Health Audit 2015

I reckon that I'm not in too bad a shape physically. I'm 53 years old and a few stones overweight, but I can easily manage a ten mile walk, maybe even fifteen miles, in the more accessible parts of the Peak District. With me having to rely on public transport time and logistics are the main constraints on how far I walk.

I do have a few minor medical ailments though. At the moment my main problem is with my Achilles' tendons which are permanently stretched tight because of bone spurs growing on the back of my heels. There's nothing that can be done right now; if things get too bad though I might have the option of having surgery to have the excess bone pared back. In the meantime I have to make sure that I wear the right footwear, with the foam and gel inserts positioned correctly.

My calf muscles are also causing me problems at the moment; there's a muscle knot in my left leg, and I have a tendency to suffer from cramp when walking, and severe muscle spasms at times when travelling home in a tightly confined space on the bus or train...I think this condition is called 'Claudian legs' or 'Charley horse.' In both circumstances taking magnesium oxide tablets seems to help.

Walking for prolonged periods loosens my bowels and so I need to take a couple of loperamide anti-diarrhoea tablets in the morning as a preventative measure; I also have spare tablets in my basic medical kit. 

After a few hours/miles I sometimes start having problems with chafing on my inner thighs and testicles, and my piles can become bothersome, so haemorrhoid cream, vaseline, and petroleum gel need to be liberally applied before setting off and sometimes re-applied later...not every toilet cubicle has enough room for me to bend over and splay my legs - this is where old barns come in handy.

Despite being told as a child that I would grow out of my hayfever by the time I turned eighteen I'm still blighted by the symptoms, not as bas as when I was younger, but I still need to take a loratadine tablet to dampen down the symptoms when I'm out on the moors in the summer months.

Another minor ailment is golfer's vasculitis. it's nothing more than annoying really, a temporary rash that burns and itches a bit. I find the best relief comes when I soak in a hot bath when I get home.

Finally, I wear glasses. I'm perfectly safe to continue walking and get myself home without them, but I wouldn't be able to focus on anything in the far distance, thus ruining my enjoyment of the views. I always take a spare pair...just in case.

Rivelin, Redmires Reservoirs, Stanage Edge, Burbage Valley and Fox House.

Today didn't start very well. When I got to the railway station I was informed that the early train to Sheffield wasn't running...I was informed though this time at least. So, I got on the bus and then discovered that the main road to Sheffield is blocked because of roadworks. However, despite this additional delay I still managed to catch my bus at Sheffield.

The walk began in a spectacular manner with a steep descent into a wooded ravine, to reach some difficult, dangerous, and partially underwater stepping stones across the Wyming Brook, I think it's called - fortunately it appeared that someone has positioned large sticks on both banks, one of which I used as a balancing pole...and to test the depth. It wasn't deep; only about eighteen inches, and rather than risk twisting or spraining an ankle or knee on some uneven footing I partially forded it - my socks and trousers didn't take long to dry.

I then had a steep climb through woodland again to come out of the ravine, and the rest of the walk was fairly flat. I then enjoyed high level views of the Rivelin Dams and then reached the track which leads to Redmires Reservoirs. There was evidence of recent, possibly overnight, snowfall on this part of the route; and the reservoirs, being at high altitude were totally frozen over.

A fairly easy walk to Stanedge Pole on the open moors and then Stanage Edge - notice the different spellings. It was very windy walking along the top of the edge: there were many walkers, runners, climbers and mountain bikers there, all cracking underfoot what still remained of the ice. This was very noisy; as well as the shards of ice being blown onto the rock and then shattering...I've never experienced this before.

Finally; a straightforward couple of miles along the Duke's coach track to Fox House for the bus back to Sheffield...a total of eight miles today; and I'm not feeling bad at all considering I'm still recovering from a cold. My piles are sore though; despite using plenty of vaseline.