Take A Stroll Right Through Parklife

Rachel Holdsworth
By Rachel Holdsworth Last edited 176 months ago
Take A Stroll Right Through Parklife

Park_22Jul09.jpg
Image by Matt from London
The Natural Health Service might sound like some dodgy alternative medicine clinic, but it's the name of a new scheme to get people fit by taking advantage of their local parks. A study by Natural England found that you've a 25% greater chance of being obese if you live more than a mile from a park (though they're not mentioning other indicators like poverty; it quite often goes hand in hand with the inner city concrete jungle y'know).

Weird stats aside, they've put together guided walks around our parks and green spaces to encourage us to get out walking. (Remember: a nice meander and an ice cream does not really count as exercise.) The scheme launched in Lewisham which, as all South East Londoners keep insisting to Islingtonites, has some gorgeous greenery. But we're disappointed: only two of Lewisham's walks are out of working hours (and one of those is an ungodly 7am start on Sundays). It looks pretty similar across the rest of London. For those of us who feel running for the tube at rush hour doesn't give enough exercise, maps will be available in doctor's surgeries.

Natural England are also campaigning for improvements to parks and more public spaces to be opened up, something we can only say "yay!" to.

Last Updated 22 July 2009