Day 273 - Miles 257-259

It has been such a lovely sunny day today, I made the effort to leave work on time, call Trina and go for a walk. She has a friend staying who didn't fancy coming out with us, so we walked, she had a bath and we took a take-away back for dinner!

We decided to walk our old jog route - not jogging today - not enough time to get changed to be honest, and both headed out in our work clothes. We did get a few strange looks as we were obviously looking a bit odd, both in short skirts and jumpers!

Lovely swans were frightening a cat, ducks, dogs, joggers, walkers and cyclists made up our walk today, along with chat about our various course, work, life and the universe.

We were both very thankful for the walk when we finished. Just nice to be able to get out there for a bit, get a bit of exercise, and a mini counselling session all rolled into one. Walking is so good for that!

A few nice shots here....

Home now, ready for a quick shower, pj's and bed!

Love Iona x

365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 272 - Mile 256

This morning was dark, dreary and damn wet! I headed out just after 6.30 to get back into the the habit of doing some kind of exercise before work. I know it's good for me, I know it'll make me feel more energetic, but some mornings my warm bed still beats the noise of the wind outside and I snuggle back down for half hour.

So sleepy eyed I mustered the energy to go for a jog this morning. Just a mile around the park, but that was enough. I couldn't believe what a difference a week makes to how dark it was. It was still mild this morning (no coat) but there was plenty of drizzle!

See the pictures, full of street lights today, must try to get out more in the evenings and have some dramatic sunset shots!

Love Iona x

365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 269 - Mile 255

Yesterday was amazing, and strangely relaxing!

Trina and I had signed up for the Great Scottish Swim and after tho is was cancelled, we transferred our entries to the Great Salford Swim. Much closer to home, but perhaps not so beautiful!

Juli, Nick, Trina and I set off from home about 10.30 with picnic packed and full of breakfast ready for the day. Successfully following the instructions of how to get to the Quays in Salford we pull round the corner to see load of people on the road and in the water.... queue extreme giddiness on my part!

Up and up we drove in the multi story car park trying to find somewhere to park, but this did give up a good view down onto the start line. We headed down to the quay side where hundreds of people were gathered, cheering on their friends and family as they set off into the water in 200 people 'waves'.

Soon it was our time to get changed and ready for action. Checking in and a 10 min session in the acclimatisation section we were ready to go. A brief warm up on the side and a few words of encouragement and then we were off!!!

Steady into the water as there was quite a narrow entrance, and up the quay. I took my camera with me so tried to get some shots where possible. Juli and Nick followed up on the side of the quay, taking pictures of us swimming, and I was taking pictures of them! It's amazing to have such great friends to support you at these events. makes the whole day so much easier!

Corin, Jen, Harper and Aniq also met us at the finish line. It was really lovely to see them and have so many people cheering you the last few metres!

It was cold.... but not too cold.... it was hard swimming in the waves..... but not too hard and I really enjoyed it. Trina proclaimed that she would definitely do it again too when she got out..... maybe we'll have a bigger swim group next year... any offers???

After a lovely picnic - hot soup and sandwiches to warm us up was gratefully received!

What a lovely day, well organised and fantastic friends,

See the pictures here/, and click on the Donate button to the right please, for all our hard work, thanks!

Love Iona x
365mileisn365days@googlemail.com

Day 268 - Miles 252-4

What a lovely place Saltaire is! I never fail to enjoy myself there and it is a great please to have a walk. Juli and Nick were staying for the weekend and wanted to go back to the mill to buy some wobbly table wedges, and get out into the air!

We headed out across the canal and river, through the park and over to the Glen Tramway.... still not work, but apparently will be by Christmas! I have been trying to take my favourite 3 yr old for over a year now, and it has never been open :). The Fat Controller must still have his men fixing it!

We walked up the hill, along side the route of the tramway, being passed by very cheerful and enthusiastic mountain bikers. Up over the top, and back though the wood. It is a really good wood to walk though as there are loads to look at. From the large rocky outcrops, to the pond, and the old road. There is a great gate at the top of the hill which makes me want to know more..... shall have to do some investigations.

