Started in 2012 by Gran Canaria’s local English-language newspaper The Canary News to support the local breast cancer association (ACCMyG), it has now grown into the island's largest foreign resident charity event. It has raised over €75,000 for charity to date thanks to support from volunteers and Gran Canaria's TUI Resort Team, egged on by manager Paul Gilliam and Canary News Editor Eddie Timon. 

The Long Walk is a challenging but fun walk across Gran Canaria. It takes four days but you don't have to do the whole walk to take part. Some people join for a day, do one night, or just join in the triumphant but knackered last few kilometres down to the Maspalomas dunes, or the Last Mile along the beachfront. Even if you can't walk, please come to the Dunas Mirador for the group photo.

I love this, how do I get involved?

Buy a t-shirt, make a donation, sponsor a walker, take part in the TUI grand prize draw for the chance to win a cruise or one of many stays in hotels in Gran Canaria. SIGN UP to walk,help or support here.

The long walk is supported by TUI, Afrikat, Blue Explorers Dive Centre, 45photos, Ary Traduciones Translations, Music Hall Tavern, Spirit of The Sea, Panda Papeleria, Gran Canaria Natural & Active and members of the Gran Canaria Walking Festival (Nov 2nd – 6th).

The 2016 program

Day 1 28.09

Up, up and away
“The Long Walkers” meet at Punta Arucas on the north coast.
Walk to the Parroquia de San Juan Bautista in Arucas and on up to the Basílica Nuestra Señora del Pino in Teror, from where we climb to the Parador de Cruz de Tejeda.

Day 2 29.09

Over The Top / A Walk in The Clouds
To Pico de Las Nieves, before noon then down to Cruz Grande, the backs of Maspalomas & the hilltop neighbourhood Lomo Pedro Afonso.

Day 3 30.09

The Long Walk to Maspalomas
100 or more tour reps and other volunteers join The Long Walkers for the last 20km all the way down to Maspalomas, where we will arrive at the RIU Palace Maspalomas at around 7.00pm
The Big Picture: A group image of solidarity from the Mirador de Las Dunas de Maspalomas
The Last Mile: A solidarity walk to Playa del Inglés along the Paseo de Costa Canaria & the TUI Grand Prize Draw at Shorty’s Beach Bar , Playa del Inglés

The Long Walk Mission

Get people talking about Breast Cancer and Prostate cancer.
Show that together we can cross mountains, one step at a time.
Showcase the natural beauty of Gran Canaria.
To raise thousands of Euros for worthy causes, while encouraging people of all ages to challenge themselves while walking across one of the most beautiful sub-tropical islands in the world.
Change Lives for the better.

The Canarian Breast Cancer Association

ACCM’s role is pivotal as a complimentary service to medical treatment. They deal with educating huge amounts of people with messages about prevention and early detection, but spend their very limited resources on trying to ensure the psychological and sociological needs of both patients and those closest to them are met with love, support and understanding. They work to ensure comprehension, acceptance of and recovery from cancer are approached with the positive can-do attitude so necessary to help healing both physically and mentally.

ACCM are the only organisation of their type in the Canary Islands whose philosophy is comparable in many ways with the UKs much, much better funded Macmillan trust. They really need our help to continue to grow their offering.

ACCM provides support to sufferers and their families as well as lectures in schools to help bring the issue to young people while at the same time promoting volunteerism, which is such an important resource for the Association. They also offer bio-psycho-social care to patients and their families, warning about the importance of early detection of breast cancer and the importance of an annual mammogram.

The ACCM works to prevent social exclusion of women diagnosed with breast disease and cancer survivors because sometimes they find their medical condition can lead to unpleasant situations in their daily lives.

We are walking over a mountain to support Breast Cancer sufferers. We want you to sponsor us, donate or participate, and we want you to join us for The Last Mile.