Fri, 25 May 2012
With great weather expected over the weekend – and hopefully throughout the summer – Hounslow council is encouraging residents to take a walk in the park as part of this year’s Get Walking Weekend for the Games (26-27 May).
The weekend walking challenge aims to highlight the importance of walking as a form of exercise, and has been extended to two days this year to celebrate the Olympics in London.
The Hounslow Park Walks guide offers walking routes in ten of the borough’s largest open spaces, and provides the opportunity to enjoy the borough’s local parks as well as getting some exercise.
Cllr Ajmer Grewal, Hounslow’s cabinet member for leisure and public health, said: “The borough is one of the greenest in London, and following the guided walks in our booklet is not only an excellent way to get some exercise but also gives you the chance to visit a park you may not have been to before.
“There are significant health benefits to walking, including reducing high blood pressure, preventing diabetes, improving balance and co-ordination and strengthening your heart, lungs and bones, not to mention helping to lose weight.
”How far and how quickly you walk is entirely up to you, but any walking is better than none, and I hope that the good weather and this weekend’s walking challenge is a real motivator!”
Hounslow Park Walks has details for walks in ten parks, ranging from 15– 45 minutes’ duration and covering between one and two miles. The parks included are:
Chiswick House and Gardens, W4
Gunnersbury Park, W3
Boston Manor Park, TW8
Lampton Park, TW3
Hounslow Heath, TW4
Crane Park, TW13
Hanworth Park, TW13
Bedfont Lakes, TW14
Donkey Wood, TW14
Cranford Park, TW5
The Hounslow Park Walks guide is available in at Hounslow Civic Centre, libraries and leisure centres or can be downloaded from www.hounslow.gov.uk/walks
More information on Get Walking Weekend for the Games is available at www.getwalking.org.