Down through the housing estate and back across the river. Juli and Nick think I should buy one of these houses as it is right by the river.... hummmm maybe?!?!? We entered the canal at the point of the locks, lost of peering and photo opportunities!

We walked back along the canal, on what turned out to be a nice sunny autumn afternoon, to the village, for ice creams and cream teas! Hurrah!

A good old shop in Salts Mill, and an Indian for dinner - what a lovely day!

Great picture here....

Love Iona x

365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 266 - Mile 251

After a busy few days, I am finally getting round to uploading some blogs. I am sorry for those of you who have asked why there has been none for the last few days - order has been resumed - hopefully!

I was working long hours at the end of last week, and trying to fit friends in too, so I only managed a mile walk on Thursday morning. It was fairly dark and uneventful, as the blog photos show, although the conkers are out in force!

See here...

Love Iona x

365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 264 - 249-250

I headed out this morning as planned and reversed the route that I had done yesterday. It is funny the different things that you notice when you do things the other way round!

It was really misty this morning, but not cold in the slightest. I only had a hoodie on! I did jog down Coal Hill Lane too, but that was the extend of the heart rate raising activity for today! I felt a bit like a dog walker but without the dog today.... was nice to be out though, especially when lots of people are just stirring or are still in bed. You kind of feel privileged to have the streets to yourself.

Nice misty pictures here...

Looking forward to tomorrows walk already,

Love Iona x

365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 263 - Miles 247-8

This morning I decided that I needed to up my miles and get a bit of exercise in before Sunday's swim in Salford Quays! Still not feeling 100% I opted for walking 2 miles before work rather than a jog or swim.

I headed out with rain coat on, while the street lamps were still lit, in the rain for a walk. It was really nice, I had forgotten how much I enjoyed walking, even if it was in the rain! I like the mornings because it is quiet and it give you a chance to think and look.

My route consisted of walking down Coal Hill Lane to Rodley, along the main road and onto the canal. The canal was eerily quiet this morning, obviously not very busy at 7am! but is was so lovely to walk alone for a bit... no cars.... no people.... just ducks!

Back cutting through the streets, passing an industrial estate that I never knew existed, and up Coal Hill Lane. That is the problem with living at the top of a hill, you have to go down and up just before getting home! Think I shall walk it the other way round tomorrow.

Check out the pictures here...

Love Iona x
365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 262 - Mile 246

So I started today buying a new TV! The old one has gone to TV heaven (my living room floor 'til next weekend) and a new one is now in it's place! Hurrah! This is hopefully the last in a long line of things that keep going wrong, breaking and generally pissing me off! I am generally known for my optimism but I'm not sure how many more things I can take!

Thankfully my friends and I had decided to go for a walk today even though it was miserable and raining! And it was lovely, lots of laughing, talking and putting the word to rights! A good old natter can really make things better - even if it is in the rain!

Nat, Captin (the dog), Helena, Graeme, Calum, Samuel and I headed out for the famous 'Billing'. This is a hill behind Nat's house that Helena and Graeme used to walk up when they were courting.... altogether now....ahhhhhhhhhhhh...

We passed the boating lake and Captin tried out a bit of swimming, nervously at first, but in the end her got a bit more confident. I wonder who I should ask to see if I could swim here next year?

Through the gates, and over the styles, up to the Trig point, absolutely no hope of seeing any others from here today! It was definitely a 'grim up north' day! We did do a bit of plane spotting though as we were near to the airport. Calum, at the age of 3 is very good at knowing that Red and Silver planes are Jet 2 - that's advertising for you!

Lovely, if a bit rainy photos here.../

Back up through the wood and a quick stop off at Nat's before heading out for our hot chocolate treat! Yummy!

