Walking

Walking is great way to explore where you live, discover new places and connect with others.

Whether it's a short stroll to the shops or school, a wander through the woods, mooching through the moors, or just getting out on your lunch break.

Doncaster has plenty to offer and we are here to support everybody to discover walking in their own way.

"Every step has the ability to move us. No matter which direction we take, we should enjoy the journey"

Current Walking Guidance

According to government guidance you may continue to walk outdoors for exercise with the people you live with, your support bubble, or one person from another household. Walkers in England should however be mindful of different restrictions in other nations and not travel to Scotland and Wales.

Do it for Doncaster - Be Prepared, Be Safe, Be Considerate

Plan Ahead

Some of our local parks, woodlands, and nature sites have started to become very busy, making it harder for people to keep a safe distance. Some of our sites still have restricted access to facilities such as public toilets, car parks, and shops, so please check before you set off that you have everything you need.

Walk From Home

Please think about walking from your doorstep and exploring local routes as much as possible.

Staying local helps to:

• Make social distancing easier for everybody's safety
• Keep local footpaths in a good condition by treading down overgrowth
• Reduce the number of cars on our roads so accidents are less likely and our air quality is better
• Keep communities connected by smiling at familiar faces from a distance, which can help others feel less lonely.

To find local routes near you, please go to our where you can walk page.

Try different times

Some areas are very busy during the daytime, especially from 10am – 4pm. Walking early in the morning, or taking a stroll to enjoy the lighter evenings may be quieter.

"Leave Only Footprints and Take Only Memories"

Please respect our green spaces and local streets by picking up after yourself and your pets. We kindly ask that everybody follows the Green Cross Code and respects our environment.

Remember, if a place feels too busy, it is too busy. Keep yourself and others safe, return home.

Stepping it up at home

We know walking outside isn't always an option for everybody, and the weather can often put us off, but that doesn't mean we have to stop moving – even pottering around the house, or moving our feet to music for a few minutes a day can help us stay active.

Visit our being active at home page for more ideas and free resources.

Doncaster Volunteers Lead the Way to Wellbeing

Usually our groups of walk leaders would be guiding groups on short walks all over the Borough as part of our Walking for Health Program with over 300 people attending the walks each week!

Whilst this may not be possible now, this has not stopped them helping others in their community and working hard to improve the wellbeing of others in Doncaster through walking.

Our groups have set up:

• Call and text buddy's to those they usually walk with so they don't become lonely
• Kindly delivered shopping to those in their group who need to stay at home
• Made sure to have socially distanced chats through the window with their neighbours on their daily walks so nobody feels alone
• Given advice on local short walking routes for people to do from their homes
• Helped us identify where we might need to make improvements for safer walking journeys

If you would like to hear from one of our volunteers about how you can get involved locally, or would like to volunteer to support us, please get in touch by visiting our contact page.

For more ideas on how to look after your wellbeing, please visit our 5 Ways to Wellbeing webpage

Why I walk

Many of us know walking is good for our health, but many of us don't realise how much walking and just being outside can help our mind, memory, and mood.

Below are some links to the stories of our groups and how walking has helped them and others keep going, even when things are difficult.

If you have a story you would like to share, including any of your favourite routes, please share them with us by using our contact page or social media using #DoncasterWalks

Alternatively, you can email them directly to our Walking Officer (Contact details at the bottom of the page.

• testimonials/2020/03/olive-and-norma1
• insight/2018/08/focus-on-vivienne-dales-walking-for-health-walk-leader
• news/2020/02/doncaster-health-walk-volunteers-lead-the-way-to-support-reducing-social-isolation

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