining the upcoming Christmas Day hike. She emphasized, “I really want people to know about it so they’re not on their own because if you are alone, it’s such a hard day.” Jason Milner, a 45-year-old father from Dronfield in Derbyshire, has participated in the previous two Christmas Day hikes, as his daughter spent those days with her mother. He described the difficulty of confronting the day alone. He stated, “My parents were in Australia so I would have been home on my own feeling a little bit sorry for myself,” adding, “It was nice to get out and meet some similar people in a similar situation.” Mr. Milner characterized his initial Christmas Day hike as a “life-changing moment.” He now reports a strong enthusiasm for hiking and assists in organizing these events, providing support to the founder, Damon Alexander-Cole, who is based in Manchester. Mr. Alexander-Cole, 37, initiated these hikes in 2020, following a brief period of homelessness. He noted that the walks positively impacted his mental health, prompting him to share this experience with others. He explained, “When you’re indoors you can be so internal and negative and when you get out you get yourself moving and in the fresh air you start figuring out solutions to your problems.” Currently, Mr. Alexander-Cole resides with a partner and his dog, and operates a photography business. He is presently preparing for the fifth Christmas Day hike he has organized. The inaugural Christmas Day hike in 2020 attracted only one participant. However, the event has since grown significantly in popularity, with Mr. Alexander-Cole anticipating hundreds of attendees this year. Consequently, he plans to organize three distinct walks across the Peak District and Snowdonia. Mr. Alexander-Cole encourages anyone contemplating spending Christmas Day alone not to hesitate in joining, stating, “You’re going to absolutely love it with a great group of people who are all on the same page.” Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.