HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

So, there we are.... 365 miles in 365 days! Where did the year go? it certainly went quickly!

I have really enjoyed do this challenge and it has taught me many thing about myself and my life!

I am a bit crazy

I like to be outdoors in any weather

I have brilliant family and friends who will support me in my craziness

I love wellies

I have favourite places to go, but like to explore new places too

I am a do-er

Swimming makes me calm

I am not a natural runner

Walking gives you plenty of opportunities to take pictures of things that you would never be able to get to in the car

Doing the photo blog to accompany this had made me look at the world differently

I thank you all for reading and contributing.... and if you haven't do so far, please do! I am sure that Macmillan and Dexter's wish will be grateful to receive every penny that you can afford.

For my welcome to 2011, I headed with Trina up to Ilkley Moor White Wells Spa Cottage. This is where there is a tradition of plunging yourself into the natural spa at the beginning of the New Year to cleanse yourself for the new year ahead. Some use it as a hangover cure, some just go for a invigorating dip! It was invigorating and poor Trina was in longer than me as the lovely old lady policing the 2 changing cubicles didn't quite know what to do with the camera!

It was cold! It was brilliant! It was well worth the trip out! What a great tradition!

Pictures here

Hope you have all had a great start to the new year so far!

Love to you all, may all your dreams and wishes come true for 2011, Iona xxxxx

365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 365 - Part 3 - Mile 365!

For the last mile, Trina and I decided to walk to "The Village" in Farsley for their New Years Eve party.

We got our frocks on and headed out after Katy took a picture of us, after much laughing and posing we finally managed to get a picture that we were happy with..... maybe we shouldn't have started on the wine earlier!

We headed down Coal Hill Lane, past the odd cemetery which no-one seems to know why it is there, and along to the bottom on the highstreet. We passed a car with the reg ONA - almost Iona we decided!

Finally we headed up the hill to be greeted by 2 doormen (oh the Village has become posh tonight!) and went in for a celebratory drink! See pictures here...

Happy new year everyone!

Love Iona x

Day 365 - Mile 364

Well, here I am at work... as I had to come in today I decided that I'd fit a lunchtime walk in. We work right next to the motorway so you have to listen to the cars which is probably the worst bit of the walk.

I chose to look the other way as I walked, across the fields. There is regularly a horse or two in the field, but I couldn't get very close as there was way too much mud! Attached to the field is the most bizarre caravan 'holding pen' for want of a better word! Hundreds of caravans all lined up in neat little rows.... bizarre!

I took a picture of the Nepshaw Lane South sign to prove that I got to the other end and meandered my way back towards work spotting a flat cap that had been left of the fence post... someone obviously has a cold head somewhere! Shame it wasn't in better condition... think I may suit a flat cap? maybe not? See pictures here...

Hope you are all enjoying the last day of 2010 and that you are all ready for tonight's festivities!

The last mile will be tonight on the way to the bar that Trina and I are going out to celebrate the New Year! You may have to wait for the blog until Jan the 1st!

May you have a lovely night and see you in 2011!

Love Iona x
365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 365 - Miles 362-363

7.30 am! I haven't seen that time for a while now! My alarm went off and I had to jump out of bed to get 2 miles in before coming to work. It wasn't too cold... well it's all relative I suppose!

I headed down Coal Hill Lane and was surprised at the fact the there was some builder already doing work and office lights going on..... I headed down to the canal thinking that it was probably still a bit too dark to be walking along the canal but by the time that I got there the sun had brightened up the day a little.

The canal is still frozen and the poor birds are still all congregating outside the Barge pub. I counted 14 swans this morning - amazing to see so many in the same place - I am in complete awe of their beauty even though they scare the crap out of me when they come close!

Back along the road and up the other end of Coal Hill Lane to home. 2 down, 2 to go.....

Pictures here...

Love Iona x
365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 364 - Miles 354 - 361

I was given 2 sets of walking card set for Christmas from Nat and Chris, so when Trina and I decided to do a big walk today, we picked one out of the box! It was nice to do a walk that we had never done before even though we were a bit disabled by the mist and couldn't see very much!

