Best foot forward for 2023: a thread for walkers

I love tramping through history stuff. The Calder Valley is great for Industrial Revolution mooching around. We did a hard 14 mile slog ending up at the Halo above Rossendale on Sunday - timed it perfectly for the amazing sunset too. Needed our head torches for the way down though!

We did about 7 miles today. Mostly fairly dull farm land but we did go through an old WW2 air base which has now been returned to agricultural use. Found some blast shelters in scrubland so that was interesting.

20km and absolutely bitter with icy patches to negotiate- reward with fantastic views , lovely air quality and alpenglow as we finished

I want to cry when I read of these wonderful walking routes through the Dales and the like. The best I can say for myself is that my daily average for January is higher than my daily average for December, so I'm going in the right direction, but slowly. Still, a balmy 12 degrees here today, and the quality of the light has definitely changed, so onwards we go! February will be better than January!

I've not updated for a couple of weeks, so I'd better tot up my totals as it's Jan 31st. It's been a bit dribs and drabs, DHs foot is still playing him up and we fear it may be chronic.
I make it 58.4 since I last updated so that makes it a round 120km to date.

I blooming love walking it has been my go to exercise on and off (motivation dependent) for the last 10 years. It helped me drop a lot of weight previously and I'm back on it this year with the big birthday approaching End of June!

Cannot wait for days to get lighter! So I can go after work, not in the kinda area where its safe for me to walk on my own in the dark! Still doing my half hour each lunchtime, and trying to energise my DH to join in at the weekends. Off to Devon for a cosy cottage week shortly so currently looking for awe inspiring treks down there!

10 miles over the moors around beautiful Heptonstall yesterday, including a quick nod to Sylvia Plath in the churchyard. Joined the local gym near me at the weekend on a 3-months for £100 gym and swim deal at the weekend so walked another 1.5m each way to see this morning as other half had to borrow my car.

I am 50 and going through peri and need to get physically fitter. They did one of those body scans at the gym - my lower body bone density is very good but upper is woeful. I need to get some kind of weekly routine to include my two cycle commutes, a swim, a strength/weights session, a stretching/yoga session, and one v long hilly hike a week. As well as striding round the locale instead of driving. I am determined that this is going to be the year when I undo all the laziness of my forties!

About 6 or 7 miles yesterday ( windy ) and 16 today ( I don't work Mondays ) as it was glorious - and today was a new route from the door across glorious countryside . We'd only done short routes that direction up till now

I feel quite shattered !

This is what I'm hoping. I was ahead of my target until we got ill. Hoping to get out for a walk this weekend to start and get back on track (so to speak!)

Based on last year - the mileage in the summer can more than make up for the winter season - bright evening , better e weather

... so try and get ahead before next winter !

Thank you for the podcast recommendations @BigSkies2022 and @percypal! I've mainly been listening to the Martin Lewis one which is also good, but more for one when you have pen & paper handy to make notes on some money saving tips

Beautiful photos here too! Most of my walking is done through solid mud unfortunately... Hoping to do some more walking once the weather isn't quite so flipping cold!!

Managed to get out today and walked over 7miles. Lovely blue skies today.
Im already 14miles behind in my 1000 miles target.

Ooh! First snowdrops! One of my missions of walking at this time of the year is finding signs of growth to reassure myself that spring really is coming.

Dh and I have covid so my good progress has stopped. I was ahead of myself on the 1000 mile challenges but that's scuppered now!

Thanks for the stompcast recommendation, I'm going to download that.

No snow here but the rain has been hideous. Last week was a bit of a washout. Did about 30 miles and got soaked on most of them. Yesterday was lovely and sunny so took the day off, I’m part time and can flex when I work a bit. Did 15 miles.
snowdrops and it is starting to get slightly lighter. There are signs of spring.💐💐💐

First snowdrops in sheltered spot in the Churchyard. Just a very muddy 2.5miles with DH. More slipping than walking so curtailed it.

Got out today 24km
Hard work

I’m up to 50 miles now in total (all steps not just walks) and have hit my step goal each day in January since I started.

Another podcast recommendation is Walking The Dog.

Hello again. Participation has been bad, rather like my walking. But DS goes back to university today, DMum's health is improving, and all the various excuses I have been using not to get outside more regularly and walk properly (dog walking in local settings doesn't add much - too slow and sniff-obsessive - it's daylight and fresh air, so still good) are evaporating.

In preparation for my future feats, I found and downloaded quite a nice podcast called Stompcast with Dr Alex. It's conversations with interesting people on topics loosely related to health, and includes topics like finance, therapy. I will be roadtesting it outside later today.

Another week with quite a lot of bad weather so just some short local walks (5.5, 5.5, 6.5, 0.9 that didn't go to plan ) but today was sunny so we did a nice 9.5 circuit in the next town up - canal, river and then the return includes a local nature reserve.

61.6 km total to date

@percypal I have two small moany DC and an even moanier DP so very few of my miles are 'proper walks'! Plus my Fitbit can be somewhat temperamental so I can't always check my previous mileage

I would love a dog @Theskyoutsideisblue but our cats would be more than miffed when I retire though it will definitely be on the list, to make sure I keep active. Mind you I have at least 20 years of work to get through first...

Tobermory is beautiful @Billybagpuss, thank you for the amazing photos! And great photo (and impressive mileage!) from @ProfYaffle

Thank you for the helpful info on the Camino de Santiago @MrsMullerBecameABaby and @Flowersinthebasement, I have a friend that did it a few years ago but with an organised group - it was his retirement project. Like @Byfleet I'd love to do that walk, or even the Cathar Trail. Flowers that's really interesting about the Greenways too; I read this book about walking the Kerry Way, which also sounds lovely!