Get Walking Around Corby

Welcome to the Corby Walking Page 

You will find lots of useful information about how you can become more active through walking and appreciate what Corby borough has to offer in the way of local parks and open spaces.

Walking is a perfect form of exercise. No equipment is required, it’s cheap and anyone can do it regardless of their fitness ability. It’s also a good starting point to develop a healthier lifestyle and helps to reduce the risk of a number of health conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Walking is also an ideal way to help manage some health conditions such as diabetes and is also often suggested as part of a rehabilitation programme, for example following knee surgery. More than that, walking helps to reduce stress, improves mental wellbeing and is a great way to socialise and make new friends if you join a local walking group.

If you haven’t exercised for a while, walking provides a gentle starting point which you can gradually build on as your fitness levels improve. Please ensure you speak to your GP first before undertaking any form of exercise or if you have an underlying health condition.

WALKING HELPS SAVE THE PLANET!

Walking is the greenest and cheapest method of travel. You don’t need fuel, there are no emissions and your carbon footprint is very small. According to the Energy Saving Trust, 48% of people in the UK  have used a car for journeys that could have been undertaken in a more sustainable way at least once a week. So for shorter journeys such as the local school and the shops, walking is the way to go!

URBAN WALKING

Many people associate walking with scenes of rolling hills and open countryside. Just because you live in a town doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy walking as an activity.  Town/city walks have lots of things to offer, such as sites of historical interest, having local facilities nearby such as shops or public toilets. There are plenty of parks and open spaces where you can find a surprising sense of solitude and a chance to enjoy a moment’s peace and quiet away from your daily routine.

HEALTH WALK SCHEMES

This national scheme was set up in 2000 by Walking for Health to raise the profile of walking and celebrate its value in improving our mental and physical health.  A health walk is described by WfH as ‘a brisk walk undertaken on a regular basis’. Research has shown that brisk walking can help towards maintaining a healthy heart.

600 health walk schemes are now running across England. The schemes are free and are delivered by qualified volunteer health walk leaders. Health walks consist of a maximum of 1 hours walk on easy terrain and is designed for those who take little or no exercise or are referred by their GP as part of a rehabilitation programme after surgery/treatment or to manage a health condition such as diabetes.

Corby borough has a registered scheme and delivers walks at a number of different locations in the borough. You’ll receive a friendly welcome at all our groups where the emphasis is on friendship, fitness and fun. For a copy of the Corby Borough Health Walk Programme click here 

WALKING ORGANISATIONS

Here you will find links to a range of different local and national organisations dedicated to promoting walking and providing advice, guidance and information.  Click on the title and that will link you directly to the web site:

• Walk 4 Life - Walk4Life is part of the Change4Life movement that has been set up to encourage families and adults to eat well, move more and live longer, by making small lifestyle changes that add up to big health benefits.  Walk4Life is all about helping people move and walking is a great way to start.
• Walking For Health - Walking for Health (WfH) encourages more people to become physically active in their local communities.
• Walk England - Walk England is a social enterprise working for walkers everywhere. 
• National Ramblers Association - The Ramblers is Britain's walking charity, working to safeguard the footpaths, the countryside and other places we go walking, and to encourage more people to take up walking.
• Kettering Ramblers - The Kettering Group was formed in 1992 and was joined by the Corby members in 1999, giving a membership in the region of 250. 
• Nordic Walking UK - The original Nordic Walking fitness company in the UK.
• Walk London - Funded by Transport for London, Walk London has worked with the local authorities to develop an impressive network of quality walking routes so whether you are looking for a place to feed the ducks, a short stroll in your lunch hour, or an energetic walk to make you feel more alive.
• Long Distance Walkers Association - The LDWA is an Association of people with the common interest of walking long distances in rural, mountainous or moorland areas.
• International Waendel Walk - A 3 day international event providing a weekend of walking, swimming and running, celebrating the well known Waendel walk route in the district of Wellingborough.
• Northamptonshire Sport - Northamptonshire Sport is a partnership of organisations working together to provide opportunities for everyone to be able to access and participate in sport, physical activity and recreation. 
• Rockingham Forest Walkers - RFW is a Northamptonshire (UK) based walking club of the British Walking Federation (BWF) and aims to promote walking as a friendly and healthy pastime for all ages.
• Sustrans - Sustrans provides creative, innovative and practical solutions to the transport challenges affecting us all. 
• Around Corby Walking Festival - Website dedicated to the newly established annual Walk Festival celebrating walking in and around the town and countryside of Corby, Northamptonshire.
• Activity Referral Scheme - Activity on Referral is a countrywide fitness scheme which is available to join through your GP, Practice Nurse or Health Visitor.