Best foot forward

Recent research endorses National Forest message that walking is good for you!

Research published by Loughborough University indicates “walking is the only realistic way of achieving targets to significantly decrease the number of people who are sedentary and insufficiently active ... thereby potentially saving £255 million and over 6,000 lives”.

In other words, walking can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 50%, of late onset diabetes by 30% and of depression by 10%. Your blood pressure, weight and stress levels should go down too.

Sport-ex advises that walking is an ideal activity to help with:

• mental health
• weight loss
• recovering from heart attack
• chronic pain
• high blood pressure
• asthma
• cancer diagnosis
• type 2 diabetes

Since its inception, over 300km of new trails have been created within The National Forest, providing plenty of opportunities for a huge variety of walks for you to explore and help keep you healthy! Join one of the many weekly guided walks now being organised across the Forest as part of the Walking the Way to Health Initiative – everyone is welcome regardless of age or fitness level. For further details contact:

STEPS in South Derbyshire – Debbie Chesterman on 01283 595787

Walking For Health in East Staffordshire – Patricia Brade on 01283 538280

Walking the Way to Health in Leicestershire – Rachael Reynolds on 0116 258 8860

Alternatively, the National Forest Company publish a range of guides to walks throughout the Forest, from 2.5 to 13.5 miles. Call 01283 551211 to get your copy or email

Stroll on!