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Who is Walk 1000 Miles for?

We're honoured to have been part of Julie and Andy's big day in Sydney

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Walk1000Miles brought us together – and today we’re married!

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Country Walking Subscription – 6 issues for £19.99

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‘I have my life back!’

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Get your free chart & do something incredible this summer – walk 500 miles

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Download and print your Completer certificate!

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Why I love Walk 1000 Miles – by presenter Michelle Ackerley

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Special offer for Country Walking readers!

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Log your miles using your Country Walking tracker and earn your medal!

WIN! Scarpa’s new go-anywhere boots

WIN! Two pairs of brilliant Bridgedale socks

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Finding your way (Part 2)

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App, smartwatch, fitness tracker… how well do they measure your miles?

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How do I record my miles?

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How it works

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Sign up

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How to record your miles using the updated OS Maps app

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The best for less – exclusive discounts from our fantastic partners

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Country Walking routes are powered by OS Maps

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Sock partner: Bridgedale

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Mapping partner: Ordnance Survey

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Footwear partner: Scarpa

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New feature in OS Maps could save your life

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Get to know the new improved OS Maps app – and 5 must-dos for 1000 milers

Advice

Inspiration

Routes

Tracking

Partners

Offers

Scarpa

Ordnance Survey

Bridgedale

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What is this?

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10 years of memories

Whoever you are, this challenge is for you.

Whether you want to walk for health, happiness or so you can eat more cake; to see new sights, take amazing photos or tone your bum/thighs/tum; to see more of where you live, do some forest bathing or climb a 2000ft mountain; meet new people or make an ex jealous; if you aim to crack 1000 by July or reckon you might barely make it across the line next New Year’s Eve; if you don’t know the top of a map from the bottom and have no idea what a compass is all about; whatever team you support, however short your legs or long your hair; whether you walk with a dog, a buddy, a Significant Other, your mum, your son or nobody in particular, you are welcome here.

Walk1000Miles is for the old, the young, the fit, the frail, the ambitious, the doubtful, the believers, the questioners, the hopeful, the lonely, the thin-as-a-pin and the big-boned, the first-timers, the ten-timers. It’s for all genders and none; all pronouns and identifications; it’s for every tone of skin and every belief.

What unites us? Curiosity and optimism; the dream of seeing more, being more and smiling more. The belief that there’s more to the world than bad news and box sets... and the suspicion (soon to become firm knowledge) that life is better on foot.

**That’s who this is for. And in short, that’s you.**

This challenge doesn’t just give you support and kindness. It gives you the chance to make lifelong friends and, maybe... just maybe... meet the person of your dreams.

When Julie Russell and Andy Traviss first joined Walk1000Miles, they had no idea of the impact it would have on their lives.

Neither knew the other existed. But what started as a simple congratulatory message after Julie completed her 1000 miles in 2020 developed into a real-life fairytale that saw them get married under the iconic arch of Sydney Harbour Bridge in September.

Well, after the initial message, Julie and Andy started chatting and realised they both lived on the Isle of Man and both dreamed of living in Cumbria.

“We couldn’t believe how much we had in common each time we chatted over the following months,” explains Julie.

The two also shared a love of photography, and Andy embraced Julie’s passion for Herdwick sheep, native to Cumbria.

Lockdown prevented them from meeting until April 2021, but then they made up for lost time.

“It was wonderful!” says Julie (now Julie Traviss).

“We had so many shared ambitions around walking. It really is great to find a partner with shared passions and interests. It makes such a difference to your quality of life.”

They visited the Lake District together, their first hill being the much-loved peak of Hay Stacks.

Before long, they had bitten the bullet and fulfilled their dream of moving to the Lakes, and although they have since settled in Lancashire, Lakeland and its gorgeous fells, valleys (and sheep) remain close by.

“We decided to get married in 2024 when on a trip to the Langdale Valley in the Lakes, which we call our spiritual home,” recalls Julie.

They then tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony in Sydney, with the famous bridge and opera house in full view. Even good old _Country Walking_ made an appearance on their special day.

“I am forever grateful for how Walk1000Miles has changed my life, opened up my world and facilitated Andy and I finding each other.”

