'Going for a walk' is a popular pastime among older and younger generations alike because
of its well-known benefits for our physical and mental health. But you may be surprised
to hear that meandering through pretty streets or hiking along mountainous ridges
have not always been considered leisure activities, according to Daniel Gale, a
researcher of pedestrianism.
He says that in Britain, walking for fun "wasn't really a thing" until the 1780s. Before
that, it was just something people did out of necessity, and some people associated it
with criminal activity. But for Charles Dickens, the famous English 19th Century author,
marching through London streets and tramping around the countryside was a big part of
the creative process; a time to absorb what was going on around him. He walked at an
impressive pace of four miles per hour, according to his biography by Peter Ackroyd.
But if speed-walking isn't your thing, perhaps you can take inspiration from another
big-thinking wanderer. 19th Century American writer Henry David Thoreau took a slower
approach, preferring to saunter over hills and fields and meander through the woods. He
said that he could not preserve his health and spirits, unless he spent four hours a day
walking at least.
This idea of taking a stroll to clear your head has survived through to the 21st Century,
but has pedestrian etiquette remained the same? A 1780 article for the London Magazine
advised pedestrians to avoid things such as loitering in conversation and obstructing
people behind you with a "sauntering gait". Nowadays, we could probably add
distracted phone-users to that list.
In this modern age, when many of us are tied to our desks and to our screens, the
simple act of stepping out onto the city pavements, or getting lost in nature, may
make all the difference to our wellbeing. Whether you see yourself more as a casual
stroller or a purposeful strider, why not build a habit out of it?