I think it is fair to say that the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic was not a good thing. However, for those that survived relatively unscathed, which in the UK is actually a large proportion of the population, there was one consequence of the pandemic that has the potential to have a positive effect on society for years to come. Put simply, the lockdown restrictions led many people to start walking more, usually because they had few options and wanted a good reason to get out of the house.
Those that did not tend to walk very much before the pandemic quickly discovered that walking was actually a good thing to do. It added physical activity into their daily routine without costing extra money. What many also discovered was that, at a time when the country was being ravaged by the effects of an illness, taking a daily walk had clear benefits on physical health for people of all ages. Not only was it good physically, but at a time when the stresses and strains of being cooped up inside were taking it's toll on families around the country, that daily walk also had a positive effect on mental health.
For those of us that walk regularly as part of our daily routine, these revelations came as no surprise. However, now that the pandemic is fast becoming a distant memory, do those that discovered the benefits of walking during the dark days of 2020 intend to keep up the habit, or will they slip back into their old ways?
It is my belief that they would be wise to continue keeping the daily or weekly walk as part of their routine, in fact, I am convinced that it would be most beneficial if they could actually increase the amount of walking that they do. To illustrate my point, I've put together this countdown of my own top ten reasons to walk more, and to keep on doing it as I approach old age (actually, I'm not approaching old age, I've reached it!!!!). Note that this countdown is based upon my own experiences. I've been leisure walking for many years, and have also had the good fortune to do it as part of my employment. But I reckon I am not alone in reaping the simple benefits of simply putting one foot in front of the other in aid of good health.
So, without further waffling, here are my top ten reasons to enjoy a regular country walk.
At 10 - It gets my creative juices flowing.
I'm not the world's most creative creature, but even so, when I walk I think, and that leads to me being at my most imaginative. I actually came up with the idea for this article whilst strolling beside Windermere lake. Regardless of where I am walking, my creative juices start to flow within minutes of setting off, and most of my best ideas come whilst I am outside enjoying a good walk.
At 9 - It burns the fat
I'm talking calories here. I love eating, so taking them in is no problem, but using them up is a different matter. I could visit the gym, or go for a swim, both really good activities, but the nearest gym will cost me a fortnights wages just to join, and I'm actually one of the very few people who doesn't like swimming. (I know that is strange, but I'm not really a lover of chocolate cake either!) Walking, however, I really enjoy.
How many calories I use on each walk depends on how far and fast I walk, but I once calculated that a one hour walk would burn just under 300 calories. (this is not the same for everyone it depends on your size and the speed you walk and also the terrain you are walking on). Walk two hours and I've earned myself a nice piece of battered fish. Another hour and that's the chips sorted. The mushy peas, are, evidently, practically calorie free!
At 8 - It protects the ticker
I'm quoting my doctor here, who, on the rare occasions that she sees me always commends me for walking to the surgery (although not in the rain!). Seriously though, walking makes the heart beat faster, increasing your cardiovascular performance. It also helps to keep your blood pressure down, in fact, a friend of mine who had high blood pressure and did not want to take pills for it was told by the cardiologist that the alternative was to walk five miles every day - so that is what he did. 20 years later he's still going strong at the age of 91 (although he's down to just 2 miles a day now).
According to an article I read online, regular walking at what was termed 'moderate intensity' is a factor in lowering cholesterol as you get older, which is not only good for your heart, but also helps you to keep walking.
At 7 - It gets me outside
This might seem obvious, but going for a walk actually involves getting out of the house, which is actually good for your health. The thing is that I am a bit of a nature lover. I find it calming to be outside in a natural environment. Which begs the question, is it the walking that is good for me, or just the nature? What if I drove to a nice spot, parked up, got out my comfy folding chair and just sat in the sunlight enjoying the world around me? Doing so would, after all, be very relaxing. Except.... it is the getting there that is the problem. The driving bit. I don't mind driving, and over the years I've done a lot of it, but it is stressful, and I do confess that it takes the edge off the pleasure of getting outside.
If I am going somewhere that is too far away to walk, I like to take the bus if possible. It is, for me at any rate, much less stressful. But if I am staying local, then I prefer to walk, and unless it is a trip to the local shops, I prefer to head to a green space.
