Joëlle’s trek in the Moroccan desert

Joëlle hung up her running shoes several years ago. Running was bad for her knees, so she switched to long-distance walking. “The upside of walking is that anyone can do it, you start with short distances and build up. Besides, I don’t really consider myself to be particularly athletic”. Yet for someone who does not consider herself as athletic, Joëlle has clocked up hundreds of kilometres. She has completed 40km walks and taken part in charity relays such as the Oxfam 100km. 

When one of her friends asked her whether she would take part in the Elles Marchent trek, a few days before her 50th birthday, she did not hesitate. “I thought it would be a nice present to myself, and an unusual way to mark the occasion.” Most of all, she was excited about sharing the adventure with three of her best friends. “The four of us already do a lot of walking together. Signing up for this trek gave us a common goal.” They began training together about a year before the trek. 

The Elles Marchent trek, all-women’s orienteering hike, was first held eight years ago. Although Joëlle is an experienced walker, she knew very little about orienteering. Along with her three teammates, they took several hours of orienteering training, as well as a weekend course, to prepare for the race.

On Sunday 23 February, Joëlle and her friends joined 300 other participants at base camp, in the heart of the Moroccan desert. “Arriving at base camp on the eve of the race was one of the most memorable moments of my adventure. We were in the middle of the desert, there was music, tea and food. I really got to experience the generosity and hospitality of the Moroccan people. That was when I told myself: “This is it. I’ve been dreaming about this for a year, and now at last I can feel the sand between my toes.” 

This was the first time any of the four friends had set foot in the desert. They were immediately captivated by the vastness of the setting in which their adventure would unfold. “There’s a feeling of immensity. When we were walking, we often did not come across any other teams, just camels and goats. The colour of the sand is truly magnificent. At night, it’s splendid too. You don’t hear a sound and you feel like you could touch the stars. It makes you feel small and big at the same time”. 

Participants are not allowed to use any device with a satellite connection, like a mobile phone or smartwatch, during the trek. Each evening, the competitors have to plot their route for the following day on a map based on latitude and longitude coordinates provided by the organisers. Teams must then find a specific waypoint, taking the most direct route (as the crow flies) using only a map and compass. “It may sound simple, but in this environment, everything looks very similar, and the reference points are not at all the same as in an urban setting. Paths are not signposted. You really have to study the map carefully and pay attention to every plant, every tree and every sand dune to make sure you stay on course.”

In total, the competitors walk around 12 hours a day, covering close to 25km. And it is hard work, because walking on sand increases the effort tenfold. You also have to deal with the elements – the cold, the heat, the wind and the sand that gets in your eyes. “The advice the organisers gave us before the start of the challenge was invaluable. Above all, on staying hydrated, as you may not necessarily feel thirsty in such a dry environment. My teammates and I had a code to help us remember to drink water regularly. It was... ‘Time for an aperitif!’ ”

At the end of the day, once a team has reached the waypoint, its members can choose whether to take on another challenge to collect more points. It is usually a sporting challenge, like climbing to the top of a dune. Sometimes it is a general knowledge challenge, on the culture or history of Morocco. At the end of the five-day trek, the winning team is not necessarily the fastest team, but the one that has mapped out the best routes and gained the most points from the challenges. “We finished 53rd (out of 73 teams). And we are very proud of our achievement.”

Joëlle and her friends were not seeking victory; their aim was to embark on a journey of personal growth, to venture into the unknown and to empower themselves. “You really have to back yourself, especially when it comes to orienteering. One of my friends tends to underestimate herself. The fact that she excelled in orienteering, despite doubting her ability, has given her more self-confidence. And what I particularly liked about this trek is that, with a bit of training, anyone can do it.”

In the end, the trek brought Joëlle and her three friends even closer together. “There were some difficult moments, aches and pains, injuries, blisters and, of course, fatigue. In this kind of situation, tensions can arise. But nothing spoilt our friendship and the bond between us.” Not even when one of the friends said she did not feel up to taking part in one of the sporting challenges. Her teammates responded in unison: “No problem and, besides, who cares about the points.” The trek was a challenge they took on as a team, and they were determined to stay united.

Thursday, 27 February was the final day of the trek. The participants crossed the finish line for the last time. “The organisers made sure that each team arrived alone, so that they were able to savour the moment. Friends and family are able follow the action live on Facebook. When we arrived, we hugged, jumped for joy and cried, shouting out the name of our team – Les Capgaumaises." The following day was earmarked as a day of solidarity, during which the 300 participants took part in various building projects to help the inhabitants of Ouzina.

Through their participation, Joëlle and her friends raised funds for Think Pink, an association working to raise awareness about breast cancer. In total, they raised EUR 3,700 through a number of activities organised before they set off, such as selling goodies, organising spaghetti dinners and appeals on social networks. “Think Pink was an obvious choice. We are a group of five long-time friends and, as one of us is currently affected by the disease, it was a no-brainer. Thinking about her during the trek often helped us. Every time we had a slump, we would remind ourselves how lucky we were to be in good health.” 

Having just returned to Belgium, where she lives, Joëlle - who is bursting with energy - has not planned any time off. She has gone back to work, performed in a play, and helped with the arrangements for more than 50 Luxembourg-based employees to take part in the Relais pour la Vie charity event. In 2027, the Elles Marchent trek will mark its 10th anniversary. Joëlle and her three friends have already pencilled the date into their diaries.

When she is not hiking in the desert with her friends, Joëlle Clément is a Banking Operations Officer for T&O in Luxembourg.