A healthy New Year could save England £2 billion...

Monday 23rd January 2012

Woodland at Moorlands - Credit Claire Usher

Why not set a healthy New Year's resolution by joining an organised health walk in woods near you?

There are hundreds of free woodland walks happening across England every week as part of the Walking for Health initiative’s partnership with VisitWoods, a project funded by Natural England’s Access to Nature Programme and the Big Lottery Fund.

Numerous studies, including the recently published Natural Environment White Paper (NEWP), acknowledge that visiting places like Britain’s woodland offer huge benefits for people in improving not only physical health but also mental well-being. The NEWP suggests that if every household in England were provided with good access to quality green space, an estimated £2.1 billion in healthcare costs could be saved.

Find your nearest walk on the website woodlandwalks.org.uk. Hundreds of free woodland walks take place across the country every week. If you want to get more involved, you can apply for training to lead health walks yourself.

Also keep an eye out for guided walks in the spring and summer months on Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserves, soon to be advertised in the 'What's On' section of this webiste.

Neil Aldridge of the Woodland Trust said: "Many people look to kick-start a healthier lifestyle in January, going on a led walk is a great way to get some fresh air and experience beautiful woodland at the same time. There are hundreds of walks to choose from and there's sure to be one near you."

Walkers are also encouraged to register on the VisitWoods website where they can share photos and stories about woods visited on their walks. This helps to provide information and inspiration for others who may wish to visit the sites in future.
For further information visit www.woodlandwalks.org.uk.


 

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