There are plenty of accounts of substantial walks before the days of motor transport. I re-discovered recently one reference to Francis Kilvert, curate at Clyro (near Hay-on-Wye).

the walk over Newchurch Hill from Clyro to the valley of the Arrow was one of his favourites.

Kilvert discovered the lane past Veaullt Farm when he set out on a fine February day in 1870 to walk over the hills to Colva. He called at the cottage at Green Lane and went on with the son of the family, Price Price, 'a sturdy boy, with a round rosy good-humoured face and big black eyes' who had promised to show him the way. They walked over the hill to the Fuallt, failed to cross the swollen River Arrow by the bridge and had to go upstream across the Glasnant, then over 'the Reallt' (Yr Allt), along the road to the Wern and Pentwyn and by the field path to Colva church. At Colva he tried the echo in the churchyard and called at the Sun Inn in Colva. The parish clerk kept the inn, and Kilvert wanted to ask him for the words of some folk songs and traditional hymns.

I'd not noticed that last sentence before - I must try and track down any results.

The walk as described is about 10 hilly miles each way, and time would have been spent at the cottage, the farm, the church and the pub.

Phil