Natural England

Natural England, the champion for the natural environment, wants people who live and visit the South West to be more active and make use of the Region’s great outdoors by joining the ‘South West Outdoor Gym’ in 2008.

Sir Martin Doughty, Chair of Natural England, said: “Walking for pleasure can be enjoyed every day in the South West of England. Parks, rights of way and the South West’s unique wildlife and landscapes are all there to be enjoyed and the views are substantially better than those you get from inside a gym. What’s more, they’re usually free.”

In 2007, Natural England announced that 31,500 walk leaders have been trained to help encourage people to get active and stay active in the outdoors through its ‘Walking the Way to Health Initiative’ (WHI), a scheme open and available to all.

Dr William Bird, Natural England’s health adviser, said: “It’s been shown that the great outdoors is the best motivator to keep people walking and active. It’s also the easiest form of exercise to make part of your daily routine and the significant effect it can have on reducing or coping with stress really can make a difference to peoples’ lives.”

Natural England’s 10 reasons why you should Join the South West Outdoor Gym:

• Walking in your local park or in the great outdoors available on your doorstep is one of the greenest way to exercise as it doesn’t leave a carbon footprint
• The outdoors also provides great opportunities for wildlife spotting - join the two million people who have used the Natural England and BBC website which provides links to great places to walk and explore near you - all you need is your postcode. Visit www.naturalengland.org.uk and click on ‘Breathing Places’
• Exercising outside can improve concentration for several hours afterwards and makes you more resilient to stress or helps cope with stress
• £2.9 billion has been assigned to environmental schemes in the countryside between now and 2013. This is your money being used for environmental benefits – get out there and enjoy it!
• If you walk for 30 minutes a day you can burn off 2,000 calories a week (the equivalent of six Mars bars) or 150 calories per mile. That may not seem like a lot but walking and keeping fit also increases your metabolism so it’s good for you even when you’re not doing it .
• Your stress levels fall within minutes of contact with nature – good for body and mind.
• Walking crosses all generations and everyone can get involved. Research has shown that if children haven’t had the opportunity to be in the natural environmental on their own before the age of 11 they’re unlikely to use it in later life and therefore benefit from the stress relieving qualities the outdoors can bring.
• Walking protects our joints from wear and tear thanks to muscle build-up.
• Wherever you are in England, you are never more than 50 miles from a National Trail.
• Walking improves your immune system for up to 24 hours after a walk which can help prevent you from catching a cold.

The South West Region of Natural England has a fabulous array of walks, from coast to country, urban to special reserve there is something for everyone to enjoy. For more information and for a list of WHI walks visit www.naturalengland.org.uk and click on the Breathing Places website or visit www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk/ for more maps of walks in your region, listed under the Things to Do section.

As well as walks on your doorstep here is a taster of some of the special places you can visit in the South West.

The Fabulous South West Coast Path

Voted Britain’s greatest walk by readers of the country’s largest walking magazine, ‘Country Walking’ this walk offers 630 miles of unparalleled gorgeousness. If you fancy a bracing walk along the fabulous South West coastal path check out the web site http://www.southwestcoastpath.com. Here you will find many walks that can be downloaded including short walks and walks for those with mobility problems too. The direct link is http://www.southwestcoastpath.com/main/walks/index.cfm?fsa=dspWalkSearchShort, Check the weather and wear appropriate clothes/footwear and away you go!

Walks within the Forest of Avon

Avon Timberland Trail (for mountain bikers), Forest of Avon Woods for All (trails suitable for pushchairs etc), Strawberry Line Heritage Trail Project (6.5 kms between Congresbury & Windscombe suitable for cyclists, walkers, wheelchairs etc). Check out the FOA website for more details www.forestofavon.org.uk

Walks on the Mendip Hills

This Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has a website highlighting some locally promoted routes mostly for walkers, but also some mountain bike routes. www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk

Walks on the Quantock Hills

This AONB promotes a walking route (some sections are bridleway) called the Quantock Greenway, which has a number of round routes leading off the main route. The real plus is that the route takes the walker through the villages with lots of opportunities to visit cafes and pubs.

Another feature here is the wonderful Coleridge Way, which goes from Nether Stowey, across the Brendan Hills finishing at Porlock on the Exmoor coast. More details available on www.quantockhills@somerset.gov.uk

Local Nature Reserves

LNRs are for both people and wildlife. They are places with wildlife or geological features that are of special interest locally. They offer people special opportunities to study or learn about nature or simply to enjoy it.

There are now over 1050 LNRs in England. They range from windswept coastal headlands, ancient woodlands and flower-rich meadows to former inner city railways, long abandoned landfill sites and industrial areas now re-colonised by wildlife. In total they cover almost 40,000 ha - an impressive natural resource which makes an important contribution to England's biodiversity.

Natural England’s website provides information on LNRs throughout the South West. In Dorset there are dedicated web pages on the Dorset County website (Dorset for you) which includes LNR locations and descriptions.

ENDS

Notes to editors

For further information please contact Dot Isgrove on 01823 281803 or 07880 784757 or email dot.isgrove@naturalengland.org.uk.

Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings.