Christmas Day hikes aim to fight loneliness

Two hikes on Christmas Day have been set up to help people who will be alone on the holiday or want to try something different.

Steve Upton, from Newcastle, decided to organise the walks in the Lake District after he spent Christmas on his own in the past.

He said the experience left him feeling "completely broken" and he wanted to give people a chance to "feel part of something".

The first walk will cover the Cat Bells path while the second will set off from Moot Hall, in the centre of Keswick, before heading for Latrigg.

Mr Upton, who runs Newcastle Hiking, said: “It is essentially to fight loneliness. A lot of people in this day and age are spending Christmas alone, whether it’s because they don’t have family or they don’t get on with family.”

The 38-year-old added: "We just want to give space for people who might want to do something different.

"We have people coming along who don't fancy the normal Christmas but also for people who don't have many options, who don't have anything else to do, just to come and feel part of a community."

Mr Upton started organising hikes in 2019 after he struggled with his mental health the previous year.

He said being outdoors helped him and he wanted to make the experience accessible to more people.

"I went through some bad times myself and I withdrew," he said.

"I hid away for a long period of time. I know how damaging that can be.

"I just want people to realise that there are people out there that care, that want to be there for you. Just come along and see some happy faces."

This is the first time Mr Upton has set up a hike on Christmas Day.

He said his 12-year-old daughter encouraged him to do it.

There are two walks planned so people who are alone for a part of the day can also come along.

“This Christmas Day hike is not going to make your problems go away but it can make it more bearable," Mr Upton said.

If you're affected by any of the issues in this article you can find details of organisations who can help via the BBC Action Line.

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