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FUN • FREE • FLEXIBLE<br />
WALK<br />
1000<br />
MILES<br />
<strong>2018</strong><br />
Join the challenge that will<br />
CHANGE<br />
YOUR LIFE<br />
ONE STEP AT A TIME!
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✔WELCOME<br />
IT SOUNDS<br />
AMAZING<br />
BECAUSE IT IS.<br />
T’S AMAZING THAT you can<br />
walk 1000 miles in a year –<br />
Iand I can guarantee you much<br />
boggling from your friends and<br />
relations. But what’s really amazing<br />
is the difference walking an average<br />
of just 2.74 miles a day can make.<br />
From the first walk you’ll find your<br />
thoughts quieten and your senses<br />
quicken; your body sends messages<br />
of thanks in the form of endorphins, and in spite of the<br />
modest size of your investment – just 2.74 miles, or a little<br />
under an hour for most – the returns grow and grow. Pretty<br />
soon your heartbeat takes up a longer lope, your horizons<br />
grow and your body becomes once again the dependable<br />
tool it used to be. Optimism comes more readily; you greet<br />
the reflection in the mirror with something approaching civility<br />
and eventually glee. What are we going to get up to today?<br />
People run faster, pedal harder, spend more time and<br />
money on gyms and diets and clubs and bats to achieve less.<br />
The whole-person benefits enjoyed by #walk1000milers are<br />
extraordinary, as I hope a read of this magazine will convince<br />
you. They certainly explain why 99.9% of participants<br />
recommend the challenge to a friend. You may <strong>no</strong>t think there’s<br />
much wrong with your life right <strong>no</strong>w. But wait til you see the<br />
person that’s waiting at the other end of #walk1000miles.<br />
Now they’re amazing.<br />
Guy Procter,<br />
Editor, Country Walking<br />
Official magazine of #walk1000miles and with you every step of the way<br />
Contents<br />
SUBSCRIBE<br />
AND GET A<br />
HI-TEC ACTIVITY<br />
TRACKER +<br />
OS MAPS<br />
WORTH<br />
£76<br />
04 Celebs wish you well<br />
06 Meet our <strong>2018</strong> partners<br />
08 Your questions answered<br />
12 For Health<br />
20 Your body on<br />
#walk1000miles<br />
22 For Happiness<br />
30 For Families<br />
36 For Adventure<br />
44 For Charity<br />
50 For Fun<br />
56 What to wear<br />
60 Amazing offer on the<br />
official magazine<br />
www.walk1000miles.co.uk<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
3
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
Go for it!<br />
The biggest names in walking want a word<br />
with you about the biggest challenge<br />
‘The best dose of<br />
energy, positivity<br />
and happiness’<br />
“#walk1000miles is a really positive<br />
challenge for everyone who loves<br />
walking, wants to walk more or needs the<br />
motivation to get out and about. I hope it<br />
encourages more people to clock up the<br />
steps on a daily basis and feel the benefits<br />
that I get from walking because I think<br />
it’s the best dose of energy, positivity<br />
and happiness and what’s more –<br />
it’s all for free!”<br />
CLARE BALDING<br />
BBC Sport anchor and presenter<br />
of Radio 4’s Ramblings<br />
4<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔GOOD LUCK!<br />
‘Good luck you<br />
1000-milers!’<br />
“I can<strong>no</strong>t express how much walking<br />
can open up the world for you. A big<br />
sky, a mysterious woodland, a scrambly<br />
rock – it all helps to put the world in<br />
perspective and make you look and<br />
feel lovelier too. So good luck, all you<br />
wonderful thousand milers! May all<br />
your skies be clear and all your<br />
footpaths thrilling.”<br />
BRIAN BLESSED<br />
Actor, Explorer, Life Vice President of the<br />
Campaign for National Parks. The Panther in My<br />
Kitchen: My Wild Life with Animals, is out <strong>no</strong>w<br />
#walk1000miles<br />
is brilliant’<br />
“Ever since my Dad took me walking as<br />
a little girl across the Peak District I’ve<br />
loved hiking. Ever since the first series of<br />
Wainwright Walks all those years ago<br />
I’ve had a dream job where a hobby<br />
and my professional life have <strong>merged</strong>.<br />
I think people just feel in love with<br />
the landscapes and see what lovely<br />
adventures we can all have on foot.<br />
I think #walk1000miles is brilliant. It’s<br />
free, you take things at your own pace,<br />
and it helps you unlock the landscapes<br />
that Britain has to offer. Go for it !”<br />
JULIA BRADBURY<br />
Presenter, ITV’s The Nation’s 100 Favourite Walks<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
5
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
Meet our<br />
partners<br />
Passionate about<br />
#walk1000miles and<br />
perfect partners in<br />
your challenge: meet<br />
the brands backing the<br />
biggest challenge in walking.<br />
Fjällräven<br />
Founded in Sweden in 1960, Fjällräven<br />
has stayed true to its mission of making<br />
it easier for more people to stay<br />
comfortable outdoors. From its first,<br />
in<strong>no</strong>vative framed backpacks,<br />
Fjällräven’s range has grown and<br />
<strong>no</strong>w includes including jackets, layers, accessories and technical<br />
midselection<br />
of fits. Characterised by<br />
functional, durable and timeless<br />
designs, the company is best k<strong>no</strong>wn<br />
for its durable and<br />
walking trousers in an extensive<br />
adaptable G-1000®<br />
‘One of our three founding principles is to<br />
fabric. Fjällräven is<br />
encourage people to get outside and enjoy<br />
#walk1000miles’<br />
nature. The challenge ties in perfectly, helping<br />
apparel & rucksack more people realise the physical and mental benefits<br />
partner:<br />
of walking. We’re delighted to be part of it for <strong>2018</strong>.’<br />
www.fjallraven.co.uk<br />
— Ralph White, Managing Director, Fjällräven UK<br />
Walk the Walk<br />
Organiser of the famous<br />
MoonWalks held every year in<br />
London, Scotland and Iceland which<br />
have raised an incredible £121 million for<br />
research into breast cancer and to help<br />
improve the lives<br />
of those with cancer<br />
<strong>no</strong>w. Walk the Walk<br />
is our charity partner:<br />
walkthewalk.org<br />
‘Sign up for a MoonWalk, register for<br />
#walk1000miles, and just get walking…<br />
you will never look back!’<br />
— Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive<br />
Ordnance Survey<br />
For over 200 years Ordnance<br />
Survey has helped people<br />
explore Great Britain. Today it does so<br />
in even greater detail<br />
with its iconic paper<br />
maps, mobile and<br />
desktop applications.<br />
OS is our tracking<br />
partner: www.<br />
ordnancesurvey.co.uk<br />
‘OS Maps is the perfect companion to help<br />
ensure your 1000 miles leads to discovery,<br />
adventure and lifelong memories.’<br />
— Nick Giles, Managing Director OS Leisure<br />
6<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
Whereabouts<br />
Holidays<br />
Our holiday<br />
partner believes<br />
that when you<br />
visit a place on<br />
foot, you truly<br />
discover it. That’s<br />
why walking<br />
holidays are their<br />
passion: you can explore further, get<br />
amongst the culture and experience the<br />
incredible places you may <strong>no</strong>t otherwise<br />
reach. As well as superb walking holidays<br />
across the globe, the firm also offer a<br />
range of adventure holidays. Whether you<br />
want to try your hand at s<strong>no</strong>wshoeing,<br />
kayaking or water rafting, its team is on<br />
hand to help you make it happen.<br />
www.whereaboutsholidays.com<br />
‘Whereabouts Holidays are proud to<br />
<strong>supp</strong>ort #walk1000miles. Walking is <strong>no</strong>t<br />
only good for improving fitness, it’s also a<br />
fantastic way to see the world, discovering<br />
new cultures and sampling delicious<br />
food and wine as you go!’ — Steven Rittey,<br />
Product Manager, Whereabouts Holidays<br />
Bridgedale<br />
The UK’s number one outdoor sock brand<br />
stems back over 100 years and today<br />
boasts a range 400-strong, featuring<br />
in<strong>no</strong>vative Fusion Tech<strong>no</strong>logy<br />
– a unique blend of yarn and<br />
knitting tech<strong>no</strong>logy. With<br />
technical fibres providing<br />
comfort, insulation, fast<br />
wicking and durability,<br />
Bridgedale has a<br />
British-made sock<br />
for every pursuit<br />
providing mile<br />
after mile of<br />
comfort for<br />
your 1000 miles.<br />
Bridgedale is our<br />
sock partner:<br />
www.bridgedale.com<br />
‘The home of Bridgedale is Newtownards<br />
in Northern Ireland and we’re lucky to<br />
have stunning walks right on our doorstep.<br />
A walk at lunchtime helps me feel great and think<br />
more clearly. Wearing Bridgedale socks, I always<br />
have dry and comfy feet whatever the weather too!’<br />
— Carolyn Dunn, Sales & Marketing Manager<br />
Hanwag<br />
Based at the foot of the Alps, Hanwag has produced<br />
handcrafted boots for 90 years, combining traditional<br />
construction with up-to-the-minute in<strong>no</strong>vation. Fit is<br />
fundamental and its range includes Narrow, Wide,<br />
Bunion and Straight Fit options all made from<br />
premium components and are fully resoleable.<br />
Hanwag is our boots partner: www.hanwag.com<br />
‘We’re delighted that Hanwag will be<br />
<strong>supp</strong>orting the #Walk1000miles<br />
campaign in <strong>2018</strong> and are looking<br />
forward to hearing inspirational stories and<br />
celebrating the triumphs of every participant<br />
with each mile they tick off.’<br />
— Christopher King, Brand Manager, Hanwag UK<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
7
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
I HAVE<br />
QUESTIONS!<br />
Of course you do: but you’ll be glad to k<strong>no</strong>w it’s probably<br />
simpler than you think – and you can tailor the<br />
challenge to suit your age, stage and ambition.<br />
How do I sign up?<br />
Go online and visit<br />
www.walk1000miles.co.uk,<br />
click SIGN UP and enter your<br />
email. Make sure you tick the<br />
box to say we can contact you.<br />
Within 24 hours of signing up<br />
you’ll get a welcome email from<br />
us with all the information and<br />
links you need to enjoy the<br />
adventure to the full.<br />
Q Q<br />
What happens next?<br />
Put simply, you walk an<br />
average of 2.74 miles a day in 12<br />
months from the day you start.<br />
Put slightly less simply: you<br />
invest a bit of time in yourself<br />
and start to feel better and<br />
better; you join a community<br />
(www.facebook.com/groups/<br />
walk1000miles) that k<strong>no</strong>ws how<br />
you feel and is keen to help with<br />
any question you might have;<br />
you make friends and you share<br />
discoveries and delights; you<br />
see yourself in print perhaps<br />
and feel a giddy glee; you smile<br />
a bit more, sleep a bit better and<br />
start having naughty thoughts<br />
about outdoor gear. You get<br />
complimented, wear a badge<br />
for the first time since you were<br />
six and enjoy rain. It’s weird.<br />
8<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
What miles/steps<br />
can I count?<br />
It’s up to you to decide –<br />
it’s YOUR challenge, <strong>no</strong>t<br />
a competition. Many people,<br />
particularly those starting from<br />
a lower fitness level, choose to<br />
count every step. Most will count<br />
all the miles they do that they<br />
wouldn’t have done before – and<br />
whether it’s in your lunch break,<br />
skipping the bus, round the<br />
block or in the country it all adds<br />
up. Some will count only the<br />
miles they cover with walking<br />
boots on – that’s what people<br />
mean when they refer to ‘boots<br />
on’ miles. It’s up to you, and the<br />
only person you’re competing<br />
