,Even though I do a lot of walking I still need to train for the cross wales walk. I find that relatively short, fast and hilly walks really helps along with some more lengthy ones too. I shall be walking with my sister Katie again this year; we are usually the same pace but Katie is doing The London Marathon this year so I think she might have upped her walking speed - I better get training. We didn't take part last year but did all 4 years previous to that. 
Yesterday I went to Rhayader to do a short, quick and hilly walk. I could have taken some great photos but left my phone in the car so all I have to show you is data from my garmin. I was very pleased with my time because I had to do a fair amount of map reading on the way, that takes up time. It was one big steep climb on the way out towards Elan Valley (and there was a cyclist way up ahead - mad!), up to a bog and then back a slightly different way. Beautiful scenery and views.
6.7miles 2hrs 25mins

A torrential start to today but met everybody in the carpark for the litter pick at 10am, organised by Walking Newtown. It was meant to be last weekend, I think to coincide with Sring Clean Cymru but because of the snow it was postposed the until today. It was a really good turn out, so some went into Dolerw and some of us stayed on the town side of the river and made our way down to the skate park. Sue Newham from Newtown Town Council provided us with all the gear and off we went to pick, pick, pick. What a lot of litter!! We did a 1.5hr stint and collected sacks upon sacks, all sorted out for glass/plastic and cans/litter. A few less plastic bottles to get into the river and find their way down stream and eventually into the sea!
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