One of my favourite pastimes at the moment is getting out of the city and into the countryside to go walking. It’s something I’ve started doing much more over the past year or so. Today I want to share my top three reasons for getting out of the city:
1. Stretching Your Legs
Humans were not designed to be desk-bound. The habits our muscles learn when we spend so much time sitting are not easily unlearned. It’s no wonder I feel so stiff when I first set out for a walk! However, recent research has suggested that exercising for at least 60 minutes per day can offset the negative effects of sitting. Getting outdoors is a great way to combine that exercise with family time.
2. Discovering Our Beautiful Country
Most people will have a visit to a far-flung destination on their bucket list but far fewer (it seems) consider the spectacular sights that are right on our doorstep. Since making walking a regular event, I have begun to truly appreciate the wild beauty of the British countryside. It reallly does pay to get off the beaten track and explore.
3. Fresh Air and Headspace
There’s no denying that cities can be an assault on the senses. If it’s not traffic noise and car fumes, it’s sirens and big crowds. Add to that our increasingly fast-paced lifestyles and you have a recipe for stress! For me, walking in the countryside is an opportunity to press pause on all of the chaos. Fresh air and space to think works wonders for me. There’s not much that can beat standing on top of a mountain and listeing to the sound of silence. Today marks the first day of Mental Health Awareness Week, making this last point particularly pertinent.
If this post strikes a chord with you and you’re not sure where to start, I would highly recommend the series of books CAMRA’s Pub Walks. After all, a walk isn’t a walk if there isn’t a pub at the end of it!
