Winter Walking In Narnia
Winter 2021
Well a second lockdown wasn’t in our plans for 2021.
Sorry we can’t welcome you back just yet.
During the first lockdown we all said “thank goodness this is happening in Spring and Summer. Imagine what it would be like in Winter …” And here we are.
I have managed to get through January and half of February with the help of two things:
My temporary job at Dundee University at the Asymptomatic Testing Centre, testing students (and the staff there) for Covid-19. It’s been a change from my routine to have new work colleagues and I’ve really enjoyed spending time with our team. The team is made up of people from a diverse range of ages and backgrounds. Such a ‘mixed bag’ can sometimes be a bit of a hit or miss affair (so many metaphors) but in this case – it is definitely a hit.
The second thing that got me though the 150 days of January, was walking. Yes walking. The weather in January and early February has been bright and cold and perfect for walking. I’m doing the Scottish Women’s Walking Group Challenge to complete 1500 miles in 2021. This equates to 125 miles a month. I’m well ahead of myself for January (202 miles) and I’m on track for February (76.72 miles so far).
We’ve done some absolutely stunning walks as part of the Rob Roy Way. We started hiking this in bits before the lockdown. After that we had to go back to the end of the walk and do bits of it in Perthshire (our area). We’ve also got plenty of walks right here in Bridge of Earn, from our doorstep. Thank goodness.
Because I’m so evangelical about walking and the wellbeing benefits that come with it, I’m always keen to get more people on board. At the moment we’re only allowed to meet one other person for a walk. So my friend Michelle is the focus of my zeal at the moment. Of course my other half walks with me, but even he needs a rest from the old moving meditation. So Michelle has been coming with me on some of my favourite walks. Now Michelle and I go back a long way. We both did a Basic Leaders Expedition course many moons ago when she was an English teacher at Perth High School and I had children at the same school. We were preparing to lead groups of children on their Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions.
Anyway since then Michelle has had less and less time for walking as she is a (voluntary) slave to her job as a depute teacher. Recently she expressed a desire to get back to walking and her previous fitness levels. I didn’t need telling twice. We’ve been out on some quite lengthy walks – hills, snow, rain, slush, ice, navigational errors … the lot. I sometimes bend the truth a teeny bit as to the length of the walk or the level of difficulty. But still she comes. She has risen to the challenge and is enjoying any new challenge I throw at her (well, maybe ‘enjoy’ isn’t quite the right word).
Today, I surpassed myself and I thought that I had gone too far. I chose a moderately easy walk up Moncreiffe Hill, but I had to alter it slightly because of the heavy snowfall up the hill and on the paths. In my quest to avoid a long walk wading through snow, I thought we’d take a short cut, which involved steep steps cut into the hill, that were covered in snow. This we managed with little difficulty after an initial balk at the steepness. I confidently informed Michelle that that was the last steep bit. There were no more hills to climb or descend; it was all plain sailing from here.
However, I haven’t done this particular route before and completely forgot about a further steep climb and a narrowing of the path by a cliff. I also misjudged how long this short cut was and it ended up being longer than I remembered. Suffice to say, Michelle says she hates me and I fear she may not walk with me again. I’ll have to do a bit of grovelling before next weekend.