Introducing Eric - a member whose frustration has been replaced by fun!

It gives us great pleasure to introduce Eric, who joined Outdoor Mobility back in May this year.

With a background in outdoor pursuits, starting in childhood as a member of Scouts, Eric spent the best part of 70 years enjoying all kind of walking excursions. He took part in short expeditions, as well as long distance routes, completing ‘Country Walking’ magazine’s 1,000 miles a year challenge and embracing the Cleveland Way, Lady Anne's Way and The Dalesway.  Sadly, Eric’s mobility started to decline around seven years ago. He started to experience stiffness in his legs, amongst other symptoms, and was eventually diagnosed with Gait Apraxia - a neurological condition which seemed to have marked the end of his walking days.

Having had a busy career working in local newspapers as a Deputy Features Editor, Eric has enjoyed the glitz of showbiz, interviewing some famous faces, including Tony Blair! This was followed by seven years as a postman, which saw him walking many miles each day. Since his diagnosis, Eric has tried to stay as active as possible, doing what he can on his allotment and keeping his brain active by taking part in quizzes. But he found himself frustrated that he was unable to access the countryside as he had before and started seeking new ways to explore. Eric came across Trampers and decided to research them further. He felt he had found the ‘perfect thing’ to help him to get out there again and decided to ‘give it a go’.

Following his first Tramper expedition, Eric was hooked. He has since enjoyed making Tramper trips part of his regular routine. He particularly likes that there is a two-speed option available - meaning he can now keep up with his wife, who likes to walk at pace!  His favourite site to visit so far has been Sutton Bank. He feels the route there is ‘more adventurous’ than others, offering the opportunity to get away from the ‘main crowd’. Eric has also visited Himalayan Gardens and Sculpture Park, and ‘loved it’. His holidays and days off now consist of looking for places where Outdoor Mobility has managed to place Trampers and he hopes to travel further afield in time.

Eric would advise anyone considering the Trampers to ‘have a go’. In his words, ‘frustration has been replaced by fun again’. He feels he is able to be active again, just in a different way. Eric has found staff at all the sites he has visited ‘really helpful’, and feels the scheme is so reasonably priced, it is worthwhile to give it a try and expand your horizons!

If you’d like to feature in one of our ‘Meet a Member’ profiles, we’d love to hear from you. Email your name and contact details to info@outdoormobility.org and we’ll be in touch!