Image credit: Getty/Zoran Zeremski
I’m standing with Kate Humble at the starting line of a mountain walking challenge, when a woman in her 60s rushes up to her.
“You’re the reason I got up at 4:30am to be here!” she tells her.
Kate shrieks with delight and rushes off to pose with her for photos.
“Isn’t that brilliant,” the TV presenter says afterwards. “She saw a social media post I put up encouraging people to join this and now she’s here!”
Kate’s enthusiasm is infectious. Six days earlier she asked me to do the longest route, of 22 miles, and I found myself saying yes.
Beat the Beacons is in aid of Brecon Mountain Rescue Team, a charity she is a passionate ambassador for - she played a key role in helping the team raise funds for a new base and supports all its events, either in person or virtually.
At 7:30am on the dot we’re off and heading towards the highest peaks in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, in South Wales.
“Look at this,” she says pointing at the mountains around us. “Aren’t we so lucky? Today I could be at home doing chores or admin, but instead I’ve got a day for me, to spend outside walking and take time for myself.”
Kate made her name on TV’s Animal Park, Springwatch and more recently Escape to the Farm and Kate Humble’s Coastal Britain.
As she’s got older she says keeping active has become even more important to her.
She says: “Walking is my therapy. I think there is something about the gentle rhythm of putting one foot in front of the other that allows our brains to relax, problems to fall into perspective, thoughts to become unscrambled.
“And being outside, in nature, has been scientifically proven time and time again, to be good for our health and general wellbeing.
“I know that if I don’t start a day outside with a walk or a run I feel unsettled and less able to deal with the everyday stresses we all have to put up with.
Walking is more popular than ever with over half of us going on a leisure walk at least once a week. Some 3.5 million in the UK take it a step further by regularly heading into the hills and mountains.
The health benefits of walking are proven and it has been hailed as the ultimate anti-ageing exercise.
So if you want to increase your regular step count from a stroll round the block to a countryside hike, what is Kate’s best advice?
There is nothing worse than having sore feet, and nothing that puts you off walking more. Don’t buy online. Go to an outdoor store and get professional advice and try lots of different styles to find the one that suits you best. The most expensive is not necessarily the right shoe for you and you should never buy a hiking boot a size bigger.
If you haven’t walked much by yourself before, and you feel little nervous about walking alone, or getting lost, then find a walking group. Joining one is a great way to build your confidence and also meet new like-minded people.
There is a plethora of really good guidebooks out there that cover every area of the UK. And they cater for all levels and all ages - family-friendly walks, dog walks, walks with pubs. They are not only useful when you are walking to help keep you on the right track, but also great inspiration to help you plan your day’s walk.
The Ordnance Survey app is brilliant. It costs £28.99 a year to subscribe, but for that you get the most detailed map of the whole of the UK, so wherever you are you will have the right map. A handy red arrow shows you exactly where you are and where you are going, and there is a feature that allows people to share their routes on the app, so you can find ready-made walks to follow. AllTrails and Wikiloc are worth a look too
Don't forget, a walk is to be enjoyed! It is not an endurance test and should never be a chore. Walk when you want to, because you want. Not because you think you have to.
Challenge walks are a great way of taking on longer and more adventurous routes – and you can raise money for a good cause at the same time.
Beat the Beacons is run by Brecon Mountain Rescue. Team leader, Dr Rob Powell said: “Challenge events are accessible to people of all ages, and fitness levels, which is part of their attraction.
"They are not races, and we offer several route options (including one which is guided by members of our own Team) - from challenging Endurance level to a gentler route which families and those with less outdoor experience can enjoy.
“There are checkpoints and refreshments along the way, and the atmosphere is one of encouragement and friendship. Many people come along on their own but meet new friends as they complete their challenge.”
You can join challenge walks across the UK, of all distances. Check out The Ramblers and The Long Distance Walkers Association. Many challenge walks raise vital funds for charities, including The British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Macmillan and The Alzheimer’s Society.
And in case you are wondering how we got on. Kate scampered across the finish line in time to celebrate with a couple who got engaged on the route and I got chatting with a woman who lives round the corner from me - yet we'd never met before.
The only danger with challenge walks is how addictive they can be - I've already signed up for my next one.
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