How to Walk 1000 Miles

HOW TO WALK 

and why it will 

CHANGE 

YOUR LIFE 

BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH…

Let’s do something 

incredible this year 

E 

VERYONE HAS SAME 365 days ahead of them. We’ve all 

got to earn our pennies, see to our chores, care for our 

friends and loved ones, and keep on keeping on. 

But at the same time as doing all that, some of us will also 

do something incredible. Something that will skyrocket our 

health, happiness and resilience; fill our lungs with fresh air, 

our hearts with optimism and heads with colourful, fragrant, 

surprising memories. We will walk 1000 miles. If this is your 

first time I know what you’re thinking and I hope this magazine 

will overwhelm your fears with concrete proof you can 

do it and it works. If it’s your fourth, fifth or sixth time 

– hey, me too. And I am more convinced than ever 

that committing to walk 1000 miles in 12 months 

forms the strongest possible foundation for 

everything else I want to be and do. I look forward 

to walking shoulder to shoulder with you, and 

between us raise the nation’s level of 

doctor-dodging, cake consuming, and 

va-va-voom to dizzying new heights. 

Contents 

04 Who walks 1000 miles? 

06 How on earth do I do it? 

08 31 reasons to walk 1000 miles 

12 How it works 

18 Meet our partners 

21 Do it for your heath 

35 Do it for your happiness 

41 Do it for the adventure 

47 Do it for weight loss 

53 Do it for the fun of it 

56 How to dress for 1000 miles 

61 A message to myself 

62 Join the UK’s best-selling outdoor mag 

Sign up now at www.walk1000miles.co.uk

Walk 1000 Miles 2023 

Who walks 

1000 miles? 

People like this. And if you think there’s a lot here (there’s 

over 900) you might like to know that’s a little over 2% of the 

people in just the #walk1000miles Facebook group. All doing 

1000 miles. From under 10 years old to over 90; from 

every part of the country, and every conceivable background, 

persuasion and experience – and many to their complete 

astonishment – they have discovered they are capable of an 

extraordinary thing. You’ll fit in perfectly because there 

is no fitting in – only a mutual commitment to making every day 

count. That and the discovery that one step at a time we can 

transform our health and happiness and make the world we 

inhabit seem, and actually be, a more wonderful thing. 

4 WALK 1000 MILES 2023

WALK 1000 MILES 2023 5


PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/IMG STOCK STUDIO 

How on 

earth do I 

walk 1000 

miles? 

It sounds enormous – and it is – but it’s not in 

the least bit scary when you break it down. 

A 

THOUSAND MILES IS 

the long way from 

Land’s End to John 

O’Groats. But it’s also just 2.74 

miles a day over 12 months. In 

human speak, that’s less than 

an hour, and something you 

can do on your lunch break or 

on your way to work. It can be 

a daily walk around the park, 

along a canal or even while 

you shop. Or you could save 

up most of your miles for big 

weekend adventures. 

Its flexibility and the 

forgiving nature of averages 

Turn dead time 

into pleasure 

and purpose. 

makes it a challenge you can 

do, and you will do. It doesn’t 

have to involve long walks in 

far off lands (although many 

challengers choose to include 

these as part of their 

adventure, and our partner 

Macs Adventure can help with 

that). You can enjoy a yearlong 

adventure of your own in 

bitesize chunks right from your 

doorstep. The key thing is, it 

makes every mile count. 

If you’re wondering where 

your motivation might come 

from, just get that first walk 

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/ANTON BALAZH 

It adds up to Land’s 

End to John o'Groats – 

the long way! 

underway, because this is a 

challenge that motivates you 

as you go. It has a happy knack 

of throwing up surprises and 

nuggets of inspiration. 

‘The journey 

starts at your door 

and doesn’t have to 

involve long walks 

in far off lands... 

but it can’ 


How on earth...? 

Keep asking, ‘What’s round 

the next corner?’, ‘Where does 

that path go?’, ‘What’s in that 

tree?’ and embrace each 

outing with a child-like 

fascination. You’ll discover you 

live in a world that’s just as full 

of surprise and wonder as it 

was when you were five, and it 

lifts your soul day after day. 

Take Deborah Williams, for 

instance, who was planning to 

ignore a little path veering off 

her planned walk. On a whim 

she said “ah, go on then”, and 

it led her to the closest and 

1 

2 

3 

longest encounter she’d ever 

had with a kingfisher (1). 

When drummer Dave 

Phillips took a walk by a 

reservoir one morning, he 

wouldn’t have planned to see a 

fogbow (who even knew such 

a thing existed?), but a fogbow 

he saw for the first time in his 

life, and it made his day (2). 

And Richard Crooks could 

easily have strolled past a very 

ordinary looking stone lying 

on the beach. But something 

about it caught his eye, and 

when he held it close he 

realised it was 

embedded with the 

perfect imprint of a shell (3). 

Yes, there’s an element of 

luck, but in #walk1000miles, 

as in life, you make your own 

luck. If you step outside to 

meet the world each day with 

open eyes, ears, mind and 

heart, then you’ll find you get 

luckier and luckier. 

If you’re looking for good 

karma in the world, then we 

encourage you to post 

something about yourself in 

our Facebook group – even if 

it’s just “Hi, I’m new here” – 

then wait for the wave of 

encouragement and positive 

vibes that’ll come from the 

friendliest place on the 

internet. In a similar vein, 

taking a day out to meet other 

members of the group (in 

what are known as ‘badger 

meets’, organised in the 

Facebook group) might seem 

scary, but you’ll be welcomed 

like an old friend and will meet 

people with the same interests 

and goals as you. It’s kindled 

a lot of friendships. 

Once you have a few miles 

under your belt, you’ve 

befriended fellow 1000-milers, 

and you’ve found places that 

are too good not to see in 

Country Walking, you might 

decide to venture further 

afield. For #walk1000miles 

creates a bolder version of 

who you are; a more confident 

you with an insatiable appetite 

for discovery. A person who 

dares to go further and dream 

bigger. It’s whatever you want 

it to be, and that’s why it’s not 

only achievable, but also just 

the most wonderful journey. 



But WHY walk 


31 reasons why it’s a great idea to walk 1000 miles – 

according to people who’ve walked the walk… 

1 

It sounds 

incredible 

FURTHER than Land’s 

End to John o’Groats! 

‘Your non walking 

friends are SO 

impressed,’ 

Sue 

Jackson 

says. 

2 

IT’S FREE! 

You can start doing it, 

today, in the clothes you 

stand up in (but be warned: 

it’s addictive, and a 

wardrobe change 

often follows). 

3 

It sets you 

straight 

‘Walking’s an everyday 

reminder we need now 

more than ever that there 

are simple, good and 

beautiful things in 

the world,’ says 

Anne England. 

4 It chills 

you out 

‘It’s amazing 

for helping 

anxiety and stress! 

I also lost 8 stone!’ says 

Sarah Peplow. 

7 

5 

You’ll make friends 

For real-world walks or just 

online chat. ‘I was lonely but 

I found my people,’ says 

Victoria Lewis. 

6 

It builds 

& builds 

‘It makes every walk 

more than just a walk,’ 

says Sandra Whinnett. 

It’s surprisingly 

manageable 

Average a total of just 2.74 miles a 

day (that’s under an hour for most). 


8 

It’s time 

to think 

‘You come home a different person and in a 

much better place to deal with everything that 

WAS weighing you down,’ says Hazel Egan. 

31 reasons why 

9 Escape 

‘It gives 

me peace 

in my head and 

happiness in 

my heart,’ says 

Hannah Clewer. 

12 

10 

It lets you off the hook 

‘I feel much better about 

abandoning the housework 

because I’m not procrastinating, 

I’m improving my health!’ says 

Aisha Ahlaam. 

13 

Rediscovery 

‘You see and hear 

nature you 

used to see 

as a child 

and had 

forgotten’ says 

Gail Oglanby. 

11 

It makes 

home magical 

‘Returning home, a hot 

drink, your favourite chair, 

well deserve rest.. it’s the 

best,’ says Carol Bianca. 

It builds 

better people 

‘Walking keeps the kids 

physically and mentally 

well, helps them 

overcome challenges in 

life, develops resilience, 

stimulates creativity, 

provides relaxation, 

creates strong family 

bonds…’ says Nina 

Trollope. 

It’s better 

value than 

the gym 

‘And so much easier 

than the gym too!’ 

says Penny Holroyd. 

14 

15 

It boosts your 

appetite for life 

‘And you can eat cake guilt 

free,’ says Hannah Beddoe. 

PHOTOS: IMAGEBROKER/ALAMY-; IFMC/ALAMY- 



16 

It banishes 

winter blues 

‘Helps enormously 

with SAD,’ says 

Susan O’Sullivan. 

17 

It’s unpredictable 

Freya Davison says: ‘It can change your life in 

so many unexpected ways. More confidence. 

New places. The magic of the seasons.’ 

19 

18 

The snacks 

you can eat 

‘It’s important to keep 

your energy up,’ reminds 

Kathryn Woods. 

21 

It stops 

you being 

lazy 

‘It holds me accountable – and 

I’m always glad I went out,’ 

says Natalie Chadwick. 

It’s not your 

everyday 

achievement 

‘You see views, meet 

people, feel better in 

everything you do and 

you’ve done something 

not everyone has done,’ 

says Darrell Jordan. 

22 

20 

It’s a reason to 

reward yourself 

‘A nice pint at the end is 

compulsory,’ says Richard Gall. 

Simple pleasures 

‘Fresh air, no worries, friendships – and the creeping 

sense of how much you’re enjoying the challenge!’ 

Sarah Staines. 


31 reasons why 

23 

28 

26 

It’s 

habit-forming 

‘And a habit 

that’s good for 

you,’ rejoices 

Collette Louise. 

It’s time to 

yourself 

‘Time I wouldn’t 

otherwise carve 

out of my day,’ 

says Emma 

Boylan. 

24 It’s a 

great 

investment 

‘We’re told to save 

money for retiring. 

We should be told to save our 

health,’ says John Loughlin. 

It makes a HUGE 

difference to your 

health and 

wellbeing 

See more on 

page 21. 

It fits around you 

‘You can do it in bite-size chunks 

over the course of the day,’ says 

Karen Hayes – and turn scraps of 

dead time into pleasure and benefit. 

30 

It makes you 

young again 

‘Kicking leaves, jumping in 

puddles, eating sweets, exploring,’ 

– Carol MacKay could go on… 

27 

31 

It 

saves 

money 

‘Saves diesel when you walk 

instead of driving, saves 

heating the house while 

you’re out,’ says 

Dave Gent. 

Oh so many 

reasons… 

25 

29 

It keeps 

you grounded 

‘Keeps my feet on the ground 

and head firmly in the clouds 

– where I’m happiest,’ says 

Karen Ritchie. 

