It’s been a slighter slower month for waking than January. There have been wet, stormy, windy days where a lunchtime walk has not been appealing. Although I did walk in the midst of the winds of Storm Doris, an invigorating experience that almost took my breath away! 

I walked 68.83 miles in February bringing my total for the year to 153.94/1000. This leaves me slightly behind target but with lighter, longer days ahead I hope to catch up in March. 

In contrast to less lunchtime walking, we’ve increased our weekend walking. Early in the month we enjoyed a spring like day at Moor Copse, a beautiful Wildlife Trust reserve. 

We had a (longer than planned!) 10 mile walk on the outskirts of Maidenhead, starting from Ockwells Park at the back of my childhood home. It was a mixture of road walking, pleasant paths and very muddy fields, with an unexpected detour via Waltham St Lawrence when we missed a turn. 

We walked around Virginia Water with my parents. It was a cold, grey day but walking warmed us up  and it was lovely to spend time with my folks. 

We headed out on another grey day for a nine mile walk through green lanes and along footpaths near home, starting in Warfield. As we walked the clouds cleared, the sun came out, it felt like winter transformed into spring in the space of half an hour.

From this:

To this, a welcome transformation!  It’s so cheering to see the first signs of spring, new life springing forth after the earth has rested over winter. 

These horses seemed glad of the warmth too, and charging around full of energy. 

Our last long walk of the month was a nine mile circular route through the Surrey Hills, starting in Haslemere, taking in a section of the Greensand Way to reach the Devil’s Punchbowl and Gibbet Hill, before circling back through woodlands and fields to end up back in Haslemere. It was a great walk, through very pretty countryside, on a lovely early Spring day. 

I’ve really enjoyed the longer weekend walking, it’s good to be out in the countryside exploring and makes a change from the suburban streets I walk during the week. 

Did you get out for any walking in February? 

If you’re doing the #walk1000miles challenge, how are you getting on?