Back in September 2022 when I was taking a bit of a hiatus from all my photography work, I became online friends with Louise (who liked and had bought some of my work) … when we got chatting, Louise told me she had spent a long time housebound in the past, due to some personal issues and subsequent addiction to prescribed pain killers.

Louise Trewern

I’m not giving away the ending when I say this is Halfway there!

After a while, it became clear that Louise was working hard to overcome issues with her weight and pain problems occurring from her difficulties so, when I initially suggested we attempt a walk on Dartmoor, Louise was (understandably) reluctant, but very keen.

Eventually we decided upon climbing to High Willhays as it’s the highest point on Dartmoor and seemed like a fitting target 😍

Knowing that a great deal of the walk could be completed by following well worn tracks, and reassuring Louise that I would not hurry her, nor would it be a problem if we didn’t make our goal.

Louise, an Active Devon ambassador, talks about on how she finds walking to be a natural pain reliever to help manage arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Louise was advised to keep active under the guidance of her NHS pain management consultant, when coming off opioids. Ever since that night, of being told to pace the ward, she now manages her long-term health conditions by including daily walks into her routine.

Watch this short inspiring video to hear Louise’s personal story.

We met up at Row Tor carpark (though I am aware that it’s closer if you park near the base of West Mill Tor, but due to the time we were meeting, I couldn’t be sure there would be space there and Louise was unfamiliar with the area) … After properly introducing ourselves, we set off to climb to the highest point on Dartmoor.

Even today, if you look at Yes Tor and High Willhays from a distance, you’d swear Yes Tor was higher, and it wasn’t until the Ordnance Survey accurately measured the heights in the 19th Century that it became common knowledge.

Although we did climb across Row Tor (Louise wanted to have a look) almost all of this walk can be completed on the old MOD tracks so it’s a great walk for those not too keen on all the boggy and tussocky bits 😍

You can, if you prefer, walk around Row Tor on a track as well : Here’s a link to the route on the OS Website - you just reverse it to return.

The track peters out in between Yes Tor and High Willhays so you have to rough it across some moorland, but unless it’s been raining heavily, the going is fairly easy.

If you’re not a seasoned walker, make sure to wear sturdy boots and to carry warm clothing, waterproofs and plenty of water. We’ve been up there in May and it was lovely and warm and sunny until the hail hit us!

Anybody who knows me will attest to me disliking having my photograph taken - but Louise insisted and she can be quite persuasive 🤣

When I was planning on updating my website (about 6 months ago now 🤣) I asked Louise if she’d mind giving me some kind of reference … she went one better and wrote me an essay 💚 … Thanks Louise! …

“From Opioids to Open Moorland: How Walking Changed My Life

After coming off high-dose prescription opioids in 2019, I discovered the life-changing power of walking and connecting with nature. At the time, I was living in constant agony, stuck in my armchair and dangerously overweight at 25 stone. But walking—every single day, sometimes for hours—became my lifeline. It helped me manage my pain from arthritis and fibromyalgia, and gradually, I lost 8½ stone. I felt better in every way.

One turning point was the day I climbed Gryn Moelfre on my brother’s wedding day. That experience sparked a new goal: to climb Devon’s highest mountain, High Willhays. I’d been following Paul for ages on social media and thought it would be amazing to do the walk with him. I figured he’d know the moor better than anyone—and I was right.

That day stands out as one of the greatest achievements of my life. It might sound dramatic, but after 15 years believing that less movement meant less pain—how wrong I was!—this climb symbolised a complete transformation. Paul understood my limitations and walked at my pace—slowly—but never once made me feel like I was holding him back. His knowledge of the moor was fascinating, and I learned so much along the way.

Reaching the summit was incredible. High Willhays might be small in mountain terms, but to me it felt like conquering Everest. I couldn’t have done it without Paul, and I’ll always be grateful to him for helping me reach that peak—literally and metaphorically.

I highly recommend walking with Paul and can’t wait for the next adventure!”

— Louise Trewern

It was a pleasure and an education to walk with Louise, hopefully we can do another walk together soon.

A Walk with Louise Trewern - Pain Ambassador

Bowerman’s Nose