Social Distancing Lakeland style

Still being on furlough, but with lockdown slightly easing, we took a trip to the Lakes that had been moved from our original March date. Some trepidation preceded the trip; would we go, should we go, how would it work, would it be safe enough, but we were reassured by guidelines emailed from the hotels about the check in procedures, cleaning methods and social distancing measures they had put in place.

Once we arrived, the staff were all fantastic as were their systems for keeping everyone safe. Rooms are now not cleaned every day (which I really don’t mind at all), one way systems, masks, sanitiser and tables thinned and spaced out in the bars and restaurants with table service. A huge thanks and appreciation go to all of them - one lady admitted they were all exhausted after an extremely busy summer.

Wast Water from the descent of Lingmell

We’ve heard about the National Parks experiencing huge volumes of people who might otherwise have gone abroad for their summer holidays and some of those people behaved disrespectfully and thoughtlessly with tons of rubbish being left everywhere, barbecues smouldering (we saw evidence of burnt patches of grass in several places), trees being cut down, walls damaged, gates left open and more. We met a wonderful lady called Lindsay Buck on the climb up to Scafell Pike who calls herself the #WasdaleWomble; she’s climbed Scafell Pike voluntarily over 140 times to litter pick. Have a look at her Just Giving page as she’s raising money for Wasdale Mountain Rescue. A real life wonder woman.

Mosedale dwarfing the Wasdale Head Inn. From Lingmell

So now that we’re in Autumn, things seem to have calmed down a little and may be returning to a sort of normal, with only avid walkers braving the heights and elements. We based ourselves in Wasdale for the bulk of the time we were there, which in itself is fairly off the beaten track. We stayed at the wonderful, historic and iconic Wasdale Head Inn, somewhere we’ve only visited before for food and drink, and it was fantastic.

Full of the history of the pioneering days of British rock climbing, with the Abraham Brothers’ photos covering every wall, it has such a special atmosphere. You’re also surrounded by all the giants of Lakeland, so the scenery is truly magnificent and it’s very easy to social distance here! We climbed Scafell, Slight Side, Scafell Pike, Lingmell and Pillar while in the valley and Allen Crags and Rossett Pike in Langdale with varying weather conditions from warm and sunny to utterly freezing with high wind, sleet and torrential rain, but it really cleared away the cobwebs and we only ever met three or four people all day.

The lobby of the Wasdale Head Inn

We are so grateful to have been able to visit the Lakes in these difficult times, but it really has helped to recharge and rejuvenate us for the coming months ahead when we could possibly end up facing another lockdown, but here’s hoping and praying this all ends soon for all of us.

Mickleden from the descent of Rossett Pike

Pinpricks of light in dark times

Who’d have thought we’d still be in lockdown albeit now it’s gradually beginning to ease? For us, a simple pleasure is that we can now visit local coffee shops as part of a walk which was something we really missed doing. I am still a furloughed worker, but I have been keeping busy and I had a think about those things personal to me that have given me simple pleasure during these dark times.

Exploring our home area

Exploring within 10 miles of home

the secret bluebell wood

I know this has been the topic of lots of posts and tweets, but it’s true. Walking dogs in our area over the past 20 years has meant we’ve done most of the immediate and middle ground around home, so we’ve stretched out a little further as we were allowed to, and walked for ten miles or so. We found some beautiful little places and took paths we’d never tried. A tiny bluebell wood in full bloom tucked away at the back of two fields in a little hollow that we had all to ourselves in May was the highlight.

Walking on the golf course

A privilege to be allowed to walk here

Our county golf course is only a ten minute walk from us, but obviously has been off limits to the general public ever since I’ve known it, except for one tiny stretch that we always hurried across in case we were hit by fast moving balls. They very kindly opened it up in April for about six weeks to local people and it was an absolute delight. Stunningly beautiful, quiet, filled with flowering trees and wild flowers, long valleys and some pretty views, it was a total pleasure especially early in the morning. I was quite happy wandering there alone or with my brother. with a full perimeter walk being about three and a half miles. We could also make the walks longer, knowing we could cut back across the course, instead of negotiating a long stretch on a narrow but busy road. I was genuinely upset when they closed it again for the golfers.