At 6 - It puts the newness back into my knees
Now, I have to confess that I have never really suffered from joint pain. In that, I count myself lucky. Arthritis, knee problems and back pain are all commonplace, and can often affect people who are active, as well as those who are not. Something that did happen to me a few years ago was knee pain, which I started to get when descending hills. I remember one day in particular, coming off Nab Scar, overlooking Rydal Water in the Lake District. Every step down was more painful than the previous one, and upon getting home the first thing I did was arrange an appointment with my doctor.
After examining my knee, and asking about when the pain occurred, she gave me not medicine, but advice. 'Throw away your walking cane!' she said.
I always used my cane when descending a hill. She told me to try walking downhill without it. Her theory was that, as walking lubricates the joints and also strengthens the muscles that support them, using my walking cane for support when I didn't need to was actually reducing the benefit that walking gave me, hence the pain. She told me to give it a try for three months and if there was no difference to go back and see her. I've not been back, nor have I been bothered with knee pain since. I didn't throw away my canes, however. They go with me on every walk and are very handy. I just don't habitually use them for walking downhill.
At 5 - It stops me from getting ill
I'm talking about my immune system here, an amazing part of our bodies that we barely ever think about, even when we do get ill. Our immune system fights infection. How it does so is a wonderfully complicated process that I am not going to even attempt to cover. All I know is that in order to ensure that the immune system works correctly we need to do just two things - eat a good, balanced diet, and get plenty of exercise.
There is lots of research on this. What it seems to highlight is that people who exercise regularly are known to get fewer viral infections, and less severe symptoms when they do get sick. I can add my own observation to that. At periods in my life when I have not walked regularly, mainly due to work and family commitments, I've tended to get sick more regularly, and also be sick for longer. I know I am not the only one who this applies to. Friends of mine who also walk regularly are seldom ill, and when they are tend to be back on their feet in less time than the more sedentary folks I know.
Not only does walking positively effect my immune system, but it also seems to boost my energy levels. This has much to do with the fact that exercises such as walking increase the levels of oxygen absorption and hormone levels in the body, making you feel more energetic.
At 4 - It does wonders for my mood
Folk who know me are aware that I am not generally a grumpy person. I don't suffer from extreme bouts of stress, I'm not prone to what might best be described as negative emotions. One of my favourite songs is 'Always look on the bright side of life' from Monty Python's 'The Life of Brian'.
Of course, my positive outlook on life could be due to my personality - kind, caring, thoughtful and incredibly humble - not at all self congratulatory in any way. But actually, I think in reality it is due to a range of factors, one of which is enjoying regular walks. Going for a walk de-stresses me, not that I am overly stressed to start with, but in times past, I have been. When the going got tough, getting out for a walk certainly helped me no end. It cleared my mind of all the daily clutter, and helped me to think clearly about the really important issues that my family faced. It also reduced what I think is best termed as 'workday fatigue'; that drained feeling that many of us experience at the end of a hard day. In fact, for many years I was actually quite baffled at how, when I felt tired and drained of energy, getting out of the house and going for a short, brisk walk actually reduced the fatigue and helped me to sleep better.
At 3 - It improves the quality of later life
Most of us want to live for as long as possible. I know I do. But it is not just about living longer, it is about the quality of that life in old age. The very last thing I want to do in later life is to spend each day sitting in a chair watching daytime TV. It might suit some people, after all, we are all different, but it certainly is not my cup of tea. My experience with other people, some of whom are 20 years older than me, is that the secret of an active old age is to be active at all ages. Do the things you enjoy, as often as you can. Dancers dance, runners run, swimmers swim, and walkers walk. The key is not to stop. And since I can't dance for toffee, don't run, not even for a bus, and dislike swimming, it is walking for me. It is easy to do, enables me to maintain a social life, and best of all, it's free!!!!!
At 2 - It's so easy!
OK, I'll admit it. For someone who is advocating physical exercise I'm a bit of a fraud because I am a tad lazy. I am a dishwasher kind of guy, since I hate washing up by hand. I once washed my car in the rain so I would not have to rinse the suds off! (BTW, this does not work very effectively unless the rain is pretty torrential). But I find that when it comes to short distances, walking is easier than just about any other mode of transport.
Take walking versus the car for popping to the shops. My shops are just under a mile away, and the walk to them is really easy. No steep hills to climb, no busy roads to cross. Driving takes pretty much the same route, so reaching the village is fine. Then the fun starts. I have to find a parking space, which in many cases is not actually close to the shop I want, resulting in me having to walk part of the distance anyway. Then there is the cost. Starting a car and driving it a mile does the engine no good whatsoever. It uses fuel, which has to be replaced, and parking it can be fraught with difficulty if no spaces are available. At peak times it is worse. Not only do I have to drive around to find a space, but the local traffic results in me crawling through the village being stuck in a queue.