“Walking has helped us build trust in each other (I would never have managed the Langdale Pikes otherwise!), and has increased our confidence in trying new places and opportunities. It has cemented our relationship as the years have progressed. We have both found our bestest friend ever.”

## **Your companion to discover a more beautiful Britain.**

We believe walking is the key to unlocking a world of wonder, happiness and health, and it’s a vision we’re thrilled to share with tens of thousands of readers! Join their number and become a :a[**Country Walking subscriber**]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/country-walking-magazine?utm_source=walk1000miles.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_countrywalking' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} today and enjoy your **first 6 issues for just £19.99** with our spring offer! You’ll save 44% on shop prices and be the first to hear from us every month.

Or why not treat yourself to an annual subscription to Country Walking and enjoy stunning routes, gear testing of all the best products, expert advice from the team and route guides to inspire your next adventure delivered every month all year long!

**_When life deals you a bad hand, you might feel as if you’re down in an inescapable hole. But each of these amazing Walk 1000Milers has overcome appalling hardship with one consistent message – WALKING WORKS!_**

### **‘I’ve lost 8 stone and my diabetes is in remission’**

‘A few years ago I had a serious knee injury and needed cartilage surgery. I did get back to walking afterwards, but the longer distances I loved became harder and over time the weight crept on. By March 2025 things came to a head when a mystery virus left me bed‑ridden for weeks. During treatment I discovered just how much my health had declined – I was over 20 stone, newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and dealing with high blood pressure, reduced kidney function and imbalanced cholesterol. That was the hardest moment, realising how far I’d slipped from the person I used to be. But it also became the point where everything started to change.

‘When I was finally well enough, I began with short, gentle walks. They were small steps, but they helped me turn the corner. As I gradually built distance, each milestone felt significant – that first mile after being ill, the day longer walks stopped feeling daunting again, and the moment my blood glucose and other levels started to improve. Those signs of progress kept me motivated and reminded me that I was heading in the right direction.

‘Now, 12 months on, I feel healthier and more in control than I have in years. I’m eight stone lighter, my diabetes is in remission, and my blood pressure and cholesterol are back in the normal range. But as positive as the physical changes are, the mental shift has been just as important: I feel more confident, hopeful and connected to myself again.

‘Walking has played a huge role in that transformation. It gave me a gentle, sustainable way to rebuild my health and confidence, and Walk1000Miles added structure, motivation and a sense of community that kept me going.

‘It reminded me that progress doesn’t have to be dramatic – it just has to be consistent. Step by step, walking helped me get my life back.’

### **‘Walking a mile became the biggest achievement of my life’**

‘I went down with Long Covid and was housebound for months – I couldn’t even walk to the end of our drive without experiencing post-exertional malaise. I started walking around the house (89 steps) and every two weeks increased it little by little, getting to the apple tree, then halfway down the drive, then to the end of the drive. I had a photo on my vision board of a place I used to walk to regularly, exactly one mile from my house, and it was my goal to get there. The picture shows me when I achieved it in May 2025 – the smile says it all. I still have a long way to go in my recovery, but the goal of one day completing the Walk1000Miles challenge once again is a huge motivation for that recovery.’

### **‘I have a new life now – so Hadrian’s Wall, here I come!’**

‘Until a few years ago I was well and I loved walking. I retired and my colleagues got me a subscription to Country Walking as a leaving present. Then osteoarthritis in hips and spine led to severe mobility issues and constant pain. I needed strong painkillers to get anywhere. I was very miserable – I had days when I was reduced to tears – but reading about (and imagining being on) the walks in the magazine, reading other people’s stories, and the support I got from the Walk1000Miles Facebook group kept my spirits up. I knew if others could do it, I could get back to walking again one day. In the last two years I got both hips replaced and have made a full recovery. I have my life back again and I try to never take it for granted. I’m 70 next year and I want to walk Hadrian’s Wall Path to celebrate that milestone and my new life!’

