Winchester Health Walks – a great way to stay active this year
Winchester Health Walks are offering people the chance to make an active start to 2010. The free guided walks, which are organised by Winchester City Council, offer a chance for people of all ages and abilities to keep fit, meet new people, and explore Winchester.
Each guided walk lasts for about an hour and covers between two and three miles. The pace of the walks is steady and ideal for those who are currently inactive or have a low activity level. There are currently three regular walks in the district, each led by a qualified walk leader.
Mondays, 10.30am - Tourist Information Centre, Winchester
Wednesdays, 9.30am - Friarsgate Surgery (old building), Winchester
Thursdays, 10.15am - The Square, Bishops Waltham
From 15th January, a new health walk will also be introduced in Weeke. The walking group will meet at 10am every Friday at Costa Coffee in Weeke (next to Waitrose).
Lydia Lockhart, Winchester City Council’s Active Lifestyles Officer, coordinates the walks. She said: “Ever since these walks started in November 2008 they have gone from strength to strength. More than 50 people are now enjoying the walks every week and more people are joining us all the time. Walkers have reported psychological as well as physical benefits from the regular exercise, such as improved sleep, less stress and improved mobility”.
Cllr Patricia Stallard, Winchester City Council’s Health and Wellbeing Champion, added: “I’m a passionate walker and spend many of my holidays hiking so I am absolutely convinced about the benefits. I am really pleased to see more and more people getting the walking habit, and offer my thanks to our team of volunteer walk leaders who have helped to make this possible.”
For more information on the walks, please contact Lydia on 01962 848 725 or llockhart@winchester.gov.uk