In England, health walks have been promoted mainly by an organisation called Walking for Health (WfH), a scheme which is now almost 20 years old. Throughout the years it’s been run by various entities but today, both the Ramblers and Macmillan Cancer Support are the custodians of this venerable institution. There is no doubt that walking is good for your health (both physical and mental) and this has been backed up by various studies. The NHS recommends to walk about 10,000 steps a day and as they put it:
“Regular walking has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, stroke and some cancers."
What kind of health walks?
In Bingley and surroundings, we are very lucky because there are many volunteer walk leaders organising regular health walks throughout the year. These walks usually last for 1 to 2 hours and have various level of difficulties. This is a good sign because there will be something for every one at the end of the day! And most importantly health walks are usually FREE. If there is a charge, it should only be to cover additional services such as tea and biscuits after the walk, so even so it will never be expensive and can’t be compulsory.
All walk leaders are given a thorough training and will know what to do in case of accident or emergency. They would usually wear high visibility jackets for additional security against road traffic and there are at least two walk leaders for any given walking group, one at the front and one at the back of the walk. So rest assure, you are in good hands!
Champions Show The Way
Different local organisations are supporting the Walking for Health scheme acting as coordinators. One of them is “Champions Show The Way" part of the Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust and as such is one of the organisations that initially supported the constitution of Bingley Walkers are Welcome. In Bingley and surroundings there are currently three different heath walks which you can join:
| Walks | Description | When? |
|---|---|---|
| Bingley Walkers | Our walks go through various places such as Leeds and Liverpool canal, Five Rise Locks, Saltaire, local woods, local parks, etc. Meet at: Bingley Arts Centre, Main Street, Bingley, BD16 2LZ | Tuesdays 2:00pm to 3:00pm |
| Slow Mobility Walk at St Ives Estate | A short walk round Coppice Pond. The walk is intended for those with some mobility issues and is suitable for those who have had joint replacements. There are benches around the pond should you require a rest. Meet at: the gate adjacent to Coppice pond, St Ives Estate, Harden Road, Bingley, BD16 1AT. | Wednesdays 11:00am to 12:00pm |
| Bingley 2 hours Walks | Meeting place varies between Bingley (Market Square), Elwick (The Acorn Pub) and Gilstead (The Glen Pub). This is a "medium-paced" walk. There will be some uphill walking. Please contact Champions Show The Way for the next meeting place | Thursdays 12:30pm to 14:30pm |
| Health Walk For All, St Ives Estate | Join us for our FREE health walk, in the natural beauty of St. Ives Estate in Bingley. Whether you want to meet new people, or walk with family and friends, this health walk is for everyone Meet at: St Ives Estate, Harden Road, Bingley, BD16 1AT. First car park as you come through the entrance, coming up from Bingley | Saturdays 10:30am to 12:00pm |
| River Aire Walkers | Walking is a great way to keep fit, meet new people and explore your local area. Meet at: the Footbridge, Roberts Park, Victoria Road, Saltaire, BD18 3LA | Tuesdays 10.30am to 11:30 |
Before joining a walk, it is recommended that you contact them:
 | Find out more by emailing champions@bdct.nhs.uk |
 | Give them a ring on 01274 321911 |
 | Like the Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust at www.facebook.com/bdct02/ |
 | Visit their website at www.bdct.nhs.uk/cstw/ |
 | Visit their page on Walking for Health website at www.walkingforhealth.org.uk |
Calendar of Walks
You can add the following calendar to your own digital diary. iCal files are easy to download and will work with most devices. So no need to to it yourself anymore, we will update the calendar for you! Download Champions Show The Way iCal file containing their calendar of guided walks:
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