with is the Old You – so as long<br />
as you’re walking more than<br />
them, you’re winning.<br />
How do I record my miles?<br />
Q<br />
You fill in the Progress<br />
Tracker Chart available with<br />
Country Walking magazine –<br />
either the daily mileage chart<br />
or the shade-as-you-go map<br />
of the UK. This is essential<br />
to qualify you to enter all<br />
competitions to win gear from<br />
our partners throughout <strong>2018</strong>.<br />
That’s because it’s the way we<br />
make sure prizes only go to<br />
genuine challengers.<br />
Q Q<br />
Do I need to upload<br />
my miles anywhere?<br />
No. The main thing is you keep<br />
track of them yourself. But post<br />
in the group when you reach<br />
milestones and the amazing<br />
group member Susan Miller<br />
somehow keeps a track of<br />
it all and with her help we<br />
publish completers lists in<br />
the magazine periodically.<br />
Is there a leaderboard?<br />
Q<br />
No. #walk1000miles is<br />
<strong>no</strong>t a race to the finish and the<br />
only person you are competing<br />
with is last year’s version of<br />
yourself! Your milestones<br />
will be celebrated by the<br />
community as heartily whether<br />
it’s 10, 50 or a multiple of 100<br />
you’re hitting. The main thing<br />
is surprising yourself <strong>no</strong>t<br />
impressing anyone else<br />
– but we’re pretty sure<br />
you will do both!<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
9
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
Mountain miles are<br />
memorable but they’re <strong>no</strong>t<br />
the only ones that count.<br />
Above: A badger meet pic all the<br />
way from Brisbane, Australia!<br />
How do I track my miles?<br />
Q<br />
If you’ve got a<br />
smartphone, download the<br />
‘OS Maps’ app from the iTunes<br />
or Google Play store (or update<br />
it if you’ve already got it).<br />
Ordnance Survey is a<br />
#walk1000miles partner and<br />
this year has added a mileage<br />
accumulator feature to<br />
their app just for you.<br />
Simply record your<br />
walk using the app<br />
(Record a route ><br />
Walking > Record)<br />
and when you’ve<br />
finished, tick the box<br />
to add the miles to<br />
your activity record.<br />
If you subscribe<br />
to Country Walking<br />
you also get free<br />
access to all of<br />
Ordnance Survey’s Explorer<br />
and Landranger mapping –<br />
worth £25.99 – via the app.<br />
Alternatively, you can use<br />
a wearable activity tracker like<br />
a FitBit, use a map and a piece<br />
of string, use Google Maps<br />
or follow paths of a k<strong>no</strong>wn<br />
distance – like the routes in<br />
Country Walking.<br />
To see how many miles<br />
a day you need to<br />
average at any point,<br />
just enter your total<br />
miles so far at www.<br />
walk1000miles.co.uk<br />
to find out how many<br />
you’ve got to average<br />
a day for the remainder<br />
of the year. (Tip: miles<br />
put in early on really<br />
help your motivation<br />
later in the year!)<br />
What’s a badger?<br />
Q<br />
Since 2016 we have<br />
produced challenge badges.<br />
Someone at some point<br />
decided people who wore them<br />
should be called ‘badgers’.<br />
Later, some of them started<br />
meeting up for the occasional<br />
walk, which was fun, and<br />
they’re still happening (look at<br />
the Events tab in the Facebook<br />
group). Here’s one in Brisbane!<br />
We will make <strong>2018</strong> badges<br />
available via Country Walking<br />
soon if you’d like to be a<br />
<strong>2018</strong> badger.<br />
Are there any rewards?<br />
Q<br />
Oh, only your fitter,<br />
happier, sleeker new self!<br />
But having said that, if you’ve<br />
signed up and got a progress<br />
tracker you’ll be eligible for<br />
multiple competitions on the<br />
challenge homepage, in the<br />
monthly newsletter and in the<br />
magazine. You will also be able<br />
to download free completion<br />
certificates, and buy challenge<br />
merchandise like medals, caps<br />
and T-shirts. There are also<br />
badges (pins if you’re from<br />
the US) which declare your<br />
participation and which have<br />
proved highly covetable! There<br />
will be 1000 given away free to<br />
holders of the February issue<br />
(out 4th January <strong>2018</strong>).<br />
10<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔YOUR QUESTIONS<br />
What are some tips for<br />
Q<br />
getting the miles in?<br />
Walk at lunch: a two-mile<br />
walk over 40 minutes each<br />
working day will rack up<br />
500 miles in a year.<br />
Grab a friend, make it<br />
a date: because it’s great<br />
for motivation.<br />
Start early, finish late:<br />
these corners of the day are<br />
often made magical by the<br />
best light and shyest wildlife.<br />
You’ll feel great and sleep well.<br />
Give yourself a thinking<br />
project: it’s amazing what<br />
your brain can do when<br />
you take it for a walk.<br />
Vary your route: pluck<br />
paths at random from the<br />
map or reverse a familiar trail<br />
A photo a day: resolve to<br />
record each walk with one<br />
photo and build a gallery of<br />
micro moments. It could be<br />
the same thing each day<br />
or different each time.<br />
Plan a reward: a slice of cake,<br />
a half of IPA, an episode of Game<br />
of Thrones. Turn a guilty pleasure<br />
into a virtuous circle of reward.<br />
“There is years’-<br />
worth of experience<br />
in the group,<br />
old hands and<br />
newcomers and<br />
everyone is<br />
delighted to help<br />
each other out.”<br />
Is there a<br />
Q<br />
#walk1000miles<br />
Facebook group?<br />
Yes, and it’s brilliant! There is<br />
years’-worth of experience<br />
in the group, old hands and<br />
newcomers and everyone is<br />
delighted to help each other<br />
out. Talking is good and this<br />
is the nicest group of people<br />
on the internet! Don’t stay<br />
on the side<strong>lines</strong> – posting<br />
and commenting is the<br />
best way to stay involved<br />
in conversations and<br />
make friends!<br />
Q<br />
Will I fit in?<br />
We would be amazed if<br />
you didn’t. In a survey of last<br />
year’s participants, 96.5% said<br />
#walk1000miles fitted well into<br />
their everyday lives, 98% said it<br />
was suitable for all fitness levels<br />
and 99% said it was a better<br />
New Year’s Resolution than<br />
joining a gym. 99.6% would<br />
recommend it to a friend. Our<br />
youngest completer in 2017<br />
was 7 and our oldest 86.<br />
Who is behind this?<br />
Q<br />
Country Walking, the UK’s<br />
best-selling and fastest-growing<br />
walking magazine and which<br />
has been continuously published<br />
every month for the past 30<br />
years. It makes a great challenge<br />
companion full of advice,<br />
inspiration and the best of the<br />
challenge every month. Plus if<br />
you subscribe <strong>no</strong>w you also get<br />
a year’s free access to Ordnance<br />
Survey’s mapping for the whole<br />
of the country on your phone,<br />
tablet and computer, worth<br />
£25.99 AND a Hi-Tec activity<br />
tracker worth £49.<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
11
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
For health<br />
The science and your stories agree: walking about an<br />
hour a day is the biggest investment you can make<br />
in your health – and the returns are amazing<br />
12<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
‘#walk1000miles<br />
is the foundation<br />
on which my<br />
future is built. My<br />
life has improved<br />
tremendously<br />
by doing it.’<br />
Dr Tom Giles<br />
‘Blood<br />
pressure<br />
tablets<br />
have<br />
halved,<br />
weight dropped and<br />
I can walk a hill<br />
without puffing’<br />
Karen Docherty<br />
‘Lost 5 stones<br />
since January!’<br />
Bob Cullinane<br />
‘Walking + cake<br />
= maintain target<br />
weight!’<br />
Rebecca Gabzdyl<br />
‘Lowered<br />
my blood<br />
pressure<br />
so much<br />
I <strong>no</strong><br />
longer need<br />
medication for it.’<br />
Janet Harding<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
13
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
VERY INSPIRING PERSON: EILIDH SCAMMELL<br />
‘I lost 8 stone and<br />
feel <strong>no</strong>rmal for<br />
the first time in<br />
my adult life’<br />
Eilidh Scammell, 36 from the<br />
Isle of Skye, made a promise at<br />
the beginning of 2017 to improve<br />
her fitness and general health.<br />
With the help of the challenge,<br />
boy did she overachieve!<br />
I<br />
ALWAYS FELT OUT OF<br />
place because of my size.<br />
I wasn’t huge compared<br />
to some by any means. But<br />
I hated seeing pictures of<br />
myself next to other people.<br />
Having my photo taken would<br />
give me that horrible sinking<br />
feeling of self-hatred.<br />
BEFORE<br />
At the beginning of this year<br />
I weighed myself. I was 22st<br />
1.5lb, had a BMI of 50 and was<br />
a size 26/28. I knew I had to<br />
do something. I needed a goal,<br />
and it couldn’t just be ‘lose<br />
weight’ because that had<br />
failed so many times before.<br />
I knew the goal needed to be<br />
AFTER<br />
Eilidh feels at home in<br />
herseld and her beautiful<br />
home country at last.<br />
realistic otherwise I’d never do<br />
it. When I found the challenge<br />
I thought it was reasonable<br />
e<strong>no</strong>ugh for someone with a<br />
desk job to walk an average<br />
of 3 miles per day to reach the<br />
1000-mile target. I had my goal.<br />
To help get my miles in I<br />
started walking in the evenings<br />
round my village. About three<br />
weeks later it dawned on me I<br />
was <strong>no</strong> longer eating my muchloved<br />
dark chocolate digestives<br />
in front of the telly, as I was out<br />
walking instead. I thought that<br />
maybe I could once more<br />
attempt to lose weight and<br />
possibly succeed this time!<br />
I walked over the Skye bridge<br />
for the first time and it was hard!<br />
I had to stop a few times to<br />
catch my breath, but I carried on<br />
and was extremely proud of my<br />
achievement. I made small,<br />
gradual changes to my diet and<br />
lost half a stone in the first two<br />
14<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔FOR HEALTH<br />
Eilidh’s favourite places on Skye<br />
Elgol, in particular the beginning of the track to Camas<br />
Fhionnairigh, at Clach an Fhiodhaich (NG518145) which<br />
looks across to the Black Cuillin. I also really enjoy the walks<br />
around Sligachan (NG486299), and a local forestry walk up<br />
C<strong>no</strong>c a’ Mhadaidh Ruaidh (NG738257), which is close to my<br />
house. I’ve only walked to Camas Fhionnairigh (NG512183)<br />
once, but it is spectacular! I have plans to walk up Beinn na<br />
Caillich (NG770229) in Kyleakin, as I can see it from my back<br />
garden, and I hope to one day climb Blàbheinn (NG529217).<br />
There are many others on the list but those are my top two.<br />
Left: Get thee behind me satan!<br />
Or rather, get on the far side of a<br />
walk where I can scoff a few of<br />
you blighters guilt-free!<br />
Bottom left: Looking great, and<br />
more importantly feeling great:<br />
you can read more from Eididh at<br />
www.mybodybattle.com.<br />
weeks. Nearly nine months since<br />
my first weigh-in and I’ve lost<br />
8st 3lbs. My BMI is <strong>no</strong>w 31.3 and<br />
I’m a size 16. I have a<strong>no</strong>ther 2st<br />
12.5lbs to lose before I reach my<br />
target weight, but it’s <strong>no</strong> longer<br />
daunting and I feel extremely<br />
positive about achieving it. Now<br />
I can walk over the Skye Bridge<br />
at a pace of 18 minutes per mile<br />
without getting out of breath.<br />
My ambitions are growing<br />
with my fitness. I’ve never<br />
climbed a Munro (Scottish<br />
mountain over 3000ft high) but<br />
that goal seems more and more<br />
achievable each week. I hope to<br />
