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| Healthy Walking in Ringwood Homepage |
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Healthy Walks
Hampshire County Council |
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Hampshire Paths Partnership has been involved in a new Healthy Walking initiative through partnership with the New Forest District Council and the NHS Primary Care Trust. The purpose of this initiative is to encourage people to take regular exercise by identifying short circular walks close to residential areas which are easy to walk and follow.
Walking is a good form of exercise. Healthy walks make it easier to exercise as part of your normal day. Regular brisk walks will increase your heart rate, making you warm and slightly out of breath. Start slowly, enjoy the fresh air, and gradually build up to the recommended 30 minutes a day.
The benefits of regular brisk walking include
- Reduces the risk of heart disease
- Keeps your heart strong
- Reduces or maintains your weight
- Reduces blood pressure
- Tones your muscles
- Relaxation and enjoyment
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| Calories used when walking |
| Weight (stones) |
8 |
9.5 |
11 |
12.5 |
14 |
15.5 |
17 |
| Calories used after walking 1 mile |
64 |
79 |
93 |
107 |
120 |
136 |
152 |
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If you are taking medication, recently had an operation or in any doubt about your ability, please consult your doctor.
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| Walking Safely |
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- Tell someone when & where you are going walking & when you expect to be back
- Wear suitable clothing & footwear
- Take care crossing roads
- If you are walking in poor light, wear reflective clothing
To date the following routes are available - 3 in Fawley, 3 in Fordingbridge, 3 in Hythe & Dibden, 3 in Marchwood and 4 in Ringwood. All of the routes have an accompanying leaflet and are waymarked with a white arrow and red heart. If you are not local to the above areas there are many other opportunities available to help you discover walks closer to home. If you would like to walk with other people you may be interested in our guided walks programme (A Hampshire Councty Council Web Site page) or perhaps you may like to create your own routes using the many public rights of way available throughout Hampshire.
The leaflets are available free of charge at local newsagents, doctors surgeries, community and recreation centres, Local Information Points and libraries. They can also be downloaded from the walks pages. |
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| Links |
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| Walking in Hampshire All the information you need to get walking in the beautiful Hampshire countryside. |
| Also see: A dedicated website for walkers in Hampshire |
| Please help Hampshire County Council develop and improve the healthy walks scheme by completing the Healthy Walks Survey. |
Walking the Way to Health is a national initiative of the British Heart Foundation and the Countryside Agency.
It has ambitious aims - to improve the health and fitness of more than a million people, especially those who do little exercise or who live in areas of poor health. |
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