2019-06-01_Healthy_Food_Guide_UK_(2)

Fitness

JUNE 2019HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE 81

HowdoI getstarted?

‘IntheUKwehavea rightsofway

network,whichmeanstherearesimple,

sign-posted,accessiblefootpathsand

trailswhereveryougo– inurbanareasaswellasthe

countryside,’saysJamesAustin,a walkleaderand

developmentofficerforRamblers.‘Don’tover-think

it – it reallyis a caseofgoingoutfora walk and

seeingwherethepathtakesyou.’

Mostvillagesandtownshaveknowncircularor

out-and-backroutesthattakeyouaroundthelocal

beautyspotsandplacesofinterest.Headtolibraries,

bookshopsandoutdoorshopstofinddetailsofwalks

thatmaynotevenrequirea map,let alone a compass.

Wanttostepit up?Trythese...

●TheNationalTrustwebsiteis a goodresourcefor

walksinbeautifulplacesas the seasons change

(nationaltrust.org.uk).

●Thereare 16 NationalTrails,whichshowcaseBritain’s

moststunninganddiverselandscapes(nationaltrail.

co.uk).Whilesometerrainwillbeofflimitstothose

withbuggies,mobilityscootersorwheelchairs,

thereareplentyofareasthataren’t:search

walkswithwheelchairs.com,accessiblecountryside.

org.ukanddisabledramblers.co.uk.

●TheWalkingForHealthinitiativeruns 375 schemes

acrossEngland,whereyoucanturnuptofreegroup

walksonlevel,evenground.‘Groupwalksare

usuallyledbysomeonewhoknowstheroute,so

insteadofworryingaboutgettinglost,youcanenjoy

thesceneryandchat,’saysJames.They’redesigned

forpeopleofallabilitieswhowanttogetinto

walking as a means to better health and fitness, and

lasta maximumof 90 minutes(oftenshorter).Visit

walkingforhealth.org.uk(orpathsforall.org.ukin

Scotlandandletswalkcymru.org.ukinWales).

●SignuptotheNHSWalk4 Lifeservice:for£5a

yearyoucanfindthousandsofwalkingroutes,local

walkinggroups,takeonlinechallengesand track

your walking progress (walk4life.info).

Whatskillsdo I need?

None– it’sjustaboutputtingonefootin

frontoftheother.‘Mostbeginners’routes

arewellsign-postedsoit’shardtogo

wrong,’saysJames.‘Onanorganised

walk,moreexperiencedwalkersora

guidecandoanymapreadingand

navigatingrequired,’headds.‘Findone

thatcatersforallabilitiesandyou’llonly

needa basicleveloffitnesstotakepart.

It’salwaysusefultohaveyourownmapto

referto,though.You’lllearntopaybetter

attentiontowhat’saroundyouandnote

whichfeaturesappearonmaps.’

Youcanimprovemapandcompass

readingskillswhileyou’reoutandabout,

buttherearealsoonlinetutorialson

YouTubeandtheRamblerswebsite

(ramblers.org.uk/advice/navigation).If you

thinka coursemaymakeyoufeelmoreconfident

aboutprogressingtomoreremoteareas,try

ultimatenavigationschool.co.ukornnas.org.uk.Inany

case,it’swortha quickgoogletobrushuponyour

HighwayandCountrysideCodes (or Scottish

OutdoorAccessCode).

If you’rewalkingwithothers,thinkaboutwhatskills

orknowledgeyoucouldbringtotheday– perhaps

youhavegoodlocalhistoricalorgeographical

knowledge,oryouknowwhatbirdorwildlifetolook

outfor.‘ManyspecialistwalksofferedbyRamblers

areledbypeoplewhojustwanttosharesomething

they love about the countryside,’ says James.

WhatshallI wearandcarry?

Youdon’tneedorwanta greatdealoffancykitor

equipment,butyoudoneedtobecomfortable.

Jamesrecommendsthesebasics...

●BOOTSA goodpairofwalkingbootsandsocks

willkeepyourfeetmorecomfortable and supported

thanyouroldtrainersorwellies.

●CLOTHINGJustwearwhat’scomfortablebut

prepareforchangesintheweather.Thinkthin,

breathableitemsthatcanbelayeredonandoff:a

wool,silkorbamboobaselayer;a hatandlong-

sleevedmidlayerforsunprotection;anda good-

qualitywindandwaterproofjacketthatpacksdown.

Choose shorts or trousers that allow you to move

R

AMBLING,HIKING,TREKKING,HILL

WALKINGorsimplytakinga longstroll–

whateveryoucallit,therearefewsuch

simple,accessibleways to nourish mind,

bodyandsoul.

‘Walkingis oneoftheeasiest,cheapestwaystoget

active,loseweightif youneedto,andbuildstrength,

balance,flexibilityandco-ordination,’sayspersonal

trainerJacquelineHooton.‘Regular,briskwalkingcan

helptolowerbloodpressureandcholesterol and has

a heart-protectiveeffect.It mayalsohelp

loweryourriskoftype2 diabetes,

osteoporosis,dementiaandsomecancers.

‘I liketostarteachdaywitha walk,’she

adds.‘There’snothinglikea briskwalk

alongthebeachasthesuncomesupto

prepareyoumentallyandphysicallyfor

thedayahead.’Indeed,studiesconfirm

walkingregularlyhelpsliftyourmood,

reduceanxietyandimprovesleep.You

cangoatyourownpace,incompanyor

alone, as far or as close to home as you like.

WAL K I NG T OGE T HE R

Ramblersisa UKcharitythat

promoteswalkingforeveryone,as

wellasprotectingandexpanding

accessibleroutes.Its 500 groups

organise38,000ledwalkseachyear,

andwelcomenewcomersfora free

tasterwalk.Fora modestyearlyfee

(from£23),youcanjoinanywalk,

rangingfromoneto 30 miles,urban

tocountryside,easytomoretechnical.

Visitramblers.org.uk/go-walkingto

findonethatsuitsyourinterestsand

ability, or your nearest group.