A Tale of Two Walks

I did a lot of walking at the weekend. Two separate walks, one with the ladies walking group, and one with Spice. I'll let you to decide which one suited me more

Walk 1

‘I think I’ve successfully subverted you’

We’re sitting in a tea shop in Helmsley, our second of the day. We’ve just completed the 6 miles from Helmsley to Rievaulx and back, the return being in almost unremitting rain. The rain has soaked us through in a way which isn’t particularly attractive. However, we have agreed that we’re intrepid, as it no longer phases us, (‘well, we either have to walk back, or stay here’), we’re planning future events, which, it has to be said, revolve around food, as well as walking.

I explain. ‘When we started walking, and I said I was going shopping at the end of the walk, you all gave me funny looks. Now, we always fit in tea shops, and also other shops’.

I find myself explaining the concept of the Handbag Walker. They all agree that it is an untapped market, and that there are a lot of people just like us who want to walk, but who are not serious walkers. Who just want to take their time, look round, take photos, stop when they feel like it, or when there is a convenient shop, tea room or pub. We get the exercise, but it’s fun.

Walk 2

‘The most important thing to have brought with you on a Spice Walk is your sense of humour’.

I always worry when someone says that, as it usually means that they don’t have one.

It was with some trepidation that J and I signed up for our first Spice walk a few weeks ago. Ever since I joined, I’ve looked at their walks and thought that they were too ‘serious’ for me. They class 10 miles and more, with hills, as ‘moderate’. But I’d spoken to a few people, and they’d said that they weren’t too difficult, so when I saw a Grade 4 (‘easy’) walk of 7 miles without hills advertised, I decided it was time to sign up and give it a go.

It started from a car park in Wetherby. We didn’t make a great beginning, by nearly joining the wrong walk. We’d gathered with the group going on the Wetherby Civic Walk. It was the number of handbags which gave it away. Later there were a few times we wished we’d stuck with them.

I think I knew from the start really. By the time we were crossing the road out of the car park, we were at the back of the bunch. It was very hard going, and tailored more to the walking speed of the men, which, given at least 75% of us were women, didn’t seem quite right. The pace didn’t slacken as we walked down the track of a disused railway. It was pretty, but there was no time to stop and take photos. First we walked across to Stockeld Park, which had just opened it’s Christmas World. But no, we couldn’t stop.

I asked the leader if I could have a look at the map, so that I could see where we were walking. Not only was there an attitude which suggested surprise that I could read a map, but an almost allergic reaction to my purple and silver sparkly nail varnish.

Eventually, we reached Sicklinghall, by the village pond.

‘We’re breaking for lunch now. You can eat your sandwiches here. There is a pub up the road, which also has a shop. We have half an hour.’

J and I were off, to the pub, which proved to be quite a distance (‘that’s just added another half mile’), so that we only had time for a drink, and no food. We were both knackered by this point.

Continuing after lunch (a packet of crisps in my case), my pace slackened, as I just couldn’t keep it up. By the end, I had given up any pretence of enjoyment, and had got progressively more subversive as it went on. We couldn’t wait to see the car park.

Having passed yet another pub (where we didn’t stop), and a Spa Hotel which was offering afternoon tea, when we finally saw the tea room at the entrance to the car park, we were off, sending a message that we’d gone.

It was advertised as 7 miles. Given that we know our average walking speed, and that the pace was faster than we’d normally walk, I’d say it was more like 9. I ached more than I did after the Ribbon Walk.

Unfortunately, we have already booked another one, in a couple of week’s time. I’m already worried.

I leave it to you to judge which of the walks was more ‘me’.