Well hello there, it’s been a while hasn’t it?

I may sometimes aim for a greater frequency but generally I have been averaging a post a week, that was until this summer. In July & August I only managed a post a month and I’ve been wondering why. I’ve still had plenty of ideas for content, particularly one about my lovely visit to Kew Gardens and Richmond Park, but somehow I’ve not quite felt the enthusiasm to pick up the laptop. And the only reason I can think of is that I didn’t need to write.

What does that mean? Well I’m starting to think that my reasons for starting this blog are more selfish then I first thought. The main reason for starting this site was because I wanted to write and walking is something else that interests me so it made sense to combine the two hobbies. However I now believe that there is a second reason for writing about walking. I write to remind myself about the benefits of walking, even (or perhaps especially) when I don’t initially want to.

While summer got off to a slow start, when it did arrive we had quite a run of sunny days and even on the windy or showery days, it was still reasonably warm so the idea of getting outside was always tempting and I didn’t need any encouragement. It’s when the days are shorter, the winds more biting and the rain ever-more persistant that I need to remind myself that getting outdoors is still enjoyable. So I may claim that this blog is meant to encourage everyone and anyone to walk more but really I’m writing to me. That’s not to say I go back and read my posts, I’m not quite that self-involved but I remember writing them and the next time I’m hestiant about going out on a windy day I’ll remember writing about zooming along on a blustery morning.

This may sound grandiose but I know artists talk about the need to suffer for their art & in my own small way I can appreciate what they mean. When all is well and everything is going according to plan then it’s easy to glide through life without giving it a moment’s thought. It’s when things are less than perfect, that we need to remind ourselves that this time shall pass, there will be sunny days again but in the meantime there is still joy to be found in the everyday, that even a grey day can make us smile.

In summer when the skies are blue, the sun is warm and the air is still then of course I want to go for a walk and what more is there is say about that? The challenge is when the winds are howling, the rain is lashing and the sky is a shade of grey best described as ‘meh’. These are the times when I need posts to remind me that I still enjoy these walks, in fact these walks are often even more enjoyable than the sunny strolls. For one there’s a real sense of satisfaction over going out when you don’t initially want too. The inclement weather usually encourages you to pick up the pace and get the heart pumping, boosting those endorphins. Finally when it’s sunny everyone wants to walk but when it’s grim it’s often just me and the dedicated dog-walkers and as I seem to be getting more misanthropic with each passing year that suits me to a tee.

So I guess the point of this post is to let you know that I haven’t abandoned strolling, or writing about it, and as the days get shorter the posts will probably get longer…

That’s how I stroll.