achieve this goal in <strong>2018</strong> and<br />
I’ve already chosen my Munro!<br />
I’ve always wanted to walk the<br />
West Highland Way too but<br />
never thought it achievable.<br />
It’s a lot less daunting <strong>no</strong>w<br />
and I hope to do it in the next<br />
couple of years. I feel so much<br />
fitter. I <strong>no</strong>w feel <strong>no</strong>rmal for the<br />
“I was <strong>no</strong> longer<br />
eating my muchloved<br />
dark chocolate<br />
digestives in front of<br />
the telly as I was out<br />
walking instead.”<br />
first time in my adult life.<br />
I am <strong>no</strong> longer disgusted<br />
by what I see in the picture.<br />
I wouldn’t be where I am<br />
today without #walk1000miles.<br />
I love the Facebook group – it’s<br />
very encouraging and inspiring.<br />
People posting photographs<br />
of their walks makes me want<br />
to walk more and explore new<br />
places. It’s also extremely useful<br />
for getting tips on anything<br />
walking related, whether it’s<br />
equipment, routes, or apps.<br />
My advice is to start small<br />
and be consistent. Just over<br />
a mile each evening round my<br />
village on level ground is how<br />
I started. Set yourself lots of<br />
small achievable goals. Don’t<br />
dive in the deep end and<br />
attempt to climb a Munro if you<br />
can’t even walk a mile without<br />
getting out of breath. Baby<br />
steps is the key to success in<br />
both fitness and weight loss.<br />
And it’s so worth it. Apart<br />
from the obvious – slimmer and<br />
fitter – I’m a lot more confident.<br />
Not just in my physical abilities,<br />
but in my self-perception.<br />
I stand taller, and I have a<br />
more positive attitude towards<br />
myself. Previously I had quite<br />
low self-esteem, but <strong>no</strong>w I feel<br />
like I can achieve my goals,<br />
and more importantly, I feel<br />
I deserve it! My size is <strong>no</strong> longer<br />
a burden, <strong>no</strong> longer an obstacle<br />
stopping me from doing things.<br />
I am simply happier!<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
15
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
HEALTH: CASE STUDIES<br />
‘Something had to change’<br />
I work in IT, which is pretty<br />
stressful and I had six stents<br />
put into my arteries back<br />
in October 2016 at age 47.<br />
I knew then things had to<br />
change. I wasn’t sure how,<br />
so I chose something I knew<br />
I could do – walk! I started<br />
to walk to work – a 4.5 mile<br />
round-trip on January 1st<br />
and have only had the odd<br />
day when I’ve taken the car<br />
since. At first, I found it a<br />
slog, <strong>no</strong>t physically, but after<br />
walking to work for a few<br />
weeks, I started walking<br />
at weekends, gradually<br />
extending my mileage.<br />
My initial challenge was fear<br />
and I kept asking myself<br />
questions like, ‘What if...?’<br />
and ‘How will they find me?’.<br />
Initially, I was doing about<br />
five miles, just in case, but<br />
<strong>no</strong>w I’m clocking up 20+<br />
miles on a regular basis and<br />
am going all over the place.<br />
I’ve lived in Dunstable all my<br />
life and I’ve discovered areas<br />
I never knew existed just a<br />
few miles from my house.<br />
I <strong>no</strong>w realise walking’s <strong>no</strong>t<br />
just about keeping fit, it’s<br />
about appreciating what<br />
we have and making sure<br />
future generations can see<br />
what we’ve seen. I’ve always<br />
loved the outdoors, but<br />
never really been a walker.<br />
I AM NOW! I find the<br />
#walk1000miles community<br />
amazing! There’s such a<br />
diverse range of people<br />
young, old, fit, <strong>no</strong>t so fit,<br />
and they’ve all taken up the<br />
challenge, working towards<br />
the same goal – to walk 1000<br />
miles. I find that incredibly<br />
encouraging to be a part of.<br />
Simon Bullough<br />
BEFORE<br />
AFTER<br />
‘People don’t<br />
recognise me’<br />
In 2016 I realised how unfit<br />
I had become over the years,<br />
so I decided to start a diet and<br />
#walk1000miles. One year<br />
on I’ve lost 11.5 stone, walked<br />
hundreds of miles in the hills,<br />
got to 15 miles a day when<br />
walking, and am at my target<br />
weight. People don’t recognise<br />
me! I’m in 36 inch waist<br />
trousers <strong>no</strong>w, I was 48 inch<br />
waist! Last time I was this waist<br />
size and weight was 40 years<br />
ago! I feel so good, fit and<br />
filled with energy. I feel I can<br />
overcome hurdles and am<br />
looking to the next challenge.<br />
Happy, proud, energetic and<br />
loving being outdoors –<br />
I feel I have got a life!<br />
Doug Stewart<br />
16<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔FOR HEALTH<br />
‘8 stone lighter<br />
in 11 months’<br />
BEFORE<br />
AFTER<br />
All that weight gone and my knees and ankles<br />
are so much better too. I rarely get a cold <strong>no</strong>w<br />
and I can’t remember the last time I had an<br />
asthma attack. Walking has turned my life<br />
around. My wife said to me it was nice to be<br />
able to get her arms around me again. This<br />
summer we celebrated our 40th wedding<br />
anniversary walking in S<strong>no</strong>wdonia. Just got in<br />
from my morning 3 miles around the village<br />
on a gorgeous November day. I clocked up<br />
some of my miles walking up mountains in<br />
New Zealand and best of all saved £2000<br />
on the flights because my backside fitted<br />
in eco<strong>no</strong>my seats this time!<br />
David Smith<br />
‘No cold for<br />
18 months’<br />
I’ve walked up to 18 miles<br />
on my own in places<br />
I have never been before...<br />
(wearing leggings)<br />
I would never have had<br />
the courage to do that<br />
before for fear of getting<br />
lost and people laughing<br />
at me behind my back.<br />
I couldn’t give a monkey’s<br />
<strong>no</strong>w... and I haven’t had<br />
a cold for 18 months!<br />
Ruth Harland<br />
‘You saved me’<br />
Before this challenge I was<br />
diag<strong>no</strong>sed with benign<br />
intercranial hypertension and<br />
I had to have lumbar punctures<br />
every six weeks – sometimes<br />
really painful – and I would get<br />
really bad migraines that would<br />
make me want to sleep for days.<br />
Six months into the challenge<br />
I went to see my neurologist and everything was back to <strong>no</strong>rmal<br />
and I didn’t need lumbar punctures anymore! My neurologist was<br />
amazed! Thank you from the bottom of my heart – you saved me.<br />
Kate Hawkins<br />
‘So much<br />
easier’<br />
I took it slowly at the start,<br />
and have gone on in leaps<br />
and bounds since. Now I’m<br />
16lb lighter, and with more<br />
muscle tone. Walking is so<br />
much easier, <strong>no</strong>w I’m looking<br />
at walking holidays overseas.<br />
I will <strong>no</strong>t be stopping this<br />
challenge.<br />
Guy Brindle<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
17
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
BEFORE<br />
AFTER<br />
‘All better!’<br />
After years of liver problems<br />
I had a life-saving transplant<br />
– two in fact after the first<br />
one failed. While being<br />
pushed around the hospital<br />
in a wheelchair and<br />
watching everyone else<br />
I remember thinking I would<br />
never be able to just wander<br />
around again. Then in<br />
January I came across<br />
#walk1000miles and<br />
decided to try to do it to<br />
raise money for the hospital.<br />
I’ve been on so many lovely<br />
walks and it’s helped me<br />
stay well in body and mind.<br />
Here I am on my final step!<br />
Val Pinfold<br />
BEFORE AFTER<br />
‘Not looking<br />
too bad for 51<br />
I reckon!’<br />
So this is what walking all<br />
this distance does, gone<br />
from 38 inch jeans to 32 inch,<br />
XXXL to XL and I fit in the local<br />
Wetherspoons’ mirror – <strong>no</strong>t<br />
looking too bad for 51, I reckon!<br />
Jeff Hopkins<br />
‘Back from the brink’<br />
I began #walk1000miles on Jan 1st and by 30th of July I’d<br />
walked 1196 miles. That’s a significant day for me because<br />
on July 30th, 2016, I suffered a cardiac arrest whilst walking<br />
along Ormskirk Road in Liverpool. My heart stopped for 11<br />
minutes, and it was only thanks to lovely passers-by and a<br />
nearby defibrillator it got started again. I was six days in<br />
a coma and three weeks in hospital. Now look at me!<br />
Robby Eaves<br />
18<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
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✔FOR HEALTH<br />
This is your body on<br />
SPEND AROUND AN hour a day walking<br />
and <strong>no</strong>t only will you hit 1000 miles in<br />
12 months, you’ll be performing the<br />
most incredible service and tune-up<br />
on your body and mind...<br />
AGING IS OPTIONAL<br />
Walking prevents muscle wastage,<br />
triggers cells’ anti-aging processes<br />
and helps repair DNA. It also wards<br />
against brain shrinkage and<br />
increases memory, creativity,<br />
reasoning and sociability.<br />
BREATHE EASY<br />
An hour’s walk a day can reverse<br />
thirty years’ gradual aerobic<br />
capacity decline, according to a<br />
US study which saw 50-year-old<br />
subjects regain the lungs of<br />
their 20-year-old selves.<br />
LEAN MACHINE<br />
Insulin allows your body to<br />
absorb the energy in food –<br />
but it also encourages fat<br />
storage. Walking causes<br />
insulin levels to drop, but<br />
increases your muscles’<br />
sensitivity to it. That means you<br />
burn energy more efficiently and fat<br />
more readily – cutting your risk of<br />
obesity in half and developing Type<br />
2 diabetes by 60% on the way.<br />
BUILT TO WALK<br />
The fact we put our heels<br />
down first when we step is an<br />
evolutionary advantage that<br />
conserves 53% more energy<br />
per stride than running, the<br />
University of Utah found:<br />
“We consume more energy<br />
to run than the typical<br />
mammal our size. But<br />
we are exceptionally<br />
eco<strong>no</strong>mical walkers.”<br />
FINISHED<br />
YOUR<br />
WALK?<br />
Your body’s elevated<br />
calorie-burning<br />
continues for an hour<br />
even after you<br />
stop.<br />
HIGH ON LIFE<br />
Walking boosts circulation, triggers<br />
endorphins, decreases stress hormones<br />
and increases oxygen <strong>supp</strong>ly to every cell<br />
in your body. A meta-study of research<br />
into the field concluded walking has an<br />
effect on the symptoms of depression<br />
– at least as effective as medication.<br />
BULLETPROOF<br />
Walking is more than twice as effective<br />
as running at fighting off heart disease,<br />
and an hour a day cuts your risk of<br />
heart attack in your 50s and 60s in<br />
half; a 30-minute walk a day cuts<br />
the risk of stroke by a third.<br />
CANCER<br />
FIGHTER<br />
10,000 cases a year of<br />
breast- and bowel cancer<br />
are preventable by an hour<br />
on foot a day, according to research.<br />
Macmillan says for those suffering the<br />
most common types of cancer it can<br />
cut the risk of death 40%-50%.<br />
BONES OF IRON<br />
All exercise is good for the<br />
spine, but unlike aerobics or<br />
gym work, studies have found<br />
walking boosts bone density in<br />
spine and pelvis – reducing the<br />
chances of hip fracture by 40%.<br />
FRICTION FREE<br />
Regular walking increases<br />
levels of ‘sy<strong>no</strong>vial fluid’ in<br />
your joints – a lubricant<br />
supercharged with antiinflammatory<br />
compounds.<br />
20 WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
SOURCES: University of Sydney; American Cancer Society; American College of Rheumatology;<br />
University of Edinburgh; Journal of Integrative Medicine; The Stroke Association, Lawrence Berkeley<br />
National Laboratory in California, University of Texas, World Cancer Research Fund, University of Utah.
