I love exploring little paths and discovering where they lead. It’s fun to just go for a walk somewhere with no particular destination in mind, just to explore a new path. I was recently given a map of the public footpaths in my local area by friends of mine. I’ve been having fun exploring some of them.
Sophie is usually my little companion on these walks. I’ve been making a note on the map as we explore each new footpath to show which ones are accessible with a buggy. With Jessica becoming a little more limited distance-wise, it’s useful to know which ones we can explore more easily with her too.
Sophie is a good little walker. Our pace is often slow and steady. She likes to stop frequently and take a closer look at things. There are dandelion clocks to blow, buttercups to pick and lots of wild flowers and plants to look at.
Some of the paths are quite overgrown. The footpath nearest our house was particularly difficult to navigate when I explored it with both the girls. There were times that they almost disappeared from view in amongst the undergrowth! Thankfully they’re both very good at avoiding nettles and prickles but it wasn’t a fun walk! On the plus side, we did spot some red kites flying overheard and some bunnies hopping along the path ahead of us once it started to clear.
A couple of the paths have been blocked off since the map was printed. It was a little disappointing when we found our path blocked because of National Grid works and realised that the closure had only been in place for a couple of days. We’ll have to go back when the path is open again.
Sophie loves it when we find a playground along the way. New playgrounds are always fun! I’ve been making a note of them on the map – the promise of a trip to the playground at the end of a walk always helps tired little legs to keep going a little longer!
I’m looking forward to more walks as the weather gets warmer. It’s such a wonderful way of getting to know my local area.
We love footpaths as well – we are so lucky to have this network throughout our countryside – a lot of countries don’t. It’s easy to forget those plants are head height for little ones as we stride on through! Lovely pics #CountryKids
It is lovely to have network of footpaths to explore – and yes easy to forget too that those plants must seem quite enormous from my girls’ perspective!
It’s great that you and Sophie go off exploring the local footpaths, it’s great to be able to step out the front door and go exploring isn’t it? The girls looks like they love keeping you company along the paths, sometimes walking undiscovered paths can be a real adventure to littlies. I can just imagine Sophie’s face when a new park comes into view too, I bet she loves it!
Thanks for linking up with me on #CountryKids.
Thanks Fiona. We’re having fun exploring and it’s even better when we find a playground along the way! 🙂
We’d love to head outside and explore the local footpaths outside our front door! We wouldn’t know where to start though! A shame that some of them were overgrown but it still looks like a good adventure x
Having a map helps a lot for us. I wouldn’t have noticed some of the ones near us otherwise and it also helps knowing where we’re going to end up too! 🙂
What a lovely little adventure. Thanks for sharing #countrykids
Thank you – we had fun 🙂
This looks like a lovely walk, it’s fun exploring new places so close to home.
We’ve been enjoying it – it’s lovely to get out and explore our local area 🙂
Fab idea, I want to see if I can find a map now of my local pathways too. Mich x
It’s helped having the map – we’re much less likely to get completely lost now! 🙂
How lovely that Sophie is enjoying walking with you. What a great idea to check out the areas you will be able to take Jessica in the buggy. We also love walking as a family, in fact that’s our plan for today.
Nat.x
Thanks Nat. I love going out for a walk too – so nice just to get out and about in the fresh air, isn’t it? Hope you enjoyed your walk 🙂
We love going on local walks, it’s good to explore the countryside and do something free! A nice reward to end with a park 🙂 #counttrykids
It is lovely and just goes to show that having fun outside doesn’t have to cost anything! 🙂
It looks like you had fun! I make sure we do this every time we move house as it is a great way to get to know an area #countrykidsfun
Thank you Sonia, it is a great way of getting to know an area 🙂
Nice to find new playgrounds – and a good idea updating a map as you go. We don’t really just go for walks, it’s always when we’re at places.
Thanks Emma. We tend to go places more often but it’s nice to have somewhere to just go for a walk when I want to get out of the house for a while.
Oh it is so nice to just wander and see what you can find. Even nicer when you have a little companion to share these places with. Sophie looks so cute as she is checking out the map – I am imagining her hunting out some potential playground spots on it.
#countrykids
Going for a walk is so much nicer with a little companion. I love the way Sophie wants to hold the map 🙂
Love the sound of these little walks! I love a bit of exploring and there’s a running joke in our house about “mummy’s crazy countryside adventures” (sung along to the Andy’s wild adventures theme) when I take then off the beaten track. Sounds like that theme may suit you too 🙂 glad the girls have been enjoying exploring with you xc
Thank you Caroline. That sounds like it could be my theme tune too – love it! 🙂
Slow walks are great, taking in new surroundings. I love the photo of your daughter checking out the map. I bet she’s a better map reader than me-I ALWAYS get lost! Such a shame some of the footpaths have been left to the weeds though.
#countrykids
I love spotting things I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise thanks to the slow pace. I’m not the best map reader either – I have to turn the map around to fit with the direction I’m travelling in!
That’s such a good idea to try. I keep meaning to buy an OS map for our area, you’ve prompted me to get that sorted. #CountryKids
We could probably do with getting one of those too! 🙂
Fab idea of marking on the map where you can use a buggy when required. We brought a map when we first moved to our new ouse about 9 years ago! We used it to find a local pub and haven’t picked it up again since but I think I will do this with Monkey soon as he loves looking at maps… thanks for the inspiration #CountryKids
My girls love looking at maps too. I think we might have to get another copy or two so they can have one to take as well! 🙂
It’s so nice to explore out local surroundings a bit more isn’t it? We rely heavily on the car in the week so have started using it less on the weekend and using local walks, particularly to get to the supermarket which is 2 miles away, it often makes for a lovely day out #CoutntryKids
Using local walks is so nice. I’m trying to use the car less and less these days too – it’s fun to explore instead 🙂
It’s so lovely to have such a great place right on your doorstep. #CountryKids
It is lovely – especially as I never realised there were so many nice walks in the area until recently! 🙂