Birds and Butterflies

one of the jays living in our oak tree

stunning peacock butterfly

Aside from the gorgeous birdsong greeting me each morning with my window thrown wide open, we’ve spent more time watching the birds in the garden. We have several feeders and it’s lovely to see all sorts of birds, some of which have become quite tame. We had a lovely little Blue Tit family in our bird box we were lucky enough to see as they fledged and blundered about loudly in the trees for the first time. We had Jays nesting in our oak tree and a family of squirrels, three of which are still in the garden each day. We have a large number of Red Kites that float overhead and do occasionally swoop down into the garden if they think they spot something. Dunnocks, Long Tail Tits, Nuthatches, Goldfinches, a pair of ducks that came at the same time every day for three weeks, a party of really tame white pigeons, a gang of Jackdaws and many more and it’s been lovely. We also have a huge Buddleia bush which has been filled with butterflies and it’s so lovely to watch them feeding.

oOo

I realise many people have had terrible, grief stricken, stressful and worrying times or put themselves at risk to help others over the last months and my sympathies go out to them, their families and friends, but let’s hope there is light and better times at the end of the tunnel for us all. And soon.

Looking forward

As lockdown leeches into a third month now, I am still on furlough until further notice. I have been using the time productively and, amongst lots of other things, one of the jobs that I have being doing is sorting and editing photos. I have also completely re-vamped and refreshed this website, adding an orientation section to some of the national parks in the UK.

All of this has meant trawling through hundreds, if not thousands, of photos and hundreds of those are of the Lake District. It’s all made me fairly “homesick”, and I thought I’d address that by listing some of the places we’ll be visiting as soon as we’re allowed back out properly and safely.

1. Buttermere

Our absolute favourite valley and favourite place to walk. In Wainwright terms, we’ve climbed everything around the valley except for Hopegill Head, but we will be back to walk round Buttermere itself and just enjoy the village, the atmosphere and scenery.

Buttermere Valley from Fleetwith Pike

2. Glenridding

I adore this village and the whole Patterdale area in general. Ullswater is stunning and the Ullswater Way is another plan once we’ve finished climbing the Wainwrights. I love the fact you can get up high and enjoy the views with very little effort.

Glenridding from Birks

3. Wasdale

Almost half of the 28 Wainwrights we have left to climb are in Wasdale, so we’ll be spending a couple of weeks in this beautiful valley eventually. It’s very remoteness is what appeals, and it really feels as though you’re in ‘proper’ mountain country here, surrounded as you are by all the highest fells.

Wast Water

4. Thirlmere

I’ve just read an article by Bill Birkett as he explored the eastern shore of Thirlmere and the surprising amount of things of interest there. We have done bits of it, but I’d like to walk it completely. It’s such a lovely quiet, perhaps slightly unterrated place and the views are stunning.

The Thirlmere valley from Brown Cove

5. Ennerdale

This is an area we really haven’t been to but we’ve looked down on Ennerdale Water from several of the high fells that surround it. I’d like to explore the circuit of the lake and revel in the peace and quiet that its remoteness offers. No roads round the lake helps!

Ennerdale

Until such time though, I’ll have to content myself with looking at photos and I also have Terry Abraham’s DVDs of Scafell Pike and Blencathra which will help, but in the meantime, stay safe and well and keep focusing on the light at the end of the tunnel.

Pastures New

So, lockdown continues apace, although after this weekend, there might be announcements of slight easing. Let’s hope and pray this is the beginning of the end of the worst of it.

As part of daily exercise, Bro and I have been getting out from home and it’s been really quite surprisingly good. Within about half a mile we can be in pastoral, rural farmland and not see a soul. It’s been stimulating to explore new paths, revisit areas we haven’t walked to for ages and get a little creative with where to go, so it doesn’t become stale. The weather has been utterly amazing too which has really helped.

Our county golf course also generously opened up to walkers and runners and, luckily for us, the clubhouse is a mere ten minute walk away from home. The golf course is absolutely stunning with beautiful trees, woodland, bluebells and some nifty hills to get the heart rate up and maintain some hill fitness.

I thought I’d share some phone photos of the local walks and new places discovered on the doorstep.

Local rural farmland

Beautiful in the warm sun

Early morning light on the golf course

A bluebell wood hidden away and found by chance. We had it all to ourselves!

Revisiting paths we hadn’t walked for a while

Walking on the golf course

The golf course - just beautiful

Stunning May blossom

Our local pond

I hope you all keep safe and well; thanks and gratitude go as always to front line and key workers, and let’s hope this wretched virus is slowly on the way out, so that we all can be too.

Lockdown 2020

Well, these certainly are unprecedented times.

Firstly, my thoughts and sympathies are with everyone who has relatives and friends they have lost, who are unwell, in the most vulnerable section of society or coping with lockdown alone.

