A key part of the Paths for All vision of a happier, healthier, greener and more active Scotland is that paths which look inviting and appealing for outdoor activity exist in all parts of the country. These can provide a health walk around an urban housing estate or a mountain bike ride in a national park. “We receive statistics from around 150 volunteer-led walks per month,” explained Ian Findlay, chief officer with Paths for All, “and we’ve come to realise that what started out as a separate project is now central to what our organisation is about. “We believe everyone has the right to enjoy their outdoors and to live a more active lifestyle, regardless of their age, gender, ability or social or ethnic background.
“Our walking for health work is aimed at the most inactive in society, who are often also those suffering the highest levels of inequality and can be the most difficult to reach. Through the community health walk scheme we’re showing that the simple act of walking and socialising together is helping to change people’s quality of life for the better and creating more vibrant communities.”
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Walk leader Lorraine Crawford (in red) and some of her fellow walkers from Barmulloch celebrate at a Paths for All awards ceremony.
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Paths for All’s Ian Findlay (left) and public health minister Shona Robison (right) lead a health walk in Fife.
Joint approaches
And the links between health and our environment are becoming more widely recognised. When the Scottish public health minister Shona Robison recently visited Fife, we were able to point to the path network as an example of the way forward. Paths for All had worked along with the local authority, and part of the development costs had been paid for by the local health board, who had recognised the health benefits of walking. These joint approaches between health and environment agencies and local authorities are practical and beneficial. They’re likely to be even more so in the future, given the squeeze on public spending that’s forecast for the next few years.
Lorraine Crawford is in no doubt about the benefits for individuals. “Walking has helped change my life, so why wouldn’t I want to help others take the steps to change theirs?”
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The Nature of Scotland
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