A quick Google search reveals that approximately 100,000 people have signed up to Country Walking magazines walk 1000 miles in 2026 challenge. Of course many of those will have registered in and around the New Year period with the aim of getting fitter or having a goal to complete for the year.

As we approach the end of March (effectively a quarter in) this is when the going can get tough for the challenge and motivation can dip. I have completed the challenge for the last five years and below are my top five tips to get it over the line if you are struggling up to now or start to in the coming months.

Firstly the mentality side is vitally important. Isn’t it always! The magazine itself bills the challenge as ‘doing something incredible’. Unfortunately though achieving something incredible by its very nature is never going to be easy. The cliche of ‘no pain no gain’ applies here. Get your mind around that and you are off to a great start/continuation without physically doing anything.

Secondly, there is an excellent Facebook group dedicated to the challenge. Simply called ‘Walk 1000 Miles’, it largely provides inspiration via you being able to see photos and details of the walks people are doing or getting updates on how much of the challenge they have completed so far. It’s also a good place to visit if you are struggling though, as fellow members seem to be brilliant at finding fresh insights and inspiration if you are.

The next thing (which coincidentally I have gleaned from the Facebook group) is that there is quite a debate about whether the challenge should actually be done as a ‘boots on’, effectively where only miles out in the open count. It’s of course entirely up to the individual but my third tip would be to count every last step! Your body certainly won’t be making much differentiation between walking round the supermarket or round the Lake District. So, especially if it’s your first attempt, let every step count and remove as many points of failure as possible.

Which takes me nicely to the fourth tip. Fantastic magazine though ‘Country Walking’ is, it can sometimes give the impression that every walk is going to be a sunshine bathed stroll through the picturesque countryside. Ideally this walking will be done in proper walking clothes and proper walking boots. In reality for anybody working or with a family to care for the vast majority of miles in the challenge are going to be done in ordinary clothes on ordinary roads. If you can accept that and maybe have a ‘go to’ place close by that you enjoy walking around and often repeating that will be a massive bonus.

Finally the required amount of miles to complete the challenge averages out at 2.74 a day. It’s important to remember that it is just an average, so if a busy day means you don’t make that amount there are multiple chances to catch up over the course of a year. Also, it can be easier to do the steps in ‘bundles’, there is no requirement to complete it in one fell swoop each day. Ultimately though don’t forget that even if you don’t complete the challenge every step taken will contribute to your physical and mental health. Good luck!