Secondly, huge respect, thanks, gratitude and admiration for all our NHS workers, emergency services, supermarket workers, chemists, delivery drivers, food producers and every other key worker who are all toiling selflessly, tirelessly and at great personal risk to help us all and keep us fed.

So, with weeks at home, what am I doing to keep busy? We were due to go the Lakes for a fortnight in the middle of March which has been moved to October and I really appreciate the three hotels and one cottage company moving them quickly without additional charge. We have another two weeks booked at the end of May which I will move to next year.

Exercise: We are taking one short fresh air walk from the door each day - within a mile we can be in rural countryside where we meet no one. We have a running machine and a little stepper at home which we use and Bro has his road bike attached to Zwift - an online virtual cycling programme - where he cycles virtually with friends and even has a virtual coffee afterwards! Just to keep fitness levels up and keep active.

Gardening: We’re lucky to have a sizeable garden, so we’ve been weeding, pruning, painting benches, fences and steps, but it’s also nice just to sit and listen to the birds. We have a couple of bird feeders up and it’s incredible the number of birds that appear. We also have some Blue Tits in our nest box and lots of squirrels.

Kit: This is a great time to sort out kit. We have cleaned and re-proofed our walking boots, re-proofed down jackets and waterproofs, mended any fastenings or straps on rucksacks and cleaned them, cleaned walking poles and generally turfed out old or broken items. Winter hats, gloves and fleeces have all been washed.

Planning: This is a great time to plan routes, new destinations, new trips. There a lots of ideas on You Tube, in books, magazines, online, on Facebook groups and so on for walks and routes. We spend a lot of time doing this and hopefully when all this is over, we will appreciate being able to get out on the fells again even more.

Photos: I spent a lot of time going through my thousands of photos; editing, deleting and filing. I also spent a couple of hours a day last week producing a photo book. We also spent time looking at the photos we have in frames and re-framed, re-mounted, re-printed or touched up those we had to make them look better. We also did the same with pictures on the walls.

Blogging: For those that write blogs, this is a good time to create more content, or try to promote your blog. Perhaps even start a blog or even a You Tube channel.

Books: I have a lot of books and went through them, streamlining and editing out those I don’t read any more. I took a bag to our local charity bin drop which I neatly combined with my short daily walk.

Social Media: There are some great sites out there where people are posting pictures and funny items to keep peoples’ spirits up. I love my daily dose of Lake District pictures and those amazing people who run marathons on their balcony and climb Everest up their stairs. Whatever we can do to raise morale is a good thing. It’s a perfect way to keep up with self isolated friends and we also have a work What’s App group to keep in touch.

Neighbours: We’re lucky that we have lovely neighbours, both next door on each side and next but one on each side and it’s lovely to chat over the fence - much more than usual as everyone is normally at work.

Arts: A bit of a new one, but Bro paints really well so he’s being doing that although he works from home and does have work still coming in. He’s also taken up wood carving and has produced some lovely little figures. I had a go at lino cutting as I’d had the bits for over a year and never touched it, with surprisingly reasonable results, and photos of both our efforts made it into Cumbria Life magazine!

So, whatever your circumstances and surroundings, we will get through this.

Stay at home, observe the guidelines, be kind to each other, keep safe and well.

All this to look forward to!

Wittenham Clumps

Round Hill, the taller of the Clumps

Here in the south, whilst we might be blessed with beautiful, pastoral landscapes, ancient sweeping chalkland vistas, acres of woodland and stunning coastlines, we're not over endowed with high hills. There are the Mendips (325m), the North Wessex Downs (297m), the Quantocks at 389m, the Purbeck Hills at 208m and Dunkery Beacon and High Willhays on Dartmoor peak at 600m and 621m respectively. Nearest to us are the Chiltern Hills which are lovely, but they come in at a lofty 267m. For those of us who have a passion for the high fells, this is all a little frustrating.

However, a mere half hour drive from us lies a pair of wooded, chalk hills towering over the South Oxfordshire landscape at a whopping 120m called Wittenham Clumps. The 'clump' refers to the wooded portion on top of each hill, but they are officially called the Sinodun Hills; Sinodun meaning old fort. Named Round Hill and Castle Hill, there is a bronze age hill fort on Castle Hill and evidence of a long occupation. Time Team dug here for a while and discovered some sort of Roman villa with a mosaic floor.

