Step Count Challenge 2020 week three update

Congratulations on reaching the penultimate week of this lockdown challenge. In the past week we've increased our total steps to 682, 786, 382 and this equates to over 300 thousand miles, more than the distance to the moon!

Alongside being the third week of the Step Count Challenge, it is also Mental Health Awareness Week. Nicole Bell, Paths for All Development Officer and member of team Wander Women, has written a blog post on the benefits that walking and being in nature can have on our mental health and wellbeing. Nicole also provides lots of links to useful information and resources. 

If you are looking to unwind on your next walk, why not download and listen to our Mind to Walk mindfulness podcast narrated by Edith Bowman.

If you are looking for something creative, check out our artist in residence Alec Finlay's suggestions for activities you can do around the home, all with a walking theme. Here's one of his suggestions to get you started: 

Read the poem 'Beachcomber' by George Mackay Brown. Write a sentence about something you come across each day, inside or outside. 

It might be something familiar, or something new to you. 

It might be an object, something someone says, something you read, something you see on a screen.

Thanks for all the excellent tweeting, we've really enjoyed seeing where your walks have taken you over the past week, here are some highlights. 

There are a few wee teams within the Deeside Team doing the 'Step Count Challenge' - the team below have walked a total of 150 miles combined over the last 2 weeks. Phew! @KimberleyMenz @lyndafirth4 pic.twitter.com/sgnnmnB6PZ

— Team Deeside (@DeesideTeam) May 20, 2020

These lads were definitely into #SocialDistancing when we passed on the path this evening! #StepCountChallenge pic.twitter.com/PZoyu51tpu

— LynneB (@LynneB_Stir) May 19, 2020

Shout out to our Childhood Pratice lecturing team, who are taking part in the @PathsForAll #stepcountchallenge. So far, Emma, Angela, Julie, Alice & Nina have walked over 348 miles in May by taking important time away from the laptop each day to get fresh air!💜 🥾🐶🌄 #thinkuhi pic.twitter.com/Jz2ajkqLz8

— Inverness College UHI (@ic_uhi) May 20, 2020

It’s Day 17 of the #StepCountChallenge 🚶🏼‍♀️ 3 members of our team Scambled Legs took part in a virtual workout via Zoom. Today’s @step_count challenge was 20 star jumps - challenge complete ✅ We had great fun being active at home @PathsforAll #KeepMoving #StayHomeStayActive pic.twitter.com/iJuFAor3nv

— Active Scotland (@ActiveScotGov) May 20, 2020

Cirrus and Cumulus clouds today over Dumbarton. Day13 of the #StepCountChallenge pic.twitter.com/PhprmpwpNU

— Walking Friendly West Dunbartonshire (@WDwellbeing) May 16, 2020

Keep an eye on the Monday update email to see if you have won the weekly prize draw.

Keep active, stay safe and get ready for the final week of the Step Count Challenge!