13 reasons Why I love Bush Walks

There are so many different reasons why bush-walking is so go for you.  Here's my list of 13 Reasons Why I love bush walking to stay in shape and improve my physical and mental health.

Read on for the list and then hunt out your nearest woodland escape and give it a try.

1. Fitness - use it or lose it. Keep active and mobile throughout your life. Bush walks have a more varied terrain including some hill climbs to get your heart pumping.
2. Weight loss relies on combining activity with a healthy diet and bush walking is my exercise of choice.
3. Lots of Health Benefits.  Research has shown that walking in nature has a range of health benefits including improved blood pressure, reduced risk of colon cancer, alzheimers & glaucoma.
4. Because I love my dog. On a bush walk she can be off-leash and free to run and smell everything. It's such a happy experience for her compared to walking the pavement.
5. No traffic, noise or smog. Escape the city-scape and enjoy the views free of cars, bikes or even the noise of other people.  A healthier way to keep your pedometer ticking over.
6. Disconnect. It's harder for the worries of everyday life to stay on your mind in the bush. Your mind is on the track ahead and so you can truly disconnect - if only for a little while.
7. Intimately Social - there's nothing better than sharing a bush walk with friends & family. Whether sharing a magical view, gorgeous bird song or gossips and secrets -  they're private, intimate experiences together.
8. Healthy enthusiasm. While you're out exercising in the bush and feeling good it's a great time to build on the momentum and think about other healthy options you can make. Plan a healthy menu for the next couple of days, make personal commitments about water intake and the amount of sleep you're getting.
9. You tune in to Nature. No one can really walk numbly through the bush. Take the time to truly tune in - let your senses be full of the colors, shapes, sounds and smells of nature.
10. Time for Planning. Sometimes you have to take time to make time. Walking calmly in the bush is a fantastic opportunity. With your mind clear you can plan your schedule and return energized to power through a productive day be it at home or work.
11. It makes you want to Explore. You find all the green spaces and reserves in your local area and then expand and explore further afield. Before you know it you love of bush walks has you planning trips to discover more of the natural world.
12. Dream.  Sometimes it's in the quiet moments in nature that we find a new goal, a new item to add to our bucket-list, a new ambition.  It's surprising how many new solutions to existing problems come to me while walking in the bush.​
13. Come up with a new blog topic. Guess where I thought of this one! ​