Active Travel Week: A Step Towards A Healthy You

An article by Claire    Comments Off

How far do you walk a day? As a busy Mum you might be surprised at how close you get to the 10,000 steps advised. That’s around 100 minutes, 5 miles and 500 calories. Walking was the most frequent mode of travel in a recent survey by the City Council of central Brighton, at 30% of all journeys just beating driving at 28%. Our very own Claire Jones-Hughes shares her experiences of the city on foot.

I adore walking. It’s a great way to see the city and capture the way it changes over the seasons and over time. After a while, I notice graffiti artwork appear in new places, people taking cigarette breaks on cue, shops change their window displays, businesses come and sadly go. Walking around the city tells the story of the city.

As a time poor mother of two small, children, I don’t have time to exercise at the gym currently, as much as I used to love my sessions. Parking space and costs are a premium in the city, walking is the obvious choice for us for the nursery run. Post-natally, walking has helped me tighten my pelvic floor and also strengthen my core stability. Also, now my four year old is walking longer distances without the buggy, I carry my 11 month old in a mei-tai style custom made sling and engage in conversation with my eldest away from CBeebies, my iPhone, Twitter and all the other household distractions.

For longer distances we take the off-road style double buggy which never fails to cause a stir on the bus when I try and squeeze on. Our favourite route is from Elm Grove, along Queens Park Road, through the park to Egremont Street, down to the seafront through Lower Rock Gardens. Then along the front to the Marina. We stop at Peter Pan’s Playground, then head for the bus stop after a snack and drink to get the number 21 or 23 bus home. For really ambitious walks, we take the Undercliff Pass to Rottingdean and catch a bus back to the city, which are frequent during the day. A couple of these trips a month, gets me closer to my 10,000 steps a day target.

Free Pedometer

If you live in the Lewes Road transport improvements area (from The Level to Falmer and including Hanover and Elm Grove, Hollingdean, Moulsecoomb, Bevendean and Coldean), the City Council offers a free pedometer in return for a completed one week travel diary. Contact travel.planning@brighton-hove.gov.uk or 290498.

Buggy-friendly Walks

Did you know? Seven of the City Council’s regular weekly, free and short Healthwalks are buggy-friendly. The Hollingbury Woods Easy Access Trail is free from gates and stiles; the full route takes around 1 hour.

Don’t forget to take our survey on your travel habits. Help Brighton & Hove Council Travel Planning team see how families access the city.

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