Headed out to Buckinghamshire on Saturday with fellow aspiring hillwalker, Michael, for a 10 mile trek around Wendover Woods and the Chiltern Hills. It was a beautiful day, the roads were clear so it only took 90 minutes or so and we were eagerly grasping our Country Walking route plan from 2005...... We found the right roads and started to look for our start point - and that's where the fun began. After driving backwards and forwards along the same stretch of road looking for an elusive 'pay and display car park just off a B road' we decided to park in the Forestry Commission site at Wendover Woods and start our walk from there. Thing is, even though I said I'd never do this again - we didn't have a proper map with us. We had a trusty compass, a route plan, and basic navigation skills (Michael took a one day course the other week in Wales) - oh, yes, and a sense of humour - which was just as well as it took ages to find out way onto anything faintly resembling the route. But we made it in the end. It was a lovely route and true to its name took us under shady canopies and relaxing woodlands. And there were some lovely slopes to get stuck into as well - good training for both of us. The whole route, with a few detours and scenic diversions took around 5 hours and we were both relieved to see the cafe still open when we got back to the car park! But oh, how much easier things would have been with an OS map and/or a GPS - think I'll be investing in both for the future! We did encounter two sections with Wuss ratings - a Wuss factor 1 for me with a field of bovines including a huge bull standing protectively around a calf. Thankfully a small group of fellow walkers and some cyclists entered the field at the same time which seemed to confuse the creatures and I could make a safe bolt for the other side - in a calm, relaxed walking leader kind of way of course! And Michael encountered a Wuss factor 4 when we were about to head along a lesser used footpath, which was overgrown with nettles and sharp nasty things and he only had shorts on. Another valuable lesson - don't wear shorts for woodland walking or if you do, make sure it's because you've got those nifty two-in-ones so you can cover up again if need be - like I did!!

A good day's walking and certainly felt like I'd done something when I got home.

On Sunday, I was introduced to another stunning area of Essex - Laindon Country Park. Not the biggest in the world but such an oasis of peace and greenness nestled on the highest point in Essex and just outside of Basildon. Had a really relaxing walk with a good friend and his very cheeky dog and was yet again surprised at just how beautiful Essex can actually be. In fact, sitting on the train taking the scenic route home last night from Fenchurch Street I was taken aback by the lush fields and vistas around Ockendon, Grays and Thurrock - who would have thought it! Maybe I'll stay around here a bit longer after all.........

This weekend, all being well, I'm off to Suffolk and hope to be practising my map reading skills as well as exploring another new area, although lacking in hills I suspect.

Generally, I'm doing O.K. - the Achilles heel is much better, my walking posture improved, my eagerness as keen as ever and I'm really enjoying getting out and about - hope you are too.

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