National Walking Month: Why it’s so important to me. 

May is National Walking Month, something I highlight every year. I do this because walking is important and a daily occurrence in my life. Not only is it one of the forms of exercise I do. It is also a source of joy in my life. I love walking and sharing it with people I love. And my dog. 

If you are following me on social media, you will know that I post daily about the walks I have been on and the wildlife I encounter. I have created an exercise world that is enjoyable and adapted my boring morning walk with my dog into something I look forward to. I get to be on my own, with nature.  

The step I took to make it extra exciting is by taking pictures of the wildlife I encounter as I go. Not only has this meant I’m more engaged with my local ecosystem, but also because I didn’t realise how many different wildlife surrounds my local area, especially the Rushey Platt Nature Reserve. 

As part of my favourite canal walk, I also like to explore the old railway path that cuts through Rushey Platt. The long path overlooks Wichelstowe where you can see deer prancing the fields and can take the path all the way up to Old Town (where you get dropped out by the Old Town Gardens) or you can continue under the old Railway bridge. It reminds me of the history of our town and how the railway lines used to cut through our landscape. 

Another of my favourite walks is Barbury Castle. My husband, my dog, and I will go and spend the afternoon walking over the hilled landscape. Often while theorising about the history of the landscape and curating imaginary fantasy scenarios, it’s great fun. My favourite thing is to stop and look at the sprawling landscape beneath the peak. 

A place I adore is Savernake Forest. It has been a site for memories throughout my life, especially when it came to caravaning with my family. As it was the first place we went in our caravan when my children were small. The trees and landscape create this mystical and spiritual experience when I’m walking. It makes me think of the amount of people who have passed through the woods and how old the trees are. It reminds of what it means to be alive. 

That’s why I always like to honour National Walking Month. The joy it brings me. The memories and how it reminds me to take a deep breath. When I walk in certain places, I remember and consider the person I was when I last walked a certain path and how far I’ve come since then. In May, I urge as many people as possible to take a walk somewhere they have either not walked in a while or walk somewhere you walk everywhere and actually look around. You never know what creature you might bump into this time.