Wiltshire landmarks rank highly in survey of popular walking spots
It's as we're encouraged to get out for our physical and mental health
With families feeling the squeeze, getting out in our local countryside and towns that are rich with scenery and hidden treasures is a simple and free alternative to replace expensive days out.
As well as being good for our wallets, it is also good for our physical and mental health too.
That’s why TV GP Dr Amir Khan is encouraging us to celebrate the British outdoors and get out more often no matter where you go, what you do or who you are with.
Dr Amir, who is well known for ‘green prescribing’ his patients to get outside and let nature improve our health, has teamed up with Ordnance Survey to encourage the nation to get outside and ‘Explore From Your Front Door’.
According to research from Ordnance Survey, some of Wiltshire's landmarks including Ludgershall Castle, Stourhead and Pewsey Vale are a few of the most popular places to walk and cycle.
The survey also shows that six in ten of us enjoy walks for the fresh air and exercise, 33% love a bit of me-time, 24% like strolling with friends and family and 23% get out with their dog
On average, we spend 46 minutes or 2.2 miles on a walk either for leisure or exercise and nearly three quarters (72%) agree that they feel their mental health improves following a walk.
Seven in ten of us are more likely to consider going out for a walk with family and friends as a form of free entertainment because of the squeeze on family budgets from the cost-of-living crisis.
In addition, the Government has also recently announced1 that local authorities will be able to issue social prescriptions such as walking, wheeling, and cycling as part of a new trial to improve mental and physical health and reduce disparities across the country.
It comes as Ordnance Survey data on the nation shows that 97% of people in Great Britain live within a five-minute walk (300m as the crow flies) to a public park or green space.
However, 28% of us are not aware of any interesting walks, sights, or locations within walking distance of our homes.
Dr Amir said:
"There are so many benefits of taking a walk. First of all, it's cheaper than taking your car especially with the rise of fuel prices as they are. It also makes you feel more relaxed as your cortisone levels drops which are your stress hormones.
"97% of people have green spaces near them so we just need to go out and find them and there's apps that you can download that helps you with this."