‘Last March, I was diagnosed with a heart condition called SVT. I needed to keep walking. It was my lifeline. Stopping was not an option. The thought of getting my boots on and getting outside kept me focused and hopeful of a successful procedure. My heart consultant praised my attitude to health and walking, and agreed it was keeping me fit and healthy. I had a successful ablation in June and my first question to the consultant was, ‘can I do my 26-mile charity walk in five weeks?’ To my delight, he said yes. Week one after the ablation I couldn’t do more than walk around the house. In week two I walked four miles around Buttermere but I had to keep stopping. That didn’t matter – the rain, wind and fresh air felt incredible. It was a wonderful feeling. Over the next few weeks I walked a little further. When I crossed the line of my 26-mile charity walk five weeks later I cried. I cried because I had done it. It was the walking that kept me focused on getting better. Now, 12 months on from diagnosis, I have three 26-mile charity walks scheduled and I can’t wait. I’ve been discharged back to my GP and have a 95% chance that SVT won’t return. Walking makes me feel alive. I hope I can still be doing it when I’m 100!’

### **‘I am in a good place, and walking has played a huge part’**

‘In June 2024 I had a bad cycling accident, suffering a shattered pelvis, broken femur and a bad elbow break, resulting in three operations and a six-week hospital stay. Then there was another six weeks in a wheelchair with medical staff not wanting to commit on my recovery. I made a commitment to myself to walk every day and have done so since September 2024. I managed a short hill walk with my daughter on Halkyn Mountain on Anglesey that October. It felt so good to be out on my favourite hills again. I was back cycling outdoors in March last year and in July did a 100-mile bike ride (the first of my targets). Walking has always been my main motivation though and, having never walked 1000 miles in a year before, I was determined to do so last year (I managed 1500). I walked solo up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) last May on a glorious day (pictured; the second of my targets). The elation was palpable. I am now planning a trip to Scotland with a buddy to tackle Ben Nevis via the CMD arête – my final target. Throughout all this I have had fantastic support from friends and family and, especially, my wife. I am also a member of the amazing Walk1000Miles Facebook group which has been so supportive throughout – such a good place to be mentally. I am in a good place, and walking has played a huge part in that.’

Walk 500 miles this summer – and proclaim it the best ever. Get your free 500-mile tracker now!

Join the challenge to walk 500 miles this summer, an incredible achievement that will transform your health and happiness and open up new possibilities in life. Whether you’re a seasoned walker, or you’re looking for a new challenge there’s always time to get involved and change your life one step at a time.

It’s an AWFULLY long way:  
Six-and-a-half times as long as Hadrian's Wall  
About twice as long as Scotland  
Three times the length of Wales  
16,098 Olympic swimming pools  
67,692 double-decker buses

It’s also far enough to completely change the direction of travel for your health and happiness, redouble your resilience and your self-esteem, see you live longer, while avoiding serious disease, enjoy lifelong independence, build rich memories, revitalise your relationships and have more energy for all the things you enjoy in life. It’s REALLY big.

Yes! And you can do it by the end of Summer (Sept 22) or by the end of the year. Remember, all your walking adds up – and 20 minutes brisk walking is another mile in the bag.

Reaching 500 miles is an EXTRAORDINARY achievement, and you deserve to celebrate it in an extraordinary way. The brand-new 500 Mile medal is the very thing! Order yours :a[here,]{href='https://shop.walk1000miles.co.uk/' } don’t open it, and feel its magnetic power pull you toward your goal!

#### Order your medal from :a[**our shop**]{href='https://shop.walk1000miles.co.uk/' } ready to open it when you finish!

1 **:a[Register for free here]{href='https://www.walk1000miles.co.uk/advice/inspiration/sign-up/' }**and receive our **monthly Country Walking newsletter** bursting with inspiration and support for your challenge, and access to competitions to win prizes from our partners!

2 Download, print and start filling in your 500-mile progress tracker chart (which you'll receive a link to when signing up) and track your miles.

3 Join the friendliest community on the internet. Walk 1000 Miles has the best Facebook group in the world! You can get ideas, help, make friends, share your walks, arrange meet-ups or just shoot the breeze – join our :a[Facebook group]{href='https://www.facebook.com/groups/walk1000miles/' } now

Don Lane is a 65 year old 18 stone lorry driver with a total knee replacement who works a 40-50 hour week on nights. He’s just done his 500 in three and a half months! “I make every effort to get out, mostly local but also longer walks. Rather than vegetate in my cab, I will often do three miles on my break, plus before and after my shifts. It's surprising how quickly the miles add up!” A highlight of his 500 was when on a whim Don thought he’d see would see how many of London’s bridges he could cross before became too tired. The answer? 19 in 17.8 miles!

