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Walking Shoes - Walking and Other Exercise

Guest_1055
Community Member

Hey to anyone reading this.

Last night I had an idea about starting a new thread about exercise especially walking. I am aware that walking is very beneficial for our mental, emotional and physical well being. And by actually doing it....well it can make a huge difference to how we cope with the storms that we face in life.

OK, I am not real good at disciplining myself to walk, and have to really push myself to do it. And sometimes it is even hard to leave this bedroom. Anyway I am not a beginner walker, as I have stuck to sort of a plan before. So I know that it does make me feel somewhat better. But I only stayed on the plan for a couple of months, then gave up.....for whatever reason. So here I am again wanting desperately to not fail this time.

So I guess this thread is for anyone that does walk, anyone that is struggling to walk because of depression or anxiety issues. And anyone else really......

I am unsure of the outcome of all this. But my ideas included: Sharing about things we have found out about exercise especially about walking. Writing down the reasons that one would chose to walk ( like something to help motivate). Being accountable in same way. Sharing about the places where we actually do walk, like the beach, gym, around the block, with the dog, out to the clothesline and back. And any other useful tips that could help others. So here we go......

 

4,381 Replies 4,381

Hi Everyone,

I have really enjoyed reading all that has written here and shared. There are so many things to see and explore in this world of ours no matter where we live.

 

This morning I pushed myself out the door for a walk as I couldn't find the enthusiasm to do so yesterday. Thankfully I took my rain jacket as there was quite a heavy shower for a while. I scurried under a huge old matted olive tree which was also under gum trees and found shelter there.

 

The sky was dark to the west and then there were lighter clouds to the east. I saw part of a double rainbow which was amazing, it was not whole, with only a brief bit showing on the opposite side of the curve.

 

I saw some kangaroos in the distance and some hares as well. The magpies were quite loud as I sheltered under the trees.

 

Hello All,

 

I had tried to catch up with friends today but they were all busy. Decided to go for a walk in a Conservation Park. Due to road works it took me nearly twice as long to actually get there!

 

It was lovely and cool when I set off for my walk. Enjoyed looking at all the nature surrounding me, old gnarled gum trees and so many species of native Australian bushes and plants. 

 

I heard more birds than I actually saw. Also spotted about 20 kangaroos so that was a thrill. I stopped often to have a look around and to take photos. 

 

Called into a little town and had a walk around there as well. Bought a local paper and sat in a cafe with a delicious drink and cake and read the paper for a while. Wandered down the street, called into a little gallery, the lady there was so chatty I conversed with her for a while.

 

It was lovely to get out for the morning and do something a little different.

Eagle Ray
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor

Dear Dools

 

I don’t have a walk to report for today. I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed reading about your day going to the Conservation Park, visiting the little town, having a delicious drink and cake at the cafe, and visiting and chatting with the lady at the gallery. It’s so nice to do something different and it feels like a special day out. You’ve inspired me to head out to some different spots and towns soon 🙏🙂

Hi Eagle Ray and all reading,

The Conservation Park is a lovely place to go walking, each season of the year it has something different to offer. I've seen wild orchids there some years which is special.

 

Yesterday's walk was along a road travelling north to south so I have a great view of the sunrise. There are a few large gum trees in one of the paddocks which act as a wonderful silhouette with the sunrise behind them.

 

I was amused to watch a large flock of sheep once again find a breech in the fence line and enter the paddock next door. They must return again in the evening as each morning they appear to have returned to their own paddock. 

 

I've mentioned this a few times on our local Facebook page. One time the other neighbour's sheep had entered the other paddock when it had a lush looking crop starting to grow in it. The grass was definitely greener on the other side for those sheep. Think the farmers need to collaborate and fix their joint fence!

 

The sunrise was subtle but lovely. Hope to head off for a walk soon, it is still dark outside at present.

  

Eagle Ray,

 

I was also going to mention it can be very interesting to just randomly pull the car over to a different road if you are driving and have time. Even a 10 minute walk somewhere different can show you something different.

Eagle Ray
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor

Yes, that is a great idea Dools. Country road walks can be interesting as they are not usually designated walking trails for tourists, so it’s a different experience. There is an interesting walking track in my region that goes through farmland, a bit like trails I’ve heard of in England. So you’re not on a road but a path away from roads. The one I like here goes through cow paddocks and has a bridge over a stream. It goes through some forest and bushland sections too. I quite enjoy it and should do it again soon.

