Last weekends walk was to the Cotswolds. Our mission was to make sure I walked at least 8 miles. Laurie planned the walk, which had several different variants throughout enabling us to come off of the hills at any time with only a short walk back to the car. We planned this kind of walk because we didn’t want to push me too hard and have the back lash of increased pain. The starting place for me was zero pain in my joints, which was amazing. Low pain in my spine and neck, but high pain in my head. I had had three days with a headache that made me feel like my head was enlarging at the back and I was going to pass out this came accompanied with a horrible nauseous feeling. We went to bed on Saturday evening with the question of my ability to walk hanging over us.
Waking on Sunday morning with the same symptoms I had when I went to bed, so it was a difficult decision to make, but it was one I was glad to had made. We had a bit of a lazy morning arriving at the car park at 10:30 ready for the adventure. We began by walking through the beautiful Cotwolds village ‘Broadway’. The beauty enhanced by the occasional remnants of the last snowfall. When we left the village and began our assent we became more and more surrounded by snow covered fields and lanes. Providing very picturesque views over the Cotwolds and across to Broadway tower.
We were amongst many more ramblers out enjoying a Sunday morning stroll and the snow still coating the surrounding hills. We saw families carrying infants wrapped up ultra warm, we saw children sledging down the hillside. We saw groups of local residents walking and chatting together. We saw walking parties from overseas. Birdwatchers, cyclists, dog walkers and runners All of these people and recreational activities created a wonderful hum of laugher and joy reverberating around the hills. People outside enjoying the beautiful countryside.
When we arrived at lunch we welcomed our hot soup cooked in our jet boil. This soup warmed us beautifully from the inside out. We ate this stood with the sun shining upon us providing a wonderful winter warmth trying to beat the cold and warm us despite freezing temperatures. Whilst eating our lunch we pondered the rest of our walk.
My pain was still zero, but time was running out so we decided to walk to Broadway tower then come off the hill and head home. Making decisions on something other than my pain levels felt refreshing and it was wonderful arriving back at the car experiencing nothing more than the normal tiredness that you get when you have just had an invigorating walk of 9 miles, no fatigue or pain that I had long experienced whilst walking. We made our way home and I proceeded to put my sons bed together and cook dinner all within my energy quota for the day. A feeling worth celebrating!
Walking to health; the challenge 