Inspires me to get out and walk

By providing a different thing for us focus on for every week of the year Annabelle brings variety and new dimensions to walking. From improving our gait and breathing, through to walking meditation and walking with purpose we’re spoilt for choice. She also provides lots of interesting information, links and further reading to help us get the most out of each walk and feed our curiosity.

With 52 options to choose from there’s something for everyone. This book definitely left me wanting to get out there and walk.

I was given this book from the author via netgalley only for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review should I choose to.

A great read that is informative with lots of evidence to back up the facts. Some interesting ideas to try. I feel like readers could interpret each week in their own way & tweak the guidance to suit their lifestyle or character.
Well written book that really highlights the importance of walking, for joy and for health.

This is my first five star read for the year and non-fiction five stars are really rare for me, but this was a very timely read. Walking is the only aerobic exercise I can do which doesn't eventually lead to some kind of knee injury but I can be lazy and the often wet and windy weather we have been having lately can put me off. Therefore this book was just what I needed. I requested it on Netgalley before my hiatus and was surprised that my request was accepted in February (and would have missed the chance to download it had I checked Netgalley a day later).

As you can probably guess from the title this book is divided into 52 chapters each describing a way of walking. From rainy walks, windy walks to pilgrimages she looks into the science of why walking is so good for us, in both urban and wilderness settings.

I have always been a lover of a good long walk but have been trying to make it part of my daily routine rain or shine. I don’t have a dog and have no intention of getting one so when the weather is bad, it can be difficult dragging myself out the door. This book has made me appreciate the benefits walking in the cold, wind and/or rain.

It can get a little repetitive occasionally but as it is a book designed to be dipped into or taken in weekly chunks and not read cover to cover like I have, it is to be expected.

It is a well referenced book and quite few pages the back is given over to references and notes and also has a large further reading section at the back which I love.

It is also filled with interesting links and further information on such diverse subjects as foraging, ancient trees, book recommendations and places to see the milky way. On the downside it has also inspired me to go shopping and buy such items as a shewee and uv torch to check out rockpools at night.

What I liked:
I have learned so much and it has inspired me in so many ways.
Well referenced.
A great further reading appendix.
What didn’t work for me:
The chapter on walking backwards was too silly so I skipped it.
She does repeat herself occasionally, but it wasn’t particularly annoying.
Suitable For: Anybody who needs inspiration to get out the door.

Full review scheduled for publication on my blog on: 21st April 2022

An interesting, informative & motivating book about walking. A mixture of science and motivation this is a wonderful accompaniment for anyone who wants to enjoy walking more and get greater benefits from it, whilst also understanding how walking can be beneficial.
As someone who walks the dogs with purpose, as a task to do rather than something to get enjoyed, and always with an audiobook accompaniment I found much of this book thought provoking and is definitely something that can be dipped in and out of to refresh the walking soul.
As the author suggests, this book is a love letter to walking.

Wow, I knew walking was amazing for health but i did not realise just how many benefits it has! This book is super eye opening and insightful and has an almost informal feel to it making it easy to read too.

A great read which I'd recommend to any lovers or walking and anyone who wants to take it up more often as all this info would make the perfect motivation!

In the author’s own words, this is “A love letter to walking”. I really enjoyed this fascinating book and I learned a great deal. It’s full of scientifically based advice on the best ways to walk for the benefit of physical and mental health and well-being.

Any walk can be turned into a more rewarding and beneficial experience. When we walk in the cold, for example, our bodies use more glucose to warm us up. As glucose enhances cognition, we think better in cold climates. Interestingly, cognition improves even when looking at images of cold things. According to the author, mild cold = 16C. That made me laugh as 16C is considered pleasant weather in a Scottish spring or summer!

There is a wealth of advice on how to physically improve your walking style in order to enhance health benefits, such as improving your gait or breathing through your nose rather than your mouth to increase the amount of oxygen in your blood. Smile and say hello to those you meet to cheer up their day and yours. Dog walkers do this as a matter of course but in my experience, it’s becoming otherwise increasingly rare. Afghan nomads use synchronised breathing to enable them to cover vast distances: walking at an easy pace breathe in for 3 steps, pause on 4th, breathe out for 3 steps, pause on 4th. It’s surprisingly easy once you get into the swing of it.

I can never understand why people out walking in the countryside wear earbuds. Take them out and listen to the birds, the trees rustling in the wind, the babbling brook, and you won’t make other walkers feel awkward when they speak to you by having to wait while you take them out! Dr Kate McLean has mapped smellscapes across the world in a variety of environments. Google her to see her extraordinary maps. Smells are enhanced by rainfall so walk in the rain or just after a shower. Walking beside rivers or amongst trees has many health benefits, including reducing stress levels. It’s suggested that we sing or dance while we walk but I won’t be doing that any time soon, even if it’s only my dog that can hear me! Good to know though that as an ‘older dog owner’, walking him is improving my brain health.

I was always taught to walk before a meal and not afterwards. I now know that both are good for me. Studies have shown that walking before breakfast, within one hour of waking, burns off more fat than a walk after a meal. A walk after a meal aids digestion. Even a 10 minute walk after dinner can lower blood glucose spikes resulting from over eating and it will also help you to sleep.

Many of the chapters have tips at the end. Some are helpful, some perhaps unnecessary. Do we need to be told to wrap up well in cold weather or to wear waterproofs or carry an umbrella in the rain? Reminding dog walkers to pick up poo should be unnecessary but, as we all know, some people do need telling.

I love walking. I thought there was nothing I needed to learn about it but I learned a lot from this book. I recommend it to anyone looking to enhance their daily walks or to start walking more than they currently do.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing plc for a review copy.

The aim of the book is for readers to try a new style of walking each week for a year. Written in a full calendar year, the author has tried to match up walking styles with the seasons, events and weather conditions. 52 Ways To Walk is a handy reference book to pop on your bookshelf and dip into once a week. Put your trainers on, grab your kit (which is covered in the book) and get outdoors. Very doable and very enjoyable.

I enjoyed reading the authors thoughts on what walking is and what it isn’t. Hint: it’s not about ticking off 10,000 steps! There are so many benefits to walking that the author covers extensively in this book. It's packed full of expert advice, safety ideas and useful tips.

If you’re not a regular walker and would like to start exercising more, 52 Ways To Walk will show you how to get started.

For regular walkers, this book will re-invigorate your love of walking. Packed with walking suggestions, tips and new ways to make your next walk even more enjoyable.

I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would, I loved the combination of science and kick-in-the-butt. I have just ordered the book, so I can easily refer to it in the future.

(In Twitter)
If like me you’ve hibernated over the winter, this could be the nudge you need to move outside and get back into the daily walk. Beautiful and inspiring book by Annabel Streets @age_wellproject with a walk each week to match the season’s weather.

An accessible, compelling guide to the science of walking. I imagine the '52 ways' format will make this ideal for dipping in and out of, but it is also a great one to power through, figuring out which methods appeal to or work for you personally.