As with any other exercise, if you start easily and exercise regularly you will soon start to build up your level of fitness. Below you will find some helpful advice on devising routes to suit your ability, and improving your walking technique.
For more information about finding out about walks near you, including group walks, see getting started. Some Ramblers Groups do easy walks for beginners and some of these are listed on our Group Walks Finder. For very easy, healthy walks aimed at beginners, contact the Walking the way to Health Initiative or the Paths to Health scheme in Scotland
What makes a walk easy or hard?
A number of different factors combine to make a walk easier or more difficult and you can vary these when planning a walk to suit your own tastes and fitness level.
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Length and time. Many people find it difficult to estimate walking distances but are much more aware of walking times. 1 mile/1.5km takes an average person about 30 minutes at a slow, ambling pace on a good, flat surface, and about 20 minutes at a brisk pace. Most people can walk 1 mile/1.5km with little problem and in fact most journeys under this distance are on foot, though if you're particularly unfit you should try a shorter distance first. Once you've built up a reasonable level of fitness you should find level walks of up to 5km/3 miles no problem, and many people regularly walk much further than that.
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Slopes. Walking uphill is more demanding than walking on the level: walking up a 15% (1 in 7) slope uses about a third more energy than walking on a flat surface. The best way to walk uphill is to keep up the same pace but take shorter steps, which decreases your speed: experienced countryside walkers usually estimate an additional 30 minutes for every 300m climbed when planning a route. However, if you can keep up the same pace and speed on gentle slopes without overexerting yourself, you will increase the benefits of the exercise. Walking downhill takes about the same energy as walking on the level, or more energy if the hill is particularly steep: although you have gravity on your side, your muscles need to work harder to keep your balance.
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Path surface. Hard, flat, well-drained path surfaces are generally the easiest and fastest to walk on. Uneven, yielding or sticky surfaces like rough stony ground, mud or sand take more work and concentration and can easily slow you down, especially if grass and other vegetation makes it difficult to see the surface itself. Uneven terrain is best avoided by people with bone and joint problems. While artificial surfaces like concrete and tarmac are excellent if you have a pushchair or wheelchair, many walkers find them hard on the feet after a while, and prefer softer, more natural surfaces such as springy turf or dry earth. Some hard surfaces can also become slippery when wet, requiring extra care.
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Pace. You use up more or less the same amount of energy travelling the same distance no matter how fast your pace: running 1km uses about the same amount of energy as ambling. But the faster you go, the more concentrated the exercise and the more demands it places on your body. All walking is beneficial, and there is no ideal walking pace: to get the maximum health benefit you should walk at the fastest pace you can without overexerting yourself (see walking for health). Walking speed depends on the length of stride as well as its frequency (the number of strides you take in a given amount of time) and as you walk more you will find you can increase both to a certain extent.
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Obstacles. Picking your way over stiles, steps, fallen trees and other obstacles or even too much overgrown vegetation can make walking more tiring. People with specific problems such as stiff joints may find features such as stiles and steep steps especially difficult.
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Weather. Walking against the wind takes extra energy and effort. Conditions such as fog, heavy rain, snow and frost slow your progress by limiting your visibility and making surfaces more difficult. In very hot weather, any form of exercise tires you more quickly, and you will need to carry extra water (see load). Most people find mild, dry weather is the best for walking.
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Load. Heavy loads are harder to carry than lighter ones, so minimise the weight you carry as best you can without sacrificing items essential for comfort and safety. This inevitably means you'll have carry more weight in remote areas, where you can't rely on finding food and drink along the way.
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Places to rest. Even the strongest walkers can walk further by taking rests, and for less able walkers they are very important. Routes with seats, shelters and pub or café stops will be easier and more comfortable. A wayside seat halfway up a hill can make all the difference.
Pleasant walking
Don't underestimate subjective factors such as the pleasantness of a walk or how motivated you feel about doing it. Walking somewhere attractive and interesting always feels much less like hard work and you're more likely to keep up regular walking if you're enjoying you're surroundings. Variety is one of the ways walking in the outdoors scores over exercising in a gym: there are always new routes to explore, and your surroundings change with the changing seasons.
Green spaces such as parks, woodland and the countryside, and waterside walks along lakes, rivers, canals and the seashore seem to have a universal appeal. There is even some scientific evidence to suggest that simply being outdoors, especially in more "natural" surroundings, can have a positive effect on our health. In cities, look for streets lined with trees, interesting buildings and other features, attractive public open spaces and routes where there is little or no traffic.
Looking at what you see along the way will also make walking more appealing: animals, trees and plants, landscape and geology, architecture and public art, archaeological and historical features all have their interest. Walking is the ideal way to explore your surroundings at this level of detail, since it's easy to stop and look, and for many people this is the principal reason why they walk.
Unless you're particularly interested in navigation, easy route finding will also make your walk more enjoyable. If you're unsure about finding your own way, follow a "promoted route" that is signed on the ground and described in a leaflet or guide, which also usually includes notes on points of interest along the way.
Walking technique
Walking is so natural that the idea of learning walking technique can sound absurd, but while many of us walk with perfect efficiency without being taught, some of us, especially in the developed world, make walking more difficult for ourselves through bad posture and technique. If you don't feel physically comfortable when walking, try the following tips.
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Start by assuming a straight posture, with spine and neck straight, chin parallel to the ground and eyes level, shoulders relaxed, arms hanging loose, belly pulled in and pelvis tucked under slightly. Stand tall without standing stiffly to attention, with your back lengthened, as if a wire attached to the top of your spine is pulling you up.
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Walk easily at your natural pace, allowing your arms to swing in time to your stride with elbows bent and hands cupped. Though there is no harm in glancing down occasionally (and you may have to do this to avoid obstacles), try to keep your eyes ahead for most of the time. As well as improving your posture, this will also help you enjoy your surroundings.
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Breathe deeply, expanding your stomach, and try to breathe in rhythm with your steps.
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If you're carrying a backpack, adjust the straps and use the hip belt if provided to ensure it's carried high on the back.
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Be gentle on your muscles by doing some simple exercises to warm up and cool down before and after your walk. You can also do stretching exercises but not without warming up first: some experts advise stretching only after your walk.
Some exercises are described on our Take 30 poster, and you'll find simple warm ups described in most books about exercise. For more detailed information on walking techniques and exercises see the book Walking for Health, available from us.
Walking after a hip replacement operation
There is no reason why hip replacement patients should not continue to enjoy walking after their operation, so long as you build up your strength gradually. Try to exercise as much as you can before the operation, to build up strength and flexibility. Return to exercise in consultation with your doctor. Take special care in the 12 weeks after the operation: you will need to avoid bending over, for example to tie laces, since your new hip could become dislocated. Start with easy walks on the flat, with good path surfaces that are less of a trip hazard, and avoid gradients, which may encourage your body to lean forward. After 12 weeks, or when instructed by your doctor, start to build up slowly to your previous level of walking, though it's best to continue to avoid jumping or anything else that will put weight on your hip. Some hip replacement patients find walking poles can assist, especially in rugged terrain.
