Walk this way...

Walk this way....

Lucy hits the streets of London

One of the 8 points on energy efficiency on thisisnotmy is that we should all take public transport when trying to get from A-B.

If you are accustomed to driving round in a 4x4 gas guzzler then there’s no doubt that making this change would be a positive move towards living a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

But I want to suggest going a step further; quite literally.

I’ve become absolutely hooked on walking and through this come to love and understand the beautiful city I live in.

I’ve always been interested in the yomping-up-hills variety of walking. It’s a great chance to connect with nature and see some flora and fauna. But I’m not talking about this sort of walking; not walking in a general wandering around looking at the countryside way or an activity to do instead of reading a book/watching tv/going on holiday.

I mean walking to get to places you need to get to as part of your daily life.

My walking journey started with a dislike of the Tube (bit of a capital-centric piece but am sure it can be applied to other towns and cities….)

After the initial thrill of the whole, Country-girl-comes-to-The-Big-City-and-does-the-London-tubing-it-to-work thang, it began to grind a bit. Everyone was stressed and snippy. Trudging along the platform with the other tired-looking people just brought me down.

So I started taking buses. Which I still love (travelling in the “flying seats” at the upper front of double deckers is one of my favourite things to do! ). From there it was just a short stride to walking as much as I possibly could.

And it’s been an absolute revelation.

I get to see London. Really see London. All of London – or as much of it as I can cover. I’ve managed to join streets and areas up and know where things are in relation to each other. I’ve found new cafes, restaurants, bars and nice places.

And pounding the pavements on the way to or from work, or between meetings or on the way out for an evening, clears the mind in an incredible way.

It also does wonderful things for your spirits; perhaps because every time you step out to walk somewhere you have a goal and a purpose. You arrive at your destination feeling invigorated, lively and wide-awake.

Women’s magazines talk about “me time” but sometimes it feels indulgent to sit on the sofa while filing your nails. Walking with a purpose is guilt free me time. I suppose it’s like going to the gym but it doesn’t make you feel like a frantic, narcissistic hamster!

And if you’re interested in health and fitness then you’re well on your way to the 10,000 steps experts say we should take everyday to stay fit and healthy.

Plus, if you want to get the creative juices going then I am convinced that walking a slightly different route each day gets those synapses going crazy.

If that isn’t enough to get you champing at the bit, it could even save you the cost of bus tickets and train fares. And given the fact that a single tube fare is now £3 (£3!!!!!!!) could be quite a saving.

I’m not a martyr so if I’m running desperately late or feeling a bit under the weather I don’t force myself to do it, I just hop on a bus instead. Because it should be a joy and one of the many reasons you get up with a spring in your step.

And places in London are much, much closer than you think once you step up the pace.

All you need is an A-Z and a goal to aim for.