We took a 7.5 mile walk called Navigating From Stanley Ferry and made it an 8 mile walk because we got a bit lost - good lost - adventuring lost - but lost all the same!

We headed out of Stanley Ferry Marina along the canal for about a mile. It was weird as the canal has a long crack in it running parallel with the edge of the canal for ages and ages. We couldn't see very much due to the mist - but the trees did look spooky across the fields in the mist.

We got off the canal and headed into the village of Atlofts, winding through the streets, down ginnels and along field edges. At one point the lovely path turned into a horrible muddy path, so muddy that by the end of the field our boots were almost twice the size that they were when we had entered the field!

This is where we went wrong - seems that the instructions and the sign post weren't inline with each other so we went with our instincts... which by all accounts weren't right! We walked down the country lane expecting to pick up the directions soon enough but didn't! Ho hum..... Trina and I are not the sorts to get all panicky and distraught because we don't know where we are, so instead we soldiered on!

We came to a fork in the road, which way to go? the one without the big barking dog obviously!

This is where our adventured started. It seems that we had landed ourselves in the middle of the Newland Estate.... Click here for more info and pictures you can see, rather than my misty ones which are here...

We headed back along the river and were soon back on the right track. We did stop and ask a man who was walking his dog if we were where we thought we were and he pointed out that the lakes were were stood by had just been made, hence they were not on our map!

Over the ridge, and along by the river once more we entered the village of Kirkthorpe where we passed the church (definitely back on track according to the directions) and into The Southern Washland Nature Corridor. Under the railway line and back over the canal onto tow path.

We headed up the tow path, feet aching towards to Marina once more. It was amazing to see how many different canal boats there was, Trina like the look of a rather large one so she could store her clutter! I like the names and paintings and seeing where they have all come from. The poor birds seem to be having a rough time on this canal too - teetering on their feet trying not to slide around too much!

Would we go on this walk again.... maybe when we can see a bit more than 50 metres ahead of us! Nice to be somewhere different through, and good to do a long walk. Home now and bathed, ready for work and the remaining miles tomorrow.

Love Iona x

365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 363 - part 2 - Mile 353

Evening all!

I had intended on going on an afternoon stroll with Calum and Samuel so that Helena and Graeme could sort a few things out at their house - they have been flooded and are currently living out of a hotel room - and could be for 3 months!

However, this didn't really end up happening as Calum has a raging temperature and was really sleepy so he and I spend approximately 4 hours watching DVD's snuggled on the sofa while Helena sorted stuff out and Graeme looked after Samuel.

After we ate dinner and getting the boys ready for bed, they headed back to their hotel room and I went out for a quick stroll around the block for a bit of exercise and to cool off - 4 hours lying next to someone who has a temperature certainly warms you up.

I took a few light pictures here, but frankly with the mist and it being dark there wasn't much to take picture of.

2 days to go and 12 miles and I have to work one of those days..... eeek!

Love Iona x

365milesin365days@googlemail.com

Day 363 - Miles 349-352

This morning I needed to run a few errands and rather than jumping into the car and nipping over to Pusdey, I decided to walk. It's surprising how unappealing everything looked this morning after the lovely white snow everywhere. It was quite hard to take good pictures too as there was a heavy mist over the area.

I headed out along past the park and onto Stanningley Road, underneath the Arches and into Pudsey. I really like Pudsey, it still has the small market town feel about it and it has most of the things that you need..... well it had all that I needed this morning.

First to the green grocers to get some veg for the next few days - I spotted some lovely Clementines in a tray.... I am a sucker for patterns! Then to visit Pudsey Bear who lives in the Town Hall, I really wanted to take a picture for everyone who doesn't believe that sometimes I drive home just to catch a glimpse of the 7 foot Pusdey Bear - however the dirty windows and the light made it hard!

A quick trip to the bank to pay in cheques for the charities I am doing this for (many thanks and to those who have sent money through paypal.... every little helps as they say!) , and then to get a few more bits... bread for lunch and pastry to make mince pies......

See pictures here...

I managed to get home in good time and have decided that if I only want a few things in the future I shall be walking to Pudsey!

Love Iona x

365milesin365days@googlemail.com