Ten long miles

Banstead, how I hate Banstead stupid bastard golf course. I'm still lost and I went there yesterday. Eventually, after going completely the wrong way twice following the directions in the book to the letter, I was about to give up when I spotted a walker with the same purple book in hand. I followed him; he fastened his pace thinking I was a hoodie mugger or something but at least I got onto the right track and off that damned golf course. I then walked 10 miles of lovely walk through Ewell and Worcester Park to Kingston. My feet hurt now. There was a horrid unkempt teeny pathway by some sports pitches and I'm very glad I was wearing my combat trousers so I could combat all the brambles and nettles. I also got hijacked by a rival walk which does happen when the signs have been stolen; I managed to rejoin my walk somewhere along a busy main road which if I'd kept to my walk wouldn't have featured. Anyway, ten miles, good eh? It was probably more with the stupid circles I did in Banstead and the getting sidetracked then the dog walk I did when I got home.

Not walking with the one you love

Still angry - very. I couldn't walk because my younger son needed me - Good grief, he's 20, you would have thought this would be over by now but apparently not. Anyway, being Supermum, I put away my OS map of very long walks and rushed off to Farnham to sort him out. I wish I had a Mum like me. Really, I do. I am so very very nice and kind and I take cakes and buy lunches I really don't want and chat because chatting with your kids is important, more important than training for your forthcoming cross country walk.

Cross country

I don't know where my walking has gone but it seems to have dwindled a bit. I am very cross today ... don't ask but it was triggered off by my selfish cow of a mother, Mr Smith being unsympathetic and the Apprentice being vague. Tomorrow I am planning a big one. Honest guv. But I don't want to take my pack and I ought to. Perhaps I'll do half load. If things go according to plan it should be 10 miles and get rid of a load of brewing anger and frustration. You'll spot me - the one with tears streaming down her face staring through a blur of red fury.

I have applied for a National Trust Card so I can Nationally Trust. I've found quite a few good training walks that are at, to, from or by a NT house or garden. This is a good way to get your money's worth from the NT and get walking at the same time - I just think of everything, me!

Whacked

Didn't walk. Gardened. Now I'm stiff and scratched. I would walk today but it's very very hot and I'm feeling a little fragile due to over indulgence and imbibement of tinctures at Jane's lovely birthday bash last night. Maybe this evening.

Dog pants

I didn't think I'd have much time for walking but I managed Barnes to Putney due to a) getting lost and b) a bit of a bus shortage. I then marched the dogs to the Windmill on Wimbledon Common - they like that because there are bowls of water and dog germs put out for them. They did get very hot and panty. My dog is just too hairy for sweaty walks, he prefers a cooler evening stroll.

I would love to walk to the garden centre but how would I get all the flowers home? Walking is great if that's all you're doing. I'll do another big un tomorrow - maybe Sensible Alison will come too.

Carpet shuffle

I would walk but I am waiting in for the new hoover to be delivered. When it comes I will walk massively all around my house hoovering away like mad. I've seen cleaner fields than our carpets.

I walked to Putney yesterday - oh hang on a minute, no I didn't, I took the bus Gus. Oh well, I meant to walk but I was wearing posh clothes. I must get some lightweight shoes that are good for walking but aren't trainers. Perhaps I should walk to Kingston and find some.

Twelve good miles

Brill walk, about 12 miles in total. It didn't start well with us missing each other at Barnes Station then missing the train to Shepperton. We then didn't realise you couldn't use your Oyster card for the whole way so each got a £4 fine. It then looked like it was going to rain but actually it didn't. It was a really beautiful walk and when we got to Hampton Court there were rowing races and floating weddings - all sort of merging into one. We walked to Kingston where I stopped off at John Lewis to buy a bit of trimming I needed - I resisted the temptation to try on a rather smart dress that I thought I might wear for ID Jane's party and rejoined Alison outside JL for a bit more of a plod as far as Teddington. We ended up at Alison's for yummy tea and home made chocolate chip cookies. The only downside was I ended up with a monster headache which I think was from not drinking enough water. I still have it,

One month to go

Only one month til the Big Walk. Oooh eck. Oh well, I'm walking lots now in preparation, though I have to admit I haven't been doing it with pack. Next week I will. Yesterday, the dog and I did a bit of rather blowy beach followed by some footpaths across fields until I was truly lost. We then had to do a roady bit which was a bit mean on verge and a bit heavy on traffic. Some of us learnt to tuck our tails in. We found our way home eventually and had our late breakfasts and felt brilliant.

Today Sensible Alison is taking me on a Thames walk, somewhere near reservoirs and islands and locks and things - Shepperton to Teddington. It's about 11 miles so it's excellent training ... if I make it without copping out half way.

