By: Blonde One
Over the next few days the Two Blondes will be out and about walking with a new group of youngsters. We will be out with quite a big group, considering there is just the 2 adults (especially when they are both blonde!). It got me thinking about the last time I walked alone – I cannot remember! It was therefore quite a long time ago. I would say it was probably about 2 Blonde years ago – that’s anywhere between 6 months and 10 years!
Walking alone can be a bit scary for a Blonde and I try to follow these tried and tested guidelines:
1. Always stick to routes that you know very well as this alleviates the fear of getting lost. Make sure you tell someone at home where you are going too.
2. Walk a route that you know will be fairly well trodden by other walkers. This means that if anything happens that prevents you from walking or using your phone (can’t think that that would happen too often) then someone will be along soon enough to rescue you.
3. Walk far enough out onto the hills so that only good, honest, lovely, walkers will be there. I always think that a quiet secluded corner right next to the car park is more likely to attract the dodgy sort that’s up to no good.
4. Finally, make sure that for at least one part of the walk, you can be totally alone. The solitude that you find on a hill when no other person is in sight or sound is one of the best cures for all manner of ills. Give yourself time to think, enjoy the weather (whatever that may be), admire the beauty of the landscape and if you’re lucky spot some of the wonderful creatures that only come out when they think they are alone too.
If you’ve never walked alone, then I recommend that you try it, but be careful and use these guidelines as a starting point to enjoying your own company.
Whilst I love walking with friends and family and in small and large groups I also love walking on my own and I have got braver and braver about it. I walk the Lake District fells for miles and miles on my own now and love both solitude and company. Lovely to have the choice 🙂
You’re right – it’s good to have the choice!
I do enjoy walking on my own and it certainly clears my head but I really enjoy the fun I have walking with friends (as long as they don’t all walk faster than me).
Walked alone with dog for as long as I can remember, and love it. (Mind you, I can’t remember how long that is!) And the most magical moments of my life have been waking up at dawn or sunrise, dog and I all alone on a mountainside, with just the hill sheep for music and maybe a nearby stream chuckling to itself.
I often walk alone especially as I like to do early starts. In the summer I am on the path by 5am and its a lovely feeling to watch the sun rise over the peaks, get up high and stop for breakfast and take in the view!
My only companion is the Raven (see Blonde Twos latest blog).
However its important that you let someone know where you are going and how long you expect to be!
You will realise tin importance of this if you watch the film 127 hours!
That is the great thing about walking alone – you can please yourself!