#walk1000miles – July 2019

Just over the halfway point in August(!), I felt it would be an appropriate time to update you on the month that was July 2019.

03/07 – 4 miles – Wick St. Lawrence, North Somerset
06/07 – 13 miles – Stiperstones, Shropshire
11/07 – 4 miles – Wick St. Lawrence, North Somerset
13/07 – 16.25 miles – Black Mountains, South Wales
21/07 – 9 miles – Axe Edge, Peak District
22/07 – 7 miles – Dovedale and Ilam
23/07 – 9.75 miles – Kinder Scout, Peak District
24/07 – 12 miles – Stanage Edge, Peak District
25/07 – 8.75 miles – Alport Castles, Peak District
26/07 – 13.5 miles – Brown Knoll and Rushup Edge

Total for July 2019 = 97.25 miles

July was quite a busy month. Beginning with a camping trip to Shropshire, early on and then a longer trip to the Peak District before August would step in to frame.

I was only able to take part in the one walk during that Shropshire weekend (two nights of camping, for me anyway) and my last day was spent canoeing down the River Severn. But it was a welcome return to the Stiperstones. An area I’d been wanting to revisit since 2015.

My only Welsh walk of the month was my recent walk-leading experience. One person turned up… Then another thankfully arrived before we would depart across the Severn! A good day on the weather front, as I’d already cancelled this route twice previously due to terrible forecasts.

Then there was the Peak District… A trip away with three friends that was originally going to be cast in Scotland. But, due to a variety of issues and concerns, we’ve postponed that one. Had two of our party not already been to the Lake District this year, I like to think we might’ve gone there!

I do like the Peak District. If I ever move far from this area called home, I’ve often thought (through recent years) that I’d like to settle in to Derbyshire. It is much closer to everything that’s far away right now. But I could equally have waited another couple of years before revisiting… We’d already been to Snowdonia in May. It wasn’t a bad place to spend seven days with six consecutive walks and most exploring places that were new to me.

It has taken me this long to write about July. Partly because I’ve spent more time writing about my recent walks (which I enjoy more) but also because I’m feeling ‘less in-love’ with the #walk1000miles thing than I was, say, two years ago. I like the idea of continuing to track and log my monthly mileage but from, January 2020, I reckon I’ll attempt to disassociate myself from the #walk1000miles trend.

‘Month in Review’ is a heading you may see.

Please don’t get me wrong. I see it as an excellent initiative to get people active and walking more. I currently feel as though my purpose lies in a slightly different direction. Looking at the stats for last month, I also feel confident that I’ll break the benchmark once again.

Current total for 2019 = 672.75 miles

Thanks for reading.