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#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
For happiness<br />
Peace of mind, positivity, a better perspective<br />
– a little walking goes a very long way.<br />
‘I don’t worry about<br />
the little things<br />
anymore’<br />
Sandra Wilkins<br />
‘I’ve<br />
grown in<br />
confidence<br />
with each<br />
mile.’<br />
Ann Bolton<br />
‘Gave<br />
me the<br />
inspiration<br />
and<br />
<strong>supp</strong>ort<br />
to get out and<br />
enjoy life again!’<br />
Emma Nelson<br />
I feel<br />
stronger<br />
physically<br />
and<br />
mentally.<br />
The stresses of life<br />
quite literally get<br />
blown away.’<br />
Lara Wilkes<br />
22<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
‘I’ve got a new<br />
superpower:<br />
the ability to<br />
trounce bad<br />
moods’<br />
Liz Reeves<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
23
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
VERY INSPIRING PERSON: FRANCIS LAWLER<br />
‘I found I was getting happier<br />
and more determined<br />
every time I came back’<br />
Stabbed in the stomach, beaten and left for dead by attackers<br />
on New Year’s Eve 1998, 48-year-old Francis Lawler has<br />
struggled with anxiety and fear of the dark ever since.<br />
Above: Walking’s power to take<br />
a pumice stone to problems is<br />
one its most remarkable features.<br />
I<br />
’M ORIGINALLY FROM<br />
County Durham where<br />
I grew up in foster care<br />
with my twin brother Patrick.<br />
I moved to Cambridge when<br />
I was 18, and it was there I was<br />
attacked as I walked back from<br />
the pub in the early hours of<br />
1999. It led to major surgery<br />
and a long stay in hospital<br />
– I was very lucky to survive.<br />
I’ve recovered well on the<br />
physical side and today I work<br />
as a <strong>supp</strong>ort worker in a day<br />
centre caring for people with<br />
learning disabilities. But the<br />
attack left me scarred mentally.<br />
For 18 years I’ve been scared of<br />
walking in the dark and being<br />
in quiet places on my own.<br />
It meant I wouldn’t go out<br />
much in winter, and if I did, it<br />
was always in company. I was<br />
overweight, fearful and down.<br />
I started my #walk1000miles<br />
challenge on January the 1st<br />
2017 after seeing the magazine<br />
because I was determined<br />
to finally face these anxieties<br />
head on. I knew it really would<br />
be a challenge <strong>no</strong>t only<br />
because I’d have to balance<br />
working life, children and<br />
“Every day it pushed<br />
me to get out of the<br />
house and even<br />
when I could feel<br />
my fears rising,<br />
overcoming them<br />
made me more and<br />
more positive.”<br />
also <strong>supp</strong>orting a disabled<br />
wife at home, but I’d have to<br />
walk on my own in the dusk<br />
and the dark.<br />
At first my family wondered<br />
what on Earth I was thinking.<br />
But as time went by they got<br />
used to me saying “I’m off out<br />
for a walk” – and I found I was<br />
getting happier and more<br />
determined every time I came<br />
back. It was just so satisfying<br />
making progress. By the end<br />
everyone was willing me to<br />
succeed – it felt like a team<br />
effort and we felt stronger<br />
and more loving.<br />
Pretty soon I was walking<br />
distances I never thought<br />
24<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔FOR HAPPINESS<br />
Main image:<br />
Francis meets his<br />
first ever pair of<br />
walking boots!<br />
Inset left: Chilled<br />
and centred in<br />
the woods or the<br />
on the streetlit<br />
pavements.<br />
I would ever do, and seeing<br />
places I never would have seen.<br />
I was losing weight, seeing<br />
beautiful things, nature and<br />
animals, and I was meeting<br />
fellow walkers too – in the real<br />
world and in the wonderful<br />
#walk1000miles Facebook<br />
group. Every day it pushed<br />
me to get out of the house and<br />
even when I could feel my fears<br />
rising, overcoming them made<br />
me more and more positive.<br />
I reached my thousand in<br />
November a fitter, lighter,<br />
happier, calmer, more fearless<br />
person – more grateful for<br />
what I have in life.<br />
I walk in the dark often <strong>no</strong>w.<br />
I love walking alongside the<br />
river and through wild woods<br />
with lots of flowers. I love<br />
seeing new places and<br />
listening to the birds – or my<br />
favourite albums. My next<br />
walking goal is to walk the<br />
Peddars Way and the Norfolk<br />
coastal path of 97 miles in<br />
<strong>2018</strong> – and to complete the<br />
#walk1000 miles challenge<br />
again. I’m looking to better<br />
myself in life <strong>no</strong>w the challenge<br />
has made me realise there are<br />
big things to work towards<br />
which I can accomplish.<br />
Staying strong in body and<br />
mind can help you deal with<br />
so much. The challenge has<br />
helped me develop both. I’ve<br />
been tired at times. I’ve felt<br />
scared at times. But to push<br />
on through and get to the<br />
other side feeling stronger<br />
is just an incredible feeling.<br />
Above: Son Danny also took up<br />
the challenge this year.<br />
Above: The satisfying sight of<br />
ink on progress tracker chart.<br />
There’s <strong>no</strong>thing like it!<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
25
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
HAPPINESS: CASE STUDIES<br />
‘I feel like a lion’<br />
I remember this day last year<br />
so well. I was feeling down,<br />
so very down. Overweight<br />
and extremely unhappy in<br />
my job. It was a vicious circle,<br />
the more panic attacks I had<br />
about going into a job,<br />
where I was being bullied<br />
the more I ate. The more<br />
I ate, the bigger I got, the<br />
more I was bullied and felt<br />
powerless. Depression<br />
had me firmly in its grip.<br />
Then I picked up a copy<br />
of Country Walking for the<br />
first time, and I saw the<br />
#walk1000miles challenge<br />
and though “I like walking,<br />
right? Imagine how I’d feel<br />
doing that? Could I do it?”<br />
Fast forward a year, and<br />
I still need to lose some<br />
weight but I’m fit, I tackled<br />
my workplace bully and<br />
applied for and got a job<br />
in a profession I’ve always<br />
dreamed of. I feel like a lion!<br />
I’ve climbed a Munro,<br />
I shared in people’s trials and<br />
tribulations in the challenge<br />
community. I’ve walked in<br />
rain... gales... sleet and s<strong>no</strong>w.<br />
I’ve cried as I felt my legs<br />
wouldn’t go any further,<br />
and I’ve walked 1000 miles!<br />
I’ve learnt so much about<br />
ME this year and I’m <strong>no</strong>t<br />
all bad. Quite a change<br />
in a year I would say!<br />
Tizzy Harris<br />
‘I’m <strong>no</strong>w<br />
k<strong>no</strong>wn as<br />
cheerful’<br />
I have to say I feel amazing!<br />
Since doing this challenge, my<br />
whole outlook has been brighter<br />
and people have commented on<br />
how well I am looking and how<br />
cheerful I have become recently!<br />
It has changed me for the better<br />
and in turn, I’m passing my<br />
positivity on to others.<br />
Cathy Rees Fraser<br />
‘Big change<br />
in mood’<br />
The biggest<br />
change<br />
is in my<br />
mood.<br />
Hormones<br />
mean I<br />
have terrible<br />
mood swings,<br />
but walking evens them<br />
out. I <strong>no</strong>w get grumpy,<br />
snippety and down when<br />
I DON’T walk. It really has<br />
improved my everyday<br />
quality of life.<br />
Anwen Evans<br />
26<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔FOR HAPPINESS<br />
‘Can’t believe<br />
I’ve done it’<br />
‘Overwhelmingly happy’<br />
I wasn’t prepared for my reaction to completing the<br />
challenge: I feel quite overwhelmingly happy. This challenge<br />
has really helped me deal with a whole load of stuff this year<br />
and has given me back my confidence in who I really am.<br />
Walking is healing, walking is blessing, walking is LIVING!<br />
Louise Prideaux<br />
I have suffered with<br />
agoraphobia for years,<br />
collapsing even if I went out the<br />
front door, but this challenge<br />
and all the lovely people in<br />
it have inspired me so much<br />
I love to walk <strong>no</strong>w whenever<br />
I get the chance. I was so<br />
pleased to get my medal<br />
– I can’t believe I’ve done it!<br />
Christine Gash<br />
‘Transformational<br />
and I’ve loved it’<br />
I spend the majority of my time outdoors<br />
these days – I have finally at the age of 64 found<br />
myself, grown in confidence and finally have a<br />
sense of self worth, which I have been chasing all my life. I’ve <strong>no</strong>t<br />
travelled far as most of my walks are along the canal close to where<br />
I grew up, but I have seen the turn of the year through the birds,<br />
ducks and insects, I am fitter and happier than I have ever been<br />
and have lost a bit of weight and found purpose, something<br />
that has been missing until <strong>no</strong>w. The journey has been<br />
transformational and I have loved every step.<br />
Jeanette Scott-McDonald<br />
‘Never going back’<br />
This challenge has given me the courage and positive<br />
attitude to have a go! I <strong>no</strong>w can say I have claimed S<strong>no</strong>wdon<br />
and completed the Three Peaks and have others penciled in<br />
for the future. I have gained a most fantastic walking family<br />
and have had the pleasure of meeting a<strong>no</strong>ther badger who<br />
is <strong>no</strong>w a good friend. Without this challenge I would still<br />
be at home on the sofa... I’m never going back to that.<br />
So all in all, a huge thank you.<br />
Denise Moulson<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
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#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
‘Happier<br />
and<br />
healthier’<br />
I’m healthier and<br />
happier since January<br />
1st and I just wish<br />
I had this insight<br />
before. It’s so simple<br />
to turn it all around by<br />
simply putting one<br />
foot in front of the<br />
other. Having the<br />
encouragement<br />
and <strong>supp</strong>ort from<br />
everyone on #walk1000miles has been such a positive thing<br />
for me as they too understand my passion.<br />
Sally Tronina<br />
‘My best<br />
walking year<br />
so far’<br />
The #walk1000miles challenge<br />
brought daily activity into<br />
my life and I’ve been out and<br />
about every single weekend<br />
of this year. I feel so much<br />
fitter, I’m happier and I’ve<br />
learned to cope with the<br />
mental stress of my job. And<br />
<strong>no</strong>t to forget the wonderful<br />
people I met in this group:<br />
friendly, encouraging and<br />
<strong>supp</strong>ortive. I wouldn’t<br />
want to have missed this<br />
experience. Thank you!<br />
Nancy Herter<br />
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#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
For families<br />
On foot you see the best of the world and best of each<br />
other – and with the shared purpose of #walk1000miles<br />
it’s Baby Bio for families of all ages and stages.<br />
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WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
‘I feel happiest<br />
when I’m out<br />
walking with my<br />
family, <strong>no</strong>t on<br />
the sofa! Best<br />
challenge I’ve<br />