Says Salyen Latter: ‘I’ve 

lost weight, met a load 

of fabby folk and am 

enjoying being the fittest, 

healthiest and happiest I’ve been 

in years. What’s not to love 

about that?’ Quite so. 

PHOTOS: BIANCA BOMFORD/ALAMY-; SIMON BELCHER/ALAMY- 



How it 

works 

It starts with a sum: 

1000 = 2.74 x 365 


How it works 

I 

T TAKES AN average of 

2.74 miles a day walking for 

12 months to walk 1000 

miles. You keep track of it on 

the Progress Chart you’ll find 

with this month’s magazine, 

or on a fun and encouraging 

virtual journey from Land’s End 

to John o’Groats with one of 

our Walk1000miles+ packages 

(from £8.99). You’ve got one 

year from the day you register 

to complete the 1000. Along 

the way, you’ll make friends 

and celebrate reaching 

milestones in the friendliest 

Facebook group on the 

internet. We’ll send you 

newsletters and print stories of 

what you get up to on the way 

in the magazine. At the end 

you give yourself a medal. 

And in essence that’s it. And 

yet it’s a challenge unlike any 

other: you do it on your own, 

but you’re part of a massive 

community. You can expect 

tons of support, but look 

forward to all the glorious 

isolation you desire. 

You can win prizes 

along the way but it isn’t a 

competition. Except in one 

sense it is: between the old 

you and the new. How big a 

difference can I make to my 

health and happiness, just by 

walking? How far can I really 

go in a year? How much more 

enjoyable, and purposeful can 

life be, no matter what the 

world throws at me? We have 

hundreds of thousands of 

reasons to believe the answers 

will surprise you. 



What happens now? 

Sign up free 

Register free at walk1000miles.co.uk/signup to 

make sure you get our email newsletters and 

competitions. Be sure to tick the box that says 

we can contact you or you’ll miss out. 

Upgrade to 

Walk1000 

miles+ 

New: now from 

£8.99. See your 

mileage build on 

a virtual journey 

from Land’s End 

to John o’Groats, 

get encouraging 

milestone messages 

and upgrade to get 

an exclusive patch 

or medal. 

START 

Join the Facebook group 

The friendliest community on the internet is 

here to support you, cheer you, pick you up 

when you’re down and leave no question 

unanswered. Join today: facebook.com/ 

groups/walk1000miles 

Get your participation badge 

Remind yourself daily of your quest and 

instantly identify yourself to other challengers 

– or as you’ll come to know them, ‘Badgers’ 

from walk1000miles.co.uk/shop 

Join a mini-challenge 

Five new fun, seasonal or silly challenges are 

in each new edition of Country Walking: your 

chance to win a money-can’t-buy Golden Badge! 

Check your daily target 

Check how your daily average target changes 

with miles covered so far using our instant tool 

at walk1000miles.co.uk 


How it works 

Name your chart 

Entering each day’s miles and on your Progress 

Chart on the fridge is addictive! Recording daily 

miles in the boxes, watch your progress build 

in the thermometer; shade a county for every 

10 miles walked on the map side. 

Set your first incentive 

Think of a tempting incentive for yourself in 

the 100-mile box, because walking more is all 

about opportunities to enjoy life more. Meal 

out? Film night? New socks? You deserve it! 

PHOTO: CAROLYN JENKINS/ALAMY- 

Take the 

pledge 

Iron-clad your 

ambition by going 

public – download 

and fill in your 

pledge and then 

post a picture of it 

on your social 

media account. 

Now you’re 

accountable! 

walk1000miles. 

co.uk/pledge 

Become a 

Country Walking member 

Get Country Walking magazine plus perks like 

50% off OS Maps premium. CW’s the clubhouse 

of the challenge, an award-winning inspiration 

that comes complete with 27 routes every 

month. greatmagazines.co.uk/cw 

Watch this video 

Any time you need a lift, remind yourself of 

the power of walking to change lives one easy 

step at time! walk1000miles.co.uk/about 

Get walking! 

Anywhere, any time – you can even do it 

(the whole thing) in your lunch hour every day. 



FAQs 

I just start walking? 

Anywhere? 

The adventure starts right at 

your door. And part of the 

beauty of the challenge is it’s 

up to you to set the precise 

rules – it’s YOUR challenge, not 

a competition. Some people, 

particularly those starting from 

a lower fitness level, choose to 

count every step on their step 

counter or phone’s health app. 

Many will count all the miles 

they do that they wouldn’t 

otherwise have walked before 

– and whether it’s in your lunch 

break, getting off the tube a 

stop early, round the block in 

the evening or exploring the 

country it all adds up. Others 

will count only the miles they 

cover on walks with boots on 

and in the countryside. It’s up 

to you! 

How do I track my miles? 

If you’re counting every step, 

use the Health Kit or Google Fit 

app on your smartphone, or 

your Fitbit-type device. If you 

want to choose what activity 

to count, try the OS Maps app, 

which can track your walks. 

Upgrade to Walk1000miles+ to 

plot your progress from Land’s 

End to John o’Groats. Combine 

any one of these methods with 

your Progress Chart (fun to fill 

in and immune to technical 

glitches!) and you’re all set! 

Are there any rewards? 

Apart from that addictive postwalk 

glow, your Progress Chart 

has spaces for you to add your 

own milestone treats – and 

you shouldn’t underestimate 

the power of positive 

reinforcement of your new 

walking habit. Our completer 

medals are the icing on the 

cake (you can get a 1000-mile 

medal via Walk1000miles+ 

but there are 500-, 1500- 

and 2000-mile medals also 

available in our shop), and 

there’s always new 

merchandise at walk1000miles. 

co.uk/shop. 

Any tips to get miles in? 

Walk at lunch 

A two-mile walk each day will 

rack up nearly three-quarters 

of your total by year end. And 

it makes you MUCH chirpier in 

the afternoon! 

Enlist a buddy 

It’s extra motivation to wrench 

yourself away from the daily 

demands of your life and walk 

if you’re doing it in real or 

virtual company. 

Start early… 

Set your alarm 30 minutes 

early and get out while the 

rest of the world is fast asleep. 

You’ll set your mood to sunny, 

and boost your chance of 

coming across something you 

smile about the rest of the day, 

…Or finish late! 

An evening walk is the perfect 

way to process the day and get 

ready for a deep, healthy sleep. 

Get the map 

Buy your local Ordnance 

Survey map – you can walk all 

of those dashed lines, any time 

you want to! Try some at 

random, or walk them all, 

highlighting them as you go. 

A photo a day 

Take one interesting pic on 

every walk. It could be the 

same thing each day (a tree 

that transforms with the 

seasons) or a random pleasing 

thing. Be in the now! 

Keep up the streak 

There’s real power in a chain 

of habit: walk half a mile even 

if you don’t feel like it so your 

Progress Chart shows no gaps. 

The longer the chain the 

stronger the motivation. 

Be more dog! 

Even if you haven’t got one, 

think of your body as a dog: 

a good owner walks it daily. 

What if I did it last year? 

Target 10%, 25%, or 50% more 

than your 2022 total. Or beat 

the date you hit 1000. Save 

50p a mile and treat yourself 

bigly at the end of the year, 

or commit to donating it 

heroically to charity. Join a 

meet-up for the first time – or 

organise one. Keep a journal 

and remember more of what 

you see; walk a long distance 

path in real or virtual stages... 

But but but… 

Anxieties about time, fitness 

and more are understandable 

– but just give it a week. Aim 

for 45-minutes walking a day 

(in total) from your front door, 

and then see: 1) How far you’ve 

already come, 2) How none of 

those objections need be a 

barrier to success, and 3) How 

much you want to keep going! 


DEUTER 

IS FOR THE 

FAST ´N´ FREE 

#deuterforever 

SPEED LITE 23 SL 

deutergb.co.uk


Meet (y)our 

partners 

Meet the brands with you every step of the way – as enthusiastic 

about the challenge as you and hand-picked to enhance your 1000 

miles. Look out for their exclusive offers at walk1000miles.co.uk 

Jack Wolfskin 

Clothing partner 

Our mission, just like 

#walk1000miles, is to motivate 

people to go outside and 

connect with nature, 

experience new things, and 

enjoy life outdoors with 

family and friends. We 

offer exceptional products 

that unite functionality, 

sustainability and on-trend 

design so you can Live 

to Discover! 

jack-wolfskin.co.uk 

Scarpa 

Footwear partner 

Scarpa has been a world leader in footwear for 

over 80 years, continually innovating. We are 

passionate about the outdoors and creating the 

best footwear possible and have an extensive 

collection of boots and shoes to ensure people 

have the best fit, performance 

and comfort at all times. 

We’re pleased to partner the 

challenge to encourage 

more people to get 

walking and 

enjoying the 

outdoors. 

scarpa.co.uk 

Bridgedale 

Sock partner 

At Bridgedale we believe it’s the 

little things that make the biggest 

difference to our lives and our 

socks are one of the little 

things that will transform your 

#walk1000miles journey every 

day. We’ve been making the 

best socks for over 100 years 

and it’s a constant joy when 

1000-milers discover the difference. 

We’ve come a long way together! 

bridgedale.com 

Deuter 

Rucksack partner 

Social responsibility and 

environmental protection 

are at the heart of deuter. 

#Walk1000miles is 

an incredible way to 

understand why. We 

produce rucksacks that 

allow you to enjoy your 

experience no matter 

how far you go, packs 

for lovers of the 

outdoors. We are proud 

to partner in your 

inspiring journey. 

deutergb.co.uk 


Your perfect partners 

Fujifilm 

Photography partner 

Walking is a wonderful opportunity to 

reconnect with the great outdoors, and 

improve your mind and fitness, and 

capturing beautiful memories of this 

most remarkable year will be key. 

We look forward to being part of the 

fantastic #walk1000miles community and 

seeing everyone’s photos! 

fujifilm.com/uk 

Sportsshoes.com 

Retail partner 

With over 12,000 products 

online, we have the right 

kit for you – and it’s our 

role to help you find it. 

We’re proud to share the most 

comprehensive, most detailed 

product knowledge in the 

industry with you – and from 

video guides to live expert 

advice, we’re here to help you 

to make the most informed 

choices and have the bestequipped, 

most enjoyable 

1000 miles. 

sportsshoes.com 

Macs Adventure 

Holiday partner 

Whether you want to complete the West 

Highland Way in Scotland, take on the challenge 

of the Tour Du Mont Blanc in Switzerland, 

France and Italy, or take a pilgrimage on the 

Camino de Santiago, we have 600+ tried and 

tested routes all over the world. With luggage 

transfers, locally run accommodation, and our 

free route mapping app, we’re thrilled to help 

make this your most memorable and epic 1000 

miles ever. macsadventure.com 

Ordnance Survey 

Navigation partner 

OS Maps is the perfect companion to help 

ensure your 1000 miles leads to discovery, 

adventure and lifelong memories. We are 

so proud to be associated with a challenge 

which shares the same values we do. 

