So.....10000 steps a day is good for you, or so we are told. I'm going to try to achieve at least this many steps, to help prevent middle-aged spread and keep my blood pressure down. I've joined Fitbug, www.fitbug.co.uk , which for a small fee provides an electronic pedometer and a motivation service. You plug the pedometer into the USB port on your computer each night and it sends the number of steps you have walked to the website, then you get a text message telling you to get off your bum and do a few more steps. Sometimes it tells you how wonderful you are if you have achieved your target!
I've also joined Stamford Steps , www.stamfordsteps.co.uk which has a kind of league table for the number of steps over 7 days, and I'm top of the league at the moment. This really motivates me as I am very competitive and determined not to let anyone past me. As some of the members only seem to achieve a few hundred steps a day this shouldn't be too hard!
10000 steps apparently comes from Japan but has been adopted by the British Heart Foundation as a way of getting us all to behave in a less sedentary fashion and keep our hearts healthy.
My average at the moment is 8399 steps, but on 2 days last week I only managed about 3500. You do have to make an effort to clock up the steps - it doesn't happen by magic, and a day of sitting in meetings without even changing rooms is a disaster. Rain is bad too - it's no pleasure walking when you're getting soaked.
These are some of the things I have been doing to increase my daily steps.

• I try to walk the long way to work from the multi-storey carpark - around 10 minutes to and from the car (I can't walk to work as it's 30 miles!).
• I use the stairs instead of the lift at work (I work in a 5-floor building).
• I am trying to go for a walk at lunchtime.
• Sometimes I go for a short walk in the evening.
• I try to do a long walk at the weekend.

Yesterday I went for a longer walk than I had intended. I peered at the map (Explorer 224) for ages and worked out a circular route, which I measured with one of those dinky little map measurers. It looked like about 7 and a half miles.

I drove to Bulwick and parked the car near to the church, under a tree to keep cool. Then it was on with the rucksack, walking pole and map in hands, and off I went.

1. I walked down the road and turned right, then took the signed footpath on the left. I crossed some parkland and went along the side of a field. There were many bright blue dragonfly-type insects - not sure what they were, but quite beautiful in the sunshine. Then the path went through a small wood and came out on the A43. Cars seem to go really fast along here - scary when you're a pedestrian!
2. On the other side of the road, I crossed a footbridge then plunged into waist high undergrowth. Loads of nettles and thistles, so I was glad I wasn't wearing shorts! After another couple of footbridges there was a very boggy place, and I tested the waterproofing on my shoes - very good! Then it was across some fields to Deene. There's a huge park here which is privately owned by the Brudenell family, and I saw a strange pillar with what appeared to be a teapot on top - must have some significance!
3. I walked through the village and turned left to a farmyard. The path was not clearly marked but I followed a track downhill which passed between two lakes. There were some lovely white waterlilies on the right-hand lake. Then it was over a stile, up some steps and across a big field full of cows and calves to the edge of a wood - Icehouse Spinney. This was a bit of a disappointment, as the path on the far side was completely impassable - head-high weeds and grasses. I found a way round and came out on the A43 again.
4. The track opposite led to Deenethorpe, a village with some very nice houses. I found my footpath and struck off across the fields, and this was where it all started to get difficult, as the waymarks were either non-existent or hard to spot.
5. It was my intention to work my way back to Bulwick via the edges of Holey Brookes and Cadge Wood, but I ended up having to navigate using my compass and field edges, as the path disappeared. However, I miraculously rejoined the path, albeit much further away than I had intended!
6. Then it was a hard slog across various fields with paths through the crops in baking heat. I was glad of my Platypus - a water bottle and mouthpiece system in my rucksack. I was well tired when I got back to the car, with aching back and shoulders, but I had walked about 22000 steps - that should boost my average!

Today it was gardening. I have a number of compost heaps, and chose to take the weeds to the one furthest away to get some steps in. I think I will need to take a stroll this evening to top up the count though!

Anyone want to join me as I struggle towards the magic 10000?