People urged to stride into the New Year

* Walking offers a range of health benefits.

Denbighshire and Flintshire County Councils are urging people to put their best foot forward and walk their way to better health in the New Year.

They say there are tremendous health benefits from regular walking in tyhat it helps to keep your heart strong, manage and control weight loss, improves your breathing, reduces stress, helps you to sleep better, improves strength and flexibility, reduces the risk of certain diseases and above all makes you feel good.

Across Wales there is an active band of volunteer walk leaders who lead short walks every week. 

Anyone who is interested in improving their health and making new friends by regular walking are welcome to join them.

Neville Howell, a volunteer walk leader, said: "I have been involved in the scheme for over 10 years now and have felt the benefit of regular myself and seen the benefit other people have had.

"It is amazing to see people’s health improving, weight loss and making new friends. As well as the walks there is a calendar of social events that are held which bring people together to do different things." K

Katrina Day, Troedio Clwyd Coordinator, said: "Walking is one of the best ways to improve your health, it's free and just makes you feel generally good about yourself.

"Regular walking will keep people active, reducing the risk of many diseases, therefore saving the NHS money by keeping people out of hospital.

"We are really grateful for all of the work of the volunteers who lead these walks, which make such a difference to many people’s lives." 

Walks are held in St Asaph, Mold, Gwaenysgor, Flint, Bwcle, Denbigh, Talacre, Dyserth, Caerwys, Halkyn, Rhuddlan, Lixwm and Llanasa.

For details of the walks available across Denbighshire and Flintshire, call Loggerheads Country Park on 01352 810614, or visit the following websites, www.walkaboutflintshire.com, www.denbighshirecountryside.org.uk/lets_walk/.

If you think you would be interested in becoming a walk leader then give the office a call or send an email to katrina.day@denbighshire.gov.uk