The GR5 is one of Europe’s great long-distance trails — stretching nearly 1,500 miles from the North Sea to the Mediterranean.

In this episode of Notes From Big Trails, Rob speaks with Ryel Kestano about walking the trail not in one go — but in stages, over several years, with his children.

Starting when they were still young, Ryel introduced his kids to long-distance walking through shorter trips before committing to the GR5 — returning each summer to pick up where they left off.

So far, they’ve covered nearly 1,000 miles — crossing the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and into France — moving gradually from flat northern landscapes into more remote and mountainous terrain.

Along the way, the experience has become about far more than the trail itself.

There are moments of challenge — getting lost, injuries, long days on tired legs — but also moments of connection: quiet miles in conversation, shared meals, small rituals, and the satisfaction of reaching the end of each stage together.

It’s also a story about parenting — about giving children something difficult to take on, and watching their confidence grow as they realise they can do more than they thought.

And perhaps most of all, it’s about time — the rare chance to spend long, uninterrupted days together, away from the distractions of everyday life.

In this episode

• What the GR5 is and how it spans Europe
• Walking a long-distance trail in stages over multiple years
• Introducing children to multi-day hiking
• The rhythm of returning to a trail year after year
• How time on the trail changes family relationships
• Why doing hard things early in life matters

About the trail

GR5 (Grande Randonnée 5)

• Distance: ~1,500 miles / 2,500 km
• Location: Netherlands to France (North Sea to Mediterranean)
• Terrain: flat lowlands, forests, farmland, mountains and alpine terrain
• Difficulty: highly variable — increases significantly towards the Alps

The GR5 is one of Europe’s classic long-distance routes — offering huge variety, from quiet northern landscapes to some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the Alps.

See more from Ryel and his family at https://www.youtube.com/@ryel-kestano.

Find out more about solo adventures at bigtrailadventures.com.