Get into walking

Walking is a great way to get your daily exercise on your own or with members of your household. It is also a fun way of getting to the shops for essential supplies and getting to work or school.

With the average walking speed at three miles per hour, you will be amazed at how much you can see around where you live and how easy it is to get to local services with 15 to 30 minutes. There are lots of health benefits for all ages:

a brisk walk can make a huge difference to your health
walking is, free and on your doorstep
walking is the easiest and most accessible form of exercise
walking is good for your bones and muscles
walking helps beat stress and improve your mood
walking can make you feel more relaxed and improve your self esteem
walking can help you to manage your weight
walking can cut your risk of heart disease by up to 50%, reduce your risk of Type 2 Diabetes and the risk of some cancers

Tips on how to explore your local area safely

stay two metres away from other people
on narrow paths do not squeeze past, go back to a wider passing place
wash your hands with soap and water as soon as you return home
stay local and walk from home
walk alone or with household members
in the countryside, choose paths that are furthest away from houses - do not hang around near other people's properties
choose paths with minimum stiles and gates and avoid touching surfaces with bare hands
on shared paths and multi-user routes keep left to leave space for overtaking
do not feed, stroke or touch farm animals or horses
do not touch other users' dogs

Related information

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