Head to os.uk/osm for more information 

Trekmates 

Accessories partner 

At Trekmates, we’re huge advocates for 

participation in the outdoors and the 

benefits spending time in the hills can 

bring. We fully endorse the #walk1000miles 

challenge, and we love the supportive 

community around it. Trekmates designs accessories 

and equipment to accompany you on your 

hillwalking adventures whether you’re taking the 

first step on your 1000-mile journey or bagging 

your final Munro. trekmates.co.uk 


“My Bridgedales never fail me and 

have been my trusty companions 

on 1000’s of miles.” 

Vicky Toghill 

LITTLE THINGS MATTER 

Over 100 years knitting heritage 

Vegan friendly non-wool options 

Located in N Ireland near the 

Mourne Mountains so we 

understand the elements 

Super soft merino Wool 

Styles, colours and sizing for Men, 

Women and Children 

All day comfort 

www.lycra.com 

LYCRA® DRY TECHNOLOGY 

www.bridgedale.com

Do it for 

HEALTH 

Walking more transforms your chances of leading 

the happy, healthy life you want – as doctors, challengers 

and every fibre of your body will confirm. 

98% say 

#walk1000miles is 

suitable for people of 

ALL LEVELS of 

physical fitness 

93% say their 

RESILIENCE and 

IMMUNITY have 

been boosted by 

taking part 

98% say they 

feel more optimistic 

about their LONG- 

TERM HEALTH 

prospects 



‘Fantastic for 

you, the NHS 

& the planet’ 

TV’s Dr Amir Khan is on a mission to banish a 

misconception about walking – that it’s a low 

impact, low benefit activity. And the latest OS 

Champion is a huge fan of #walk1000miles. 

P 

EOPLE THINK ABOUT 

walking as a gentle 

stroll rather than a 

really important form of 

exercise. But it is. And what’s 

amazing is that while it’s 

powerful it’s also so accessible 

– the perfect entry level form 

of exercise for people who’d 

never consider themselves 

sporty. And it’s not just the 

physical movement of walking. 

It’s the wide range of benefits 

you get because you’re 

outside, engaging with the 

world. You’re weight bearing, 

which is really good long term, 

building stronger bones, and 

giving you much less risk of 

serious conditions like 

osteoporosis in future. 

But walking is also something 

we tend to do in really nice 

places. Rather than focusing 

on just the physicality of the 

activity, you focus on what’s 

going on around you. And 

when we’re outside walking 

our stress hormone cortisol 

drops, our heart rate evens out 

and our blood pressure drops 

as well. That gives us a sense of 

calm. At the same time, the 

levels of our neurotransmitters 

are going up, so things like 

dopamine and serotonin start 

to flood our brain. While you’re 

getting the calmness from the 

reduced cortisol, you’re also 

getting the pleasurable feeling 

that from being outside and 

being active. And that 

combined effort is really, really 

good for you. 

‘You don’t need experience to 

get started. It sounds like a 

huge athletic achievement 

to walk 1000 miles, but it’s 

something most of us can do’ 

It works in the short term, but 

the benefits of walking really 

build in the long term. It helps 

manage blood pressure and 

break down fatty deposits, on 

the outside of our organs and 

the inside of our blood vessels. 

It reduces your risk of heart 

attacks and strokes. It 

improves your muscle strength, 

taking the pressure of your 

bones and your joints, reducing 

the risk of developing arthritis. 

I’m a specialist in type 2 

diabetes, and walking is a 

brilliant way to make it better. 

Walking reduces our risk of 

anxiety, depression and low 

mood. That’s been really 

important to me, particularly 

over the last couple of years 

working in the NHS in the 


Doctors on walking 

pandemic. And now with the 

pressure of the backlog, 

getting the country walking is 

even more important because 

it would really take some of the 

pressure off the health service. 

You don’t need experience to 

get started. Even if you just go 

to your local park for five or 

10 minutes to begin with and 

slowly build it up, it will be 

really good for you. When I 

prescribe it to patients, I try 

to recommend going with 

someone else – that 

encourages you to do it more, 

and it’s really helpful to break 

down any social isolation. 

It sounds like a huge athletic 

achievement to walk a 

thousand miles. But actually 

Dr Khan loves 

walking and wildlife 

and views his map 

as a vital part of his 

medicinal armoury. 

it’s 

something 

that the vast 

majority of people can do. We 

should try and encourage as 

many people as possible to do 

it. The journey starts at their 

front door, and what generally 

happens is people realise once 

they get started is, oh gosh, 

I didn’t know walking was so 

enjoyable. But it really is! 

We need to remember 

walking was our primary way 

of getting around for all the 

time we were evolving. It’s for 

everyone, everyone can do it. 

It doesn’t belong to one group 

of people, and one of my one 

of my passions is get more 

people from all backgrounds 

feel the benefit of walking. 

Growing up where I did, 

walking wasn’t the kind of 

thing we did. But as I grew up, 

I realised it was something I’d 

been missing out on for so 

long. And I really don’t want 

people to miss out anymore. 

I love the fact there are now 

diverse walking groups and 

challenges like this where 

everyone feels 100% welcome. 

I’m a wildlife enthusiast too, 

and one of the one of the 

most exciting things about 

walking is the things you see. 

When you’re out on a walk 

and you see a bird of 

prey, or a fox or a hare 

or a deer trots by, it’s 

amazing – and it 

stays with you for 

the rest of the day, 

the rest of the week, 

and makes you 

realise our health and 

wellbeing is intricately 

connected with the health 

and wellbeing of the planet. 

Realising we’re just a part of 

this huge natural world is really 

important, and walking’s so 

good at that. 

I love #walk1000miles. 

It sounds so big but it’s 

manageable. Walking twoand-three-quarter 

miles a day 

is something older people, 

younger people, people 

everywhere can do. You can 

do it alone or together – and 

there’s no rule preventing you 

stopping at a coffee shop and 

having a piece of cake halfway 

through. It’s fantastic for your 

physical health and mental 

health, it’s good for the NHS 

and it’s good for the planet.’ 



See more, 

be more, 

live longer 

Doctor and #walk1000miles 

evangelist Peter Davies says 

walking is our most powerful 

weapon in the fight of our lives. 

F 

LABBY? FRUSTRATED? 

FORGETFUL? Slowing 

down? Just because 

something is common and 

develops over time doesn’t 

mean it’s normal, unavoidable 

or natural. You need more 

muscle. Let me explain. 

What many of the people 

I see in surgery are really 

suffering from is movement 

and muscle deficiency 

disorder. They describe various 

symptoms and get various 

medical labels – obese, 

diabetic, prone to falls, anxious, 

depressed, dementia and so 

on. But at root these are all 

consequences of lack of 

muscle, lack of movement and 

lack of connection. 

There are other people who 

walk, move, lift, explore. They 

have strong 

muscles and 

their 

movements 

flow easily. 

They live 

calmly and 

their memory is 

accurate. They can quietly and 

effectively get on with life. 

They can do this because they 

move and so generate and 

regenerate the connections 

between their bodies and their 

brain. They generate new 

connections within themselves 

and outside themselves – to 

other people and to places. The 

physical connections generate 

both physical and mental 

health. And we feel good as 

we prompt our body to make 

these connections. 

It all comes down to 

movement and lifting. 

Walk1000miles is a fantastic 

way to get the movement you 

need into your life, and to 

enjoy life more. I rely on it. 

The alternative of a slothful 

and sedentary existence is 

miserable, and no doctor 

can cure that for you. 

Walking is a far better 

medicine than any I can 

prescribe and the very best 

prescription any of us can give 

to ourselves. 

I take part in the challenge 

enthusiastically and I’m as 

proud of my achievements and 

progress. But for me it’s way 

beyond miles covered. We 

walk out into the world to 

discover it, and as we do we 

get physically stronger and 

mentally more connected to 

ourselves and to places and 

to others. We become whole 

inside, and a healthy and 

integrated part of the world. 

As Mary Oliver puts it, the 

world seems to be ‘over and 

over announcing our place in 

the family of things’. That’s why 

walking is so wonderful, and 

why walk1000miles is such 

a good idea.” 


RUSH TRK PRO GTX 

HIKER BEYOND 

THE ORDINARY. 

RUSH TRK PRO GTX is the new reference point for short or daily 

excursions. A shoe made with a focus on comfort, with technologies that 

can help reduce foot fatigue. It represents the right mix of comfort, 

stability and low weight, enhanced by the use of Nubuk leather. 

SCARPA.CO.UK


Why walking’s 

one giant leap 

for your health 

The health benefits of walking are truly out of this world, beating any 

gym, spa, surgery or miracle cure – as science keeps revealing. 

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/ASIA IMAGES GROUP 

Walking makes you mentally healthier 

One in six of us has had 

a common mental health 

problem in the past week. 

But walking has a three-card 

trick that makes it just as 

effective as medication 

(and a lot more fun). Dr David 

Crepaz-Keay from the Mental 

Health Foundation says it 

helps first by releasing your 

happy hormones and 

balancing your cortisol 

levels that help you 

to manage stress. 

The second is by 

getting you into 

nature. And the third 

is the social connection we 

get from walking. “Walking is 

like the oats of the exercise 

world – it elevates your mood 

in a sustained way,” says 

David. Research from the 

University of Gothenburg 

revealed walking as little as 

two hours per week cuts 

your chance of developing 

depression in future by 63%, 

while the Mental Health 

Foundation says just 10 

minutes of brisk walking 

will increase your mental 

alertness, energy and 

positive mood. 

It improves your vision 

Glaucoma is a serious eye 

condition that can lead to 

blindness, but regular jaunts in 

the great outdoors will slash 

your chances of getting it by 

an extraordinary 73%. 

Walking also reduces 

your chance of developing 

cataracts, and increases the 

blood flow to your retina and 

optic nerve. And by walking 

more you also increase the 

activity in your visual cortex 

– meaning you see and 

comprehend more than 

pre-#walk1000miles you. 

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/OATAWA 


Do it for your health 

Giant leaps are sometimes 

made by small steps – 

on Earth as on the moon. 

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/ELENA11 

Our most powerful weapon against cancer 

“The statistics are very clear,” 

says professor Scarlett 

McNally, author of the report 

Exercise: The Miracle Cure. 

“Being active is the primary 

prevention for cancer. It 

reduces the risk of cancer 

across the board by 25-30%. 

In bowel cancer it reduces 

the risk by 45%.” 

And for those living 

with cancer, “It helps you 

cope with the side effects, 

improves fatigue, muscle bulk, 

has an effect on the immune 

function and your metabolism, 

and it gives you the 

empowering feeling of 

achieving something.” 

