CARMEL: THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKING!

Reader Carmel tells us why she'd rather put on her walking boots than hit the gym any day... get out there and find an adventure!

Carmel says:
Our family are the outdoorsy type. This means my childhood was spent getting soaked to the skin in dinghies bobbing about on stormy lakes, or cycling up and down muddy hills, or screaming my head off as I zoomed down yet another zip-wire from the treetops above. This made me quite tough and practical and not scared of a/ camping b/ rain c/ fixing a flat tyre on a bike, all of which I am very happy about.

When I got older though, I realised that most of my friends had different ideas. They preferred the shopping mall to kayaking and abseiling. I tried to show some enthusiasm, but it wasn't really me, and camping and sailing was not for my friends either. Problem. What to do? I started with my two best friends, suggesting country walks with a picnic along the way. They weren't keen, but I chose easy routes and packed doughnuts, and after a couple of tries they were hooked. 'When are we going on our next adventure?' they ask now. I have a boyfriend now and he is just as keen on walking and outdoorsy stuff as I am. We really do have some cool adventures together.

So that's the thing - most of us live in cities, surrounded by buildings and factories and cars. The closest we get to nature is sometimes a picture of a sunrise over the water on Instagram. The closest we get to smelling a flower is when someone squirts air freshener around in the bathroom. That's a shame, because human beings are meant to live alongside nature. It makes us happy. The fresh air, the vitamin D, the exercise that gets our hearts pumping and keeps our muscles strong... all of those things make us healthy and happy. But most of all, it's seeing the wonders of nature, marvelling at a snowy hillside, crossing a stream on stepping stones, looking at lambs in the fields. It's about finding the next adventure, having fun without screens or shopping bags.  Those boots are made for walking - get out there and explore!

Photographs by Marti Stelling - thanks Marti, they're just perfect!

Cathy says:
Love this... one of my resolutions for 2018 is to do more walking and get back to the countryside! Do YOU have a passion or a hobby that means the world to you? COMMENT BELOW to tell us more!