Want a new outlook on life? Watch the bees

Tracking Back: In the latest in his series of reflections on places and pathways, Will Gore wonders whether miles matter when we measure our steps

‘Each was going about its own business, seemingly ignorant of the many competitors for the hebe’s pollen’ (AFP)

Distance offers perspective, but less so when it is an obsession.

Family holidays began to revolve around hiking before I even noticed it: walks led to rivers we boys could splash in; or rocky outcrops where we could pretend to be soldiers. But it wasn’t long before the walking became an end in itself.

Thereafter, mileage became crucial. Height was of interest too – and could just about excuse a lesser distance covered – but miles ruled. Any walk under seven was disregarded as being almost an embarrassment. If we ever did a three-mile jaunt along a valley it had to considered as a rest day, useful only in the final vacation tally.