Roger Taylor, 53 from Worcester has just done his 500 and says: “I feel fantastic for reaching my first 500 milestone. Whether it’s in the countryside, by the coast, up a mountain or in your local neighbourhood walking has such a positive impact on your physical and mental health and wellbeing. The challenge is a fun way to stay motivated, it has a real sense of community, full of encouragement, support and inspiration and the medal for reaching the 500 mile Proclaimer status looks great, feels great and gives a real sense of personal achievement. Thank you!”

## :a[Sign up for FREE today]{href='https://www.walk1000miles.co.uk/advice/inspiration/sign-up/' }

Click the pics below to open a high-quality, printable PDF file. And don’t forget to show it off in the :a[Facebook group!]{href='https://www.facebook.com/groups/walk1000miles/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}

**_Whether it’s a moment to yourself, the chance to talk, or a way to work through the toughest of times, TV star Michelle says walking is always there for you._**

**Walking has been there for me all through my life.**

It all started with my Mum \[fellow presenter Mavis Ackerley\]. Walking has always been our special time together. We’d head out into the countryside without our phones and take the opportunity to really talk. But sometimes we wouldn’t talk at all. We’d just be silent, listening to the sounds around us, looking at the trees. I realised, even growing up, how many benefits there were to that. Every time I went for a walk, I never came back feeling worse. I always came back feeling better.

I grew up in Cheshire, and the Edge \[a tree-covered sandstone ridge overlooking the Cheshire Plain\] was my playground. It’s an incredible place. There are caves to explore and at the top, you’re rewarded with a sweeping view across the north-west. I’ve returned there at so many different stages of my life. I took my husband there on one of our first dates!

**Walking has been vital for both of us ever since.**

We have all sorts of favourite places, like the Lakes and the Suffolk coast. For years we had a New Year’s Eve tradition of getting up at the crack of dawn and walking a marathon. From our house we’d walk into Central London, loop around Hyde Park and then all the way home again. We’d spend the whole day walking, chatting, looking around, taking everything in. It was our special moment, every year.

**Walking is how I get under the skin of a place.**

Travel has always meant walking for Ben and me. On our honeymoon we travelled to Vancouver, then on to Fiji and Australia. In Vancouver, jet-lagged and wide awake at dawn, we went out and discovered the city step by step. In Sydney we’d catch the ferry to a different bay each morning and spend hours walking the shore. You get a better sense of a place when you walk it.

**I never like walking back on myself.**   
I always prefer a circular route. I like the feeling that everything I’m seeing could be new. Mum and I would often just go rogue: spot a stile we’d never crossed before and see where it led. That sense of adventure is so freeing.

And of course, to listen. It’s very different from a phone call squeezed into a busy day. When you’re walking with someone, there’s no loss of signal, no rush to do the next thing. You can share stories and emotions and truly be present.

**In some of the most difficult moments of my life, I’ve turned to walking.**

Over a year ago, Ben and I were told that we might not be able to have children. I was suffering from severe endometriosis and had been told the chances of conceiving were slim. We went out and walked and talked; it was all I wanted to do. When I’m dealing with heavy news, the first thing I want is to be outside. There’s something calming about the motion of walking. And here we are a year later, and our daughter Nala is four months old and she’s our world.

**Nala is calmest when we’re walking.**

We walk in Bushy Park and Richmond Park all the time. At four months old, it’s all sensory: I lower the buggy visor and watch Nala stare up at the trees, listening to the sounds. Seeing her experience it for the first time makes me experience it differently too. Even if I’ve done that walk hundreds of times, it reminds me how special it is.

What’s a walk up Alderley Edge without a visit to the Wizard Tearoom afterwards for a sultana scone with clotted cream and jam, and a dark hot chocolate?

**So for all these reasons, I love Walk1000Miles.**

It isn’t about competition or endurance or pitting yourself against someone else. You can make it accessible, enjoyable and inclusive. It can be as simple as a short walk on your lunch break – turning a different corner and seeing what you discover – or choosing to walk for a coffee instead of sitting in the canteen. It can be a small daily act or a great big adventure. It’s something to work towards, but without the pressure we so often put on ourselves. Walking is joyful, freeing and deeply personal – and it can only ever bring benefits.

