Now is the time to get out walking

May is National Walk to Work month and it’s a great opportunity for all of us to get more into our fitness this month.

If you live close enough to school but usually get a lift in, then aim to pick at least one day a week where you can walk in with a parent or older sibling. If you live far away from school then it is understandable if walking to and from there isn’t possible. However with the evenings getting brighter each day, you can get out and about after school and you have the weekends to get plenty of exercise.

For many, walking is a relaxing form of exercise but for others it can be a tad boring. If you love to get outdoors for a leisurely stroll or even if the idea of ‘endless’ walking bores you, these tips will make any kind of walk more entertaining.

Once you get outdoors your imagination can run wild with the nature around you, especially out in the woods where there’s loads of wildlife.

See how many things you can find in the colours of a rainbow.

  • Listen out for any wildlife sounds you can hear.
  • See if you can identify different bird songs.
  • Find out what kind of wildlife there is in your area and keep your eyes peeled for any animals.
  • Identify three different types of insects.
  • See how high you can climb a tree.
  • Walk and balance on a log.
  • Hunt for berries: over the next few months wild strawberries, raspberries and frockens will be coming out so keep an eye out for these super sweet berries.
  • Find a large stick and bring it home with you to customise into your own hiking stick.
  • Pre-plan a scavenger hunt for objects such as pine cones, cobnuts or specific types of leaves.
  • Hunt for fairies or build a fairy house out of twigs and moss.
  • If you find a shallow pond, wait very patiently and see if you can catch a pond skater or water boatman. They are incredibly hard to catch so you will have to be very patient!
  • Search for frog or newt spawn and tadpoles.
  • Bring a net to catch river minnows.
  • Search the beach for unusual looking sea shells and rocks.
  • Explore rock pools for crabs and periwinkles.