I remember the Poem Tree. In the 19th century, a Joseph Tubbs carved quite a long poem into the trunk of one of the trees on Round Hill (the Earth Trust’s website has the poem detailed in full - see www.earthtrust.org.uk) but even 20 years ago it was difficult to read. Sadly the tree died long ago and has collapsed fairly recently. A couple of other folkloric things of interest are the Money Pit - a hollow where a raven is said to have buried its treasure and some of the trees on the top of Round Hill are known as the Cuckoo Pen - legend being that if you trap a Cuckoo there, it will be endless summer.

The Thames, beautiful in May, walking to the Clumps from Dorchester

Locally known as the Berkshire Bubs (the county boundary was moved a few decades ago) or Mother Dunch's Buttocks (after a local lady of the manor), they are something of a landmark, standing proud of the Oxfordshire plain, close to the River Thames. What they do do, is provide a viewpoint for a fabulous 360 degree panorama over Oxfordshire and the start or end point of a series of lovely walks. We have been going since we were kids as Dad always only really enjoyed a walk if it had a view, something we've obviously inherited. 

Stunning views from the top of the Clumps over oxfordshire

Surrounded by fields, it's a great place for families to picnic and very popular for kite flying, dog walking and Sunday afternoon strolling, but you can combine the clumps into much longer walks if you prefer and it really does make a lovely day out, especially in the spring when all the May blossom is at its frothy best. Nearby Dorchester is a beautiful little village with a huge Abbey, Wallingford a pretty market town with a long history and there are scores of lovely villages in rural settings to visit en route or stop for a wander. The Thames runs nearby, but it’s the gentle, meandering greeny blue Thames, with fish, birdlife and tiny beaches.

Frothy GORgeous May blossom

A peaceful, sunny spot

So whilst you may not have to pack a rucksack and take walking poles, I will always have a soft spot for the Clumps - a little piece of high ground punching way above its weight. Or height.

Brightwell barrow. A barrow not a clump

Sedentary v Sporty

I have a largely sedentary job. I work in a branch of a small group of six travel agencies which, by necessity, involves some lengthy periods of sitting at my desk and I really don't like sitting for long periods of time; well, even short periods of time.

I do have a comfortable chair and I do move my screen directly in front of me, but I tend to cross my legs at the ankle with my legs tucked under my chair, meaning when I do get up, my knees feel stiff and achey. I can't think this is a good thing. I try to plant my feet squarely on the floor, keeping my legs at a right angle to my body, but turning the screen, leaning forward, writing notes, flipping brochure pages and juggling files and a keyboard on the desk is, I'm sure, ultimately bad for my posture. Let's not even talk about tucking the phone between ear and shoulder whilst writing or typing...

To this end, I like to get up and move about at every opportunity; ‘ants in your pants', 'whirling dervish' and 'you've got too much energy' have all been levelled at me over the years by my poor, exasperated colleagues. I have been known to stretch and lunge in the back office, much to their consternation and amusement sometimes. Dealing with brochures however, (yes, we do still have them) is a great workout and a job I relish. The packs are heavy, so it's a lot of lifting, shifting and moving about as the office is sizeable and I feel I've done at least a modicum of exercise during the day once I’ve finished.

I did once record the distance I walked at work on my phone - just moving about the office, sorting out the brochures, walking to the local bakery for a sandwich and to and from the car all amounted to just over 2 miles, which really surprised me.

The NHS advocates we all do at least 150 minutes of exercise a week. That's a little over 20 minutes a day. 

20 minutes! 

So, how can you improve your sedentary working day and inject some exercise into your daily routine?

If you take public transport, perhaps get off the bus or tube a stop or two earlier and walk a little further.  Ask a relative/colleague/friend/car share to drop you somewhere slightly different in the morning. Cycle or walk for a change if you can and perhaps take a longer route if possible. I had a colleague once who always drove the mile to work....

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Just move about the office more. Try to get up every quarter of an hour or so, even if it's just to stand at your desk and stretch (surreptitiously of course - I don't advocate doing this in full view of customers/clients). Try standing up when you answer the phone.

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Deskercise. There are lots of stretches for back, neck, shoulders and legs that can be done whilst sitting at your desk that your colleagues may not even realise you’re doing, for example rolling your shoulders or moving your lower legs.

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Develop a habit. Start going out at the same time each day, or stretching at your desk every hour, so it becomes second nature. You could even go to the gym or for a run at lunchtime. Take the dog out before or after work, exercise with a colleague every Tuesday.

