Walking has never been more fashionable – what to wear for the new wunder exercise?
Imean obviously it’s a good thing if everyone’s moving more. Those who decamped to the country during lockdown and have Discovered Nature, those who want to avoid public transport, those who just want to escape the dog-eat-dog world of cycling – power to us all. But now that everyone’s at it, it’s all getting a bit competitive and kit-obsessed. The beauty of walking is that apart from proper walking shoes/sandals (proper, as in woefully unattractive), and breathable socks, you don’t need anything special, apart from common sense.
The nouveau walkers, however, are stocking up on their 65-litre Osprey Ariel rucksacks and Platypus Hydration packs – vital if you’re hiking from Land’s End to John O’ Groats. Less so for an amble through Richmond Park. And they’re piling on the evangelism. On they go about how compatible walking is with the body’s natural bio mechanics. We knew that. How meditative. We knew that, too. And how it burns calories if you do it properly. (A rule of thumb is around 65 calories per mile if you’re around 120lb. But much depends on pace and terrain. If you’re serious in this, download the Walking for Weight Loss app).
In the nouveau walker’s paradigm, it’s not enough to mooch along looking at butterflies. You have to turn each step into what the Mayo Clinic calls a Fitness Stride. With poles. Actually, poles are a must up hills and down dales (I swear by Leki’s foldable ones). But again, not on the walk to the pub.
I would never belittle the benefits of walking. It does all the above, and all of the following: improve circulation, strengthen bones and prevent bone loss, build muscles and slow mental decline. A study of 6,000 women, aged 65 and older, by researchers at the University of California, found that age-related memory decline was lower in those who walked more. You don’t have to go on a marathon. The women studied walked 2.5 miles per day and experienced a 17 per cent decline in memory, as opposed to a 25 per cent decline in women who walked less than half a mile per week.
Plus there is no better way to discover the nooks and alleys of any town or city. During lockdown it has
– yes, I’m a cliché – become a non-negotiable, end of my day quasireligious experience. The nagging pain that plagued my sacroiliac for years and necessitated monthly check-ups with the osteo has almost disappeared. If you want to see the benefits on hair, muscle tone and complexion, look at Princess Anne, who, her children told us this week, never goes near a gym, but walks the dogs and rides.
There are a few other basics: layers are de rigueur. By the end of an average walk you may need to peel down to something sleeveless. I’ve been testing Commando’s new range of vests and underwear and it’s extremely comfortable. Waterproof trousers make no-go days a doddle (with the right clothes, walking in the rain is invigorating). Also required: a lightweight, breathable waterproof, and for walks of four hours or more, a strong backpack that’s not too big, but can hold lunch if the pubs are closed. Don’t be tempted by shorts – good for the tan, terrible for the brambles. And socks. Always. Now that I’ve finally discovered the right kind (Women’s Lifestyle Coolmax Merino No Show, £16, icebreaker.com) my feet are no longer dotted with blisters. You have to wear them with sandals, of course, that’s fashionable. But then, you knew that, too.