I'm a very new member of the Ramblers and this has been my first summer of serious walking. At this point I feel calmer, more energetic, fitter and happier than I have felt for a long time. The group I walk with organises a walk once a fortnight and by the time it comes round I'm counting down the days.
The article in Walk answers a lot of FAQs about walking.
Should we walk 10,000 steps every day? In summary, we should aim to walk 10,000 steps per day but not necessarily in one go. Splitting it into 3 or 4 walks is much more beneficial than doing the walk and then sitting down for the rest of the day. Walking this many steps can reduce the amount of inflammation you get as you get older, not only in your body but also possibly in your brain.
When should we walk? It's now recommended that early morning walking is very beneficial as early morning light wakes up our brains and our bodies to set us up for the day. I have two dogs, one is a German Shepherd who loves her early morning walk, the other dog is a Border Terrier who will do anything to get a lie in and tries to stay in bed. I can tell the difference when I'm at work if I haven't been out with the dogs so I'm glad I have to do it. Evening walking is also beneficial for different reasons. It helps digestion before bed and can help you lose weight.
Where should we walk? I was aware that walking in the countryside is more beneficial than walking in polluted cities but I was quite surprised at the different benefits. The healthiest place to walk is the coast because of the seawater droplets in the atmosphere and river walks may also have the same benefits along with the calming noise of a flowing river or an ebbing tide. Forest walking or 'bathing' is also healthy because of the organic compounds in the atmosphere. Hills have been my challenge walking in the Dales but the article recommends hill walking because we use different muscles when walking uphill and then downhill.
How should we walk? Good posture is the most important thing. The article also recommends interval walking training (IWT). In other words, have short bursts of very fast walking in and amongst any hill walking and steady walking. This can help with cardiac fitness, blood pressure and wellbeing. Personally, I am now the proud owner of walking poles. They help with my balance and you get a full body workout that's not too strenuous. My left arm is full of metal after a fall and very weak so I am finding the walking poles a good way to gently build up some strength again.
Walk and Talk? Research has shown that walking with strangers makes our brains work harder and makes new neural connections to improve cognition.
I feel very fortunate that I can walk somewhere like North Yorkshire with its rolling countryside and woodland. I haven't done much coastal walking yet but intend to join some walks around Scarborough and Whitby. Being part of a walking group is very sociable, gets you out into open spaces and to see new things which I thoroughly recommend. If I'm walking alone I tend to listen to something but when I'm out with a group I enjoy the sounds of being in nature like flowing water or birdsong which can also be very good for mental wellbeing.