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Walking is a great way to improve both physical and mental health, and there are lots of opportunities to enjoy walking in North Somerset, as Matt Lenny, the council’s Director of Public Health, explains:
“Walking is a simple, free way of being more active and is ideal for people of all ages and fitness levels. As well as the health benefits, walking can be a great way to explore your local area, finding out what’s on your doorstep – whether that’s local nature and environment or shops and businesses.
“Challenge yourself to walk every day in May! You can walk for as long as suits you – even 10 mins each day and you’ll feel the difference. Download our calendar and track your progress.
“We’ve a packed calendar of walking opportunities on offer throughout May, including organised group walks, walking sports and Nordic walking. Information will be available from your local library as well as on our Better Health North Somerset website, where you’ll also find an extensive list of walking routes of up to six miles. This includes routes which are suitable for people who use wheelchairs or who have limited mobility.
“There are lots of walking groups in North Somerset who always welcome new members. You could join one of our Health Walk groups who offer short, sociable walks across North Somerset. They’re 30 to 90 minutes long, led by trained leaders and are great for people who aren’t active at the moment, or those who are new to exercise, to start getting more active.
“Download our list of walking groups from our website or why not start your own local walking group? We can offer training and support to help you do that.
“And we really want to hear from you. Share your inspirational walking story and what you love about walking or your favourite route with us on social media, to be in with a chance of winning a £10 Love To Shop voucher. Use #NSWalkThisMay, tag Better Health North Somerset and you could win!”
The Better Health North Somerset team will be sharing lots of National Walking Month information, tips and advice on their Facebook (@BetterHealthNS) and Twitter (@BetterHealth_NS) throughout May. Follow them to find out more about walking opportunities in North Somerset, including routes and links to walking groups, or visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/walks or email GetActive@n-somerset.gov.uk.
You can also find information about public rights of way across North Somerset at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/publicrightsofway.