Sarah Williams: Hiking the GR5 – 2,200km from Holland to Nice in 70 Days

On 20 July 2026, I set off from Hoek van Holland in the Netherlands, with the goal of hiking approximately 2,200km all the way to Nice on the Mediterranean coast. 70 days later, I reached the finish line after an incredible journey through the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and France, tackling the French Alps and pushing myself both physically and mentally along the way.

In this episode, I'm sharing the numbers, the stats, the preparation and the reality of taking on a challenge of this scale. From training and planning to wild camping, navigation, food, kit, motivation and the highs and lows of hiking solo, I'm answering your questions and sharing what I learnt along the way.

I also reflect on why I chose the GR5, how I make time for these adventures, how it compares to my previous long-distance hikes, and what happens when you finally reach the finish line and have to adjust to normal life again.

Whether you're planning your own long-distance hike, dreaming about a future adventure, or simply curious about what it takes to walk 2,200km in 70 days, this episode is for you!

So grab a cuppa, get comfortable and join me for a deep dive into my GR5 adventure.

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Show notes

• Welcome to the episode 
• Who am I and the Tough Girl Mission
• Focusing on the GR5, the numbers, the stats and answering your questions
• How do I make time in my life for doing these walks
• A brief overview of my backstory
• You can listen to other solo reflections episodes (see below)
• How tough girl challenges came about
• Starting the tough girl podcast in 2015
• Taking on my own personal challenges since 2016
• Watch the short film - "TEN"
• Why the GR5 
• Doing a trail knowing how much road walking there would be
• Road walking through Holland and Belgium
• Wanting to do the full distance
• Getting the guidebooks from Cicerone 
• Checking out the FKT website 
• "women have always been 50% of the population, but only occupy around 0.5% of recorded history"
• How long is it, how do I get to the start, how do I get back from the finish
• Training for the GR5
• Putting a plan together with the help of Chat GPT
• Having a base level of fitness
• Incline treadmill walk
• Back to back training days
• Training on concr