Walking
Something I find quite amazing, is how much walking everyone did when I was young. We didn’t have a car until I was quite old, but even when we got one, it didn’t seem to stop us walking everywhere.
My high school was exactly a mile away from my house. I’d walk there in the morning, up a huge hill. Then at lunchtime I’d walk home again and have something to eat. I’d walk back to school and then home again at 4 o’clock. That’s four miles walking every single day of the week! We though nothing of it. Everybody did it. That wasn’t the end of it either. After a cup of tea. I’d often walk to my friend’s house and return home in the evening, bringing my total mileage for the day up to six miles.
We often walked into town just to save the bus fare. Town was two miles away and then of course you had the two miles back. My family and my neighbours would walk into the countryside and have a picnic at the weekend. I remember walking to Bluebell Wood and seeing all the families walking together.
We’d walk to the park, to the swimming baths and to the Chippy to get chips. My sister and I walked carrying a huge bag of washing to the launderette on our way to Sunday School each week. I was sent to the local shops on foot at least once a day and I also had to carry heavy drums of paraffin home. The handles dug into my hands as I was really quite young.
In the winter, deep snow would lie on the ground, sometimes for over a week. We’d just trudge through it and apart from a scarf and gloves, we didn’t seem to have special clothing.
In the winter, during the daylight-saving-time experiments, we’d walk to school in the dark wearing reflective arm bands.
Without realising it, we must have all been incredibly fit.
Human beings, as hunter gatherers were designed to walk great distances every day. We have these enormous leg muscles which are like a second heart pump, aiding circulation.
It’s such a pity that walking to this extent has died out thanks to the popularity of the car. Walking is now a pastime that we do a little bit of now and again to try to maintain fitness.
I’m glad I grew up in the sixties and seventies, when I was capable of exploring the world on my own two feet.
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Very good yes and all true. I’m actively trying to reverse the trend with me now, walking whenever I can in place of driving or even avoiding the bus. It has surprised me how far I can still walk, so I’m really going for it. Great story, thanks.
@dj Thanks. That’s great that you are managing to stay healthy and fit. I enjoy walking in my local wood when the weather isn’t too bad, but am challenged by agoraphobia at times. I find if I leave it for a couple of weeks, when I return to walking, I can’t go as far as I used to. I need to build my walking up again.
Further to this, I’ll shortly be embarking on my second walk of the day. The first was only to the local supermarket for some provisions, but that then entailed walking back home with a couple of heavy bags and was quite a workout. My next walk today will be much longer, almost an hour in each direction, but relatively light with carrying anything at all. I’m looking forward to that one.
@dj A 2 hour walk is amazing! You’ll stay nice and healthy doing that. My New Year’s Resolution is going to be to do more walking.
Yes we did walk without thinking back in the 60s. I dont think I did your mileage even though it was a village and we lived at the top of a hill.
Now living on my boat I walk miles. Usually carrying a backpack. Shops are usually a mile or so away and everything has to be carried. Summertime we also have to carry fuel & water for miles. Over beaches and rough terrain. Even in the marina in winter. Its a fair walk every day to showers, laundry and shops. Then there is Wilson and a beach to run on. So I am probably more active now than in my earlier years
@tjay That’s fab to hear you are keeping yourself active. You have a lovely environment to walk in.