Topics

List of Topics and Articles

4 Day Walk • Steve Hall


International walking event in Marbella
This Autumn, Marbella will be filled with walkers from all over the world. From the 9th till the 12th of October they’ll participate in the Marbella 4Days Walking event. Thousands of people will walk 20 kilometers per day, enjoying Marbella, beach and nature.
Marbella 4Days Walking takes place from the 9th till the 12th of October, a time of year when the temperatures for walking usually are perfect. On Saturday the 8th all participants will have to present themselves in order to get the last paperwork done and in the evening there will be an inauguration party. On Sunday morning between 8.30 and 9hrs the walkers will start their route of 20 kilometers. They have till 16hrs to finish. On the last day, the 12th of October, the return to the centre of Marbella will be special: the Avenida Ricardo Soriano will be renamed ‘Via Gladiolo’ just for the day. That is where the participants will be received with the Roman symbol for victory, the gladiolus. Apart from that, all those who walked the 80 kilometers during these 4 days will receive the Marbella 4Days Walking medal.
The idea for this sporting event is from Hans Wohl, a Dutch resident of Marbella. Councilor José Luis Hernández once said in a meeting for foreign residents that the Town Hall would welcome new initiatives and Hans immediately thought about the four day walking event (vierdaagse) that takes place every year in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. He contacted the organization in the Netherlands and the Town Hall for advice and found willing cooperation. The Royal Dutch Walking Association even decided to get officially involved and sent an expert to Marbella to give some practical advice. The Dutch walking association has been involved in other international walking events and is now collaborating with the organization of the Walk Challenge that will take place in the United Kingdom in 2012.
The walking routes have been marked, allowing the participants to see unexpected parts of Marbella. There is a different route for every day, the first day will be the easiest one, walking on the Paseo Maritimo to Puerto Banús and San Pedro de Alcántara. The third day is probably the most challenging one passing by Altos de Marbella. There will be controls, medical posts and water points on all routes. Local businesses are offering special discounts for accommodation and products, all can be found at the website.
The organization hopes to make this event a yearly one, getting bigger year by year. Until now there are already inscriptions from the Netherlands, Spain, Israel, the UK and Switzerland. The fee for participating is 40€ and people can subscribe at www.marbella4dayswalking.com.
This event has its origins in the Netherlands, in the city of Nijmegen. Every year 47.000 people get together to participate in the Vierdaagse of Nijmegen. This year, for the first time, there is a similar event in Marbella, we invite you to participate!

Back

Back to A Spanish Life