For a few years now, my wife and I have accepted a challenge set by Country Walking Magazine to walk 1,000 miles in a year. The weekly milage required to achieve this is actually only 19.23, which is hardly a marathon. We both love walking, getting into the countryside and enjoying the freedom and serenity we often find there.
The photos accompanying this piece show a single shot from each month, merely to illustrate the variety of trails and tracks we’ve followed.
Once introduced to the idea via the magazine, we discovered we were able to download a spreadsheet to keep a record. And my mobile phone, in common with most, provides us with a distance figure at the end of each walk. So, it’s easy to keep track.
There’s a group set up on Facebook if you like to socialise with others of a like mind. Ideas for walks, actual routes, photographs, and stories are all shared there.
This year we started, as usual, on New Year’s Day and a few days ago we reached our target, 1,000 miles. That doesn’t mean we’ll stop, of course…
You can carry on reading this piece, and see all the photos on Medium here. It’s a ‘free to read’ post on that site.
I’ll be posting a new piece about the WIP shortly. You’ll find that here on this site, of course!
Stuart Aken 
Stuart I think that is something to not only feel truly good about but also to stay in the best of shape. I don’t have an account in Medium but I did go into look at your photographs and they are stunning. I am happy to know that you are still writing and walking my friend. You two are amazing. Big hugs and all the best wishes to you both.
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Thank you, Joni. We took up the challenge in an attempt to keep us fit. We both enjoy walking anyway, but the challenge prompted us to go out even on those days when one of us felt under the weather or the the weather itself was uninviting. So far, it’s working! So we’ll keep at it.
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I remember all those walks and all the pictures of you and your wife. Even when the bugs were so bad you had to cover yourselves in a plastic overcoat to protect your faces and bodies from insects. Yet the scenery was always beautiful and I know that you both enjoyed yourselves and you both look amazing. I pray that you continue this wonderful habit that you have gotten used to as walking. I truly believe is one of the best exercises there are especially if you don’t want arthritis in every joint of your body as you get older. It keeps our cardiovascular system healthy, and also keeps us thin. I certainly don’t do any weightlifting anymore. I did that for several years, but stopped that years ago after my shoulder got so bad and I’m glad that I did. Stretch stretching is still good and I’m sure you both stretch when you walk. Keep it up my friend and sending you blessings and gratitude for sharing your gorgeous photographs of the trees and the paths you and Valerie have walked up upon.
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We’ll definitely keep it up as long as we’re able, Joni. It’s certainly the best way of staving off the problems arthritis can bring with the years.
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6km is about 3.7 miles, so as you say, Lynette, a bit more than our average. But we do sometimes manage 7 or 8 miles. As long as what we’re doing helps keep us fit and active, that’s all that matters.
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I might make 500….
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Is that 500 yard, metres, kilometres of miles, Noelle, and is that daily or yearly? (-)
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Mikes per year – but some days it feels like inches a month
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500 per year isn’t bad, Noelle. And it’s a lot more than many people manage. Certainly better than doing nothing. I hope you have a pleasant place in which to walk.
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That’s the problem. It’s just the neighborhood, which gets soooo boring after a while!
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I can understand that, Noelle. We previously lived on the edge of a small market town and our walks there were often at least partly routed through the urban rather than the rural. Living here in the forest has allowed us to walk about 50 different routes without ever having to use a car, just walking from our own front door. It’s a real privilege.
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Dear friend, your 1,000-mile walking challenge with your wife is truly inspiring—such dedication to countryside serenity and shared adventures, with those monthly trail photos painting a year of pure freedom!
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Thank you, Dinesh. It’s a pleasant activity with so many benefits. And, yes the freedom of the natural world and its lack of boundaries is definitely a bonus.
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20 miles a day on foot for me is time consuming, especially in the winter. I have to give credit to you and your wife, you’ll both live to be a hundred!
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Ah, secretlydonut, 20 miles a day would kill me. That’s the weekly figure! You can do it on just a little less than 3 miles a day. Sometimes we manage more, sometimes less, but it averages out over the year.
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A beautiful photo collection, Stuart. Cheers.
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… and congratulations on your walking accomplishment.
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Thank you, Lynette. It’s an attractive challenge, keeps us active even on those days when old bones and joints complain, and allows us quiet time to let the old grey cells wander through whatever may need attention. It also gives me opportunities to take those pictures, of course.
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I walk about 5-6 km a day which is a bit more than you but also trying to keep the brain and bones healthy!
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