Walking is one of my favourite activities. There is a whole host of information 'out there' about why it's important: it keeps us in good health, it contributes millions/year to the economy, it is a good way of getting to know the world we live in: through nature, habitats, beautiful views etc. I like it for all these reasons but I also really like it because it allows me to unwind, to get out of my head for a while, escape all the niggling stress and worries of everyday life and just be. One of the best periods of my life was when I was living near to where I worked and every morning and evening I had a 25-minute walk through a park and past the river. It was particularly enjoyable in the evening as I could spend the first ten minutes going through all the nuisances of the day and as I walked, gradually, I would get distracted by a bird, a striking house, a funny scene, or a pretty tree and before I knew it, I wasn't thinking about work anymore, I was thinking about nothing - well as nothing as it gets; random thoughts which don't tax the brain. Now I don't get a walk as part of my commute unless I make a lot of effort, e.g. get off the bus early or get a bus which doesn't go directly to/fro work and frankly even for a lover of walks, I find it hard. It's so tempting to jump on the direct bus and think I'll have a walk at lunch or tomorrow. Yesterday evening I went for a stroll locally, just round some back streets I'd never been to before. I found an entrance to some woods I never knew existed, yet another recreation ground with tennis courts and a spectacular viewing spot from which I could see all the way to the Gherkin. An incredible free leisure resource right on the doorstep.
I don't just walk in London, I also enjoy walking in the countryside, regularly going camping or hiking with friends. I did a brilliant trip to Seven Sisters recently, camping in the Country Park and going on a long (wet) walk through beautiful and uplifting scenery (despite the rain). Afterwards we all collapsed in a gorgeous pub and drank lager until we were warm. It sums up for me the pleasure of walking because it incorporates so much: convenience in terms of shortcuts, education in terms of wildlife spotting, aesthetic pleasure via the scenery and a cheap way of having fun either on your own or with a group of mates. AND it keeps you fit and is sustainable. What more could you want?
And yet all this is at risk...
It sounds dramatic but with government's planned spending cuts it is all too likely that local authorities will see their budgets slashed, council officers will be made redundant and many paths will fall into disrepair as the resources become unavailable. We have a remarkable resource in this country: a network of urban and rural paths which serve as shortcuts to local amenities or transport hubs, as routes to local green spaces such as parks and sports centres and as links to open tracts of countryside. Public paths are protected as our right under law and local government have a duty to protect and maintain them. However without the money and staff how will they do this?
The Ramblers, Britain's biggest walking charity, are running a campaign to raise awareness of the potential risk to our path network. It is looking to work alongside local government to ensure paths are protected and maintained; this means clearing blockages, unlocking illegal gates, clearing barbed wire or overgrown vegetation, rebuilding bridges and stiles, ensuring urban paths are kept well-lit and clean and not built over by developers. Please take part in this campaign so that local authorities are supported, and future generations do not find themselves unable to walk due to a dead end network: http://www.ramblers.org.uk/Campaigns+Policy/deadend
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