“Just going out for a walk”
Another of the 2020 sentences that’s become (almost) every day lingo to me, like “remember your mask”, “what tier are you in” and “when Boris says I’m allowed”.
Some days I’ve enjoyed just mooching around the house – my stepometer barely pushing 500.
Those days were great, but it’s the walking that’s got me through the last few months.
Walking, and eating – thankfully they compliment each other perfectly.
Walking 1000 miles
The other day I needed some magazines for a vision board collage Zoom class my friend was running. Limited on choice in Morrisons I picked up the only travel magazine they had – ’Country Walking’.
And, it turns out, I was riveted. Where once I’d picked up a magazine and wanted all the clothes, now I wanted to do all the walks.
I’ve changed.
What really stood out though, was the Country Walking 1000-mile challenge. And, I’m going to do it. Starting today (1st December).
It’s as simple as it sounds, you have to walk 1000 miles in a year. Most people start on January 1st but I need something to focus on, something healthy – so I’m starting now. Hopefully, I’ll inspire you to start on New Year’s Day with everyone else.
I’m not one for sticking to New Year’s Resolutions, but this one is so good for you in every kind of way, that I hope to be in good practice by the time 2021 rolls round. It’s free, it’s local, it can be transport, and I feel it’s going to force me to get out even more – especially through the January weather we have to look forward to.
“Did you know it takes less than an hour a day’s walking to hit 1000 miles in 12 months? That doing so dramatically cuts your risk of diabetes, heart attack, obesity, stroke and depression?
Try the fun, free & flexible challenge 99.9% of participants recommend to a friend: it’s just 2.74 miles a day. You don’t need to change your life; you do need to stick at it; you WILL feel an amazing difference.
Brought to you by the UK’s best-selling walking magazine and supported by some of the biggest outdoor brands, #walk1000miles is an honesty-based challenge shared by tens of thousands of participants in the happiest community on the internet…”
– COUNTRY WALKING
The #Walk1000Miles video
I love this video, and I love the positive effect walking 1000 miles has had on people’s lives. There are just so many benefits to getting out there and walking further.
You can even get a Walk 1000 Miles completer medal at the end. Some people even manage to do 2000 miles in a year!
How I plan to walk 1000 miles
On the 1st I went out to do the second day of my mission to walk The Solent Way in four day trips – coming soon to a Day Out in England blog near you.
- December 1st – 18,000 steps / 13km / 8 miles – Lee on Solent to Warsash
And tomorrow, I’m going hiking in the South Downs, when this rain stops up.
There are lots of great walks near me, so I’m excited to stop walking Southsea Seafront for the rest of my days and actually put some thought into seeing Hampshire and beyond. The New Forest is only 45 minutes away!
I have a lot of ideas of how I’m going to get it done. I’ve walked a lot this year, including round Hayling Island, Farlington Marshes and Thorney Island. I’ve written about them on my other site at DayOutinEngland.com. There are quite a few other islands near me on the south coast I’d like to wander, and it’s kinda tempting to see if I can walk the whole of the south coast line too. Apparently it’s 300 miles, so should be a cinch!
But, also, this is meant to be fun, and relaxing. So, no pressure.
It’s only 3 miles a day, want to join the pledge?
You can find out all about the Walk 1000 Miles mission on the Country Walking website, and get your tracker sheet too.
E
Tuesday 15th of December 2020
If you are enjoying your walks maybe you can walk the Camino de Santiago in the north of Spain, once the pandemic is over of course (it’s closed until March 2021, if not longer)