Though I walk regularly anyway, I decided to "up my game" for 2016, and follow Country Walking Magazine's #Walk 1000 Miles Challenge
On January 1st I walked round Wormleighton, Oxfordshire, (link: one-canal-two-deserted-villages) and met this fierce looking Texel sheep standing on the grassy humps of a deserted Medieval village
Later in the month, I met more sheep, on a cold January day on the Sheepwalks- little known hills just outside the Black Country (Link: sheepwalks-in-late-afternoon.)
In February, we started the Monarch's Way Long distance path (over 600 miles, and I've only covered about 70 so far.)This is White Ladies Priory, where King Charles spent the night after he fled from the defeat at the Battle of Worcester. (Link: in-footsteps-of-escaping-king)
Stately homes offer good walking in their grounds: this is Blenheim Palace at Easter. (I'd never do it again because of the Bank Holiday crowds, though they thinned out as we started our walk.)( (Link: blenheim-palace-grounds-celebrating-300.years of Capability Brown)
In May, my husband needed to go to London: I accompanied him and walked from the Thames Barrier to Tower Bridge while he sat in a stuffy meeting. (Link: stormy-times-and-high-tides-thames)
I discovered a fabulous walk local to me: Habberley Valley, near Kidderminster - one of my new favourites. You climb steeply upwards through some dispiriting woodlands, but at the top there is a fantastic view over the whole of the Black Country as well as parts of Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Shropshire. (North Worcestershire path on the skyline) (Link: short-but-superb-habberley-valley-near.Kidderminster)
I love urban canals, especially those round Birmingham - they are so secret. This canal goes right under the M5.(Link: narrow-boats-pools-and-motorways.html)
June saw me in Gloucestershire: this is an Iron Age Barrow that you can climb right inside - known locally as Hetty Pegler's Tump (Link: climbing-inside-bronze-age-barrow-uley)
I spent much of the summer holiday sailing - at home and in Cornwall, so I got a bit behind on my walking, though I did manage some miles. This is Loe Pool in Cornwall - Cornwall's largest lake. (Link: gentle-walk-round-loe-bar)
Another great local walk: along the Severn Valley....
... and back by steam train (Link: severn-stroll-bewdley-to-arley)
In October, I did my favourite walk of the year: climbing Cadair Idris. Fantastic views all the way.
Daughter Ruth accompanied me to the summit
..and photographed me starting the descent. (Link: cader-challenge-could-you-do-it)
I went out in all weathers. Pouring rain on the Malverns, but a lovely rainbow at the end of the walk. If I'd stayed in, I would have missed it. (But I would have been drier!) I didn't blog this walk - too wet!
Most of my walks were local - through fields to get a newspaper, for example, or, as here, along the Staffs and Worcs Canal to a tearoom in Wolverley
This walk was my most popular blog post this year, and though it looks sunny, this was in late Autumn (Link: a-tearoom-walk-kinver-to-wolverley)
Two unpublished pictures from December: we went to Barmouth to walk part of the Mawddach Trail, and this was the best view on the whole walk(!)
...but back at the cottage, a late afternoon walk the following day gave us this beautiful sunset
I finished my 1000 miles, boots only walk on 31st December, in the dying light of the old year, on my local walk on Kinver Edge (South Staffs)
It's been a great year - and I have really enjoyed the challenge.
What about you - could you do this? With a little planning, it's definitely possible - you make up your own rules. Some people counted all their steps, some just did walks of a certain length. Look at the Facebook page to see more. Or get a copy of Country Walking magazine of course. Let me know how you get on.