1000-miler Sue Sanders 

from Warwickshire can vouch 

for it: “I firmly believe regular 

walking helped in my recovery. 

It’s become a vital part of my 

life and helps both my physical 

and mental health.” 

Walking is a diabetes destroyer 

Walking 30 minutes each day 

reduces your risk of type 2 

diabetes by 50%. It can also 

provide miraculous results for 

those who already have it. 

“Walking on its own is a huge 

determinant of someone’s 

health,” says Neil Gibson from 

Diabetes UK. “It can helps 

people go into remission, 

but it also decreases the risk 

of complications, such as 

kidney and foot 

problems, and 

lowers your blood 

pressure. It ensures 

people live much 

better.” 

1000-miler Tracey White 

is one who can vouch for it: 

“I’ve lost five stone and 

totally reversed the need 

to take my medication for 

diabetes,” she says. 

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/AFRICA STUDIO 



It can prevent dementia 

Once regarded as an 

inevitable symptom of 

ageing, we now know that 

walking can stop dementia. 

Regular walking in middle 

age cuts your risk of 

dementia by 30%, and 

Alzheimer’s disease by 40%. 

Says Dr Sara Imarisio of 

Alzheimer’s Research UK, 

“When your heart is pumping 

faster, more oxygen is going 

to the brain, and your brain 

is more active than usual. 

The regularity of walking is 

crucially important.” 

As neuroscientist 

Professor Wendy 

Suzuki puts it more 

starkly still: “Simply 

moving your body has 

immediate, long-lasting, and 

protective benefits for your 

brain that can last for the rest 

of your life.” 

Being part of the 

#walk1000miles community 

also brings you closer to 

others – and losing contact 

with people increases your 

risk of dementia by more 

than a quarter. 

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/NOBEASTSOFIERCE 

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/MDGRPHCS 

Walking is arthritis’ arch-enemy 

Arthritis is the number one 

cause of disability in the UK 

and putting your feet up is 

the worst thing you can do. 

“Movement is fundamental,” 

according to David Vaux of UK 

charity Arthritis Action. 

“There’s a lot of evidence 

that pain from arthritis 

is always improved if 

we can move, and 

this is pretty universally 

experienced with 

either an injury or with an 

arthritic joint.” 

Fifty-five-year-old Kathy 

Cox was told she’d be in 

a wheelchair in her 30s. 

But there’s been a plot 

twist says the 1000-miler: 

“My rheumatologist says 

I’m defying medicine. Some 

days it’s a tough gig, sure, but 

I persevere because I know 

walking is what keeps me 

going physically and mentally.” 

It helps you rest and restore 

Poor sleep can lead to heart 

problems, stroke, cancer and 

a heightened chance of early 

death. Yes, walking can help 

you to sleep better, but here’s 

the thing – even when it 

doesn’t help you, it actually 

eliminates most of the links 

between bad sleep and 

premature death. A study of 

nearly 400,000 people by 

University College London 

and the University of Sydney 

found that the equivalent of 

150 minutes of brisk walking 

each week was enough to 

almost completely neutralise 

the dangerous effects of 

poor sleep. Problems 

sleeping? Walk more, sleep 

better – and stop worrying 

about it at all. 

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/LORD BEARD 



It’s your heart’s hero 

Heart disease is the world’s 

biggest killer. “But walking is 

the best thing anyone could 

do to reduce your risk of ever 

having a heart problem, and to 

reduce the chance you’ll have 

complications or diffculties 

with it if you did,” says expert 

Professor Scarlett McNally. 

A walk not only improves 

how well your heart pumps, 

but also lowers cholesterol 

and blood pressure – 

responsible for 50% of 

Ischaemic heart disease. 

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/IRIN-K 

Walking simply helps us to live longer 

Exercise wears your cartilage 

and muscle fibres, but it also 

prompts your body to build it 

all back stronger than before. 

It’s this repair process, 

according to researchers at 

Harvard University, which 

lowers the risk of cancer, 

diabetes, Alzheimer’s and 

depression – all while releasing 

anti-inflammatories and 

antioxidants, and increasing 

blood flow. 

Neuroscientist Shane O’Mara 

from Trinity College in Dublin 

The American Heart 

Association recommends 

it should be a first-line 

prescription for those with 

moderately high cholesterol 

and blood pressure. No one 

puts it better than James 

Rudd, senior lecturer in 

cardiovascular medicine at 

the Cambridge University: 

“If a drug company came up 

with a medicine as effective 

as walking, they would have 

a billion-dollar blockbuster on 

their hands.” 

It makes you super resilient 

It takes just 10 minutes 

exposure to sunlight for your 

body to synthesise enough 

Vitamin D to start 

strengthening your bones, 

and boost immunity to 

harms from Covid to cancer. 

Walking daily enhances the 

inner layer of collagen that 

makes your skin supple and 

resilient, and rejuvenates its 

mitochondria – your skin’s 

says if you want your 

mind to function like 

someone years 

younger, you just need 

to get walking. He says 

studies show that people in 

their late 60s and early 70s 

who have been walking 

produce twice as many ideas 

as young adults who have 

been seated. “Walking can 

reverse the ageing of our brain. 

You get old when you stop 

walking; you don’t stop 

walking when you get old.” 

anti-ageing army. The 

immune system of a 1000- 

mile challenger really hums, 

slashing the number of days 

lost to illness in an average 

year. And walking as little as 

nine minutes daily between 

March and September has 

been shown to be enough to 

sustain suffcient vitamin D 

levels throughout the whole 

of the winter. 

PHOTO: ANNA BERKUT/ALAMY- PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/JACOB LUND 



Your inspiring 

health stories 

Walking is far stronger medicine than most people realise – 

as time and again our challengers’ experiences reveal. 

‘You’ll marvel at how much better you’ll be’ 

When Hilary Warren, 74, from 

Wiltshire, was told it was too 

dangerous to operate on her 

spinal condition, and her 

husband Douglas was 

diagnosed with severe heart 

failure, getting to 1000 miles 

seemed impossible. And yet… 

‘I have lumbar spinal stenosis 

– a narrowing of the spinal 

canal – which has caused my 

left foot to drop, so I limp quite 

badly. Last year my husband 

was taken into hospital with 

severe heart failure, which 

damaged his liver and kidneys. 

We’ve been married for 52 

years and I thought I was going 

to lose him. 

‘While he was in hospital my 

surgeon told me operating 

on my spine was now too 

dangerous. He added I needed 

to be fit to look after my 

husband. I could have cried – 

who was going to look after 

me so I could look after him? 

‘We talked things over and 

said if no one is going to help 

us, we’re not going to sit 

around and let the grass grow 

under our feet. So we decided 

to try do #walk1000miles 

together. It was baby steps at 

first, not knowing how far to go 

without getting ill. 

‘It was hard, but we were 

both determined to get to the 

1000 miles, and we achieved 

the milestone on 26th 

December. We felt on top of 

the world – we were so pleased 

and so proud of ourselves. 

‘I’m now so much fitter and 

stronger, and Douglas is doing 

much better. The challenge is 

the best thing either of us 

could have done – and not just 

for the health aspect. One time 

we made it up to the North 

Wessex Downs and the views 

just make you glad to be alive. 

‘To anyone facing similar 

issues, I’d say don’t give in – 

that’s the easy way out. Just 

do baby steps and marvel at 

how well you’re doing, and 

after 1000 miles how much 

better and fitter you’ll be.’ 

‘It’s been 

wonderful’ 

‘I joined because I was 

slowly recovering 

from severe Achilles 

tendinopathy and 

couldn’t do the long 

walks I used to. It’s been 

wonderful. Unlike other 

challenges where you 

train for the ‘big day’, 

this feels like training 

for a healthier life. 

I’m exceeding my 

expectations, and feel 

all-round better. The 

added bonus is I’ve 

discovered local paths 

which are beautiful and 

away from all the tourist 

honeypots. Now I hope 

to keep walking into my 

70s and beyond.’ 

Angie Barber, 68, 

Whitby 



‘Our problems seem 

to disappear’ 

After joining #walk1000miles 

the day her husband was 

diagnosed with a brain 

tumour, 62-year-old Christina 

Lander finds it’s been vital to 

both of them. 

‘I actually picked up Country 

Walking magazine in the 

waiting room on the day my 

husband Richard received his 

diagnosis – and that was when 

we joined #walk1000miles. 

He was determined to be as 

fit as possible before his 

operation, and we walked up 

Cadair Idris (the steep way!) 

two days before he went into 

hospital. All the walking stood 

him in great stead. 

‘Defying all the odds, 

and after a very long and 

complicated operation, he was 

back walking nine days later. 

Only half a mile a day, but it 

was a start. He went on to 

climb his first mountain, Pen y 

Fan, after 19 days. Such a 

beautiful, happy sunny day. 

‘We’re now so in the 

#walk1000miles habit, and 

enjoying it so much, it’s 

become quite hard not to 

go for a walk every day. 

I’m struggling through 

menopause, and find getting 

outside in the fresh air is a 

great way to just forget about 

it. The hot flushes don’t seem 

nearly as bad and I definitely 

don’t get mood swings – I’m 

always on a high. When we’re 

out walking I’m totally in the 

moment and completely 

switch off from anything else 

that may be troubling me. 

Problems seem to disappear, 

and when they resurface at the 

end of the walk, they don’t 

seem nearly as bad.’ 

‘It’s become 

so important’ 

‘Since doing the 

challenge I’ve been 

almost completely free 

of colds and general 

ailments. When I have 

had a couple of health 

issues I’ve bounced back 

and recovered so much 

quicker. Since the day 

I came across this 

challenge in 2016 it has 

always been about 

trying to keep myself 

mentally and physically 

healthy; I didn’t realise 

just how important it 

would become.’ 

Karen Ritchie, 56, 

Carrickfergus 

‘Walk away your troubles’ 

‘I’ve got arthritis and my 

partner Joe has had six brain 

tumours removed in recent 

years. He’s struggled with 

coordination and planning 

but our discovery of walking 

through the challenge has 

improved them so much his 

specialist has been amazed. 

I think we’ve fallen in love with 

this challenge and with each 

other all over again whilst 

doing it! It’s helped us to see 

how amazing we can be and 

that has brought us closer. 

We find we can walk much 

further than either of us ever 

thought possible and we 

both feel fitter and healthier 

than we have in years and 

years. The challenge has 

given us a real purpose! 

Walking away your troubles 

really works – it’s become 

a complete joy.’ Yvonne 

Butterworth, 63, Preston 



‘I don’t know how I would have coped 

without #walk1000miles’ 

Jude Bromley was gutted 

when told she could no 

longer do strenuous 

exercise due to a genetic 

mutation that could cause 

sudden death. But since the 

43-year-old’s diagnosis, 

the challenge has been 

her inspiration. 