**ABOUT MICHELLE**   
   
Michelle presents the BBC’s _Morning Live_ and appears on _The One Show_, _Crimewatch Live_ and _Watchdog_. We also loved her CBBC travel show _All Over the Place_, which she says was often a great excuse for a walk. “We did so much walking on that series,” she says. “It really is how you discover the stories that a place can tell you.”

And if you’d like to see why Alderley Edge is so special, you can get our classic route on your phone via the OS Maps :a[here]{href='https://bit.ly/CWAlderleyEdge' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}

Experience the first National Outdoor Expo Film Festival, an exclusive evening celebrating the spirit of adventure and outdoor storytelling, presented in partnership with the legendary Kendal Mountain Festival. This cinema experience has been curated by the Kendal programming team and will be presented by Festival director - Steve Scott.

The evening promises to bring together the very best in outdoor film, featuring favourites from the Kendal archive plus brand new films that will captivate and inspire.

Be among the first to witness new footage from Leo Houlding’s Year of Extreme Family Adventure -  his family’s year long journey into some of the world’s most stunning and often hostile locations.

Featuring a live interview with Leo Houlding himself, offering rare insight into parenting expedition style!

20 March | The Vox | Resorts World Birmingham | Under 16s Go Free

Exclusive offer for Country Walking readers. £15 ticket, usually £25! Claim yours now: :a[National Outdoor Expo - The National Outdoor Expo 2026 Tickets | Sat 21st - Sun 22nd March 2026, 9am-5pm]{href='https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnationaloutdoorexpo.seetickets.com%2Fevent%2Fthe-national-outdoor-expo-2026%2Fnec%2F3466268%3FOfferCode%3DFILM15&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cnaivette.bluff%40bauermedia.co.uk%7Ce13442735d0c4388c29008de7ad95f30%7C0e79f3f34eeb48ed815e2876c379e863%7C0%7C0%7C639083271697834903%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=OmhKnjTtqxuU6ti%2B9nw1yUFSoYBauMtk62rPfWUjmR4%3D&amp;reserved=0' }

For the 2026 challenge, progress trackers are available to purchase via the online shop or with the February issue of Country Walking (in shops 6th Jan).

Medals are also available to purchase via the online shop from Spring 2026.

Enter your miles walked so far to get your current daily target average required.

Ready to move faster in the mountains?🏔️

One lucky adventurer will score a pair of the SCARPA Ribelle Cross 2 Mid GTX – the ultimate mid-cut crossover boot built for high-performance stability, durability, and all-day comfort on the toughest trails.

Blending the heritage of the Ribelle Run family with key hiking boot features, it’s one of the fastest and lightest hiking models in the SCARPA range. With a GORE-TEX® ePE membrane for reliable all-weather protection, a lightweight yet rugged TPU rand, and a grippy, cushioned sole, it’s made for fast hikes, technical approaches, and demanding mountain days.

Enter now for your chance to hit the trails in serious style. 🥾🔥

https://xd.wayin.com/embed/1bdde0eb-ab28-44d5-b38c-d79fb5d78aa6?mode=responsive&scrolling=no

**TERMS AND CONDITIONS for “Walk 1000 Miles | Scarpa” (the “Competition”).**

These terms and conditions (the “Specific Terms”) for the Competition should be read alongside  our general competition terms and conditions at: :a[http://www.bauerlegal.co.uk/]{href='http://www.bauerlegal.co.uk/' } (the “General Terms”) which will also apply to this Competition. Where there is any conflict between these Specific Terms and the General Terms, the Specific Terms shall prevail.

Entries are restricted to one per person.

Entry to the Competition is available via the following routes:

Online at :a[https://www.walk1000miles.co.uk/advice/inspiration/scarpa-giveaway/]{href='https://www.walk1000miles.co.uk/advice/inspiration/scarpa-giveaway/' }

There will be one winner of the Competition. All valid entries will be pooled and \[the winner/winners will be chosen by electronic random draw on 7th of April.

