Wonders of Walking

Georgia May and John Brok

Here at travel alphabet, we are great fans of walking as a form of exercise, walking holidays or pilgrimages (you may have read Alison’s posts during her Camino de Santiago) and also walking as a way of getting around cities we visit.

Here are some of the benefits we came up with:

Great way to see and experience more: Although you may prefer to take a quicker form of transport to get around cities, by walking you get to see and experience more of what is happening around you. It is easier to chat to others along the way, ask for directions and recommendations and also people watch.

It gives you a better sense of direction: Through walking from your hotel to your destination then you can get a quicker feel for where you are and what is near by. This means that you won’t get lost as much as you’ll know your environment better.

You see things you may never get to see: By going down narrow streets and off the tourist track, you will see a lot of things which aren’t always included in the tourist brochures. You’ll walk down the quaintest streets, notice things happening which won’t take place in the city/town centre, see amazing street art and find lesser known churches and museums which are often much better than the famous ones. 

Photo by Bruno Joseph on Pexels.com

You’ll relax more and start taking your time: walking has great physical and mental benefits and as you walk around taking everything in, you’ll notice that you’re going much slower and are calmer. 

Take time in nature: This could be through going on a walking holiday or pilgrimage which takes you through forests, beaches or mountains or simply taking time to walk through nearby parks. However it comes about, make the most of the nature around you to rejuvenate yourself, taking the time to walk slowly through the peaceful surroundings. Whether you think it’s needed or not, a break from the crowds will always do you some good.

Walking meditations: If you want to slow your walking down further then you can also see the benefits of walking meditations. Walk mindfully along noticing all there is around you, hear the noises which belong to that city or town, take in the perfumes around and take time to notice the details in the architecture or the surroundings.

#enjoyment #interactingandexperiencingmore #mentalhealth #walking