‘I’ve always tried to be 

as active as possible, but 

struggled because of 

fibromyalgia. It also turns 

out I have a rare genetic 

mutation which can lead 

to cardiomyopathy, stroke, 

heart failure, or even 

sudden death. I was told 

the dreaded words: “No 

intensive exercise – you can 

‘Finally controlled my asthma’ 

‘By walking more I finally 

have controlled asthma and 

get fewer chest infections. 

Every day is made better 

by a walk. At the weekend 

I go for longer walks and 

suddenly any work issues 

have dissolved and I can 

do walking or a light jog, but 

nothing to exert your heart.” 

I was gutted. 

‘Then I heard about 

#walk1000miles and 

thought, why not? I couldn’t 

believe it when I managed to 

complete it the first year! 

This year I walked the Royal 

Canal Greenway – 100 miles, 

five counties, seven days 

on my own. I managed to 

complete it in six days and 

was just a little bit chuffed! 

‘#Walk1000miles has 

been absolutely vital for 

me. It gives me a target, 

physically and mentally, and 

always makes me feel so 

much better. I don’t know 

totally relax – the best tonic! 

I am so happy and relaxed 

now and a good walk home 

eases any issues at work. 

Get out and get walking 

– it will be the best thing 

you can ever do!’ 

Karen Ley, 53, Sevenoaks 

how I would have coped 

without it. Everyone in the 

community is so supportive. 

If you’re having a tough 

time, there’s always 

someone providing a 

shoulder to lean on. 

It’s amazing!’ 

‘I’m amazed’ 

‘I’m amazed how walking has 

controlled my lymphoedema 

in my legs and given me a new 

lease of life! 

‘It had taken over my life 

with the pain, but now I feel 

fitter, happier and it’s so good 

not lying on the couch with my 

legs elevated while crying in 

pain. At work I have so much 

more energy and I’m not 

grumpy anymore!’ 

Michelle Saunders, 46, Tain 



‘No more meds!’ 

‘I was diagnosed with type 

2 diabetes at the end of 

February, and it spurred 

me on to walk every day. 

I hit my 1000 in August. 

I’ve achieved my weight 

loss target and recently 

had my first diabetic review 

– where I was told I won’t 

now need medication. I’m 

very pleased, to say the 

least!’ Peter Jackson, 

75, Choppington 

‘Stronger 

and 

living 

more’ 

‘1000 miles 

has been my 

mantra and 

has made my 

days worth waking up for. 

I feel it has made me a better 

person and also better able to 

ride the menopausal waves. 

I feel stronger and I’m living 

more in the NOW. I’m walking 

myself into a better and newer 

individual everyday!’ 

Junita Prentice, 48, Writtle 

‘I used to worry 

about my health’ 

‘I used to worry about my 

health but now I just don’t feel 

the need. It’s a self-fulfilling 

habit, the more I go out there 

the better I feel and the more 

energy I have. I actually find 

I have more time available for 

other things the more I walk 

because I have more energy 

and enthusiasm for doing 

other things.’ 

David King, 58, Norfolk 

‘I can’t believe 

what I’ve been 

missing’ 

‘I never realised you can walk 

for pleasure – nor how little it 

takes to make everything 

better. Keeping diabetes 

under control, reversing liver 

disease, building up muscle 

strength? Just a walk will do 

it! I feel so much healthier 

and more confident. I can’t 

believe what I’ve been 

missing.’ Lizzie Illiffe, 68, 

Daventry 

‘Transformed 

my health and 

outlook’ 

‘I took up the challenge 

following the passing of 

my mum with heartrelated 

issues. Since then 

I have walked thousands 

of miles and raised 

thousands for the BHF. 

Without a doubt it has 

transformed my health 

and outlook. Life is now 

an amazing, continuous 

adventure I get to enjoy 

every single day of the 

year – thank you so 

much.’ Andrew Askin, 51, 

Knottingley 


EQUIPMENT & ACCESSORIES 

WWW.TREKMATES.COM

Do it for 

HAPPINESS 

Scientists, doctors and 1000-milers agree: we know the best way 

out of depression, anxiety, loneliness and boredom – on foot. 

91% say 

they’re 

HAPPIER as a 

result of the 

challenge 

88% say it’s an 

effective tool 

AGAINST 

LONELINESS 100% 

say walking’s 

effective against 

DEPRESSION & 

ANXIETY 



‘Beyond 

anything I 

could have 

hoped for’ 

With serious depression and chronic health 

conditions, 33-year-old Aisha Hussain from 

Pembrokeshire knew the challenge might 

help. She never dreamed it would have the 

life-changing impact that it has. 

N SEPTEMBER 2021 I 

signed up to a challenge to 

Iwalk 50 miles that month. 

I only realised then how unfit 

I was, as I struggled to walk 

half a mile at first! I very nearly 

didn’t complete it, but felt so 

much better for doing it – just 

getting out every day was an 

achievement. 

But once the month was 

over, my mental health took 

a nosedive and I became a 

recluse. It’s hard to explain 

depression to those who don’t 

get it. I was desperate to go 

out. I wanted to go for a walk… 

but the very thought of 

stepping outside was 

completely terrifying. 

The very idea of doing 

#walk1000miles was utterly 

bonkers – I couldn’t possibly 

do it. But I told myself every 

mile was an achievement and 

I’d be pleased with a couple of 

hundred by year’s end. 

A massive turning point 

was a walk to Flounders Folly 

in Shropshire. My brother 

suggested a nice evening walk 

there, but failed to mention 

how long or steep it would be. 

It was by far the toughest hike 

I’d ever done up to that time. 

But when we got to the top 

the views were breathtaking. 

I felt quite emotional. I had 

an enormous sense of 

achievement and it was at that 

moment I fell in love with 

walking up hills. It was totally 

magical to me. 

The sense of peace didn’t 

last, as I wear an ostomy bag, 

and it needed changing, 

pronto. But afterwards I 

reflected that I’d conquered 

the hill, done my longest walk 

to date and dealt with a bagrelated 

emergency in a remote 

location. And if I could deal 

with that, I really could deal 

with anything. 

#Walk1000miles has been 

completely life changing. 

The Facebook group is the 

friendliest, most supportive 

community out there. I’ve 


Do it for happiness 

‘The challenge 

changed my 

entire life’ 

Rhiannon Grover’s 

grandma got her involved 

in the challenge – now she 

says it’s one of the best 

things she’s ever done. 

posted a few times when I’ve 

struggled and been amazed at 

the kindness and compassion. 

I’ve gone from being prediabetic 

to being in the normal 

range, lost seven stone and 

kept it off, my chronic health 

issues have improved beyond 

anything I could have hoped 

for. And above all, the effect 

on my mental health is nothing 

short of phenomenal.’ 

Sixty-nine-year-old Denni 

Morrison had completed her 

first year of #walk1000miles 

and knew how great it 

made her feel. But her 

28-year-old granddaughter 

Rhiannon wouldn’t leave 

the house and said her life 

seemed empty. 

Denni knew the challenge 

would open her world – 

‘She took some persuading, 

but she knew I wasn’t going 

to give in! I tried to make 

each walk an adventure 

with something special to 

find or see or pick. I also 

made sure halfway through 

each walk we’d bump into 

a pub or a coffee shop. 

‘Signing up was a big 

step for her. It meant 

making a commitment to 

do something scary and 

that could mean failing. I 

really didn’t think she would 

do it – but I’d completely 

underestimated this 

brave new granddaughter 

of mine.’ 

In September she 

reached the glorious 

500-mile mark. ‘When 

I presented her with her 

500-mile medal, I don’t 

know which one of us was 

crying 

the most,’ recalls Denni. 

For Rhiannon, it’s been 

a remarkable turnaround. 

‘The challenge has changed 

my entire life!’ she says. 

‘I didn’t realise how 

miserable I was before 

I started it. I’d pretty much 

forgotten how to live. 

I never in a million years 

thought I could do what I’m 

doing now. I’m happy and 

I have all my confidence 

back. Just by getting out 

there I’ve learned so much, 

not only about the world 

around me, but about 

myself too.’ 

Walking side-by-side has 

really helped get the two of 

them talking. ‘Rhiannon has 

found it diffcult to talk to 

anyone about her issues, 

but when we’re walking it 

makes it a lot easier to say 

things that may be a bit 

hard to talk about face-toface. 

We’ve been able to 

get a lot of stuff out, and 

now I have a wonderfully 

confident granddaughter 

who smiles and laughs – 

and walks for miles!’ 



‘A happier lifestyle’ 

‘After an incident at work 

I lost all confidence in myself, 

my capability, my self worth 

and I was worried about my 

future. I ended up off work 

with stress, depression and 

anxiety. My doctor suggested 

I join a walking group and 

I joined #walk1000miles 

and found the support and 

encouragement was 

amazing. My walks increased 

from a struggling two miles 

to eight miles, and they 

became easier and more 

comfortable. Over the course 

of the year my confidence 

has grown, and I’m in a much 

happier place with a new job, 

new friends and a happier 

lifestyle.’ June Picchi, 58, 

Suffolk 

‘Calmer, 

healthier, 

happier’ 

‘I love the way I get up 

early now to get a walk 

in before work which 

sets me up for the day. 

Walking also helps me 

shed the day’s work and 

other stresses. I find I 

have more energy to do 

more things and since 

I got my wife to sign up 

this year we spend much 

more uninterrupted time 

together. Walking has 

made me calmer, 

healthier and most of 

all happier. I can’t 

recommend it enough.’ 

Simon Morgan, 33, 

Pembrokeshire 

‘REALLY improved’ 

‘It’s easy to want to stay indoors or hide 

away when you’re feeling down or 

anxious. But having a challenge like this 

makes you push yourself to get out 

there. I’m no hiker or pro. I live in a town, 

I don’t have posh boots or any of the 

gear. But I just get out each day and see 

what the world has to offer. Walking is 

one of life’s simple pleasures and it 

REALLY has improved my mental and 

physical health in one easy step!’ 

Lizzie Rumble, 45, Berkshire 

‘I was painfully shy’ 

Before I started I was painfully 

shy, couldn’t cope mixing with 

people, socially awkward and 

looking back I realise I was 

pretty depressed. Doing the 

challenge changed everything. 

I found confidence I never 

knew I had, made lots of 

friends and I’m a much more 

happy person. I shall be 

forever grateful for this 

amazing challenge. If I was to 

plot my happiness on a graph 

over the years I’ve done it, 

it would be an exponentially 

increasing line.’ Richard Inns, 

46, Rugeley 


‘Happier, calmer, 

off the meds’ 

‘I’m calmer, happier, off some 

medication I was on, and 

thinner! I’ve had to join group 

walks on my own and it’s 

made me JFDI rather than 

think of an excuse to stay at 

home. My therapist friend uses 

me as inspiration! Do it: you 

will feel 

so much 

better both 

mentally 

and 

physically.’ 

