I've just come back from a walking weekend with a walking group. We stayed at a bunk house place near Pateley Bridge in Nidderdale and we did a big walk on both Saturday and Sunday; by big I mean 10 miles or so with some hills. The weather was not too bad, it stayed sunny in the morning and rained a bit in the afternoon, but we didn't get too wet.

I like walking for several reasons:
1) It gets me away from my home town and I get to see lots of lovely scenery; sometimes I get taken by suprise by what I find or see on walks, it's like dipping into a box of chocolates when you don't know exactly what you are going to get, but you know it's going to be something nice.
2) It's an excellent social activity, meeting friends and making new ones, and I know that I'm not going to come across any one unpleasant because everyone is too busy enjoying the country side to be unpleasant.
3) It's a hobby for me too because I am learning how to read maps and navigate; I went on a navigation course last year and it spurred me on to start to lead walks. The group I am a member of is like a cooperative in that they like people to volunteer to lead walks and I am more than willing to do this to enable me to practice my skills.