I can’t remember when I first heard that I needed to do 10,000 steps per day to be healthy, but I do remember it sounded like a daunting number.
I’ve been active my whole life, but at 71, there’s no chance I’ll manage 10,000 steps per day. Instead, I try to hit 6,000 and that suits me just fine.
As I’ve got older, I’ve watched a lot of my friends let their fitness and mobility fall by the wayside, losing confidence as well as their ability to maintain an active life, and I knew I didn’t want that to happen to me. Here’s my advice for others who want to walk well into later life.
I do 6,000 steps per day at 71
1. Pace yourself
In general, walking as an older person is no different from when you are young, except you need to pace yourself and stop for a rest as necessary. My top tip is to pretend to look at the view if you don’t want others to think you are flagging.
For me, the worst thing about getting older is that my mind wants to do things, but often my body retaliates. My advice? Don’t try to be a hero. If you think you won’t be able to scale that cliff, it is probably true! You are no longer that lithe 20-year-old you once were.
I have been known to need a rest at the top of giant hills
2. Don’t go alone
My practical walking is advice is not to go on your own. Walking can be tedious if you have nobody to talk to. It’s always good to have somebody to point out the things you see, such as a special flower or an animal that is out of the ordinary.
Walking is the perfect time for talking, if you ask me. It’s not often that you’re in a situation where nothing interrupts you. No phones, no knocks on the door, no delivery men, no children pleading for your time.
For me, a good walking companion is someone who’s not in a rush to get home in any time frame. Sticking to schedules sucks the fun out of walking – and if you can’t dilly dally in retirement, when can you?
Walking with company is essential
Aside from a friend adding to the fun, it’s also a safer option. If you walk alone, you could get lost or ‘have a fall’. It’s no use relying on mobile phones when you are in the country or walking an isolated piece of coastline.
3. Plan ahead
If you feel that you might get too tired or the sun will set if you’re walking slowly, arrange to be picked up by a friend or a taxi at the end of your walk.
Circular walks are all very well, but to me it’s better to cover new ground if you can. Especially if walking the coastline. An alternative to this is to plan to catch a bus back -this is generally straightforward in Cornwall and Devon as coastal buses are frequent – and free, if you’ve got your senior bus pass!
Very windswept at the top of Arthur’s Seat
However, don’t make the mistake that I did last summer. My friends and I had a great plan to walk from Penzance to Lamorna in Cornwall, then get the bus back, only to find the buses were on strike, and we had to walk the whole way back. I was achy for days after.
4. Space out your activities
I like to spend as much of my summer on the Southwest Coastal Path as possible, but I am realistic. If I know Monday is going to be a day of navigating the coastal path, I plan a beach day on Tuesday. Days of rest between heavy hiking days are essential.
5. Stop for refreshments
I refuse to become part of the backpack brigade. I like to travel light when I’m walking, so there’s no picnic in my bag (a light water bottle is the most I want to carry), so I like to pick routes with a pub or a café where I can stop for drinks and a snack.
Take breaks (ideally with coffee) when you need them
6. Be prepared
One thing you will find in my bag is a pack-a-mac, which has come in handy on countless occasions.
A few years back, my friends and I walked from Lands’ End to Sennen Cove along the headland. It was a beautiful day when we left, but the heavens opened on our walk back, with thunder and lightning clapping in the sky. Luckily, we had our fold-away plastic ponchos in our pockets. We looked like drowned rats, but we were in fact pretty dry and super happy to have made it there and back, elated in our achievement.
We got soaked on walk from Land’s End
My three favourite walks in the UK1. The coastal path: Carbis Bay to St. Ives, Cornwall, 1.2 miles
Every summer, I spend a week in Carbis Bay, and the 45-minute walk into St. Ives is a highlight. It’s all downhill and is a great combination of coastal paths, beachside walkways and high up pavements with sea views. Bonus points for getting a sneak peek at all the beautiful homes on the coastline.
I can’t resist a coastal path
When you arrive in St. Ives, stop at Yallah Coffee for an iced latte with views over the bay. The best part? You can get the bus back in about five minutes. There’s a train too, but the station is at the bottom of a gigantic hill, making it less than ideal.
2. The disused railway: The Cinder Track, Whitby to Scarborough, 21.7 miles
Don’t be alarmed, you do not need to walk this whole route! We just did a portion of it, walking from Whitby to Robin Hood’s Bay (followed by the bus back).
The walk is along a disused railway tracks, which is great for walks and cycles when you’re older and they’re long and straight, without too many hills. This walk doesn’t have the charm of coastal paths, which are my preference, but the simplicity is appealing as I’ve got older. Plus, the start and end points are both lovely destinations. Order fish and chips at the Magpie Café in Whitby, you won’t regret it.
Another railway walk I enjoy is the Two Tunnels walk in Bath, but you do spend a lot of time in tunnels, so I think it’s probably better on a bike!
3. The country ramble: The River Walk, Malmesbury, 2.4 miles
When I’m at home, this is a great walk to start the day with. Long enough to feel that you’ve done something, but not so long that you get worn out. This walk circles the town, taking in wooded areas, open fields and the charming town centre. Don’t forget your wellies if it’s been raining, as the river tends to break its banks.
On the river walk in Malmesbury
If you’re doing this walk in the afternoon, call in at The Old Bell for afternoon tea. It’s the oldest pub in England and the perfect spot to admire the Abbey.
All in all, walking in your 70s is not that different to any other age, but you need to be mindful of what you can do and what you can’t, and take breaks accordingly.