ever done’<br />
Clair Maskell<br />
Most days I<br />
walk with my<br />
wife and our<br />
relationship<br />
has got much<br />
closer as we spend our<br />
(<strong>no</strong>n distracted) time<br />
together. Jim Freer<br />
The real success<br />
this year was<br />
inspiring my<br />
previously<br />
‘walking allergic’<br />
daughter to come along on the<br />
odd stroll for a mile or 8! Just an<br />
hour ago, she asked me if I could<br />
buy her walking boots for<br />
Christmas! Karen Hayes<br />
We’ve had<br />
an amazing<br />
year of<br />
walking<br />
with Emma.<br />
She loves her walks, and it’s<br />
a great way for us to spend<br />
time together as a family.<br />
Lisa Cadwallader<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
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#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
VERY INSPIRING PERSON: JENNY MARSHALL<br />
‘Walking has<br />
helped in so<br />
many ways’<br />
How #walk1000miles rebuilt<br />
Jenny Marshall’s relationship<br />
with her mum – after 16 years of silence.<br />
Back on track with mum and<br />
taking selfies with her too.<br />
Things Jenny thought she’d<br />
never be doing 1 and 2.<br />
M<br />
Y NAME IS JENNY<br />
– nickname Elvis.<br />
I’m 41, married for<br />
21 years in February, with<br />
two children. Amy who is 11<br />
and Lewis who is 17. I was<br />
introduced to the challenge<br />
by my Aunty Sue, who told<br />
me about the Facebook group.<br />
It came at a time when I was<br />
lost, my fitness had dropped<br />
off and I needed to find myself.<br />
I needed a challenge that<br />
would kickstart my life again.<br />
The relationship I had with<br />
my mum had been <strong>no</strong>n-existent<br />
for over 16 years. A fall-out in<br />
the late 1990s had resulted<br />
in all contact being stopped.<br />
My wedding, the birth of my<br />
children – I made sure she<br />
wasn’t a part of any of it.<br />
But <strong>no</strong>w my own kids were<br />
slightly older I thought, what if?<br />
I remember going over in my<br />
head a way to make contact<br />
with Jan. Then I thought, why<br />
<strong>no</strong>t ask her if she wanted to<br />
go for a walk?<br />
It happened very slowly.<br />
We had <strong>no</strong>thing in common to<br />
begin with, and I didn’t want<br />
to get my family involved until<br />
I knew that <strong>no</strong> one was going<br />
to get hurt. But walking soon<br />
became that common interest,<br />
and being outdoors gives you<br />
something positive to think<br />
about rather than your<br />
problems. Walking has helped<br />
in so many ways. Not only with<br />
fitness and mental well being,<br />
but helping to mend our<br />
relationship.<br />
Mum and I have been to<br />
lots of new place this past<br />
year, both together and apart,<br />
making new, happy memories.<br />
I’ve taken control of my own<br />
issues, and mum has faced and<br />
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✔FOR FAMILIES<br />
Above and right: Troops<br />
mobilised! The challenge has<br />
brought Jenny through a dark<br />
patch and her family together.<br />
overcome some challenges<br />
I never thought possible for her.<br />
Like climbing Pen y Fan ªin the<br />
Brecon Beacons in South Wales<br />
– the highest place in southern<br />
Britain) with a dodgy heart,<br />
with my Aunty Sue, who’s<br />
unwell also. I am so proud of<br />
her for that. Which is something<br />
I wouldn’t have said years ago!<br />
How has walking gone down<br />
with my own family? Well,<br />
teenage boys will only come<br />
out if food is on the cards, but<br />
Lewis is getting better at<br />
spending time with us oldies.<br />
My daughter likes the walks<br />
we do. I tend to make a spot<br />
it game, which keeps her<br />
focused, and I get to teach her<br />
things without her realising!<br />
Or she map reads, which<br />
on occasion has led to a few<br />
wrong turns, but it’s all part of<br />
the fun. Hubby Dave is usually<br />
“Walking soon<br />
became that<br />
common interest,<br />
and being outdoors<br />
gives you something<br />
positive to think<br />
about rather than<br />
your problems.”<br />
lurking somewhere in the<br />
background, itching to routemarch,<br />
while I make videos,<br />
or take pictures of fungus.<br />
I’ve had so many memorable<br />
moments this year. Losing my<br />
shoe in the mud after a detour<br />
went wrong. Seeing strangers<br />
reactions to my outburst of<br />
reaching a walking milestone,<br />
which usually ends up in me<br />
telling everyone about the<br />
#walk1000miles challenge.<br />
Tense face-offs with farm<br />
animals. But one of the best<br />
memories is watching mum and<br />
my daughter, holding hands,<br />
walking in front of me talking<br />
away without a care in the<br />
world. It’s something I never<br />
thought would happen.<br />
The future for me <strong>no</strong>w is<br />
onwards and upwards. For<br />
mum and I, keep building our<br />
relationship, and discover new<br />
places and walks. Because<br />
I <strong>no</strong>w realise while you can’t<br />
change the past, you can move<br />
forward and change the future.<br />
For me, maybe a mountain or<br />
two if my nerves will allow.<br />
And of course a<strong>no</strong>ther year<br />
of #walk1000miles, the<br />
challenge that saved me from<br />
a dark patch and brought<br />
together my family.<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
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#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
FAMILY: CASE STUDIES<br />
So many memories<br />
to cherish’<br />
In 2012 my partner had an<br />
accident at work and was off<br />
for 9 months. As part of his<br />
recovery we started to take<br />
our girls for a walk around<br />
parks most weekends. After<br />
a few weeks we went a bit<br />
further and started to buy<br />
walking clothing and boots.<br />
A year on, my partner’s<br />
sister joined us with her<br />
partner and their daughter<br />
A few months on and we<br />
were venturing out to the<br />
Peak District. One of our first<br />
walks there was Dovedale.<br />
A holiday to the Lake<br />
District for a week came<br />
next, with one aim – to climb<br />
Scafell Pike! At the time my<br />
daughters were 11 & 8 and my<br />
niece had just turned 4 so it<br />
took us a while but we got<br />
there on our own feet and felt<br />
a great sense of achievement.<br />
It’s become a staple of our<br />
week – all meeting up and<br />
going out for a walk, it’s our<br />
chance to relax, see each<br />
other and for my girls to<br />
spend time with their cousin.<br />
Our girls have got so<br />
many memories to cherish<br />
when they’re older. Every<br />
time we walk, something<br />
funny happens or one of the<br />
girls say something funny. It<br />
doesn’t matter what house<br />
you live in or what car you<br />
drive, spending time with<br />
your family is priceless.<br />
My eldest sometimes<br />
moans when we walk and it<br />
takes a while for her to get<br />
out of bed but once we’re<br />
out and walking she’s fine.<br />
And I don’t k<strong>no</strong>w what I’d<br />
do without my weekly<br />
walks in the Peak District.<br />
Emmi Lou<br />
‘I’ve got hikers<br />
on my hands!’<br />
I’ve got a budding hiker on my<br />
hands thanks to this challenge.<br />
Every weekend my 3-year-old<br />
asks to go walking in the hills<br />
even when it’s raining. It also<br />
helped us to bond with our<br />
rescue dog who wasn’t used to<br />
walking and was a little tubby.<br />
We’re all fitter and trimmer <strong>no</strong>w<br />
Claire Mct<br />
‘Out and talking!’<br />
I’ve got three children<br />
(12, 12 and 14) – they love<br />
their phones and games<br />
and football, so it’s lovely<br />
to get them out and<br />
watch them talking<br />
to each other!<br />
Helen Chambers<br />
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WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔FOR FAMILIES<br />
‘Special<br />
times’<br />
I’ve had some<br />
really special times<br />
this year getting<br />
out walking with<br />
my daughter Ivy. I was always a rubbish walker when I was<br />
her age but with her long legs and boundless energy we’ve<br />
had some great walks! As we live in London, I try to take<br />
her out to experience beautiful countryside as often as<br />
possible. It’s so important to instil a love and joy of nature<br />
in children and I think her face captures that so well! Next<br />
year she might be signing up for 500 miles!<br />
Lizzie Huckle<br />
‘Totally bowled over’<br />
I’ve been bowled over by my<br />
3- and 6-year-olds and how far<br />
they’ve walked with me! Here<br />
they are at Gordale Scar a few<br />
weeks ago – they did nearly<br />
6 miles Just deciding which<br />
Lakeland Fell we should do this<br />
Christmas! P.S. Crisps are the<br />
key to keeping my two going.<br />
Lizzie Hughes<br />
‘Granddaughter<br />
on the go’<br />
My 7-year-old granddaughter<br />
walks everywhere on a daily<br />
basis, but she really wanted to<br />
climb mountains with us. Last<br />
year we took her to the Peak<br />
District where she climbed<br />
Win Hill and revelled in the<br />
360 degree views. This year<br />
we walked on The Roaches,<br />
and next year we’re taking her<br />
to the Lake District. She looked<br />
at my 1000 mile badge and<br />
an<strong>no</strong>unced that she’d really<br />
like to walk 1000 miles. I’m<br />
quite sure she will. Anne Doyle<br />
‘My boys have been with me on<br />
my challenge from the beginning’<br />
Not only have they completed the challenge but brought their<br />
friends along too. My eldest <strong>no</strong>w faces his own walking challenge<br />
by taking part in his first DofE next year, which I’m sure he and all<br />
his friends will smash #walk1000miles #familytime Sally Davies<br />
‘My inspiration’<br />
Even though he has being<br />
receiving chemo, Darren‘s come<br />
with me on some of my walks.<br />
We got a campervan this year<br />
so have walked and seen lots of<br />
different areas of the UK. He is<br />
my inspiration! Tracey Parnell<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
35
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
For adventure<br />
Your feet can take you to places <strong>no</strong> luxury car<br />
or private jet can – the wonders start <strong>no</strong>t far<br />
from your door, and they never stop.<br />
‘I’ve<br />
discovered<br />
wonderful<br />
new places<br />
I would<br />
have never<br />
come across I’ll return to<br />
again and again’<br />
Tracey Stansfield<br />
‘Found the mag<br />
on the train<br />
in February,<br />
ended up on<br />
the summit<br />
of Toubkal in Morocco.<br />
If anyone had told me I’d<br />
do that at the start of this<br />
challenge I’d have laughed!’<br />
Karen Hegarty<br />
‘Climbed my first<br />
mountain and<br />
found out I’m more<br />
determined than I<br />
think! The amazing<br />
views are worth every step!<br />
What a fantastic world we live<br />
in and you should go explore<br />
it from the highest height!’<br />
Eve Smillie<br />
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WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
‘If it wasn’t for<br />
this challenge,<br />
I’d still be stuck<br />
behind a desk,<br />
bored stiff,<br />
getting even<br />
more unhealthy’<br />
Alan John Francis<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
37
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
