Hope Hill - the 90 year old inspiration for High Weald Walkers
15th July, 2009
On 31st July 2009 the High Weald Walkers group, which is part of the Ramblers and which is based in Crowborough, East Sussex, celebrates the 90th birthday of its oldest member, Hope Hill. Born in Penrith, the daughter of a country clergyman and raised in the Eden Valley (then Westmorland) - the family had no car, so Hope learnt the joys of walking from an early age. A favourite walk was Murton Pike. When she was still quite young she was sent to boarding school, where she discovered a talent for most sports, including cricket. Later she studied at Edinburgh University, and left with a degree in Chemistry. As it was war-time, she soon found herself a job in the Ministry of Supply, inspecting explosives for artillery shells.
Hope later moved to London to work in Government research & development, but she regularly returned north to walk in the Lake District, subsequently being accompanied by her husband, Jack. After he died she took up walking more seriously, but not until the ripe old age of 75 did she actually join the Ramblers and begin to walk with the High Weald Walkers on a regular basis.
At the age of 85, while on a walking holiday in the Lake District, she broke her leg and was in hospital in Carlisle for a short time. Most people would have called it a day, but not Hope who, with typical determination, vowed that she would be back on her feet and walking again!
And so today, Hope still walks an 8-9 mile walk most weeks, and recently planned and led the Seven Sisters walk along the South Downs - a particularly strenuous walk even for most of us! Also, not long ago, she reached the top of Catbells near Derwent Water. Hope is a very determined yet modest and unassuming lady, and no-one meeting her would be likely to guess her age. However, she attributes her longevity firstly to good luck and secondly to no serious health problems and she advocates "a half-pint of Harveys (the local brew) on my walk!"
Asked what she feels she has gained from her love of walking, Hope replied "Companionship, confidence and fitness". And we value Hope's participation in our walking group, because she is able to give fellow walkers the inspiration - to keep on walking!