Sue 

Jackson, 

‘I feel like a millionaire’ 

‘I was incredibly lonely. 

But since doing 

#walk1000miles I’ve 

become happy, healthy, 

with a circle of friends and a 

beautiful hobby I can enjoy 

anywhere at all in the world. 

And I’ve found the love of 

my life, in walking boots at 

48! Walking is a great 

‘So much 

more 

content’ 

‘My mental 

health is so 

much better, 

I’m able to look after my 

87-year-old disabled 

husband better, and 

I am slimmer and fitter 

than I have been since 

my 20s. I never thought 

I would complete the 

challenge. Now I am so 

much more content 

with my life.’ Lesley 

Swigciski, 75, 

58, Newark 

‘I now feel free 

and happy’ 

leveller. You don’t need 

to be wealthy or highly 

trained. You can literally just 

start and build your fitness, 

stamina and confidence. 

I feel like a #walk1000miles 

millionaire. It has changed 

my life immeasurably. I am 

so happy I may just burst!’ 

Victoria Lewis, 48, Matlock 

Do it for happiness 

‘I have OCD and anxiety and 

the pandemic was particularly 

challenging for me – so 

much so that I developed 

agoraphobia and didn’t leave 

my house for the best part of 

a year. This challenge has 

allowed me to take those first 

tentative steps back into the 

great outdoors and I’ve gone 

from never leaving my house 

to climbing mountains and 

going on solo walking 

holidays! It’s really helped 

me get my life back. 

‘I can walk so much further 

than I used to be able to, my 

physical fitness has improved 

dramatically! I’ve gone from 

being agoraphobic to going 

out walking by myself as often 

as possible and I’ve managed 

to visit some of the UK’s most 

beautiful places this year. It’s 

changed my life for the better 

and I wouldn’t have any of 

this had it not been for the 

challenge!’ Rachel Harold, 32, 

Buckinghamshire 


% 

15OFF 

at SPORTSSHOES.COM for all 

#Walk1000Miles 

sign ups 

The UK’S NO.1 Online Retailer for RUN.GYM.HIKE 

Shop 1000 of specialist walking styles

Do it for 

THE ADVENTURE 

A journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step – and a more 

adventurous life all-round life begins with #walk1000miles. 

91% said the 

challenge had 

taken them 

to NEW 

PLACES 

93% said 

it had given them a 

greater SENSE OF 

ADVENTURE 

98% said it 

had CHANGED 

LIFE FOR THE 

BETTER 



Make life a great 

adventure with 

#walk1000miles 

A 

Walking 1000 miles is a huge adventure however 

you do it – and how you do it is up to you. However you 

do, get ready for your ambitions in life to level up. 

FTER 202 DAYS of 

sweat and toil, 


challenger John Gaynor stood 

at the top of a summit called 

Mt Katahdin and sipped from 

a mini bottle of whisky. 

The 65-year-old wasn’t just 

celebrating reaching the top of 

this 5269ft peak – he was also 

drinking to the 2194.3 miles 

he’d taken to get there, for 

Katahdin marked the end of 

John’s journey along North 

America’s Appalachian Trail. 

He camped, he carried his 

own gear (his tent even had 

Now that’s how 

you celebrate 

the mother of all 

milestones! 

an unwelcome visit from 

some skunks!), and his 

amazing achievement shows 

how walking can enable you 

to go on the most incredible 

life adventures. 

And John’s not the only one. 

Sixty-two-year-old Steve Tilley 

is dedicating a year of his life 

to walking more around the 

coastline of England and 

Wales. It’s a journey that has 

taken him from the dramatic 

folds of the Pembrokeshire 

coast to the wild shorelines of 

Northumberland… and even 

gave him a chance encounter 

with Timmy Mallett! 

#Walk1000miles enables 

you to fulfil dreams you never 

thought possible. Take Jeanie 

Butler, who walked the 477- 

mile Camino Frances in France 

and Spain with her 15-year-old 

son. #Walk1000miles gave her 

the stamina to do it. “I would 

never have been able to 

manage it otherwise. Three 

miles a day makes your 

dreams come true.” 

Then there’s Erica Mann, 

who spent 23 days tackling 

the 280-mile Pennine Way, 

reaching one of the trail’s 

iconic spots – High Cup Nick 

– on her 70th birthday. She 

credits #walk1000miles with 

lifting her ambitions. “Without 

it I would never have dreamt 

of taking on the biggest 

challenge of my life.” 

And Amanda Tracie Garratt, 

who made it her own by taking 

six months off work to walk at 

least five miles in all 48 English 

counties. She did it in her own 

way and in her own time, 

and the adventure was so 


Do it for the adventure 

65-year-old 

1000-miler John 

Gaynor celebrates 

one of his life’s 

latest high points. 

How far is 


It’s Land’s End to John 

o’Groats the LONG way. 

Or how about this huge 

stack of National Trails? 

1000 miles is equal to 

the Pennine Way + the 

Thames Path + the 

South Downs Way + the 

Ridgeway + Hadrian’s 

Wall + the West Highland 

Way + the Cotswold Way 

+ Everest Basecamp Trek 

all put together. Or five 

times Wainwright’s Coast 

to Coast. Or all the way 

across the Gobi Desert. 

Or a quarter of the way 

to the centre of the Earth. 

Whichever way you 

visualise it, it’s an 

absolutely extraordinary 

achievement. 

rewarding she’s dreaming up 

an even more fiendish way of 

cracking the 1000 in 2023. 

Thousands of challengers 

are using #walk1000miles to 

pursue their dreams. But not 

everyone has the time to walk a 

huge long distance trail. We do, 

however, all have a front door, 

where every 1000 mile journey 

begins, and beyond which lies 

a world we don’t know nearly 

as well as we think we do. 

One of the great joys for 

many who take on the 

challenge is discovering that 

where they live is far more 

beautiful and interesting than 

they ever realised. They find 

paths they never knew existed, 

woodland they’d never 

explored, seasonal changes 

they were always too busy to 

notice. Simply by leaving the 

house each day, they find 

themselves on an exhilarating 

journey where they’re 

pursuing a goal while 

enlightening their soul. 

Imagine sitting round the 

‘#Walk1000miles enables 

you to fulfil dreams you 

never thought possible’ 

Christmas dinner table at the 

end of the year and casually 

informing your family that 

you’ve spent 2023 walking the 

distance from Land’s End to 

John O’Groats. And you’ll 

know that in 2024 you can 

do it again, because with 12 

months of walking under your 

belt, that body of yours is now 

a super-trim, horizon-widening 

striding machine. 

Your most exciting, 

wholesome and gratifying life 

experiences are yet to come. 

No one is too old, out of shape 

or unfit to take on this lifechanging 

challenge. Sign up 

to #walk1000miles and make 

2023 the best adventure of 

your life. 



Choose your own adventure! 

Add extra flavour to your 1000 miles by giving your quest a personal twist. 

Here are some ideas from the class of 2022… 

Make it a draw 

‘To encourage my family we 

have an envelope full of pieces 

of paper with local walks 

written on them. We then get 

one person each week to pick 

one out and that’s where we go 

on the weekend for a family 

jaunt!’ says Clair Maskell. 

Walk the line 

Louise Lester aims to walk 

2023 to match the year, and 

also loves finding old train lines 

and places that have been used 

in films… 

Add a ticklist 

Liesl van Niekerk is gradually 

bagging the high point of each 

county on her way to 1000. 

Get crafty 

Kerry Clemons fills in a 

county in her amazing 

embroidery progress 

chart each 100 miles. 

Make it a streak 

As well as his 1000-mile target, 

Neil Vincer aimed to build a 

daily walking streak – so far 

he’s up to 1000 uninterrupted 

days with a walk in! 

Toughen it up 

Super-Salyen Latter loves a 

challenge, so after a couple of 

years decided to step it up: 

‘I tried (and succeeded) in 

doing my 1000 in 100 days. 

Then I wanted to use my next 

1000 to be as many hill miles as 

I can – after years of lockdown 

it’s been great to have a 

different focus and I feel great’. 

Up the pressure 

Jane Duffn aims to beat her 

previous year’s total and her 

finishing date – ‘So far I’ve 

managed it four years in a row!’ 

Add a challengewithin-a-challenge 

Like Lylie Frost: ‘I’ve always 

loved walking the coast so 

I decided to include walking 

the entire 350 miles of Essex 

Coast as part of my 1000’. 

Do some good 

Ruth Longhurst leaves 

the place better than 

she found it by litter 

picking en route. ‘It 

makes me stop and 

notice my surroundings,’ 

she says. 

Sponsor yourself 

Put 50p aside for every mile 

you walk – and give someone 

(you?) a massive £500 treat 

when you complete. Anthea 

Hebdon put away £520 with 

her walking and gave it to a 

mitochondrial disease charity. 

Add a new rule 

‘I tried to walk every road and 

footpath in my city,’ says Chloe 

Wells. ‘And I tried to take an 

interesting photo on every 

walk. This kept even the 

“boring” walks fun.’ 


THE 3IN1 JACKET 

Our legend for all conditions. 

jack-wolfskin.co.uk

Do it for 

WEIGHT LOSS 

Being happy in your body is the only thing that 

matters – and #walk1000miles is a recipe for the 

body you want and the happiness you deserve. 

95% say 

diets WORK 

BETTER with 


100% 

say it’s made 

losing weight a 

HAPPIER 

experience 

96% say 

the weight 

STAYS OFF 

EASIER 



Your happier-inmy-body 

stories 

Losing weight, keeping weight off, seeing a face in the mirror that 

makes you smile – whatever you want, it’s easier with walking. 

‘Literally changed my life’ 

‘After 45 years of nursing and 

approaching retirement I was 

short of breath at the slightest 

exertion, had swollen feet and 

ankles, high blood pressure, 

gastric problems and arthritis 

in my feet, neck and spine. 

I felt down on myself, and 

isolated and it was a vicious 

circle. If I was going to enjoy 

my retirement I would have 

to be fitter and healthier to 

enjoy it! So I signed up for 

#walk1000miles and started 

calorie counting. I’ve lost 

just over two stone but the 

improvement in my health is 

BEFORE 

amazing. My joints feel freer, 

I’m no longer short of breath, 

my blood pressure’s normal, 

gastric problems gone. I now 

walk every day and although it 

sounds dramatic, it has literally 

changed my life. It makes me 

feel very happy, and like I’m 

going to succeed in whatever 

I set out to achieve. Don’t look 

at the whole thing – break 

it down into smaller daily, 

achievable goals, take up the 

offer of any support people 

give in the Facebook group. 