Hope you have all had a nice weekend,

Much Love Iona x

365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 256 - Mile 245

Last Monday, I woke, still slightly jaded from my cold of last week and a busy lovely weekend. I decided that jogging was a bit too much effort and had a brisk walk instead. Seems I can walk nearly as fast as I can run! Humm.......

I had intended to swim after work and write both blogs when I got home, but another set of busy days at work meant that wasn't going to happen..... then getting a stomach bug where even getting downstairs for a glass of boiled water (exciting eh!) was a lot of effort, the pictures stayed on my camera and the blog unwritten.

Feeling much better now and hoping to get a few more miles in the next few weeks. Hopefully work will settle down to enable me to get to the pool too!

Some dreadful pictures here...

Love Iona x

365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 254 - Mile2 243-244

So after a week of feeling rotten with a cold, I am now fully recovered and back ready to get some miles in the bag!

Nat, Chris, Captin and I set out for a Saturday afternoon stroll after lunch. We headed to Thackeray Wood (which I have just googled and seems to actually be called West wood?!?!) which was recommended to Nat by another dog owner, and he has been using over the summer to walk Captin.

It is a lovely wood in the Apperley Bridge area, and have obviously been there for hundreds of years. Most of our walk took place on what seemed to be old roads, and then back along several footpaths by the canal. It was very obvious today that the wood is used by cyclists and horse riders and there were very distinct prints in the mud!

Lovely woods, lovely dog, lovely boys, lovely afternoon!

Pictures here....

Love Iona x
365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 245 - Part 2 - Miles 241-242

Thursday night I wanted to have an explore by the river that runs through Rodley, with the thought that we may be able to swim in it. Wild swimming much closer to home would be a great benefit!

I persuaded Trina to come out with me... in case of muggings and murderers obviously! and we had a really nice stroll and explore on a sunny September evening! It seems we can't swim in the river here, there are no swimming signs everywhere and we even saw half a car!

We made the most of the stroll, picking blackberries, smelling the newly cut hay, walking though an old abandoned warehouse/factory, and back along the road. We passed some abandoned houses, very odd, especially if you turned around there are lots of posh houses and we weren't far from a bistro! I have often seen signs to this eatery and thought that it was in an odd position... maybe we'll have to try it out!

Have been full of cold for the last few days, hence the late uploading and lack of miles in the past couple of days! Lazy Sunday today ready for the week ahead me thinks!

Pictures here,

Love Iona x

365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 245 - Mile 240

Thursday morning I didn't need to be in work until 9, so I made use of the time and headed out to the new pool in Morley. I hadn't swam properly for ages and thought that this would we an easy way to fit some swimming in before work.

The leisure centre has been rebuilt now so it was all shiny and new and even at 730 in the morning was being well used. A few things to get used to, like the unisex changing rooms, obviously saves space and if you want a bit of privacy then you use a cubicle! and they have introduced a baby pool... not something that I will be using to do miles though, that would be a lot of turning around!

I managed to find a lane that wasn't too full and go into the rhythm. I always find it weird swimming in lanes as you have to fit in with everyone else speed and not your own natural speed. After about half an hour though it pool cleared so there was only me and one other in my lane.... time to pick up the pace. I have no idea how long it took me to do the mile, as the clock is not the best...but I finished, showered, dressed and was at work on time.... so it was all good!

Pictures here,

Love Iona x
365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 244 - Mile 239

I'm a bit out of synch this week, what with the bank holiday and all, but had to get back to it this morning.

Up and at 'em I headed out just after 630. There was a strange sight as I left the house! A fridge and a bbq in the neighbours garden...... we haven't seen who has moved in yet... but there is definite redecoration going on!

As I headed up the street it was cold and sunny, I spotted the moon still out! Think it's going to be getting darker in the mornings over the next few weeks..... best make the most of the light while I can.

Over the park and the sun was blazing already, I thought it's going to be a hot one.... wish I was on the way to the seaside rather than work - oh well!

Just one last little spot on the way home, a small piece of Yarrow in the grass! See the pictures here!

Love Iona x
365milesin365days@googlemail.com