Planning a family walk in Hampshire

This blog post is brought to you by Fostering Hampshire Children.

Family walks are a fun way to get outdoors. While taking a stroll around a country park is a popular option, it’s not the only way to enjoy time outside. There are plenty of places to explore, with over 3,650 hectares of open space managed by Hampshire County Council Countryside Service alone. Whether you live in a built-up area or a rural area, take a look at our guide to planning your family’s walks.

Why should you go on a family walk?

Parents and carers play a big role in encouraging young people to get active. Adults' own behaviour and attitudes towards physical activity and getting outdoors can have a huge influence in how children feel about leading an active lifestyle. And an enjoyment of outdoor activities in childhood has been proven to last a lifetime - leading to long term physical and mental health benefits. But keeping children active is important in the short term too; research shows that physically active children are more likely to have good mental health and feel less lonely.

Planning your walk

Deciding on a route before you head out will make your walk much easier, especially if you’ve got little ones who tire out quickly. But when planning your route there are some things you need to think about. First, decide on how far you want to walk, or how much time you want to spend walking. Then, think about where you want to start and finish. You might choose to find somewhere you can access by public transport, or you might decide to start your walk right from your front door. You can either opt for a walk that ends in the place you started, or end somewhere else.

When coming up with your route, think about what kind of terrain you’ll walk on. If you or someone in your group uses mobility aids, you might choose to find a wide, paved route with places to stop along the way. Be prepared for some trails to get muddy and slippery, so make sure you have appropriate footwear.

You don’t have to live near a country park to enjoy a walk, Hampshire is full of hidden pockets of nature. For inspiration, you can try some of our favourite walking routes, or you can use a map or route planning app to create your own.

Make it fun!

Getting the whole family on board with going on a walk can be challenging. To motivate everyone, add some fun goals. If you’ve got a gamer on your hands, see if you can find a location-enabled smartphone game. These bring virtual elements into the real world, incorporating your location into gameplay and encouraging you to explore your surroundings. For younger children, work out how you can include time to play. You might choose to plan a route with a play area along it, or you might decide to walk somewhere they can play in nature.

Stopping somewhere for a tasty lunch is a great way to give your walk purpose. In dry weather, you could take a picnic with you for a refreshing change of scenery. Or, you could find a local pub, restaurant or café and plan your route around that.