Launched in February 2020 by Dan Raven-Ellison, the Slow Ways Initiative aims at calculating, and mapping the walking routes and trails among the major settlements of Great Britain. New and old routes are explored and discovered over time. This initiative makes an effort to make it easy for people who love adventure and walking.

However, these routes were designed with a set of principles. They must:

  • Have a start and a finish point
  • Be safe to explore
  • Be easy to navigate
  • Have resting places, or pit stops
  • Be easily accessible by public transport such as buses, trains, etc.
  • Be already established routes

Walking as an Activity

I often walk. It is not in the name of exercise or health concerns, rather as a means of commuting, or running errands. Our relationship with walking has always been a default mechanism of going from point A to point B, i.e., to get somewhere. I always found it odd to see people drive five minutes down the road when instead they could’ve just walked their way through to get there in 15 minutes. It is a little odd to see a car being used where you could easily take a brisk walk. It is the same as people driving places every day to take their pets for a stroll.

We all need special shoes, clothes and even fitness tracking devices before we step out for a walk. It has become an important need for anyone, who takes up walking as a recreational activity or an exercise. Therefore, we need to consider the Slow Ways Initiative, to rediscover walking as a holistic activity.

Walking: A Mode of Transport

Slow Ways makes it a point to choose footpaths, not because they are scenic, or historical, but to remind us that it is quicker than we think it is. We can get to places while exploring scenic routes and enjoying the outdoors. The lockdown after the pandemic has benefitted people in rediscovering their love towards the outdoors and having fun with various outdoor activities.

Slow Ways have also benefitted people across the country, and not just those that live in a city. A few years ago, I had cycled through London, and I wasn’t surprised to see busy traffic roads, with cramped vehicles all over. It had no place for a sidewalk even, as the streets were often busy with vehicles and public transport.

It was then I realised, how easy it is to just walk. While coming back from the supermarket back in July, I had passed two ladies, who remarked upon how close the supermarket is from their home on foot. So, I believe that walking for one or two hours daily is fine. It allows you to take in the fresh air while enjoying walking as a healthy exercise as well as exploring new routes every day.

Get Involved With Slow Ways

A budding initiative, Slow Ways has reached its testing phase. It has mapped out the routes through major settlement areas. Due to lockdown, the initiative has come to a halt.

If you are interested in getting involved with this initiative, head on to www.slowways.uk  to get updates every now and again, about the project and be a part of the Slow Ways Initiative.