I<br />
VERY INSPIRING PERSON: JAMES FORREST<br />
‘My last mountain was Scafell<br />
Pike and I miraculously had<br />
the summit to myself’<br />
Amazing 34-year-old Cockermouth writer James<br />
Forrest hit his 1000 miles in six months – taking<br />
in every mountain in England and Wales on the way.<br />
’D OWNED THE guidebooks<br />
to the 444 Nuttalls – hills<br />
in England and Wales over<br />
2000ft – for quite a few years,<br />
but only done a few of the<br />
walks. Then one day, the idea<br />
struck me of an intensive<br />
challenge to tick them all off<br />
in one summer – faster than<br />
anyone else had. My main aims<br />
were quite simple: to explore<br />
the wild landscapes of Britain I’d<br />
never been to before; to indulge<br />
in my love of the mountains;<br />
and to prove you can fit at least<br />
one crazy, epic adventure into<br />
your everyday life. The brilliant<br />
#walk1000miles community<br />
gave me the confidence to<br />
k<strong>no</strong>w I wasn’t alone in doing<br />
similar things.<br />
Above: 446 mountains in his<br />
wife’s old hiking boots!<br />
I became obsessed, a man<br />
on a mission that would take<br />
me 82 days of walking over<br />
a six-month period, meaning<br />
I spent virtually every spare<br />
day away from work climbing<br />
mountains. It was manic – but<br />
the adventure of a lifetime too.<br />
My longest day was summiting<br />
13 peaks in the Berwyn<br />
mountains in North Wales<br />
(I don’t k<strong>no</strong>w how I did this on<br />
the energy-sapping, heatherclad<br />
slopes of the Berwyns)<br />
and my toughest overall<br />
section was climbing 86 peaks<br />
in S<strong>no</strong>wdonia in a gruelling<br />
14-day hike in August.<br />
The one factor that helped<br />
me climb the mountains so<br />
quickly was wild camping.<br />
I often went out on mini<br />
expeditions for four, five or six<br />
days at a time, wild camping<br />
under the stars – a magical<br />
way to have a more intimate<br />
interaction with the mountains)<br />
and thus I avoided long walksout<br />
back to my car and I woke<br />
every morning in the midst of<br />
the action, ready to summit<br />
that next peak. I averaged<br />
approximately 13.5 miles per<br />
Above: The final summit<br />
– James completes his<br />
challenge on Scafell Pike.<br />
38<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔FOR ADVENTURE<br />
Left: Sunset<br />
while wild<br />
camping at<br />
Dead Stones in<br />
the Northern<br />
Pennines.<br />
Below:<br />
A glorious<br />
evening on the<br />
Aran ridge in<br />
North Wales.<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
39
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
day, completing 82 full days<br />
of walking in the Lake District,<br />
Yorkshire Dales, Pennines,<br />
Northumberland, Peak District,<br />
S<strong>no</strong>wdonia, Central Wales,<br />
Brecon Beacons and Dartmoor.<br />
Along the way I’ve learnt that<br />
mountains are good for the<br />
soul. I love the freedom, the<br />
fresh air, the isolation, the<br />
unpredictability, the escapism.<br />
I always found that walking is<br />
life-affirming. Every walk was<br />
time well spent – time for<br />
solitude, self-reflection, for<br />
escapism and nature. Every<br />
step brought me boundless<br />
happiness. I’d encourage<br />
everyone to spend more time<br />
outdoors – you won’t regret it,<br />
“Edging along the<br />
exhilarating razorsharp<br />
ridge of Crib<br />
Goch on a perfect<br />
day in August…the<br />
most adventurous,<br />
adrenaline-fuelled<br />
climb of my<br />
entire challenge.<br />
and you CAN walk 1000 miles.<br />
It can seem a daunting<br />
challenge at the start, but in<br />
essence it is incredibly simple<br />
– keep putting one foot in<br />
front of the other and you’ll<br />
make it to the finish line.<br />
My last mountain was Scafell<br />
Pike and I miraculously had the<br />
summit to myself. I just enjoyed<br />
a quiet moment to think about<br />
the past six months. It was a<br />
real mix of emotions – relief,<br />
elation, excitement and<br />
gratitude; <strong>no</strong>t least to my<br />
wife Becky for understanding<br />
why I wanted to do it, and<br />
for powering me up those<br />
mountains with her delicious<br />
flapjacks. Mainly I thought<br />
about the good times and<br />
how thankful I was to have<br />
experienced the beauty,<br />
solitude and freedom<br />
of the mountains.<br />
JAMES’ STANDOUT MEMORIES<br />
Edging along the<br />
1 exhilarating razorsharp<br />
ridge of Crib Goch<br />
on a perfect day in August.<br />
The jelly-leg inducing<br />
scramble along the top<br />
was the most adventurous,<br />
adrenaline-fuelled climb<br />
of my entire challenge.<br />
Climbing Pillar Rock<br />
2 – the only Nuttall that is a<br />
rock climb, rather than a walk.<br />
The weather was atrocious<br />
and the climb on greasy<br />
rock was difficult. But it felt<br />
amazing to stand atop what<br />
Wainwright called “the most<br />
handsome crag in Lakeland.”<br />
Wild camping in the<br />
3 Aran mountains in<br />
Wales – the weather was<br />
beautiful and the tranquility<br />
was intoxicating. I ate dinner<br />
outside my tent watching<br />
a phe<strong>no</strong>menal sunset, and<br />
feeling so happy to be<br />
out in the mountains.<br />
40<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔FOR ADVENTURE<br />
James’ pick of the peaks<br />
What are the three best hills<br />
someone starting walking in<br />
<strong>2018</strong> can look forward to?<br />
STEEPLE<br />
819M, LAKE DISTRICT<br />
Alfred Wainwright described<br />
the summit of Steeple as a<br />
“thrilling spot” where “one’s<br />
feet are on the ground but<br />
one’s eyes see as from a cloud<br />
in the heavens”. Surrounded by<br />
precipitous drops on all sides,<br />
this is my favourite viewpoint<br />
to gaze out over the beauty<br />
of Lakeland. I’m sure new<br />
walkers would love it.<br />
TRYFAN<br />
915M, SNOWDONIA<br />
I love dramatic mountains<br />
and you don’t get much<br />
more dramatic than Tryfan.<br />
It is a fine peak, blessed<br />
with crags, cliffs and epic<br />
scrambling opportunities.<br />
Surely a real treat for any<br />
newcomers to hiking. My<br />
only regret? Wimping out<br />
of the leap between the<br />
twin summit mo<strong>no</strong>liths<br />
of Adam and Eve, a jump<br />
that – as tradition dictates<br />
– grants you the freedom<br />
of Tryfan.<br />
RHINOG FACH<br />
712M, SNOWDONIA<br />
A rugged and remote peak<br />
where you’re more likely to<br />
see feral goats than fellow<br />
hikers. I felt like the only man<br />
on Earth hiking in this heatherclad,<br />
rocky wilderness. If new<br />
hikers want to get away from<br />
it all and experience a wilder<br />
Britain, this is a good choice.<br />
PHOTO: THE PHOTOLIBRARY<br />
WALES/ALAMY*<br />
Below: Standing atop<br />
Steeple in the Lake District.<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
41
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
The Jurassic Coast in Dorset, fabulous walking area!<br />
David Young<br />
Reading Country Walking got us to look further afield<br />
and took us to the Gower peninsular. What an<br />
amazing find! Sadie Griffiths<br />
My adventure<br />
Be it mighty trail or microadventure<br />
– here’s some of the<br />
new terrain #walk1000 miles led<br />
participants to discover in 2017<br />
A wood full of bluebells<br />
10 minutes’ walk from<br />
home. Cindy Rowlands<br />
Sheep’s creeps on The<br />
West Highland Way –<br />
never knew they existed!<br />
Aileen Candlish<br />
The beautiful Shetland<br />
Isles. Douglas Dingwall<br />
Dartmoor – driven past hundreds of times, finally<br />
stopped to walk! Michelle McDonald<br />
An old cemetery in<br />
a secret garden!<br />
Angela Barnes<br />
Yorkshire: being a southerner<br />
by birth it was a place I had only<br />
heard of prior to this challenge!<br />
They have big, bonkers people<br />
here. Maggi di Rozario<br />
Lapland – it was amazing! This<br />
is at full moon. Lorna Koskela<br />
The source of the Thames! I’ve<br />
lived near Oxford for years – <strong>no</strong>w<br />
walking different parts of the<br />
Thames Path in <strong>no</strong> particular<br />
order. Lisa Kinahan<br />
42<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔FOR ADVENTURE<br />
I would never have even<br />
thought of walking up<br />
Mount Teide in Tenerife.<br />
Best/hardest hike of my<br />
life. Maddie Hewitt<br />
Amazing trail at Bryce<br />
Canyon in Utah. Just the<br />
most beautiful place<br />
I think I’ve ever seen.<br />
Feeling so lucky.<br />
Lois Love<br />
Hulne Park in Alnwick<br />
which has amazing<br />
views of the Cheviots<br />
and this incredible folly.<br />
Ruth Taylor<br />
I discovered that there are six hills over 2000ft<br />
in Wensleydale and decided to walk up them all<br />
this year as a mini challenge! All were fabulous<br />
adventures on my own, in remote parts of the dales.<br />
Several do <strong>no</strong>t have recognised routes to the summit<br />
and it was certainly an experience discovering<br />
the routes. Here is Hugh’s Seat summit near<br />
Mallerstang Edge. Jo Winship<br />
The Galloway Forest & Glen Trool – a hidden gem<br />
I’d spotted on a friend’s photos earlier in the year.<br />
So peaceful, and a Goshawk flew feet from my head<br />
through the trees across my path. John Spencer<br />
I’ve been doing a lot<br />
more local walks and<br />
‘just following my<br />
<strong>no</strong>se’ – it’s made me<br />
realise how much is<br />
out there that I never<br />
knew existed, right<br />
on my doorstep.<br />
Bob Brunt<br />
The Precipice Walk in S<strong>no</strong>wdonia which we would<br />
<strong>no</strong>t have k<strong>no</strong>wn about if it hadn’t been for this<br />
challenge and CW magazine, thank you all,<br />
it was amazing! Sue Meek<br />
Discovered the beautiful Inner Hebridean island of<br />
Islay by taking part in its Walking Festival... my first<br />
ever walking holiday inspired by the amazing<br />
Walk 1000 miles challenge. Shelagh Creegan<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
43
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
For charity<br />
You soon discover the good<br />
walking 1000 miles does for you –<br />
but when it does good for others too,<br />
the feeling multiplies...<br />
‘Raised £1500<br />
and just feel<br />
doubly proud<br />
of myself’<br />
Clare Wilson<br />
‘It’s lovely<br />
to raise<br />
money for<br />
others<br />
while<br />
doing something<br />
you enjoy’<br />
Jacqui Piper<br />
‘A real<br />
sense of<br />
personal<br />
achievement<br />
and it has<br />
been a great focus<br />
to keep going’<br />
Pat Brunskill<br />
‘Given special<br />
meaning to every<br />
step of my journey’<br />
Kim Russell<br />
‘Excellent<br />
experience<br />
– kept me<br />
very<br />
motivated<br />
to complete this<br />
challenge’<br />
Peter Lovegrove<br />
44<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
45
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
CHARITY: CASE STUDIES<br />
‘Go great together’<br />
I did the Edinburgh Moon-<br />
Walk in 2017 (walkthewalk.<br />
org) and loved it! Cancer<br />
had turned my world upside<br />
down more times than<br />
I care to remember. The<br />
#walk1000miles challenge<br />
really helped with my<br />
training, pushing me to want<br />
to walk in the colder<br />
weather rather than hide<br />
indoors. This year I’m doing<br />