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Volunteer to walk to the post office/get the milk/take the rubbish out/buy coffee. Even five minutes will clear your head and stimulate your system. Walk more quickly than usual to get your heart rate up.

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Log your daily walking, running, swimming or cycling on Fitbit, Garmin, Strava, Map My Walk/Run or Viewranger (among others). There are lots of virtual challenges out there too, some with certificates, badges or medals for completing certain distances and it's fun to log your mileage and see progress. Bro and I have done 5 challenges this year so far between us and we're really competitive with each other, so it's a great motivator.

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We don't have a cleaner at work and I am a real Monica, so I usually do all the cleaning - wiping the desks, cleaning the kitchen, the shelves, hoovering, hauling the heavy bins in and out are all good, simple ways to keep moving. 

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Try to go out at lunchtime. I know this isn't always possible for everyone and I'm guilty of never really taking a proper lunch break, but I do like to get out and do the 'circuit' - a little half mile route I devised from the office, down to the river and back which only takes 10 minutes or so. Your brain and eyes do need a little time to re-charge and rest and it's a relief to get away from ringing phones, pinging texts, endless emails and frankly, the sound of my own voice sometimes, to destress and take a few lungfuls of fresh air so you can face the afternoon refreshed. Especially invigorating in winter I find, when heaters and heating in the office can leave you feeling dry and headachy.

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Always take the stairs.

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20 minutes a day!

Obviously where I’d like to be each day….

20 Golden Nuggets

Our hiking career started what is now well over 30 years ago. Fell walking, hiking and climbing all over the world, the UK and the last decade intensively climbing the Wainwrights in the Lake District.

I’ve listed twenty golden nuggets of common sense and advice I wish I been told all those years ago, because it would have saved a lot of discomfort and effort. They are all pretty straightforward, hopefully sensible and practical and all honed over years of making mistakes and learning from them (which has been kind of fun!)

1. PLAN YOUR ROUTE

   In the early years, we just bowled off without really looking at maps or guidebooks, resulting in much longer and in some cases, much harder routes. In Wainwright climbing terms, we’ve missed fells out for various reasons (too tired, too far, bad weather) which has meant long additional days going back to them and most of them were in the middle of a ridge and took ages.

2. TAKE THE RIGHT FOOD

   We really didn’t take enough at the beginning and what we took ended up soggy, tasteless and squashed flat. Utterly unappealing. We then went for spicy, strong flavours which made us feel queasy. We now take food we actually look forward to eating and much less sweet and spicy options; boiled eggs, chicken chunks, brazil nuts, dried fruit…but not all at once….

3. DON’T GO AT IT TOO HARD

   There is a temptation to go full pelt, head down to ‘get it over with’ day after day, especially if you’re away for a week or two, but all that happens is you end up exhausted and not enjoying it. We always have a day’s rest in between walks to re-charge and it really makes a difference.

4. GET SOME DECENT BOOTS

   What more to say really? Blisters, rubbing and chafing are agonising on the day and and could in the long run end up doing serious damage to tendons, ankles, knees and hips. You really shouldn’t think about your feet at all if you’ve got it right.

5. TAKE TIME TO LOOK AROUND YOU

   Isn’t this why we all do it? Why we flog up steep hills and rocky paths or squelch through endless mud and marsh? The views, the outdoors, the fresh air. It’s a beautiful world and we’re all in too much of a hurry most of the time to appreciate it.

6. IF YOU PEE ON THE HILL, USE PAPER

   This is more for the ladies. I know it’s indelicate, but you get hot and sweaty walking and if you haven’t used paper, it’s not good. Nipping and burning when you pee leads to stomach ache - it’s not comfortable and please don’t ignore it hoping it’ll go - cranberry juice and over the counter treatments don’t work, only a course of antibiotics cures it. Drink plenty, use paper and carry a plastic bag with you to put it in afterwards.

7. LEARN TO GIVE UP

   For whatever reason; too tired, too late, too wet, too cold, boots rubbing, dog pulling. Some days you just won’t be feeling it and it’s much more sensible to give up, turn around and call it a day. It’ll all still be there the next time.

8. PUT CLOTHING ON BEFORE IT GETS COLD OR WET

   Obvious really, but I’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve fumbled in rucksacks for waterproofs as it’s hammering down, tried to force overtrousers on in a gale and if you’ve ever tried to get gloves on soaking, numb hands in a hail storm….. Bro always seems to let his hands get red raw frozen before he puts gloves on, but I have a touch of rheumatism in a couple of fingers so try to keep them as warm and dry as possible. Similarly, take clothes off before you overheat.

