It’s never too late for a New Year resolution, especially one that can help to make you live healthier, happier and longer. In short, walking is a wonder drug. Here are ten good reasons for taking it.

But first a quick explanation. This resolution goes back to the end of the old year when someone at a meeting asked an interesting question: “How can we make walking cool?”

 

Berlin's ampfelman

Cool walker? Berlin’s Ampelmännchen is a collector’s item

That prompted a few not completely serious responses including the risk of turning walking into an extreme sport. A shudder went round the room at the thought of Lycra-clad fitness freaks striding across the land.  For short journeys, everyone agreed, walking should just come naturally as a first choice for getting from A to B.

This was a meeting of the Living Streets Scottish Forum so it didn’t seem quite right to jump up brandishing our flyers during a discussion about the Scottish Government National Walking Strategy.  (Oh, but it was tempting!)

To be honest getting fit was not the main reason for starting our audio tours.  It’s just that walking is the best way to explore any new (or old) place because you see so much more when you are on foot.

Paths for all – a miracle cure

But the health benefits are astonishing. Just 30 minutes walking five times a week can make a dramatic different to health, according to Ian Findlay of Paths for All at the LSS meeting. If you could bottle it you might become very rich – and save the NHS a lot of money.  Or to quote the Chief Medical Officer:

“If a medication existed which had a similar effect to physical activity it would be regarded as a wonder drug or miracle cure.”

Given Scotland’s dismal health statistics it’s not surprising that the Scottish Government is keen to get us all more physically active. And, Ian Findlay pointed out, as most Scots don’t actually own a car, walking is the obvious way to start.

Good health is boosted with a recommended 150 minutes exercise each week and that can be split over five or seven days. And Living Streets has some great ideas to get us moving (check their mince pie calculator).

As it happens both Glasgow Music Tour (four routes, over 1.5 hours each) and Edinburgh Comedy Tour (over 1.5 hours) involve a good deal of walking, with a few hills thrown in for good measure.  But the beauty of it is you are so engrossed in the stories you hardly notice the miles go by.

Can we make walking cool? Don’t know, but we do make it fun.  And if you need more incentive here are ten good reasons:

Ten good reasons for walking

  1. Strengthens your heart
  2. Strengthens  your bones
  3. Relieves stress and releases feel-good brain chemicals
  4. Reduces risk of some cancers
  5. Helps weight loss
  6. Improves general fitness
  7. Lifts depression
  8. Helps you sleep better
  9. Lowers blood pressure
  10. Can help prevent type 2 diabetes
  11. Glasgow Music Tour (more than five miles)
  12. Edinburgh Comedy Tour (three miles with some hills) 

Ok, let’s make that 12 good reasons.

Footnote: walking benefits gleaned from various health websites such as this and this.