Towards the end of 2019 I was having my Annual Check-Up with my GP. She told me I was ‘borderline’ for developing Diabetes, and I needed to make some changes in my lifestyle to prevent this. I had to attend a 13-week course, which would begin in January 2020. Each session would last 2 hours.

On the first day, I turned up and found there were about 15 of us, both men and women, all ages, and from various ethnic groups. Those with ‘Smart Watches’ were encouraged to keep a record of the number of ‘steps’ we had walked each day, and at the end of the week the Course Tutor collected the details. The aim was to see how far the group could walk during the time we attended the course. The target was Land’s End to John O’Groats.

The course was closed after 3 weeks because of the outbreak of Covid-19! On the first day we had been given a comprehensive hand-book, with all the information needed to continue the course at home alone. One thing we all needed to do was to get out and walk more. At the back of the book was the map for the big walk, broken down into short sections. All you had to do was to enter the number of steps for that week, and you could see your progress and which town or city you had reached.

Walking was one thing you were allowed to do during the Covid outbreak as long as you did it alone and stayed in the local area. So I started walking every day, just short walks to begin and then longer walks as I became fitter. After a couple of weeks, I realised I could record my own steps and attempt the long walk from Land’s End. It was slow progress making my way up the west side of England.

As Covid restrictions were eased I started to walk around local parks and beauty spots. Golden Acre Park, Roundhay Park, Temple Newsam, etc.

It took me 8 months to walk the whole 850+ miles to John O’Groats, averaging 25 miles a week. I completed it just before my Annual Check Up came round again. My GP was delighted. I had lost 10kilos (22lb), and felt much fitter. But the main achievement was that I was no longer in danger of becoming Diabetic, and have maintained this status ever since. Sadly, I am no longer as mobile as I was, and can only walk short distances, and inevitably some of the weight has crept back on. But I am still walking.