To Shop Or Not To Shop......

They Who Know declared “training over” after my 16 and 13 miles, complete with blisters, last weekend and even encouraged me to go shopping instead of walking this weekend! Unfortunately, I had a mountain of work to get through before taking the week off so I sat in front of my computer the whole time trying to get words and pictures do the things I wanted them to do and as dull as that was, at no time did I think “I’d rather be walking”………….

I have, however, noticed that when I’m driving about, I spot footpath signs a mile off and always look to see if (a) anyone is on the path and (b) the state of it (dry/muddy/overgrown). I had no idea there were so many public paths in this area and I never really realised how pretty it is round here – the countryside is green, well wooded, gently rolling and dotted with beautiful red brick farm houses and cottages. There are of course some absolute eyesores, then there’s all that poo but all in all it’s not bad. A few weekends ago an article in one of the papers declared Buckinghamshire the best place in the country to live and now that I’ve walked every square inch of it, I’m inclined to agree.

Next Saturday will see us heading for the North Country to spend the night with They Who Know before we start the real walk on Sunday. I can’t believe it’s so close and every now and then my heart skips a beat and I have a moment of panic thinking “I can’t do this” and I have to go through the ritual of reminding myself that I will have all day to cover the distances between B&Bs, I will be able to take a “lunch break” instead of leaning against a fence post for ten minutes and I won’t have to Hoover or cook when I get to where I’m going!

I try to picture taking a rest beside a fast running stream, surrounded by beautiful scenery, breathing in clean, fresh air but that image is always spoiled by the thought that sitting on the ground is always a bit iffy. There be creepies and there be crawlies down there and I like neither…………..