How a 700-Kilometre Long-Distance Walk on Prince Edward Island Was Born
In 2016, Bryson Guptill and his partner Sue set out on a 34-day long-distance walk on the iconic Camino de Santiago. “That’s really when the Island Walk was born,” says Bryson. “We even walked home from the airport when we got back to PEI!”
As the former president of Island Trails — a not-for-profit organization that actively supports the promotion, development and enhancement of trails on Prince Edward Island — Bryson understood the complexities of planning long-distance walks.
The idea percolated for a few years, and then in 2019, Bryson and Sue undertook another walk, this time in Portugal. “We stayed in charming bed and breakfasts, and it really reminded me of PEI,” he says. “That’s when the idea really began to gel.”
Upon his return to Canada, Bryson focused on planning a month-long coastal walk on Prince Edward Island. The planned route combined spur lines and sections of the Trans Canada Trail (the Confederation Trail) and followed the circumference of the island for a total of 700 kilometres.
Bryson and three friends (Sue joined them some days) set out on October 1, 2019, and completed the walk on October 31. “We found there was a lot of interest from friends and acquaintances in the hiking community,” he says. “On one day we were joined by 50 walkers!”
Design by experience
Photo credit: Heather Ogg
“We decided where the stopping points should be by walking the trail!” says Bryson. “We divided it into 32 days based on our experiences of where we wanted to stop, considering walking distance, local highlights and tourist attractions.” He wrote a guidebook for the Island Walk and published it later that fall.
After a year-long hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, the Island Walk picked back up in 2021, and interest has grown steadily since. What started out in 2021 with 50 people registering to complete the walk has now grown to several hundred in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, 350 people completed a voluntary registration, and in 2024, it grew to 375.
Interest continues to grow
Photo credit: Heather Ogg
After seeing the positive feedback from local communities along the route, the province helped the group develop a user-friendly website that features suggested itineraries, information about local business, regional highlights and more. Island Walk has been featured in several high-profile publications, including the New York Times, BBC Travel, Travel + Leisure Magazine, The Globe and Mail and National Geographic.
Supporting local business through trail tourism
Photo credit: Heather Ogg
The Island Walk’s route mainly follows the Confederation Trail and red dirt roads, plus the shoulder of some secondary roads and beach detours. The route takes walkers around the circumference of the island, and partner accommodation and dining options are available.
“There are two big advantages to walking,” says Bryson. “First, people spend more time on the island and really get to experience its beauty and charm in depth. Second, it caters to the shoulder season — May, June, September and October — so it prolongs the tourist season for local businesses.” September, when the weather is still warm, but not too hot, and school is back in session, is the busiest month for Island Walk participants.
“The Island Walk is always evolving,” says Bryson. “We’re continuing to make route enhancements and develop partnerships with local businesses all over the island.”
A walk for all ages and experience levels
Photo credit: Heather Ogg
The Island Walk can be undertaken in full as a 32-day experience, but participants can also opt to complete sections of the route. The average stay is two weeks. Approximately 25 per cent of participants complete the route over two weeks as a cycling trip, while the rest choose to walk.
Bryson notes that feedback from participants has been very positive. Betty Hope Gibbons, an avid walker from Ontario who completed the full walk at 85 years old, enjoyed the experience so much that she dedicated her time to getting rest benches installed along its route – and secured donations for 25 of the benches! As of this writing, there are now 35 rest benches installed along the route.
Advantages of registering for the Island Walk
In addition to helping the organization track trail usage, tourist information and more, registration also provides a level of safety for participants, who indicate the itinerary in advance. Another bonus is that “people end up making friends,” says Bryson. “Participants often cross paths with the same people several times over their trip, and in some cases, stay in the same bed and breakfasts, so they really have time to get to know each other.”
For walking enthusiasts looking for help planning their trip, in addition to the information they can find on the Island Walk website and in the guidebook, there are three trip planners available who will arrange transfers and help plan trips.
Find out more about the Island Walk here.
Explore all Prince Edward Island’s trails on our interactive map or at Island Trails.