You’ll feel so much better.’ 

Alison Pacey, 69, Newark 

AFTER 

‘Two years, 

five stone’ 

‘I was really unfit. But 

as the year went on 

the fitter I became. 

I dropped over three 

stone in my first year 

and found a love for the 

outdoors. But walking 

1000 miles changes you 

not just physically but 

mentally too. The first 

year I really struggled to 

get to 1000 miles. This 

year it seemed easy – 

well, easier! Now I’ve 

dropped over five stone, 

and notice how while 

before I’d constantly 

worry about not being 

able to complete a walk 

or keep up, I no longer 

even think about it’. 

Natalie Walsh, 33, 

Teesside 


Do it for weight loss 

‘One of the best 

decisions I ever made’ 

‘When we went into 

lockdown in 2020 I couldn’t 

climb the stairs without 

being out of breath. But 

I started walking for 30 

minutes a day and the 

difference it was making was 

amazing. I lost three stone in 

three months by counting 

calories and walking more 

and more. By the end of 

2020 I was absolutely 

addicted to walking. 

I stumbled across Country 

Walking magazine on 

Facebook, joined the 

challenge on 10th January, 

and haven’t looked back. 

‘To date, I’ve lost nine stone 

and can honestly say doing 

#walk1000miles has been 

one of the best decisions I’ve 

ever made. I’ve made 

some wonderful 

friends through it 

and it makes me so 

determined to keep 

walking every day, 

getting healthier 

and improving the 

distance I can walk. 

The #walk1000miles 

community has been 

absolutely amazing. 

Everyone is so positive and 

encouraging, it’s really lovely 

to be part of it. In addition to 

this challenge I took part in 

the 500,000 Steps in March 

Challenge for CLIC Sargent, 

raising money for Young 

Lives vs Cancer and climbed 

Snowdon raising money for 

Children with Cancer UK. 

BEFORE AFTER 

I wouldn’t have done any of 

this had I not lost weight and 

found my love for walking. 

And I’d say to anyone in the 

situation I was – believe in 

yourself, don’t give up and 

we’re here for you. 

Perseverance is the key!’ 

Lisa Hussain, 43, 

Bedfordshire 

BEFORE 

AFTER 

‘Lost 23kg 

over the year’ 

‘Taking on the challenge has 

been transformational for me. 

It’s given me headspace and 

let me achieve my goals. 

I really needed to make a 

change. Now I’ve lost 23kg 

and feel brilliant. I’ve come 

from being defeated by a dark 

space in my head and a couple 

of flights of stairs to being 

there for others. I can’t 

recommend it enough. It’s one 

step at a time – there will be 

downs but the ups will 

outweigh them! Walking on 

your own is fun, but look for 

kindred spirits locally. Walking 

and talking really helps to 

maintain the motivation!’ 

John Eaton, 50, St Neots 



‘Now I feel 

amazing!’ 

‘I’ve lost four stone in 

the first 11 months of 

#walk1000miles. It’s 

contributed massively 

physically and mentally. 

When you’ve been out 

you don’t want to ruin the 

good feeling by eating 

bad food so it really helps 

stick to healthy eating 

as well as burning the 

calories during the walk. 

Before, I felt very 

lethargic, unhappy and 

uncomfortable. Now I feel 

amazing! Happy and 

healthy and so much 

fitter. The key is to take 

one day at a time. Don’t 

plan to go out for a 10- 

mile walk if you’re not in 

the mood, just go out 

for 15 minutes then do 

another 15 if you feel like 

it. You’ll soon find you’ve 

walked an hour and loved 

it. And the community 

support in the group has 

been amazing. Often it’s 

easier to tell strangers 

how you feel and when 

they boost you up it’s 

even better.’ Sarah 

Curphey, 45, Isle of Man 

‘Lighter, 

happier, bolder’ 

‘I was four stone heavier before 

combining #walk1000miles 

with Slimming World. I would 

always be the one in the family 

to say “time to stop”, but now 

I’m the kind of mum more likely 

to say “Just a little further!” 

Even if I go out feeling like 

I want to stay in, I come 

back feeling refreshed and 

grounded. And it’s a talking 

point! I wear my badge to 

school where I work and the 

children have often asked me 

what it’s for, and I’ve been able 

to encourage others to join in. 

BEFORE 

‘Lost eight stone, 

got a new lease of life’ 

‘In 2017 I was 21 stone and 

realised I needed to do 

something about it. I was 

feeling uncomfortable and 

my weight was stopping 

me doing things I enjoyed. 

I joined my local Slimming 

World class and began to 

lose some weight. But then 

I saw the #walk1000miles 

challenge, gave it a go, 

found I thoroughly enjoyed 

the walking and my weight 

loss really took off. I’ve been 

BEFORE 

I’m happier, more optimistic 

about my health in the long 

term and it’s really boosted my 

self confidence. If I can do this 

I can do almost anything I put 

my mind to!’ Clair Maskell, 

42, Hampshire 

AFTER 

doing the challenge ever 

since, and I’m now around 

13 stone and feeling a whole 

lot healthier and happier. 

I’ve even bought a dog – 

Bale after Sir Gareth! – who 

accompanies me on almost 

all my walks. I’ve become 

far more active and 

discovered a love for 

walking and cycling. It’s 

given me a new lease of life.’ 

Matthew Gregory, 48, 

Rhondda Valley 

AFTER 


Do it for weight loss 

BEFORE 

AFTER 

‘I halved my bodyweight’ 

‘In 2019 I couldn’t walk more 

than 100 metres. But with 

the help of Slimming World 

and #walk1000miles in a 

little over two years I lost 17.5 

stone, regained my mobility 

and re-found my long-lost 

pastime of walking. I’ve gone 

from needing a mobility 

scooter and walking stick to 

someone who looks forward 

to getting out in the fresh air 

for a walk every day. Yes, 

there have been days when I 

could only walk a mile or less, 

but not a day has passed 

where I’ve recorded zero 

mileage. Walk1000miles has 

improved my health, fitness 

and joints dramatically. I’ve 

recently changed to a pretty 

high-pressured job with long 

hours. But being able to take 

a break, have a walk in the 

fresh air and tap back into 

my challenge helps me relax 

and return to work feeling 

refreshed. And I’m up to 

1800 miles!’ Michelle 

Edwards, 62, Eaton Socon 

‘Four stone down and I feel elated!!’ 

‘Since having my three children 

in my twenties I’ve always been 

overweight and a yo-yo dieter. 

Walking had become a real 

struggle carrying the extra 

weight. When I saw the 

#walk1000miles 2022 

challenge I knew it would be 

the perfect inspiration for me. 

Now instead of sitting doing 

nothing during my lunch 

breaks I started walking – 

one mile a day and gradually 

building it up. The weight 

started coming off and I 

pushed it to two to three miles. 

At weekends my husband 

would join me and we were 

regularly walking up to six 

miles each day. I logged all my 

walking on my Fitbit which 

transferred the miles onto the 

#walk1000miles+ app and 

seeing my daily progress on 

the virtual walk really inspired 

me to keep going. I feel 

absolutely elated by the 

progress I have made. I’ve 

over-reached my weight loss 

target by losing four stone in 

the year and it felt amazing to 

attend our son’s wedding in 

October in great shape! I’ve 

stopped yo-yo dieting and with 

walking’s help know I’ll keep 

the weight off this time. The 

health benefits are incredible!’ 

Shirley Duerden, 55, Chester 


PAPER REVOLUTION 

72% of paper and paper packaging is recycled into new products; 

one of the highest recycling rates of any material in Europe! 

Discover the story of paper 

www.lovepaper.org 

Source: CEPI, 2019 

Europe: EU27 + Norway, Switzerland and the UK 

Love Paper is a registered trademark for Two Sides Ltd. Registered in the UK, U.S. and other countries and used with permission.

Do it for 

THE FUN OF IT 

Walking 1000 miles is about enjoyment not endurance – and 

there are so many ways the challenge makes life more fun. 

85% of 

participants say 

they SURPRISED 

themselves in the 

course of doing the 

challenge 

99% say 

it’s more fun 

and BETTER 

THAN THE 

GYM 

60% MADE 

FRIENDS 

through doing 

the challenge 



This is going 

to be fun! 

Suffering plays no part in walking 1000 miles – because this 

is a challenge powered by pleasure, not punishment. 

E 

VER SEEN SOMEONE 

train for a marathon? 

It’s a punishing regime 

of strain, pain, then a good 

dose of agony. 

#walk1000miles is nothing 

like that. How many challenges 

do you know where you can 

cross the finish line while 

playing bagpipes (as Sue 

Evans did in October)? What 

other goal can you reach 

where, along the way, you can 

win additional accolades for 

wrapping a trig point in a 

dressing gown or dunking 

your head in a stream? 

For however mighty the end 

goal of this challenge is, you’ll 

achieve it while doing an 

activity that, at times, can be 

laugh-out-loud silly. It can 

have you knee-deep in mud, 

crawling under walls, 

being chased by squirrels, 

inadvertently stepping in 

cow pats, and a whole host 

of other things that can have 

you all giggling 

like children. 

And if you’re someone who 

enjoys an amusing sign post, 

spotting the face of Elvis in a 

tree, and taking a selfie with an 

inquisitive sheep, then you’ve 

come to the right place. 

Walking, by its very nature, 

is a quirky, good-humoured 

experience, and at 

#walk1000miles we add fun 

to the fun, not least with our 

#minichallenges. These give 

you one of the most soughtafter 

prizes in the outdoors – 

a money-can’t-buy Golden 

Badge. These aren’t awarded 

to those who climb the 

highest, walk the fastest or 

sweat the most, but rather for 

acts of peculiarity, such as 

turning your tongue purple 

by eating bilberries, getting 


Do it for the fun of it 

a photo with someone in 

uniform or literally raising 

a (slice of) toast. 

These all add to a culture of 

enjoyment that already thrives 

in the walking world – one 

where lavish picnics, pub 

lunches, impromptu games of 

frisbee and summer dips in the 

river all extend the sheer joy of 

what challengers do, day in, 

day out. 

And this is before you’ve 

even encountered the friends 

you haven’t met yet who fill 

the challenge Facebook 

group. Meetups are frequent 

(or you can start your own) 

but even if you prefer to walk 

alone, the daily pageant of 

posts in the #walk1000miles 

community brightens up our 

walks, our Facebook feeds 

and our lives. Take Debbie 

Williamson, who crocheted 

amazing postbox toppers 

purely to make people smile; 

Jacqui Wood, who walked the 

shape of several animals (and 

one Dalek!); and Ali Bray who 

excels at the universal hobby 

of finding faces in trees. 

Why’s all this important? 

