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Tips for making journeys more active
Last week’s competition was all about suggesting ways to make our everyday journeys more active. We had some brilliant hints, tips and hacks and we’ve compiled a few of our favourites in this blog post.
Our winning tip was from Ray from team Central Library who suggested taking the path less travelled to work:
Rather than take my usual path to work during the Step Count Challenge, I decided to change my route to work and take an alternative walking path in the city. This meant rethinking my route to work, and also starting slightly earlier from home, but by planning a new route I also embraced the greener/plant friendly parts of the city and made my walk to work more peaceful and relaxed, rather than just sticking to the fastest, noiser journey.
Our first runner-up is Emma from team Blister Sisters with this advice:
When I see that the bus is going to take a while, I like to walk to the next stop in the direction it's heading. It beats just standing around—and I get some extra steps in too!
And our second runner-up is Ajith who recommended a number of top tips including these excellent suggestions:
Walk whenever I can: for trips under 1–2 miles, walking is often just as quick as driving—especially when there is a factor in traffic and parking. Add short walks into a day: to the shop, the school gate, or even a coffee break. leave the car for anything under 20 minutes away.
Be weather-ready: With a mini umbrella, lightweight waterproof jacket and comfy shoes make all-weather walking a breeze.
Larissa from the College Climbers had this tip for using apps on your walk to identify plants:
I have downloaded inaturalist app on my phone which I can take pictures of biodiversity when I walk. It is amazing what species I can find. Makes my walks more exciting.
Mikolaj from the Step it up (Gang) uses their tracker to set daily goals:
I use a fitness tracker to count my steps and set a daily goal, usually around 25,000 steps. It really helps me stay motivated and makes me want to walk more during the day.
And Andrea from Best Feet Forwards had this advice:
Walk to the local shops if you can - take a back pack for your shopping as they are more comfortable to carry than a carrier bag! If you journey is a bit further then cycle. There are loads more cycle lanes or quiet routes than you probably think. And if you have kids at school you can always park a few streets away and walk the last bit with them.