9. MAKE SURE YOUR CLOTHES ARE COMFORTABLE

   And by that, I mean every item of clothing you wear. If you’re aware of what you’re wearing, it’s wrong.

10. READ THE GUIDEBOOKS

    Having a quick read of a guidebook of the area you’re walking or visiting means you won’t miss anything of interest. If you’re climbing peaks, it could mean you take in additional, lesser summits you didn’t know were nearby. I can’t tell you the number of things like stone circles and burial mounds I’ve missed by about 100 feet.

11. DON’T TRY TO BE TOO GROOMED

    Elaborate hairstyles will sink and flop with the addition of a woolly hat or hood, make up will run in the rain or sweat off and jewellery will either be lost or dig in. Best to tie long hair up and keep cosmetics to a minimum. I only wear a simple pair of stud earrings and even then I’ve lost the back off them twice by tucking sodden hair behind my ears.

12. MUSIC REALLY HELPS

    This is a relatively new one for us. A couple of years ago we tackled the nose of High Hartsop Dodd and put some music on while we climbed and we were at the top before we knew it. We’ve since plugged in for a couple more steep climbs and it really helps to focus your mind. I certainly don’t advocate blaring music for all to hear, or being plugged in all day - just for the big climbs.

13. DRINK PLENTY

    Probably one of the most important elements of any day in the outdoors. Just because you’re not thirsty, doesn’t mean you aren’t dehydrated. Electrolyte tabs will help with the favour of your water and with replacing lost salts, as too much water can flush them out. Over hydration isn’t good either.

14. STOP TO BREW COFFEE

    Again, this is fairly new for us as we have never liked the taste of tea or coffee from a flask and we didn’t always want to carry any additional weight on a long day in the hills. However, on weekend or low level walks, we always take a little burner and brew a decent cup of coffee with real milk and freshly ground coffee. It really boosts morale and gives you a halfway stop to look forward to, a reward at the end of a walk, or a pleasant thing to do even if you’re just sitting on a bench admiring the view.

15. KEEP YOUR WRISTS WARM

    Keep your wrists warm keeps your hands warm. Lots of arteries are in your wrists and it’ll keep the blood warmer before it gets to your hands. Similarly, running cold water over your wrists in hot weather cools you down.

16. GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME

    Walking does sometimes take longer than you think. You may decide to take a different route, to make it longer, to climb another peak or sit in the sun for a while. You may be tired, just not in a rush, generally slower or been stuck in traffic and arrived later than you intended. Just make sure you’ve got enough time and energy for the return, because you really don’t want to be descending in the dark or over bog if you don’t have to. Be especially mindful of this in winter.

17. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

    Take note of how you feel. Don’t ignore any persistent aches, pains or twinges. Bro had real knee trouble that he put down to a sprain - turned out to be a torn meniscus needing surgery. Eat sensible foods as you walk to avoid queasiness. Note that hot spot where a blister might be forming, drink more to avoid a nasty headache developing and think about how your rucksack’s fitting and packed if your shoulders or back are sore at the end of a walk. Prevention is better than cure and all these symptoms means something’s not quite right.

18. HELP YOUR BODY

    Obviously, fitness is hugely beneficial as we all know. Core strength seems to be at the, well, core of everything; strengthening your back, helping your legs and improving posture but there are other ways we can help too. Walking poles can take the strain off your knees on descents and help with balance and stability, insoles can correct your gait and compression clothing can help increase blood flow and recovery time. Cover, plaster and file corns, blisters and calluses, keep toenails short, balm your lips, moisturise your face, slap on sunscreen, put on sunglasses and icepack aching muscles. Stretch, roll, soak and massage. Eat well and sleep well. Pamper your feet and respect your back, or it’ll go out more than you do.

19. INVEST IN THE RIGHT CLOTHING

    I don’t mean go out and spend a month’s salary on a jacket, but one or two carefully chosen pieces really will make a difference if you intend to make your chosen activity a regular thing. Made from the right materials, to help with perspiring, waterproofing, support, comfort, aerodynamics or warmth, they’ll help you enjoy your days in the outdoors that much more.

20. MAKE IT ENJOYABLE

    If you’re in an area to climb, it can be a little relentless if you’re not careful, especially if you have limited time. It’s tough, climbing fells or mountains, walking long distance paths or crossing boggy moorland, so take time to look around you, take friends and share it, take photos, sit and look at the views, spot wildlife, listen to the skylarks, but mainly just drink it all in.