Each month in Country Walking we invite you to spice up your miles with a fiendish, foolish or fascinating side-quest, courtesy of our monthly mini-challenges, for the chance to win a money-can’t-buy golden badge… Here are the latest winners!
Seen you’ve won? Email walk1000miles@countrywalking.co.uk with your address to claim your prize!
56: Photograph a thing out of place
Jo McDonough "Well, only a mile or two from the sea... and it's still here."
Rita Williams with not so much ‘out of place’ as ‘out of time’. “The council have cut down all the dead plants in Queen Mary’s Gardens in Falmouth, then these beauties spring up. Taken on 29th November!”
Janet Pollock witnessed this along the Leeds Liverpool canal in Gargrave and says “I’m so blessed to live here, you never know what you’re going to see.”
Mary Galliers thinks you'd have to be a really weary walker to put your feet up in this armchair spotted at the side of the path through a forest near Tregaron in West Wales.
57: Pick some hops growing wild
Only two entries! Automatic winners are…
Glenna Waterhouse found that the only hops to be picked on Exmoor are in the beers. ‘I regularly enjoy a pint at my local watering hole. Cheers to all 🍺 in this merry month of December’.
Allison Bradnock used to have hops in a hedge but they grew out into the road and the prickly vines threatened passersby, so they had to be removed. ‘It had to be dried hops from the local area for #minichallenge57’
58: See a starling murmuration
Join our Facebook group to view the stunning videos that our winners have shared with us
Anne Denness is grateful to another member of the Facebook group, Marion thanks to whom was able to get to the exact spot to experience an amazing murmuration. www.facebook.com/100000669864723/videos/pcb.4188414464720157/1021562983056885
John Spencer captured a stunning starling murmuration right above Melton Mowbray town centre. www.facebook.com/john.spencer.1840/videos/1091940202597908?idorvanity=1760496717511956
Steve Dare spent a few days in Aberystwyth in accommodation across the road from the pier and witnessed this wonderful sight everyday. www.facebook.com/steve.dare.96/videos/1617308522498664?idorvanity=1760496717511956
Melanie Burton-Moss says ‘A small by others standards, but still truly beautiful starling murmuration in Clacton-on-sea along the seafront gardens.’ www.facebook.com/558822226/videos/pcb.4192894340938836/1298021441611722
59: Spot the worst badger
Carol Atkin spotted this poor chap at an antiques centre. ‘He seems very friendly though. Look at that smile!’
Malcolm Harrison found a half sheep, half badger. ‘Is it a shadger or a beep?’
Mandy Cooke tried to make a badger last year to keep her precious golden badge safe. She says, ‘unfortunately he did not turn out quite as expected and has eyes on the side of his head! A golden badger would spur me on to try harder and have another go.’
Helen Louise’s German Shepherd, Sasha picked out her own Christmas present. ‘It might not look disturbing yet - but this poor badger’s facial expression suggests it’s already dreading December 25th’.
60: Seek out some street art
Sarah Peplow walked 17 miles all around London finding works by Banksy. Here’s one of the eight that were discovered.
David Carl Gregan loved this street art that he saw in Carlisle. ‘Especially as it's got my name on it.’
Jeremy Wynne found some topical (even seasonal) street art.
Joy Alford spotted a mural by David Whittley, on the side of the Union Inn, Saltash waterfront, Cornwall. The mural depicts Saltash's history in the style of Michelangelo's Last Judgement.
