I started walking properly in November 2017. I’ve come a fair way on my journey since then and I’m definitely fitter and in better health than ever now I’m in my early 50’s. Given the choice between an hour outdoors or an hour of Netflix, the outdoors wins every time. I’m hooked!

5 years ago, I smoked 30 cigarettes a day and I was an emotional binge drinker. Nowadays I’d say my only vice is vaping and I’m determined to wave goodbye to that nasty habit this year. When I stopped drinking I developed a sweet tooth but I undertook an Ayurvedic cleanse designed by Sue Cowlishaw in April and haven’t had a binge since. I’ve had the odd bit of home baked cake during a walk mind you – the calories burn off pretty quickly out on the hills.

The hills. Oh those hills! After every single walk I feel slightly different than when I set off. I often feel transformed after a long walk, as though I’ve lost something but gained in other areas. It’s hard to explain. It’s as though I leave a part of me where I’ve walked and integrate part of the place I’m walking inside me. I can always tell if my mood is low – on these days I can’t “see” anything – my focus is internal, my brow furrowed, my gaze directed downwards.

Walking has the knack of lifting my gaze though. Walking is amazing! Walking is therapeutic. I went for a walk after dinner on Wednesday night. It had rained all day and I’d all but abandoned hope for the evening treat I’d been looking forward to all day. At 7pm the rain suddenly ceased. I seized my opportunity. I’d already decided where I was going and I knew the first mile or so was a steady climb, easing off after that. I got to the top and had a fit of the giggles as the endorphins kicked in. I absorbed the plenitude of the feast spread out all around me, the luscious grass a purer shade of green after the rain. The lapwings kewed their yearning plaintive cries. The colours change dramatically by the end of May – the trees are full and thick, dark and weighty with foliage.

Last night I walked alone and I equally enjoy walking with friends. It’s a different experience. I walk with my friends Gareth and Sue at least once a fortnight. There’s a different energy walking with others. We walk at a similar pace and Sue is very strong on the ascents. Gareth does his own thing and about 3/4 of the way through a walk, he seems to find his inner accelerator pedal and zooms ahead, sitting waiting for us nonchalantly on a clump of gorse. We enjoy meaningful conversation and return to our internal dialogue whenever the mood takes us.

I was much slower when we started walking together and I’d get frustrated at being left behind, so I practiced walking faster on my own instead of dawdling and now I’m able to keep up and catch up after getting distracted by photogenic moments, quite often featuring the remains of dead animals which fascinate me and to whom I pay my respects to honour their beauty – I momentarily mourn the loss of a precious life.

A couple of weeks ago we tackled Black Hill again. Those two words used to fill me with fear. It’s a hill you can see on your left from the A635 from Holmfirth to Manchester and it’s always swathed in a shroud of darkness. I asked walkers I met how far Black Hill was and whether it was difficult to climb. It became almost mythical to me, the introverted little Welsh girl who hardly walked anywhere 5 years ago, not even to the local shop half a mile away.

One day I set off, determined to reach the summit of Black Hill. I allocated significantly more time than I needed. I packed way more gear than necessary, more plasters and tissues than I’d ever get through in case of calamity, and more snacks, coffee and water than I could consume. Better safe than sorry. I decided that the services of Mountain Rescue would not be required that day. I reassured myself I could have as many breaks as I wanted. Want them I did as I approached the steep section before the brow of the hill.

Black Hill is probably 3.5 miles from my house but in my mind it might as well have been 35 miles. It feels like a different world up there, especially once you pass the second stream – the main road home seems an awful long way away. Arriving at the trig point was quite an achievement on my walking journey and I now look forward to any opportunity to go up there again. The views are spectacular.

When I walk with Gareth and Sue we always congregate for 15 minutes before setting off, just to catch up and check in with how we’re all doing. That sets a good tone for the walk – we look out for each other and the motto is “we start together and finish together”. Nobody gets left behind. There’s plenty of cheerful banter during the first mile, then I go quiet as I have to really focus on getting up the first climb. My breath becomes laboured, which used to embarrass me but now I realise most people get breathless going up. After about 20 minutes our mood becomes giddy as the endorphins kick in – you can’t buy that at Aldi.

I always notice the birds. We often see kestrels, owls, buzzards and the occasional sparrowhawk and in late spring there are plenty of lapwings, curlews and oystercatchers as well as the irritatingly invisible cuckoos. The young lambs are starting to lose their newborn cuteness but there’s something about seeing new growth at this time of year that never fails to fill you with optimism and a sense of possibility.

Exactly a year ago I completed my longest walk to date – the Yorkshire Three Peaks. That was an unforgettable experience and it has to be the highlight of 2021. I was well prepared and I’d been training physically and mentally for a couple of months. Gareth Boot mentored my adventure, planning every detail meticulously. Whenever I started to stress about the walk I remembered his words – it’s a mile 25 times. That helped with any overwhelm. Having a fixed fitness goal was extremely motivating. Add to that the fact that I was walking with my team and I certainly didn’t want to let anyone down so I took it very seriously. I was quite sure I could manage 25 miles, less so the 4,000 feet of ascent since uphill walking isn’t my forté.

Well, we did it and in a good time too, under 10 hours. There were obstacles on the way. In my giddiness at walking up the first peak and after seeing the sun rise from the top of Ingleborough in the most spectacular manner, I ran a little after we got down, stumbled and hurtled to the ground. Blood was lost, bruises bloomed and most critically, I lost most of my precious water, but there was no way that was going to stop me. I should have blogged about this walk. Now there’s a thought. Stay tuned…

The best thing about being outdoors is connecting with nature. The energy out there is incredible and you can take it with you into the next few days.

I was always averse to exercise. I had a few avid bouts of swimming and I love being in the water but I’m not a particularly strong swimmer and for some reason I never stuck it out. I went to the pool religiously before the pandemic but the pool closures put paid to that good habit and I’m wary of going back in case the chlorine aggravates my psoriasis, another covid legacy. So exercise didn’t come naturally. I wasn’t a sporty child and we lived a mile from the nearest town so we drove everywhere. Walking wasn’t a thing. I was never much good at PE and garnered an unfortunate nickname at school which left me slightly traumatised! I’m sure you’ve all had moments when you wished the ground had swallowed you whole. I had one of mine in a gym class. I feel very uncomfortable in gyms to this day but I now have some decent weights and equipment in my attic to help strengthen my body. That’s my responsibility, not the NHS’s!

Why walk? It’s a great form of exercise, it works wonders for all aspects of your health, it’s accessible to most people, and all you need is a decent pair of walking shoes (trainers are fine for shorter distances), a waterproof jacket, curiosity and a spirit of adventure! You can’t really get lost, all you have to do is turn around and retrace your steps. I’ve discovered so many fantastic walks from my doorstep and there are many more to discover. Go on, the outdoors is right there waiting for you. It could change your life!