Country Walk by Chris Williamson
Walking is the best exercise for most of us, as we are bi-peds (two legs, instead of four). Designed to walk upright, town planners could easily help fitness by thinking of feet (rather than cars) when designing new places. Walking often helps you lose weight (walk an extra hour a day and see the weight drop off) and also builds muscle and co-ordination, helps you relax and improves sleep. Wear layered clothing to keep warm or cool, and just build walking into your life, rather than buying a pedometer.
Mindful Walking is a delightful guide by Alice Peck, on how the simple practice of walking has benefits from connecting with our body and the earth, to discovering a new sense of calm. Walking outside in nature evokes awe, and nurtures the soul. Includes inspiration for ways to walk (forest-bathing – strolling through trees and wooded areas) and walking barefood in the mud, to friluftsliv – the Norwegian philosophy of enjoying the outdoors.
Walking with Glenn is an ode to the joys of mindful walking to find balance, build awareness and engage body and mind. In these 35 guided mindfulness walks, Glenn invites us to discover how we sense, move, think and feel. Cultivating key mindfulness meditation skills, this user guide features walks for every occasion and emotion: walks for expressing gratitude and affirmation, listening, grounding and grieving walks: mindful dog walks and more. Glenn includes walks for any fitness level and walking ability – including children and those who need assistance.
In Praise of Paths: Walking Through Time and Nature is a beautifully written ode to paths, and the journeys we take through nature. As told by a gifted writer, who stopped driving – and rediscovered the joys of travelling by foot. He started to walk everywhere, after an epilepsy diagnosis affected his ability to drive. The more he ventured out, the more he came to love the act of walking. And an interest in paths emerged. Torbjørn Ekelund is a writer and co-founder of Harvest, an online magazine documenting our relationship with nature. He lives in Oslo, Norway.
Urban Rambles is an illustrated city walking guide. Each of the 20 walks includes a GPS enabled map configured for your mobile, illustrations and photos, and information on green spaces, cafes, pubs and indie shops. Choose from cathedral cities (York, Lincoln), seats of learning (Cambridge, Oxford), trading ports (Bristol, Liverpool), cities (Bristol, Bath) or Victorian industrial cities (Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham). Or explore the 25-mile circular route through London’s Olympic park past rivers, parks and palaces.
See where to find good dog walks to find tips on safe dog walks, including the Countryside Code (to keep dogs & livestock safe). The post includes tips on becoming a volunteer dog walker. Did you know that Germany is introducing a law that requires everyone to give their dogs at least two walks a day (of at least one hour, if the dog is fit enough)? It will also be illegal to tie up dogs for long periods, or to leave them alone all day
I withdraw from the arguing and the talked-up necessity and all of the false assumptions. I withdraw from the words. I am leaving. I am going to go out walking. Paul Kingsnorth
The Walking Monk is a Canadian Swami who has walked thousands of miles across many countries, to promote environmental awareness. Always wearing his orange robes, he has been reported by the public as an escaped convict, and was even once reported by a concerned local, as a moving traffic cone!
