Carmarthenshire Urbanwalks

Urbanwalks is a vehicle to get communities moving again, enjoying activity more often in their everyday environment.

The urbanwalks booklets help to encourage people in local towns to get out there and walk by promoting a variety of circular routes of differing lengths that encompass typical everyday journeys within local areas.

Bilingual booklets have been produced, by Carmarthenshire’s local walking programme Am Dro am Glonc Sir Gâr (Walk and Talk Carmarthenshire), for the Ammanford, Burry Port, Carmarthen and Llanelli areas.

The circular routes in the booklets can help individuals and communities work towards the recommended guidelines of physical activity e.g. 30 minutes of activity 5 times a week, reduce the time spent being sedentary e.g. watching television, surfing the internet or playing computer games and provide opportunities to just take a break and enjoy some fresh air and get to know your town.

There are many physical, mental and social health benefits to being active and taking a walk is just one of the ways to achieve such benefits. Walking is also FREE, requires no special equipment just a comfortable pair of shoes and it can be easily added into our daily lives at a pace we feel comfortable with, starting slowly and building up gradually. There is also a very low risk of injury with walking as it is a low impact activity and walking with family and friends is a fun and social activity.

The routes can also help to achieve the recommended 10,000 steps a day message, set it as a challenge and use a pedometer.

If you are unsure about your ability to start taking up walking as a form of activity please contact your GP for advice.

If you would like to find out more about these booklets and access electronic and/or paper copies please contact:

Caroline Nichols, Health Promotion Practitioner, Carmarthenshire Public Health Team, email caroline.nichols2@wales.nhs.uk 01267 225073

Further information about urbanwalks can be found at www.urbanwalks.co.uk

Please take the opportunity to access copies of these urbanwalks booklets. The walks are quick and easy to fit in before and after work or during your lunch break and for family and friends activities.