Desert Island

Today I walked. I walked to Kingston - that hill should not be underestimated. I took the bus home due to a little retail therapy.

A new walks book arrived: The London Loop. My God, the walks are epic adventures and the loop is almost M25. It makes the Capital Ring, the previous walk I undertook, look like a stroll round the garden. Sensible Alison fed me a very unsensible tea of homemade chocolate chip cookies and gooey flap jacks and lent me The Thames Path - more walks with a Thames theme. Have you ever heard of Desborough Island? Me neither but it's in the middle of the Thames and you don't have to take your own discs so I thought we might go there on Saturday, weather permitting.

Deflation

Despite eating vast amounts of everything, all the wrong things, I do seem to have lost weight. I am much less huge. I must dash and do some walking; I seem to have become rooted to the spot. No bloody time! I always have to dash back from anything I'm doing in order to walk the dogs. I could take them on an epic walk but with the amount of sniffing they do it would take ages and they aren't really big athletic dogs like labradors just stupid smelly bits of fur that we love.

Forty thousand winks

Still large. No walking, no time. I have plodded the dogs but that's about it. I feel as though I could sleep for a year - too much good food and good wine and good times. I have people, people and more people coming and going and meeting and all eating. Perhaps they'd all like a nice long walk after their lunch, before their tea and then their dinner. I know I would, or maybe just a nice afternoon nap.

Camel woman

I packed up the backpack with simulated versions of things I will be taking on my walk such as bricks and dictionaries and, actually, it's OK - not too heavy at all. Of course I didn't use bricks but I did shove in some old clothes to get the load about right. I then didn't walk anywhere all day except to the polling station to cast my very important vote. I am going to have to do some walking today as I seem to have turned into a camel and am suffering from horrendous water retention which is making me feel quite unwell and very very large. I wonder if it was that pizza I ate or maybe I haven't been drinking much water lately. I will try to drink my 1.5litres a day and see if it makes a difference.

Sherpa shopping

I did not walk to the South Bank as there simply wasn't time. I cannot waste my entire day walking. I did waste most of my day walking. I walked to the Club where I swam lots, then I walked back. Then I walked to Asda with an empty back pack and I staggered back. I weighed the backpack. Not very heavy at all really but far too heavy for me to walk with. This makes me realise my pack has to weigh less that 10lbs for me to be able to carry it. OK. That means, 1 pair of socks and 1 pair of pants and a sketchbook ... oh and deodorant. In the meantime I will continue to practice with a heavy load. Well, I might pack my bag with all the things I'm taking on the Big Walk then I will know just how much I have to carry. Then I will half it.

Counting down

Yesterday I was in a big walking mood but I didn't really have any suitable walk. I didn't want to do Richmond Park again as I did that quite recently. I walked to Putney and mooched round the shops a bit then walked back then walked the dogs. Today I might walk to Waterloo as I now know how long it takes; I am going to the South Bank this evening and walking would be a good way of getting there - best foot forward.

It is only six weeks til The Big Walk. That would be fine if I wasn't still staggering to the corner shop. I am going to have to step up the pace a bit as my pathetic dawdlings aren't really suitable preparation for a coast to coast epic journey. Right, it's proper training now and every day too - not just when I feel like it.

Directional forces

Mr Smith bought me a compass at the weekend. I don't understand it. "How can one not understand a compass?" I hear you cry. Well, it has a red pointer and a black pointer and I don't know which is which and the day I find north we will be at the South Pole. Mr Smith says he's going to get me a gps signal that he will attach to my body so he can pinpoint me on a map then when I ring him, having done several circular routes, with "Help, I'm lost" he can say "Yes, so I can see." I think a little signal attached to google earth shouldn't be that tricky - just Mr Smith would never be able to operate it and anyway he wouldn't bother. To be honest he's not the best person to call with "I'm in a wood and I can see lots of trees, where am I?"

A seaside jaunt

Yesterday I took Mr Smith and the dog for a seaside walk. They thought they were having a gentle afternoon stroll but I marched them a good five miles across dune and beach. We were lucky as we missed the rain. The dog refused point blank to walk anywhere today - he is exhausted. All that sea air - it's good for them.

Marathon moments

Yesterday I walked to Kingston. Last time I did this I felt I would never walk again but it didn't seem very far this time. I must be improving, although I still walk at the rate of a tired tortoise. I bought a freezer which will be delivered next week. I thought of Arty Antonia and her running the marathon. She told me that after about 19 miles it felt as though someone had given her a fridge to carry, but she did complete the course - no mean feat. I am so glad I didn't have to carry my freezer home or run the marathon.

Seaside today. I will walk the beach - someone turn me round before I get to Portsmouth.