Many of you will know that I have the enthusiasm of the newly converted when it comes to walking, so I would like to share some of my experiences with those of you who are interested.
I was a totally non-sporty child but at 16 I started roller skating and met my ex husband in a roller rink in Bolton. He was a brilliant skate dancer and until I was pregnant at 22 we spent at least three nights a week dancing on skates for over three hours. Unfortunately, we moved away when I was pregnant with my second child and we had no baby sitters and there was no rink available anyway.
For the next 38 years I took almost no exercise, even driving the three miles to my office in Kensington from my flat in Chelsea.
I also ate too much and for many years drank a bottle of wine a day (part of the expat lifestyle, I am afraid).
When I retired at 59 I left the UK and bought a little house in the Pyrenees, very isolated and on a marked walking route. I started walking to explore the glorious countryside, just a half hour stroll at first. When I moved around France, to the Dordogne, Lot, Haute Garonne, and back to the Pyrenees, I continued gradually extending my walks but mainly in flat countryside.
When I moved to the Alps, three years ago, I weighed almost 12 stone and had some arthritis in my knees, hips and lower back. At first, I found walking at high altitude up very steep paths made me a little breathless and got my heart beating faster, but I am now acclimatised and rarely get out of breath, and if my heart rate increases it settles back down after a minute or so.
I bought good walking boots and Nordic walking poles, which take a good deal of the weight off your knees. I became a bit obsessive , which is a tendency I have, and found that if I set myself to reach a summit, or walk for four hours, I just had to achieve my goal. I am a bit more relaxed now, and try not to turn an enjoyable walk into a chore.
After a year, I had reached my target weight of 10 stone and now have no pain in my hips or lower back, and just the odd twinge in my knees after a very steep walk.
Over a period of months, my walks lengthened to as much as six hours, (especially if I got lost in the forest) but at the moment I am aiming for a minimum of two hours a day, as early as possible because of the heat. (I am off out as soon as I finish this thread!). I have made some mistakes, which could have been dangerous, but I always managed to get out of tricky situations. Here are some of the safety tips I have discovered, the first two of which I have to ignore!
1. Walk with a companion.
2. Tell somebody where you are going and when you expect to be back.
3. Pace yourself - remember that two hours going out from home or your car means two hours to get back and you might be very tired.
4. Walk uphill at the start of your walk, before you are too tired.
5. If you want to admire the view, stand still. You need to concentrate on mountain paths as you can trip over the smallest rock or tree root.
6. Make sure your trouser legs are tucked into your socks and are not flapping around. Shorts are not such a good idea as your legs can get scratched by undergrowth.
7. Keep your laces short.
8. Always carry water and something like a banana - I once forgot and became dehydrated and dizzy because my bp fell too much.
9. Make sure you carry a fully charged mobile. and check you have reception.
10. Use your walking poles to test the surface ahead of you - sometimes fallen branches can hide deep holes, where loggers have been at work.
11. Keep three points of contact with the ground. My poles have saved me from many a headlong tumble.
12. When walking in undergrowth, check that your foot is free before bringing it forward - it is very easy to get tangled in a vine.
13. Carry a light waterproof which folds up very small. Wear a sun hat and cover up if you are not used to the sun.
14. If you can afford it, buy a GPS- global positioning service, or learn to use a compass. If not, memorise some landmark and the position of the sun.
15. Write down the name of the last village you pass. But don't expect the people in the next village to know where it is!
16. Don't get over confident when you are reaching the end of a steep downward path and forget your safety rules.
17. Carry some blister plasters, a torch and tissues for those necessary calls of nature. And put on insect repellent or wear long sleeves.
18. If you are not sure of the way ahead TURN BACK. I didn't, in an unfamiliar area, and ended up walking in circles until 9 pm. on a hillside with huge rocks and sudden steep drops. My only light was from my mobile phone. I finally found a village by following a stream downhill and a very kind French woman drove me back to my car.
19. If you find yourself sliding downhill on a steep, slipperyy slope, lie flat on your back and dig in your heels. You will build up a little wall of leaves or soil to stop your slide. Then you will have to crawl back up, digging your fingers into the soil, or hauling yourself up by clumps of grass. This has only happened to me once, but it was quite scary as I could see a sheer drop of some 20 feet at the foot of the slope. Now, I examine the terrain more carefully before I embark on strange slopes. Dry leaves can be covering wet leaves and shiny clay is to be avoided.
20. Take your camera and share you views with your Facebook friends!
I am sure many of you can add some tips or comments.