both again but I intend to<br />
push myself harder and<br />
beats this year’s miles!<br />
Both such great ways of<br />
getting bums off seats!<br />
Kat Paterson<br />
‘I’ve had<br />
a blast’<br />
As a doctor in the UK I have<br />
all the resources I need. The<br />
situation for millions of people<br />
throughout the world is very<br />
different. I am particularly<br />
inspired to help those in the<br />
most extreme situations. In my<br />
practice seriously ill or injured<br />
patients have a greater chance<br />
of surviving than a woman<br />
giving birth in the Congo.<br />
Medicins Sans Frontieres<br />
brings medical care in extreme<br />
situations. If we don’t care for<br />
the victims of violence, war,<br />
famine and natural disasters<br />
who will?<br />
I’ve had a blast. Every time<br />
I thought it’s too hot/cold/wet<br />
to walk I reminded myself why<br />
I was doing it. That said I’ve<br />
become addicted to going for<br />
a walk for my own sake – it’s so<br />
restorative. I <strong>no</strong>w recommend<br />
it to many of my patients. The<br />
benefits of this free activity<br />
could save the NHS a fortune!<br />
It’s a shame Country Walking<br />
isn’t available on prescription!’<br />
Karen Hegarty<br />
46<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔FOR CHARITY<br />
‘Walking on<br />
a new<br />
scale’<br />
I was sponsored<br />
for my 1000<br />
miles to raise<br />
money for the Oli Mills<br />
Foundation (connected to<br />
Teenage Cancer Trust).<br />
I’ve raised over £1700! I’ve<br />
<strong>supp</strong>orted them for years<br />
in memory of my son.<br />
They are an amazing<br />
charity and I feel<br />
ho<strong>no</strong>ured and grateful<br />
that I am able to do this.<br />
It’s important to fundraise<br />
doing something that you<br />
will enjoy as well. I’ve<br />
always loved walking but<br />
have never done it on this<br />
scale! It’s been more fun<br />
than a fundraising tea<br />
party... and healthier!<br />
Sarah Tight<br />
‘Easy thanks<br />
to #walk<br />
1000miles’<br />
I did a sponsored climb of<br />
S<strong>no</strong>wdon for Parkinson’s<br />
with my son Caleb. We<br />
wanted to do it because<br />
a family member was<br />
suffering from the disease. We raised £750 and thanks to<br />
doing #walk1000miles, we both did the climb pretty easily!<br />
Alan John Francis<br />
‘Words can’t describe’<br />
I did the Alzheimer’s Society, Cotswold Way<br />
Ultrachallenge as part of my 1000 miles<br />
because my grandad suffered with dementia.<br />
Sadly I had to withdraw after 65km of the<br />
100km due to injury. But I raised £830 and words<br />
can<strong>no</strong>t describe how happy I am that I am able to help<br />
others by doing these sort of challenges. I really<br />
recommend the feeling!<br />
Melanie McCourt.<br />
‘I remind myself why I am doing it’<br />
It is 30 years this year since my Aunt passed<br />
away at St John’s. I was only 13 when she died<br />
but we were incredibly close – I still miss her<br />
<strong>no</strong>w! I’ve raised money for St John’s previously<br />
when I decided to sign up for #walk1000miles<br />
I saw it as the perfect<br />
opportunity. Signing up to<br />
the challenge came first; I<br />
considered the fundraising to<br />
be an additional opportunity/<br />
bonus. It makes me feel<br />
happy and proud that the<br />
money I raise will make a<br />
difference, and I think my Aunt<br />
would be proud of me too.<br />
When I’ve had days where I’ve<br />
felt a little tired or out of sorts,<br />
I’ve reminded myself why I’m doing it, and how<br />
<strong>no</strong>thing I feel can ever remotely compare with<br />
what the people who need St John’s are going<br />
through. That thought has really spurred me<br />
on. I’ve had my own dedicated Facebook page<br />
for the #walk1000miles<br />
challenge and have given my<br />
followers daily updates and<br />
photos of my walks. I’ve also<br />
‘featured’ on St John’s<br />
Hospice’s Facebook page<br />
a few times. It’s important<br />
to give regular updates so<br />
people don’t forget about<br />
what you’re doing and<br />
why you’re doing it.<br />
Sara-Jane Davies<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
47
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
Regular posting of<br />
my walks on FB and<br />
some badgering to<br />
part with their money<br />
has done wonders.<br />
Stephen Cheeseman,<br />
raised £1227 for the<br />
Christie Cancer<br />
Treatment Centre<br />
in Manchester<br />
I’ve learned that people<br />
will <strong>supp</strong>ort you in what<br />
ever you decide to do as<br />
long as it is for a good<br />
cause and they can see<br />
that you are committed to<br />
completing the challenge.<br />
Andrea Lewis, raised<br />
£275 for the Animal<br />
Health Trust<br />
Your fundraising tips<br />
You’ve climbed your first mountain, you’ve<br />
accrued pennies-per-mile, you’ve done<br />
challenges within the challenge: but what<br />
have you learned about getting the most<br />
money for good causes from your miles?<br />
Keep at it,<br />
don’t give up,<br />
people can be<br />
very generous<br />
when they<br />
hear the<br />
reason for<br />
you doing<br />
what you do.<br />
Amy Gill,<br />
raised £1300<br />
for Macmillan<br />
Get out there<br />
and tell as<br />
many people<br />
as possible<br />
what you are<br />
doing. Go<br />
round<br />
businesses,<br />
local shops etc, and ask your<br />
employer to match your donation.<br />
Jane Senior, raised £1009<br />
for Macmillan<br />
Be organised<br />
and don’t try<br />
to raise an<br />
e<strong>no</strong>rmous<br />
amount.<br />
Every bit<br />
helps and<br />
raising funds<br />
of any<br />
amount is a success.<br />
Beccy Hammond, raised £300<br />
for British Heart Foundation<br />
I had a pot<br />
and just asked<br />
friends and<br />
family to<br />
donate. Felt<br />
it was easier<br />
for people to<br />
make small<br />
donations.<br />
Carin Fearnley,<br />
raised £700<br />
for Bloodwise<br />
Do something really tricky and<br />
challenging, people are very<br />
kind and generous. Oh and<br />
then do something involving<br />
cake, people love to buy and<br />
eat cake! Louise Hill, raised<br />
£800 for Macmillan<br />
Use social media to spread the<br />
word. I had donations from<br />
Facebook friends in Canada<br />
which I wouldn’t otherwise<br />
have managed to get.<br />
Meg Vickers, raised £530<br />
for HospiceCare North<br />
Northumberland<br />
Post lots of photos and keep<br />
giving people the link to the<br />
JustGiving page, they loved<br />
to see my progress. It amazes<br />
me just how generous people<br />
are and also, sadly, how many<br />
people have loved ones who are<br />
suffering with Alzheimer’s too.<br />
Gina Crees, raised £730 for<br />
the Alzheimer’s Society<br />
48<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
Saturday night 12th May Clapham Common<br />
WANTED<br />
ALL COWBOYS and COWGIRLS to SADDLE UP<br />
and join the MOONWALK RODEO...<br />
SIGN UP<br />
NOW!<br />
REWARD: £6 MILLION<br />
For vital breast cancer causes. Sign up for the MoonWalk, Volunteer or simply<br />
make a donation... Walking the Walk saves lives – be a part of a healthier future!<br />
walkthewalk.org<br />
Charity No SC029572<br />
Patron HRH The Prince of Wales<br />
Official media partner of Walk the Walk
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
For fun!<br />
S<strong>no</strong>wballs, pratfalls, <strong>no</strong>sey sheep,<br />
whiffy feet; new friends, old jokes<br />
and that giggle you get when you’re<br />
tired... you’re going to enjoy this....<br />
50<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
Laughter,<br />
friendship<br />
and fun –<br />
sums it up!<br />
Zoe Beresford<br />
‘Whether it’s<br />
celebrating or<br />
<strong>supp</strong>orting, helping<br />
or just having a<br />
laugh, the Facebook<br />
group is the best.’<br />
Delma Bryant<br />
‘Beautiful day, lovely<br />
people, such fun<br />
when we met up!’<br />
Lizzie Huckle<br />
‘Meeting up with<br />
other badgers and<br />
getting a walking<br />
group together who<br />
meet regularly. Great<br />
fun as they all love<br />
tea and cake too.’<br />
Juliette Smart<br />
‘Gave me the<br />
inspiration and<br />
<strong>supp</strong>ort to get<br />
back out and<br />
enjoy life again!’<br />
Emma Nelson<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
51
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
VERY INSPIRING PERSON: JAY MISTRY<br />
‘A head full of memories and<br />
a herd of new friends’<br />
After walking changed his life, lover of all things<br />
#walk1000miles-orange Jay Mistry – 31, from<br />
Huddersfield – set about getting the gang together.<br />
EFORE #WALK1000<br />
MILES I got to a point<br />
Bwhere all I was doing was<br />
drinking in the pub and eating<br />
take-aways, and I thought to<br />
myself I needed to change my<br />
ways or I’ll end up in a early<br />
grave. I started walking more<br />
and more and went from 116kg<br />
to 95kg, then 85kg. Now I’m<br />
36kg lighter, walks are much<br />
easier and more enjoyable.<br />
In fact walking is pretty much<br />
my life <strong>no</strong>w... my holidays, any<br />
spare time and my great set<br />
of close walking friends.<br />
I love the fact #walk1000miles<br />
is a challenge that’s open to<br />
your own interpretation,<br />
BEFORE<br />
and I love the fact it’s led me<br />
to see parts of this country I’ve<br />
never seen before. This year<br />
I’ve climbed all the national 5<br />
peaks – Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike,<br />
S<strong>no</strong>wdon, Carrauntoohil and<br />
Slieve Donard during this<br />
challenge, and many other<br />
hills, and I feel epic! This year<br />
has changed my life and<br />
<strong>no</strong>w I can’t wait for <strong>2018</strong>.<br />
It wasn’t just the mountains<br />
that were awesome though<br />
– meeting lots of new friends<br />
was also epically awesome.<br />
It all started after I kept<br />
seeing on the group people<br />
hadn’t met many badgers<br />
[the name for challengers that<br />
AFTER<br />
“It was so good<br />
getting new people<br />
to meet each other,<br />
and I think we all felt<br />
it builds amazing<br />
friendships.”<br />
sprang from the challenge –<br />
badges available from spring<br />
each year], so I thought a meetup<br />
– set up as an Event in the<br />
challenge Facebook group –<br />
would be a good way to bring<br />
people together. But then as<br />
this challenge is spread across<br />
the whole of the UK and world,<br />
I ended up doing three! So far<br />
we’ve had them in Keswick,<br />
Dovedale and Richmond Park<br />
and it went so well I got asked<br />
to arrange some more, and<br />
the <strong>2018</strong> plan got into motion.<br />
Arranging meets is actually<br />
pretty easy – it’s the planning<br />
and checking the routes that’s<br />
the tough part. But that’s the<br />
beauty of a big group – there<br />
are always other group<br />
members who live close to<br />
52<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔FOR FUN<br />
Jay’s meet-ups organised<br />
through the Facebook group<br />
have attracted more and more.<br />
Above: High on Sharp Edge on<br />
Blencathra in the Lake District<br />
– where many of Jay’s miles<br />
have been had.<br />
walks who could do the recce.<br />
On the day, they helped lead<br />
the walks for me so I could keep<br />
an eye on the group and make<br />
