I hate walking on my own

EllanVannin

Don't remind me !
A neighbour and I had promised ourselves that rain/hail or snow we would do a daily walk around the block with her dog. I was quite excited at the prospect of keeping on the move and had geared myself up with this ongoing exercise.
Then the unthinkable happened----her dog died. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Sorry about the dog obviously but if that wasn't Sod's Law I don't know what was.

She wouldn't walk without her dog and I won't walk around the block on my own, people would think I'd gone crackers altogether seeing me go past their windows in all weathers.

Gosh! I didn’t realise people would think I’d gone crackers just because they see me walking past their house!
I love walking alone and wear AirPods to listen to the radio or podcasts ( they aren’t noise cancelling so quite safe).
It’s lovely to see the gardens as the seasons change. I’ve also downloaded an app which records my walks, sets me challenges and sends alerts to my safety contacts so they can track me.
Go for it! ??‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️

Phloem perhaps you should join the lady walking on her own! A friend used to drive to the nearest NT house and walk there she said she felt safer doing that. Our U3A does have a group that stroll, no more than 2 miles was very popular.

Somebody advertised and found, a walking companion on our local “Next Door” site. She had several replies.

I used to enjoy walking my dog, but so many dog owners are not responsible and let their dogs run up and pounce on my little pooch. She is now very wary of other dogs and has had her front leg damaged by larger dogs jumping on her and frightening her. I now dread taking her out alone as I’ve had so many confrontations with other dog owners. My DH comes with me sometimes and takes her on his own. Just saying dog walking is not all it’s cracked up to be.

I know exactly how you feel, Cabbie. I have one friend in particular who will walk for 4 hours or more, it knowing where she is goi g or where she will end up, and is often saying ‘I found a lovely new walk yesterday, but can’t remember how to get there again’. I like to have a beginning, a middle and an end’.

My only purpose for walking is keeping fit. Y'know the 'use it or lose it syndrome'. However, in appropriate weather, I do a riverside circuit and every day is different and mostly highly enjoyable. I do have a getting over the threshold problem but I recognise it and have a serious word with myself. In winter my circuit changes to pavement work and a trip between two supermarkets to pick up sundries. Both routes take about an hour and work perfectly for me so far. I feel SO good when I get in from these sojourns. Virtue is its own reward indeed!

I’ve walked alone every day since the start of lockdown. Luckily I can go out of my house and have woods and moors to explore. At least 3 hours every day whilst I’ve been in the UK and around the same in the Canaries but done before it gets too hot. I wear a Fitbit and won’t come home till I’ve completed at least 15000 steps. I do have a walking partner in the UK and love sharing walks with her as she is more adventurous with the routes than I am.

It has never occurred to me that people might think me strange to be walking on my own. I often go out alone, and I am quite happy to walk through the lanes and fields by myself, though my daughter tries to dissuade me.
I prefer to have company, but don’t often have anyone to walk with. Lots of people use our local Country Park, so I sometimes drive to it and often find someone to chat with. Admiring their dogs or children usually means a bit of chit-chat evolves.
I hope that you can find a way to enjoy your walks, Cabbie, and especially hope that you can get someone to walk with. Please don’t feel self-conscience about being a lone walker, though. There are plenty of us about.

Another vote for lone walking. I go out every day for around an hour. Loads of people walk on their own. Can’t see the problem . In the nicest way ‘get over yourself’ !

I am 81 and don't have a problem walking about by myself either round the shopping centre or in the local park, there is always something interesting to look at. I have been out every day since the pandemic started but obviously take precautions.
I would not be happy staying indoors every day

Search 'Walking for Health' and look on your local council website. The Ramblers Association used to have a group called 'Autumn Tints' for the more mature walker.
Countryfile have a section - www.countryfile.com/go-outdoors/walks/walking-groups-how-to-find-and-join-a-walking-group/
British Heart Foundation
Timeoutdoors
Outdoorduo
Go4awalk

That's just a few from a google search. There are more! Proof, if needed, that you're not the only one searching for someone to walk with!
Also, some people have suggested walking with a dog. Dog shelters are crying out for people to exercise dogs whilst they wait to be rehomed. This way it's not just you and a dog but several people with dogs. You don't just get exercise but you meet up with new people and provide a dog with something to alleviate the tedium and upset of being kennelled.

If you don't have a local walking group near you why not start your own, I'm sure there will be other people in your situation who might like to join in. Safety in numbers too.

Cabbie21 have you given any thought to why it feels so lonely? What you are doing is self care, which is lovely, I expect you are a great person for you to spend time with.

I absolutely agree, Grannyticktock about getting a dog just for the sake of walking.
The lane where we live is part of a popular walk, and we are fed up with:
- dog poo on our driveway
- owners letting the dogs off the lead in the lane
- noisy yapping and barking
- dogs disturbing the wildlife in the nearby canal. It only takes one dog to sniff at a nest and the waterfowl abandons it.
- people who hang the poo in a bag on a bush or tree
- dogs which sniff around other walkers

I'm really off dogs altogether, apart from working dogs which are well-trained and do necessary jobs.

I walk at a fairly local National Trust property. Always feel safe in the parkland - you do have to prebook a ticket at the moment but it is lovely to see it change with the seasons.

I don't know about villages but one of the pleasures of walking in a town for me is local history. You can do some on-line research and plan a route then set out to see the things you have identified. Even if it's a route you know well you may still find there are bits of a building you haven't noticed before (particularly if you look up). If you spot something unexpected you can always take a photo and look it up when you get home.

The Ramblers Association has many different levels of walk, with the easiest usually being gentle strolls for the less robust members. www.ramblers.org.uk will help you find your local group.

Another vote for a Walking For Health Group. Here’s a link to their website, on the right hand side near the top is a place where you can search for a group near you.

www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/

I'd do what Franbern suggests. There seems to be a club (or whatever) for everything these days. Or offering to walk a friend's/neighbour's dog is a good suggestion. As long as you're sure it would come back when you called! (When my dog was alive I've never met so many friendly people when out for a walk. I almost wished I was single sometimes.)

How about a cat?! Ok, so I'm a crazy cat lady, but most evenings I go for a short walk round the block accompanied by my two cats. They get quite upset if I don't go.

Seriously, there are a lot of people walking on their own in my neighbourhood, and no-one thinks anything of it. For myself, I do prefer to have a purpose - post a letter, buy a loaf of bread etc. However, I need to walk at my own pace because of health issues, so I am very careful who I walk with on the rare occasions I go with someone else

Maybe start a thread for solitary walkers to talk about what they saw and heard and their "walking thoughts" and turn it social that way?

I walk a dog 3x a week via the Cinnamon Trust. I get to enjoy the company of 'my' dog plus other dogs and their owners without the responsibility of dog ownership. It gets me up and out whatever the weather. I will probably do more when I am not needed as much to help with my grandchildren.

As others have posted borrow a dog. It's amazing what goid company they are and how many people say hello or smile at you when you have a dog. I wouldn't walk anywhere if it wasn't for my dogs and when they eventually leave me (if I don't go first?) I will join borrow my doggie and walk someone else's ??‍?

I walked round the streets on my own at the beginning of lockdown. Then a friend said she walked her dog every morning..so I now go with them. It's great, an hour or more every day. My friend has found local walks we wouldn't have come across had it not been for lockdown. Every cloud, as they say.

Feeling lonely or not enjoying walking on your own is one thing, but I'm surprised that anyone doesn't walk alone because of what the neighbours might think!