 

Today I walked through nearby bushland. I spent sometime sitting on a rock and after a while little wrens came out to investigate me. I saw small butterflies and felt the warmth of the sun which countered the cool breeze.

 

 I came across a big, old gum tree with a swing hanging from it. The branch it was hung from was very high and it didn’t look like an easy tree to climb, so I puzzled as to how they attached it.

 

 I had a shopping bag with me so I was able to deviate via the supermarket on the way home. I just bought four items so not a heavy load to carry. I noticed a homely looking cottage on my street I’d never paid attention to before, probably because of a high hedge at the front of the property. There’s always something new to notice.

Hello Everyone,

 

Sounds like you have some nice areas to go walking Eagle Ray, I like the sound of the wrens and the butterflies. A little deviation down a different street, a country road or even a change in shopping centres can provide us with opportunities for exercise and to see what is around us.

 

I sometimes go on trips to the city with my husband if he has different business to visit. He may be inside for 15 minutes, so that gives me an opportunity to have a walk around. I sometimes discover interesting buildings or beautiful gardens. Even weeds in the pavement can be attractive.

 

There is a walking track near us that wanders through farm land. Some parts of the trail are very arduous up and down hills and almost cliff like regions to get out of ravines. 

 

One section was under a strip of gumtrees between two paddocks. I had to clamber over fallen tree limbs and what looked like hundreds of years of gum leaves, twigs and branches. It was a little dark in under the trees and my mind was skipping to thoughts of horror movies not a pleasant walk out in the countryside. Ha. Ha. Maybe it was the mood I was in to start with.

 

We are having intermittent showers of rain here so I will grab a rain jacket and go for a walk a bit later when visibility will be better on the road regarding traffic. If I take the clay dirt roads I will be spending a week digging the clay off my shoes later! Ha.Ha.

 

Eagle Ray
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor

Hi Dools and All

 

Yes, it can be nice exploring city areas too. Until recently I lived in the city and it’s an interesting feeling now when I visit, knowing the city is no longer my home environment. Last time I was there I revisited some of my favourite nature places I used to go to when I lived there.

 

Today I did a river walk in a nearby town. There are tall forest trees along it. Many small birds were chirping in the canopy creating a cathedral-like effect with the sound emanating from above.

 

The river was slow moving and there are stagnant pools where water was raging over the rocks a few months ago. I look forward to seeing it come to life once the rain increases again. I startled a kookaburra along the way sitting on a low tree stump.

 

 The tree bark varied from dark to light shades with various textures. There were quite a few ferns and one single grass tree on its own. 

I treated myself to some banana bread at a nearby cafe before heading home. I was worrying about a few things at the beginning of the walk, but those worries had disappeared by the end. It’s like the exercise cleared that part of my brain. I sang some songs on the way home in the car 🙂

Eagle Ray
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor

Hi again Dools. I meant to say your track through farmland sounds much more arduous than the one in my region, which is more like a country stroll. It’s sometimes hard to know what to do on some walks isn’t when you encounter all sorts of obstacles, especially if you don’t know when it’s coming to an end. I remember a walk with a couple of friends where we encountered so many waterlogged sections of track and were balancing precariously on fallen branches to get across them. The friend at the front made a funny noise and we thought he was just being silly so we made a funny noise back. But a snake had actually just bounced off his leg! 🐍 Luckily he was fine, just startled as I’m sure the snake was too!

Hi Eagle Ray and all,

 

Your walk sounds wonderful thanks for the lovely description of all you saw. I don't like encountering snakes when I am out walking, I have almost trodden on a few walking along bush tracks that are overgrown. I actually trod on a huge tiger snake in our garden in the long grass. Thankfully neither of us wanted to continue that contact and went in separate directions.

 

I'm visiting my Mum this morning, she is 1 1/4 hours drive away. I sometimes stop on the way and walk along a dirt road for 1/2 hour, then turn around and return to my car. If it is raining, I might not be doing that today.

 

Yesterday I took a walk on a different dirt road close to us. It is mostly flat with a few of paddocks with dried remnants of harvested crops and a few sheep in some paddocks. There are low rolling hills in the distance and a few gum trees dotted here and there.

 

I saw a large flock of galahs in a paddock. They all squawked as I approached and took off. Some landed on a fence line up ahead of me before taking off again. I heard a few magpies as well.

 

A couple of hares pushed through the fence and darted off at great speed across the paddocks.

 

There was a light drizzle of rain.