A wonderful weekend was spent in Canberra at the Walking Festival (CWF) by some walkers from the Illawarra region of New South Wales. Our walks in the CWF were wonderful and we all hope to be back next year. We have seen parts of Canberra we would not have otherwise seen — the Botanical Gardens were great and walking around the lake was wonderful. There were 18 of us, some first-timers, walking 5km, 10km and 21km. All having a great time. Thanks to the organisers and volunteers for a really enjoyable weekend — even the weather was perfect.

Our usual walk is from Coalcliff to Scarborough Pub across the Seacliff Bridge. And what a walk it is, running parallel to the ocean we see dolphins, whales, sea eagles and we’ve even spotted a seal. Our group comprises anyone who wants to walk, no invitation is required, you just turn up. We walk to Wollongong a couple of times each year and often to Austinmer for a coffee and muffin — sometimes a swim along the way. We have built strong friendships and seen each other through good times and bad. We extend our walking days to include other social get-togethers. Walking together keeps us physically fit and socially active as it always includes coffee.