sure the back and front didn’t<br />
get separated. I was a bit<br />
nervous each time but the days<br />
ran smoothly and we didn’t lose<br />
anyone! It was so good getting<br />
new people to meet each other,<br />
and I think we all felt it builds<br />
amazing friendships, and<br />
memories that will last forever.<br />
The friendships I’ve made<br />
in the group mean a lot to me.<br />
One in particular – I mean you<br />
Helen Smith! – has pretty much<br />
become like a sister to me and<br />
an awesome walking partner…<br />
through the tough times and<br />
good times of this challenge.<br />
Then there’s Heather, Peggy,<br />
Helen, Brian and many more<br />
whose <strong>supp</strong>ort and friendship<br />
makes this challenge’s<br />
community one of the best<br />
around for <strong>supp</strong>ort and<br />
motivation.<br />
Two years ago if the new<br />
Jay could give some advice<br />
to the old Jay he’d have said<br />
‘Guess what? The next two<br />
years are going to make you<br />
into a new man – with a head<br />
full of great memories from<br />
walking and a herd of friends.’<br />
Above: Friendships formed in<br />
cyberspace quickly take root<br />
in the real world.<br />
Dress as Oompa Loompas<br />
for a scramble in Langdale<br />
for Mountain Rescue?<br />
But of course!<br />
Jay’s meet-up tips<br />
1Plan a walk that’s<br />
interesting and easy<br />
e<strong>no</strong>ugh for a wide<br />
audience.<br />
2Plan an easy place to<br />
meet from a transport<br />
and accommodationbooking<br />
point of view.<br />
3Make sure there’s a<br />
good refreshment stop<br />
at the end for everyone<br />
to have chat and drink!<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
53
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
Zoe Beresford<br />
Our surprise Lakeland badger meet!<br />
Catherine Shine<br />
Caroline Do<strong>no</strong>ghue<br />
Shrieking, being<br />
presented with my<br />
medal by Susan<br />
Miller for passing<br />
1000 miles!<br />
Heather Peel<br />
Fresh air fun!<br />
After approximatly, 20,000,000 miles of<br />
experimentation we can confirm that to the<br />
best of everyone’s k<strong>no</strong>wledge and using all<br />
available evidence it’s <strong>no</strong>t possible <strong>no</strong>t to<br />
have fun at some point on a walk.<br />
My 1000th mile<br />
Juliette Smart<br />
Anita Ovalle de Garcia<br />
Whernside trig – it was raining, but<br />
it didn’t dampen our spirits!<br />
Devina Firth<br />
Jenny Marshall<br />
Speaking of<br />
mascots, I may<br />
have to rethink<br />
mine!<br />
Keith Parker<br />
Ann Doyle<br />
Claire Bond<br />
54<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔FOR FUN<br />
Denise Moulson<br />
My daughter<br />
and me training<br />
for the Macmillan<br />
Cumbrian walk<br />
Stacey Medhurst<br />
Violeta Webb<br />
True story… went out for milk, Thought,<br />
beautiful day, why <strong>no</strong>t go for a walk?<br />
3 1/2 miles later… wonderful walk,<br />
came home… <strong>no</strong> milk<br />
Jacine Clark<br />
Zoe Summers<br />
How to walk a 1000 in 4.17km<br />
Christine Brooks<br />
Tried running – hated it. LOVE walking<br />
– and climbed my first mountain too!<br />
Lizzie Huckle<br />
Nicola Gordon-Wilson<br />
Karen Hayes<br />
David Mellor<br />
Paula Miller<br />
Fran McPhee<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
55
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
HOW TO DRESS<br />
FOR 1000 MILES<br />
Some clever basics to get you going –<br />
and some long-lasting options for<br />
when you k<strong>no</strong>w what you need…<br />
J<br />
EANS AND TRAINERS are fine for an easy walk<br />
on a dry day, but if you’re aiming to rack up the<br />
miles, the chances are you’re gonna hit some<br />
adverse weather (we hate to admit it, but it does<br />
rain sometimes). And that’s when jeans and trainers<br />
suddenly become cold, soggy and heavy. Here<br />
we’ve lined up some essential advice to get you<br />
started, and some smart investments for when<br />
you’ve worked out your preferences…<br />
56<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔GEAR ADVICE<br />
Stay dry<br />
If there’s one thing to get right<br />
apart from boots, it’s a jacket<br />
that keeps you dry. Again it’s<br />
about a balance: you want<br />
the magic combination of<br />
waterproof (so you stay dry)<br />
and breathable (so you don’t<br />
sweat to bits). Chances are,<br />
a high street near you has<br />
a branch of Trespass, Millets<br />
or Mountain Warehouse, and<br />
any of them will sell you a<br />
reliable starter waterproof<br />
for somewhere between<br />
£40 and £100. But for a<br />
longer-lasting, more durable<br />
and more comfortable<br />
option, consider something<br />
like the Fjällräven Sten jacket<br />
(£175, www.fjallraven.co.uk), a<br />
great everyday jacket that you<br />
can custom-waterproof with<br />
Fjällräven’s clever Greenland<br />
Wax. At the specialist end,<br />
Fjällräven also make one of the<br />
smartest ready-waterproof<br />
jackets on the market:<br />
the Keb Eco-Shell (£435).<br />
Love your feet<br />
Without a doubt, a sturdy shoe or boot that fits you perfectly is a walker’s<br />
best friend. First up, decide if you fancy a shoe (lighter, nimbler) or a boot<br />
(tougher, more <strong>supp</strong>ortive), then if the outer skin should be leather (stiff<br />
and sturdy) or mixed fabric (light and flexible). Then think waterproofing:<br />
generally walkers like footwear that lets out<br />
unwanted heat and moisture but won’t let rainwater<br />
in. Chains like Go Outdoors or Cotswold Outdoor<br />
offer a vast range of footwear from budget to<br />
high-spec. For a great all-rounder that will<br />
last you for years and won’t cost a bomb,<br />
we recommend the excellent Hanwag<br />
Banks II boot (£175, www.hanwag.com).<br />
TOP TIP:<br />
always try on<br />
before you<br />
buy, and wear<br />
your footwear<br />
in and around the<br />
house before you<br />
go out in them.<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
57
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
Be kind to your pins<br />
Your legs are going to do the lion’s<br />
share of the work in your quest to<br />
hit 1000 miles, so take care of<br />
them. Jeans and casual trousers<br />
may feel comfy, but what you<br />
need on a walk is stretch,<br />
ventilation and the ability to walk<br />
through brambly bits without<br />
anything nasty being able to<br />
scratch you. You can find good<br />
basic pairs for around £25-£30.<br />
But our friends at Fjällräven<br />
make the longest-lasting, most<br />
sophisticated, purposedesigned<br />
walking trousers<br />
money can buy. Consider the<br />
awesome Vidda Pro trousers<br />
(£145, www.fjallraven.co.uk).<br />
Remember your gender<br />
Some apparel firms complete their ranges by taking their<br />
men’s clothes and using the ‘shrink it and pink it’ technique.<br />
If you’re a woman it really is worth shopping around for stuff<br />
that was actually designed for you. That’s especially true of<br />
footwear. Always ask if the boot came from a<br />
‘female-specific last’ (which means it was<br />
designed separately from the men’s<br />
version, around a female foot). Our<br />
partners at Hanwag won’t let you<br />
down on that score; try the newly<br />
upgraded, hand-made Tatra II<br />
Lady, which also comes<br />
with Gore-Tex as<br />
standard (£220,<br />
www.hanwag.<br />
com).<br />
58<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
✔GEAR ADVICE<br />
Spread the load<br />
Yes, you can find rucksacks in any<br />
accessories shop on the high street.<br />
But if you’re going for distance,<br />
it’s good to have a pack that is<br />
specifically designed to spread the<br />
load evenly, move naturally with<br />
your body, and resist the elements<br />
too. For a great everyday walking<br />
pack, try Fjällräven’s 24-litre High<br />
Coast (£60, www.fjallraven.co.uk).<br />
For an advanced pack with<br />
exceptional load-bearing and<br />
ventilation, try their 28-litre<br />
Kaipak (£130).<br />
Avoid cotton<br />
Cotton doesn’t<br />
breathe, which<br />
means if you wear a<br />
cotton T-shirt or<br />
jumper on a walk, it (and<br />
you) are likely to come<br />
back drenched in sweat.<br />
Specialist walking shirts are<br />
often highfalutinly called<br />
baselayers, but they do make a<br />
difference because they’re<br />
(usually) a synthetic<br />
polyester blend or<br />
(more expensively) meri<strong>no</strong> wool,<br />
both of which take the moisture<br />
away nicely. You should find a<br />
decent synthetic baselayer on<br />
the High Street for around £15,<br />
and a good meri<strong>no</strong> option<br />
starting from £30. And you won’t<br />
believe the difference that good<br />
wool-fibre socks make<br />
to your walking. Try the<br />
WoolFusion Trekker from<br />
Bridgedale (around £17,<br />
www.bridgedale.com).<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
59
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WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong>
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WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
61
Warning! This map<br />
may cause an<br />
uncontrollable<br />
urge to GetOutside.<br />
The Great British Adventure Map showcases over<br />
❀❝❃✾✾,#/&1&+♥0"01,21!,,/06&10❝&+ )2!&+$<br />
1%"1,-❃✾!3"+12/"), 1&,+0❝" "+1/& "3"+10❝<br />
.2&/(61,2 %"0❝*,/"/,21"01%+6,2 +0%("<br />
01& (1❝+!),10,#/+!,*)6&+0-&/&+$1/&3&❜<br />
+!,+1,-,#))1%&0❝$"1#/""1/&),#1%"<br />
OS Maps app.<br />
os.uk/adventuremap
#WALK1000MILES<strong>2018</strong><br />
I have just signed up for <strong>2018</strong> – can anyone tell me if it costs<br />
please? x<br />
Caroline Perry<br />
1h Like Reply<br />
Oh yes Caroline Perry, it definitely costs! It will cost you hours<br />
of reading posts on this group, drawing up lists of places you<br />
have never heard of before, but <strong>no</strong>w k<strong>no</strong>w you must walk. You<br />
will laugh and cry with loonies, the achievers, the heroes! You<br />
will become addicted to socks, shoes, trousers and jackets that<br />
you had <strong>no</strong> idea you needed before, and there will be a long list<br />
of shops that you can <strong>no</strong> longer walk past. I hope you already<br />
have e<strong>no</strong>ugh shelf space for the maps and walking books too.<br />
You will absolutely need to buy Country Walking magazine<br />
to see which of us has featured this month, even better, buy<br />
a subscription so you have free access to OS maps online.<br />
What’s the payback? That is up to you really... Choose from<br />
feeling fitter, happier, lighter, more relaxed than ever before.<br />
Comments and compliments from admiring friends and family.<br />
Finding that you can do things you wouldn’t have thought<br />
possible. Making new, like-minded friends. Learning about and<br />
loving the countryside or maybe your local town. Whatever,<br />
I hope that you enjoy every mile you walk and please share<br />
with us your photos and milestones along the way. Welcome!<br />
Jacqueline Gale<br />
32m Like Reply<br />
35<br />
I couldn’t have said it any better, Jacqueline. Perfect.<br />
Julia Stent<br />
27m Like Reply<br />
12<br />
Ha ha fab, looking forward to starting it.<br />
Caroline Perry<br />
6m Like Reply<br />
17<br />
Write a comment...<br />
GIF<br />
WALK 1000 MILES <strong>2018</strong><br />
63
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