Entries must be submitted during the following entry period:

From 9am on 9th of March  (the “Start Time”) to 11:59pm on 6th of April (“End Time”).

Entries received before the Start Time or after the End Time will be invalid.

However if the winner cannot be contacted within 7 days from the date of the initial attempt to contact them then we will re-draw until we draw a winner that we are satisfied (in our sole discretion) fulfils all of the eligibility criteria and is in compliance with these Terms.

One winner will receive the following prize (the “Prize”):

One pair of SCARPA Ribelle Cross 2 Mid GTX

The Prize is provided by Scarpa (the “Prize Provider”). We are not responsible for any aspect of the Prize, including unsatisfactory quality or late delivery or a prize winner being unable to take up any aspect, or the entirety of the prize due to their own circumstances or restrictions.

Prizes are non-transferable, non-refundable and no cash alternative will be offered.

**Data Protection**. Names, email addresses, and /or telephone numbers (which, for all SMS competitions, will be shared with our SMS provider) will be collected and used to process entries. Winner’s details may be given to a Prize Provider to arrange delivery of the prize.  Your details may remain stored after the End Date but will not be used for marketing unless you have ticked an opt-in box on entry. For SMS entries you automatically consent to receive marketing. You may opt out at any time by texting the word STOP to the relevant text shortcode number. If you have opted in to receive marketing communications, then your details will be used in accordance with the information given when you ticked the opt-in box and gave your consent. For more details, see:  :a[http://www.bauerdatapromise.co.uk/]{href='http://www.bauerdatapromise.co.uk/' }.

**Intellectual Property And Consents**. By entering this Competition, you are consenting to our use of your entry both to publicise this Competition, the magazine or any other magazines or media platforms which we own or control. This means that we may use all names, images, descriptions, photographs video footage, and other information, which you have submitted on entry, in any media, without paying you any remuneration therefore and without any time restriction. You also agree that we may film, record or photograph you in connection with the competition and /or the Prize if applicable. We will own these films, recordings or photographs and we may use them publicly, including on the internet, in any of our magazines and/or for any promotional purposes. You will also have waived any moral rights or right to payment that you may have had.

We may cancel, end or suspend the Competition where we are required to do so in circumstances outside our control. We reserve the right to amend these Terms at any stage during the Competition if such amendment is necessary to facilitate the administration of the Competition.

**Contact Details.** Any concerns? Please email: \[Correspondence will not be entered into regarding any competition which has closed more than 14 days prior to correspondence being received.

H Bauer Publishing is the promoter of this Competition, see: :a[http://www.bauerlegal.co.uk/]{href='http://www.bauerlegal.co.uk/' } for details of our registered office and company number.

Designed and made in the UK and built to last you _years_, Bridgedale’s socks are adored by walkers everywhere. And here’s your chance to win two pairs of your choosing!

10 lucky winners will each receive **two pairs of Bridgedale socks of their choice** — perfect for powering your next adventure. Whether it’s a simple stroll from the doorstep, a big day in the hills or that long-distance trail you’ve been dreaming of, these socks are made to keep you comfortable every step of the way.

Don’t miss your chance to win – see below, and good luck!

https://xd.wayin.com/embed/8768ab42-ceac-47ce-a779-fb163cb9b608?mode=responsive&scrolling=no

**TERMS AND CONDITIONS for “Bridgedale Walk 1000 Miles” (the “Competition”).**

Entries are restricted to one entry per person.

There will be ten winners of the Competition. All valid entries will be pooled and winners will be chosen by electronic random draw on 31st of March 2026.

From 9am on Monday 2nd of March (the “Start Time”) to 11:59pm on Monday 30th of March (“End Time”).

10 winners will receive the following prize (the “Prize”):

Ten winners will receive two pairs of Bridgedale Socks to be selected from the Bridgedale Website.

The Prize is provided by Bridgedale (the “Prize Provider”). We are not responsible for any aspect of the Prize, including unsatisfactory quality or late delivery or a prize winner being unable to take up any aspect, or the entirety of the prize due to their own circumstances or restrictions.

**Contact Details.** Any concerns? Please email: :a[outdoorpm@bauermedia.co.uk]{href='mailto:outdoorpm@bauermedia.co.uk' } Correspondence will not be entered into regarding any competition which has closed more than 14 days prior to correspondence being received.

