Get into walking

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