Walking

One of the ultimate benefit check lists, what walking does for us.

The act of walking at a good pace- and a great pair of shoes (important, so more on that later) is proven to benefit-

heart (cardiovascular) and lung (pulmonary) fitness

joints and bone, our skeletal system

muscles

Other benefits can include-

improved balance and coordination

reduction of stress

taking in a lovely view!

Shoes- supportive, with some give are what I find the most useful. When we walk on pavement, there's no give from the ground which is an impact to ankle, knee and eventually hip joints. If you step onto earth and grass, you'll notice straight away a softer impact of foot to floor. That softer impact works up the whole body, so the quest is to find the shoe that cushions and supports the foot, in the absence of that coming from the walking surface.

If you're able, scheduling a walk into a working day can provide a break out space, quite literally. Scheduling time to reflect, asses and regroup can be invaluable, why not do that in motion?

When was the last time you got yourself to Hyde Park? Can you remember just how wide and open are those 350 acres?  There are vast stretches of barely disturbed sky.  An actual thrill to be standing under it.

Last time I was there it was beautiful and bright. Human beings wandering around, some very purposefully satisfying their athletic aspirations or pet-centric duties, others are amblers and wanderer-about-ers. Skaters!.. so thrilling, families rotating in their own orbits, running reconnaissance missions to trees and back again. Human to bird ratio changes and you're at The Serpentine.  Londons' little, tamed lake, lapping at the path edges, perilous for those smart shoes.

Blooming lovely canals!  All through London. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk

Broad, open walkways, with a destination winding away from you and the water constantly at your side. Every now and then, a moderately-paced drama plays out as the engineering of over 200 years in age repeats its’ success story. Water is released, withheld, drained and allowed as the locks change and a boat keeps moving.  The curve of the bridge  becoming its’ own reflection, light slicing through each and everything.  Plant-life in abundance on your other side. Sometimes bulging, purple buddleia fanning honey-scent into the air, at other times blackberries and most of the time ivy, all lusciously green.