Because while you’re busy 

chortling, your mileometer 

is steadily and persistently 

ticking towards that glorious 

1000-mile goal. You’ll be 

having too much fun to notice 

and, before you know it, you’ll 

be cruising across that virtual 

finish line, looking back on 

a year of such profound 

enjoyment that you’ll want to 

repeat it again and again. 

• Take part in one of 

60 minichallenges in 2023: 

details in every issue of 

Country Walking (and you’ll 

need your CW mag or 

membership to claim your 

Golden Badge if you win!) 



What do I need to 

walk 1000 miles? 

O 

A journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step – and the gear 

of a 1000-miler starts with the clothes you stand up in. 

NE OF THE best things 

about walking is that 

you already know how 

to do it, and (so long as you’re 

out of your pyjamas) you’re 

already dressed for it. Walking 

1000 miles isn’t (just) about 

walking in beautiful places 

amid fine and dramatic 

weather. It’s also about 

walking round the block on 

a wet Wednesday evening, 

clearing your head on a lunchhour 

pavement-pound and 

sneaking in a bonus mile or 

two between tube stops. 

So it’s wrong to say there’s 

a specific set of kit that’s 

required for the challenge. 

Everyone’s thousand miles will 

be different. 

But when you’ve got a few 

miles under your belt you 

begin to realise the scope for 

improving on merely adequate 

clothing – and that’s where our 

#walk1000miles partners 

come in. They’re experts 

who’ve turned millions of miles 

from pain into pure pleasure. 

Their kit will help you adapt to 

every terrain and condition so 

you can mine more miles, and 

more wonderful memories, 

from every day of your life. 

So what do you need? 

a wet Wednesday evening, begin to realise the scope for So what do you need? 

Grip 

Trainers are great for 

pavements, but off- 

road a pair of walking 

shoes provides you 

with proper grip, 

support, durability and 

waterproofing – qualities that make you 

unstoppable off-road. Scarpa’s Rush Trail GTX (£170) are a 

great example. As your ambition grows to higher hill-walks, 

you’ll appreciate the stability of a stiffer 

full-size walking boot, which makes your 

ankles equal to the steepest or rockiest 

terrain. They’re a real investment, but 

they’ll be trustworthy partners in the 

hills, and your pride and joy. Look 

at the new Scarpa Rush TRK 

Pro GTX (£215) for a 

cracking 

choice. 

scarpa.co.uk 

Comfort 

Your footstep 

is the most 

important 

connection 

between you 

and the world, 

and specialised 

walking socks pay 

their way 10,000 times 

a day. Bridgedales feel 

unbelievably comfy and 

thanks to careful tailoring, 

cushioning, construction 

and wicking materials 

they do it all day long, 

day after day. Slip into a 

cutting-edge pair like the 

Bridgedale Midweight 

Merino Comfort Boot 

(£22) and you’ll guard 

them jealously forever. 


Gear 

With the right 

kit on, the whole 

world’s home. 

Dryness 

Britain’s so green and lovely 

because of its weather – and 

if you’re going to walk 1000 

miles you’re going to see a lot 

of it. But there’s no such thing 

as bad weather when you have 

capable clothing, like Jack 

Wolfskin’s lightweight yet 

bombproof Highest Peak 

(£180) waterproof jacket. 

Capability 

A rucksack turns you into a superhuman – one equipped, 

sustained and hydrated to go far beyond the sphere of 

mere mortals. It’s also a totem of the new outdoorsy you. 

You need one that’s totally comfortable, doesn’t overheat 

your back, and has all the pockets and features you need 

and none of the gimmicks you don’t. A small pack like 

Deuter’s Speed Lite 21 (£60) leaves you feeling maximally 

unencumbered while packing lunch, waterproof and 

valuables, while a more substantial size like the Futura 

24 (£125, pictured) adds suspended back, pockets 

everywhere you want them, built-in rain cover 

and weight-bearing hip-strap for two-person 

day walks. deutergb.co.uk 



Memories 

Your phone can capture snapshots 

but the vastly bigger sensor and 

lens of a proper camera make for 

incredible memories. You’ll see 

some amazing things this year – 

a portfolio will be a wonderful 

keepsake to take away to 

accompany the sense of pride. 

Fujifilm’s tough, waterproof XP140 

(£189) is up for any adventure, 

while the XT200 (£599) packs bigcamera 

power and what-you-see-iswhat-you-get 

creativity fit for an 

amazing year. fujifilm.eu/uk 

Freedom 

Small things are 

magnified when you 

walk lots. Warm hands. 

Painless knees. Dry feet. 

Knowing where you are. 

The rain not getting into 

your rucksack. This is the 

world our accessories 

partner Trekmates’ has 

made its empire – its 

brilliant value gloves, 

walking poles, gaiters, dry 

bags and more turning 

the small things from day 

breakers into day makers. 

trekmates.co.uk 

Confidence 

The UK has the best footpath network in the 

world – there are dozens and dozens near 

you now! – and our partners at Ordnance 

Survey make discovering them easy. 

Use the OS Maps app to track your walks, 

discover routes and never get lost (and a 

subscription to Country Walking gets you 

50% off Premium access). Plus a fun local 

project is to buy an OS Custom Map 

centred on your house and walk every 

path on it this year. 

• explore.osmaps.com 

• ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop 

Motivation 

It can be a real boost to have a piece of 

kit you bought just for this challenge 

and it’s key you positively-reinforce 

your walking by treating yourself 

as you reach milestones. You can 

find geary treats to suit all needs 

and budgets at Sportsshoes.com, 

our retail fantastic partner. Check 

out the huge range, fantastic prices 

and awesome customer service at: 

sportsshoes.com/outdoors (and you 

get 15% off once you’ve signed up to 

#walk1000miles!) 


Gear 

Team spirit 

It’s a journey of common cause – so remind 

yourself of your mission, and show what team 

you’re on, with a piece of #walk1000miles gear. 

Guaranteed to give you that ReadyBrek glow! 

The badge 

Show the incredible journey 

you’re on with our 2023 

participation badge, designed 

to be extra noticeable to kindle 

more spontaneous ‘badger’ 

encounters! £2.20. 

Calendar 

Our calendar has space to 

record your miles, dates of 

special significance to walkers, 

sunrise and sunset times, 

monthly mini-challenges and 

routes to let you walk into 

every picture. £7.99. 

Completer Medal 

Sign up to #walk1000miles+ 

and you can see your progress 

build on a virtual walk from 

Land’s End to John o’Groats 

and get your 1000-mile 

Completer Medal when you 

hit the 1000. There are more 

medals from 500-2000 

miles and an even blingier 

#walk1000miles Premium 

medal (below) to buy in 

the shop. Sign up via 

walk1000miles.co.uk 

The #walk1000 

miles cap 

Keep your hood out of your 

eyes in the rain, keep the sun 

off your face in summer and 

wick sweat from your bonce 

all year round. The comfiest 

walking cap ever. £9.99. 

VISIT THE SHOP: www.walk1000miles.co.uk/shop 


The only calendar 

just for 

walkers 

£7.99 

INCLUDES A ROUTE 

TO WALK EACH 

MONTH’S PIC 

FREE 

SHIPPING 

ON ALL UK 

ORDERS 

OVER £25 

‘Beautiful, useful and fun’ 

Nuala La-Belle 

‘I order one every year and I’m always delighted’ 

Michelle Martin 

walk1000miles.co.uk/shop

Notes to self 

A message to me 

There’s no better advice than that you’d give your younger self – if only 

there were a way. We asked challengers what theirs would be with the 

benefit of 1000 miles of hindsight. The results were touching, 

encouraging – and urgent. 

Life’s too short for 

regrets – but days are 

long. You can fit an 

amazing amount in. 

Get out and get 

walking – it will 

be the best thing 

you can ever do! 

Be adventurous: 

there is happiness 

that way. 

Don’t find an excuse not 

to go for a walk. You 

ALWAYS feel better 

when you get back! 

Get off the sofa, 

get outside, smell, 

see and enjoy the 

world you have 

been hiding from. 

Hang in there! The 

children will grow and 

see that the Great 

Outdoors is an infinitely 

happy place! 

Just go for it. You have 

nothing to lose and so 

much to gain. It’s not 

just walking, it’s 

learning about our 

world in a fun way. 

You will get 

better physically 

and walking will 

help you through 

sad times. 

Look what you 

have missed all 

these years! 

Things will get so much 

better – and most of 

that will be because of 

YOU. Hang in there. 

You’re amazing. 

You were right in 

thinking ‘I need to 

get fit for old age’. 

Keep going with the 

walking because in a 

few years you will have 

achieved things you 

only dreamt about. 

I wish you knew you 

could get to this 

happy place so much 

sooner than you do. 

Your life is going to 

change dramatically 

for the better in the 

near future – 

everything is going 

to be OK. 

Do it and don’t 

be afraid! You 

WILL succeed! 

Hey Bex! Guess what 

you’ll be into in one day 

– WALKING, and it’s 

THE BEST! 


With you every 

step of the way 

Country Walking has been the UK’s 

best-selling outdoors magazine 

for over three decades and it’s 

the home of #walk1000miles. 

See our latest membership offers:

W 

E LOVE WALKING 

because it turns 

the world into an 

amazing place. It asks so little 

and gives so much. It takes us 

to places we’ll daydream about 

forever, and makes us feel more at home in 

our bodies and our place in the great scheme 

of things than anything else. It feeds our 

curiosity and starves our anxieties, bringing 

laughter, adventure and an appetite for life. 

That’s what Country Walking’s all about, 

and if it sounds like the kind of magazine for 

you, we’d be thrilled to welcome you aboard. 

Become a CW member and the magazine 

will come to you 13 times a year, you’ll get 

benefits like half-price access to the 

incomparable OS Maps app, and you’ll have 

access to all our award-winning features and 

photography, routes and reviews. Every 

month we take you all over the UK, celebrate 

your #walk1000miles achievements, give 

you 27 step-by-step route guides; encourage 

you and advise you. We’ll fill your heart with 

inspiration and your head with all the info 

you need – and we’ll be with you every step 

of your 1000 mile journey because we’ll be 

walking it too. Walk with us. We’ll have fun. 

We’ll see some amazing 

things. We’ll make 

wonderful memories. We’ll 

have the time of our lives. 

www.greatmagazines.co.uk/countrywalking

10 reasons 

walking is your 

best friend 

1. It’s ready to go out when you are 

2. It doesn’t give a damn how you look 

3. It loves your body and knows just what it needs 

4. It wants you to make new friends 

5. It’s a cheap date 

6. It tells you you’re alright 

7. It tells your worries to go to hell 

8. It doesn’t mind if you don’t talk 

9. It likes it when you sing 

10. It’s got tons of great ideas for dinner 

SHARE 

ME! 

Get #walk1000miles shareables at 

walk1000miles.co.uk/posters

How to Walk 1000 Miles

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?