Vierdaagse - any one been and done it???

[ArtistsRifles]

So - the latest edition of the Reg't Assoc'ns newsletter arrives today and they are looking for volunteers from the ex-members to take part in the Viersdaage in Nijmegen next year.

 

I rather fancy doing this (I know - latent masochistic tendencies re-emerging again ) - even though it would mean missing the first couple of days of the W&P show- so thought I would enquire of the gret collective that is HMVF whether any one else has ever done it. And if so - what to take, what to expect etc??

 

Any out there got the experience to share????

[Jack]

for the thick amongst Neil..........what the hell is it all about??

[ArtistsRifles]

Ah. OK. Maybe I was being a bit to ambitious in the hope department!! :-)

 

The Viersdaage is the 4 daymarch that starts in Njmegen each day and goes off into the surrounding country side before returning after a certain mileage - 20, 35, 30 etc. depending on age. I found this in a VERY old copy of Readers Digest (July 1989!!):

 

http://www.hmvf.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=3701&g2_serialNumber=1&g2_GALLERYSID=31d457ccf63eeecf0f5e16596128acba[/img]

 

http://www.hmvf.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=3704&g2_serialNumber=1&g2_GALLERYSID=31d457ccf63eeecf0f5e16596128acba[/img]

[Enigma]

Take into account it can get VERY hot!!!

Last year the heat knocked out a lot of people, 1 even died. Guess he wasn't prepared for 35 Celsius heat and sun.

 

Never participated myself, lots of serving soldiers also march.

[Joris]

I really want to do it once, since I practicly live on the route but 4 days in a row 50km might be a bit too much for me....

[FV601 (R.I.P.)]

Did this many many moons ago as a cadet. knocked the hell out of a lot of the entrants even then but very worthwhile and character building.

 

What to expect?? very sore feet and muscles especially if you have'nt done a lot of activity over the years. It's a road march as such and when I did it we were working to a timed pace and distance. Surprising enough we managed to beat some of the regulars who were competing, so all in all we were pretty proud of what we achieved.

 

Assuming you will perhaps be doing this with the regiment backing I would imagine the infrastructure of water supply etc. should be in place so all you should require are a decent pair of walking/ marching boots already broken in and decent socks, shirt sleeve order would be my suggested dress and a light pack with supplies ( we used 58 pattern webbing and pouches and found this adequate)

[ArtistsRifles]

Thanks John - much obliged... Waiting to hear back from the Reg't to see if I managed to get one of the places :-)

[Joris]

Don't forget you'll need a lot of practice!