Celebrate National Walking Month with Burnham Waters, our 55 over housing development in Essex

This May, at Burnham Waters, the 55 over housing development in Essex, we are celebrating National Walking Month. We are sharing some top tips on getting active as well as some of our favourite, local walking routes.

For many of us, walking is one of the easiest ways to  get out and get active. It can not only have a positive impact on our health, but it can be a great way to stay connected with the local community, helping us to feel less lonely and less isolated too.

Walking is simple, free and it can often be one of the easiest ways to get more active and improve your general health.

According to the NHS, walking can sometimes get overlooked as a form of exercise. However, walking briskly can really help you to build up your stamina, to burn excess calories and make your heart healthier too!

PLUS, you don’t have to walk for hours to reap the benefits! The NHS advises that a brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your 150 minutes of weekly exercise (as recommended by the NHS for adults aged 19 to 64).

If you want to find out more about walking for health, visit the NHS website here.

The benefits of walking

Being active is especially important as we get older as our metabolism begins to slow down, making us more likely to put on weight.

If you are looking to lose a bit of weight and/or feel a bit healthier, then a daily walk can make a big difference. In fact, there are lots of benefits to a brisk walk:

1. It keeps your heart strong – walking briskly every day can help to keep your heart strong by increasing your heart rate. It can also reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.

2. It reduces your risk of cancer – it is well documented that keeping active can reduce your risk of developing some cancers.

3. It reduces your risk of Type 2 diabetes - Type 2 diabetes is more likely to affect adults and those who are overweight or obese, so by keeping active and managing your weight, you can reduce the risk of developing this form of diabetes.

4. It strengthens your bones - walking can actually help to prevent the onset of osteoporosis, which makes bones brittle and more likely to break.

5. It’s good for your mental health - being outside in the fresh air has been linked to improved mental health and can help to reduce your stress levels too. Walking can also be a social activity if you meet up or walk with group or with friends, which can help to tackle feelings of isolation or loneliness.

Tips to get started

Before you set off for a walk of any length, you need to make sure that you are wearing appropriate shoes! Choose shoes or trainers that are comfortable, that provide adequate support and do not cause blisters. There is nothing worse than setting off for your walk and then 15 minutes later you have to turn back because your shoes are rubbing!!

For longer walks in particular, having the right footwear is paramount, so you may wish to invest in specialist walking shoes. You might also want to consider taking with you a waterproof jacket and a back pack, to carry a few essentials.

Before setting out for a longer walk, make sure you pack a bottle of water and a few snacks too, as well as sunscreen and a sun hat for warmer weather. A fully charged mobile phone is also important, not only will it allow you to call for help should you need it, but you can also use it to access maps, should you find yourself getting lost!

Are you walking fast enough?

A brisk walk is about three miles an hour, which is faster than a stroll.

You can tell you're walking briskly if you can still talk but cannot sing the words to a song.

The NHS offers a free walking app: Active 10. If you download this onto your smartphone, you can use it to track and build up your daily walks. It tells you when you're walking fast enough and suggests ways to fit in some more brisk walking.

How can I stay motivated?

By making regular walking a habit and factoring it into your daily routine, you are far more likely to stick at it – and as a result, to reap the benefits!

Try to think of different ways to include walking in your daily routine. Are there some shorter journeys that you do in the car, which you could replace with a walk? Could you cancel a milk/paper delivery and walk to purchase these items instead?  

Other ideas to factor some walking into your day include:

- Parking further away or getting off the bus/train a stop earlier and walking part of your journey  

- Walking to the shops

- Using the stairs instead of the lift

- Arrange to meet friends for a walk (instead of just going for a coffee)

- Get into the routine of going for a stroll with family or friends after dinner

Burnham Waters: the 55 over housing community in Essex

At our 55 over housing community Burnham Waters, we are very lucky to have lots of lovely walks, right on our doorstep in Burnham on Crouch.

If you are planning a move here (and/or you live locally) and you have a dog, why not take a look at our recent blog post, where we share the five best dog walks in Burnham on Crouch.  

Earlier this year, we also celebrated Take a Walk in the Park Day at our 55 over housing development by compiling a list of Essex Villages to visit. From Hylands Park and Gardens to Danbury Commons and Blake Woods, there are lots of places to choose from. Take a look at the blog post here.

For residents living at our 55 over housing community at Burnham Waters, we will be delivering a host of leisure facilities, on site. So, if walking isn’t your thing, how about a game of tennis, a swim in the pool, or why not visit the gym and fitness suite, or sign up to a class. All of these will be available on site, providing access to a wealth of leisure amenities, all within easy reach.

Find out more about the leisure facilities to be delivered at Burnham Waters here.

Burnham Waters is a 55 over housing community in Essex, comprising a collection of one, two and three-bedroom bungalows, set in a beautiful village community that encourages a healthy, active and enjoyable lifestyle – all in an idyllic countryside location. The first homes are now ready to move in to. Book an appointment to visit our show home, open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 3pm. For more information get in touch by email, call us on 01621 861 559 or complete our enquiry form.