Post 90: 31 December 2016
Whilst the World has been in chaos, it has been a good walking year personally, having completed five long-distance walks:
The Samaratan Way
The Wilberforce Way
The Yorkshire Water Way
The Derwent Walk
Fred Olsen Circular on MS Balmoral (many, many laps around the deck!)
I have also started my fifteeth long-distance walk The Cleveland Circles and have completed eleven of the thirty walks it entails.
If reading this on WordPress, all the above can be viewed in my Facebook blog: The Secret Diaries of a Long-distance Walker
Significant memories of 2016 include:
Whilst on The Samaritan Way remembering those less fortunate who do not see a path ahead. If only they had known there is always another path to be found.
Walking The Wilberforce Way and recalling the abolition of slavery.
Whilst walking The Yorkshire Water Way seeing where our basic requirement for survival comes from, water.
Whilst walking The Derwent Way following a river from its source, a tiny puddle, to a river that can flood homes but also help to keep the countryside replenished and the population drinking.
The friendship and laughs with my walking companions. We do call ourselves The New Last of the Summer Wine.
So may funny incidents, too many to list here…… you will just have to backtrack on the diaries.
The many amazing views that I have tried to capture in my photographs. Not least the fog in the valley far below us in Bilsdale on our last walk of 2016. What a way to end the year.
When my legs have given up, I will be able to look at them (my Diaries NOT my legs) and recall wonderful memories.
Always known as bit of a planner, my epitaph is already written:
My Feet and Legs both declined
My Lungs have lost their wind
My Spirit extinct my Teeth decayed
And in the dust my Compass is laid
My Muscles are spent my Energy gone
My Boots are drove my work is done.
However, don’t write me off just yet, plenty more walks are left to do……
So that readers don’t think I am a walking one minded geek, I do some other things with my long suffering wife of 43 years. In August we acquired Brompton Bicycles and have throughly enjoyed that. See the Facebook blog: The Secret Diaries of the Brompton Cycling Family. It is only rumour that we will be in the Tour de France in 2017. Now the Yorkshire Tour 2017 – that is a different matter!
As to the future and 2017 in particular…..
Having seen that cold weather is on its way and my Spikys were not up to the job last Thursday, yesterday I ordered some Kahtoola Microspikes from Tamarack Outdoors and what splendid service – they arrived today.
Now you might say spending £50 on microspikes is a bit extravagant. However, on going to my local farm shop today I met a senior citizen who had slipped on a bank at his home and fallen in a ditch and broken his neck. After a having a neck brace fitted and numerous hospital visits he is getting back on track. In any event I will need the microspikes for my Winter Norway trip.
So for 2017 watch where you are putting your feet and if going out in frost, ice or snow do think about wearing some spikes. Also take a trekking pole as they are great for stability.
Tomorrow I start the 1,000 miles Country Walking Magazine Challenge 2017 but will be happy with a 3 mile walk through my village followed by the Vienna New Years Day concert and by steak (from our local butcher – New Years Day treat), brandy and peppercorn sauce, chips, peas, tomato and mushrooms.
It is amazing where putting one foot in front of the other can lead………………………………
Have a Happy New Year and get those boots on and discover a whole new world……………..
Still time to sign up for the 1,000 mile 2017 challenge and not miss a day………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
secretwalkscom 