Now you know what’s what here are some handy hints for getting the most from your map.

Orientate is a fancy word, but basically it’s turning the map around so that the features - roads, buildings, hills, woods, rivers - match up with what’s really there on the ground, and it’s one of the best tools for good navigation. Why? Because it’s easier to work out where you are if what you see on your map exactly reflects what you see before you see on your map exactly reflects what you see before you.

Take a look around and identify some features that might appear on your map, such as hills, buildings, fences, rivers, roads, cliff edges and lakes.

Hold your map out in front of you and find these features. Once found, turn the map (not yourself) around until they match up exactly with the real life features around you. Say you are on a path with a building left and a hill to the right, turn your map round so that it also shows a building on your left and a hill on your right as you look down at it. In this way you can easily see from the map what features you will walk past next.

When you change direction, keep the map orientated by turning it so that the illustrated features always match up with what’s around you. It doesn’t matter if the writing is upside down – being able to read the name of a river or hill is less crucial to navigation than the fact that it is in front, behind or beside you.

Maybe the cloud is low, maybe you’re on a featureless moor, but you can’t always spot a suitable feature to help you orientate your map. Don’t panic – just use your compass! Simply lay it on the map and turn the two together until the north end of the needle is parallel with a grid line and pointing to the top of the map. Map and compass are both now facing north.

Avoid getting lost by mentally ticking off features on the map as you walk past and keep your thumb on your route to keep track of your location.

‘Handrailing’ is using a linear feature – coastline, river, wall, railway – to guide your steps. Find a river, say, that heads the way you want to go, then just follow beside it, using it like a handy handrail.

An average walker takes 15 minutes to walk one kilometre on easy-going terrain, or to cross one grid square on the map. This can be handy when you’re looking for a turning a kilometre away – if you haven’t found it after 15 minutes then chances are you’ve walked past it. For smaller distances, you obviously shorten the time – so 500m would take about seven minutes - but know that uphill, rough terrain, and steep downhill will all slow you down.

It may look like the controls of the Tardis, but it only takes a few moments to know your baseplate from your index line…

An essential bit of any good compass, the long edge helps you line up accurately with the gridlines on the map. The markings along the edge are Romer scales, and help you measure distance on the map, and find grid references precisely.

The lines and red arrow marked within the dial of the compass are rotatable so you can align them with the grid lines on the map when taking a bearing (see below).

The red triangle at the top end of the compass points your in the direction you want to walk when you take a bearing, both on the map and on the ground.

The place where the dial meets the baseplate where you read your bearing.

The red, sometimes luminous, end of the needle which always points north.

## How to take a bearing in three easy steps

Find where you are on the map and then the place you’re trying to get to. Put your compass on the map so one edge of the baseplate makes a line between the two, taking care that the direction of travel arrow is pointing from where you are towards where you want to go (and not the other way round).

Hold the baseplate steady and rotate the compass dial until the orienting lines are parallel to the north-south gridlines on the map, and the orienting arrow is pointing towards the top of the map (known as grid north). Check the number at the index line: this is your bearing.

Lift your compass away from your map, and hold it level in front of you so the needle swings freely. Rotate your whole body until the north end of the compass needle sits exactly over the orienting arrow within the dial. The direction of travel arrow now points towards your target.


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As anyone who’s challenged themselves to #walk1000miles already will know, keeping track of those miles can be an onerous task without the help of technology. A smartphone or dedicated gadget can do all the measuring and tallying up for you. But with different gadgets using different technology to record the distance you walk, it’s hard to know which will give the most accurate stats.

Measurements made by apps or gadgets vary depending on whether and how they use GPS, mobile network geolocation services or an accelerometer to estimate mileage based on your step count and stride length. We put the 15 apps and gadgets we reviewed to the test, to find out which are the most accurate.

We compared them on an identical route through our local country park, using a trusty trundle wheel to provide a control measurement. Our experiment revealed some gadgets are prone to giving wildly optimistic mileages, while others short-changed us. A few were near enough spot on. A gadget or smartphone app isn’t the only way to record miles however, so we’ve looked at some low-tech solutions too.

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