Another issue is if I see someone I know on the journey. If I am walking, I stop for a chat. If I am driving I usually end up sailing past, pipping my horn as I do so in order that my friend does not think I am ignoring them. Others do not know that the horn is not intended for them. Sometimes the chap in front (it is always a bloke!) gets upset as he thinks I am criticising his driving, which leads to a potential road rage incident. I see road rage incidents fairly regularly. They are part of life. But pavement rage is rare, and public footpath rage seems to not exist at all.
Another advantage is that, if I am walking, I can go off-road, and take that nice little path that leads between the houses, across the park, beside the stream and on into the village. I can't do that in a car.
And now, finally, it's number 1, the top reason why I love walking......
Because I can
OK, stick with this for a bit, you'll see exactly where I am coming from.
About 30 years ago I took my wife to physiotherapy one day. Whilst sitting in the waiting room I got talking to a young woman who had brought her husband for his physiotherapy session. The story she told me was quite harrowing, although there was a ray of hope at the end of what seemed like a long, dark tunnel.
Her husband, (she never revealed his name, so I'll refer to him as John) had been severely injured in a car accident, the result of which was that he had serious spinal injuries, and had lost a leg. He had been fitted with a prosthetic leg, and was learning to walk again. The sad part was that they had been told that John only had a 30% chance of success. He was trying very hard, overcoming the fear and pain that accompanied his every step, but even so, he had no guarantee of success. Prior to his accident he was a runner. He'd completed several marathons, climbed all the major mountains in the British Isles, and, at the time of the accident, had just returned from Africa, where he had climbed Kilimanjaro. And there he was, at the age of 29, struggling to regain the ability to do something that most of us take for granted.
The meeting did not actually change my life a great deal. I walked as much as I could in those days, both at work and play. I had long since understood and enjoyed the benefits of walking. But what it did bring home to me was how lucky I, and the other members of my family were. We had our health, our limbs were intact and in full working order, and we used them for the purpose for which they were intended. But not everyone is so fortunate, and of those that are, not everyone takes full advantage of their fortune.
Humans evolved to walk. Our bodies are designed to do it. What we are not designed to do is sit down for large periods each day. We may have invented alternatives to enable us to go further and faster, but the fact remains that for the vast majority of the period when humans have existed, the only method of transport has been our own two feet.
I am lucky enough to live in the English Lake District National Park, surrounded by a wealth of stunning scenery. But even if you live in a city, there are wild spaces not too far away where you can get out and stretch your legs. Public parks, Country Parks, Riverside and Canal paths, all are available.
One of the most pleasing results of the 2020 pandemic was a report that said that many people had gone out and discovered walking routes close to their own home. Routes that, until 2020, they never knew existed. The pandemic may be over, but the health benefits of getting out for a walk every day, even if it is only for an hour, are long lasting, and for the vast majority of people, very very good for you.
How to Get Started
If you've never really done a great deal of leisure or health walking before, it's essential to start gradually. A mile is better than no miles. It doesn't take long to build up a level of fitness that lets you go further, but it is also the case that trying to go too far too soon can lead to problems such as injuries or pain. If possible try to do a short walk every day, or at least 3 times a week.
Pace yourself. The optimum speed you should try to achieve is 2 to 3 mph but again if you are just starting out, don't worry. The key is to be comfortable with how far you are going, and what speed you are walking at. It is not a race. Instead, take the time to notice the world around you.
That smartphone thingy that you see young people walking along looking at is not an essential piece of kit. (I am convinced that many young people are, in fact, remote controlled!). Taking it with you is a good idea, but you don't need to keep looking at it every 100 paces or so. What is essential are comfortable shoes (trainers can be good), warm clothing and, if you can find one, a friend to accompany you.
Stay hydrated. A small bottle of water for walks of over a mile is not a bad idea. The golden rule is 250 ml of liquid per mile. Oh, and before you leave the house, don't forget to pop to the loo first!
And now, to get you into the mood for a bit of country walking Lake District style, here's a video of a walk I enjoy doing on a regular basis. You never know, one day we might meet each other halfway up the hill!
Have fun, and stay safe
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