A few dozen hikers set out very early on Tuesday to walk the first day of the Four Days Marches, despite it being cancelled. Around 10:00 a.m. many of the ‘illegal’ runners were back in Nijmegen.
The first day of walking through the Betuwe has been officially canceled due to the expected extreme temperature. Spokesperson Babs Rijkse of the walking event previously said “to understand the sentiment, of course. But we think it is unwise. Otherwise, we will not cancel a day of course.”
Because the first day has been officially cancelled, there are no medical aid stations, water taps and signage. There is also normal traffic on the route.
The approximately sixty runners, most of whom set out in the middle of the night, encountered some encouragement along the way in Huissen and Bemmel. The municipality of Overbetuwe canceled all festivities when it was decided to cancel the first day of running, but in Lingewaard, terraces and music have been set up here and there. It was busy on the Wedren, where the Four Days Marches runners finish. There, runners can pick up their starting permit for Wednesday. Due to the heat, all activities on the Wedren will be suspended at 12:00 noon.
The now three-day walking tour takes place from Wednesday to Friday. Earlier, the organization called Tuesday’s weather conditions “worse than in 2006”. In that year, two hikers succumbed to the heat on the first day of hiking. The rest of the Four Days Marches was cancelled.
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