The New WOD – Walk Outside Daily
At Ordnance Survey when we talk about W.O.D. it’s a reminder to Walk Outside Daily and benefit from all the ways that getting outside during the winter months can help with your physical and mental wellbeing. We have compiled a selection of our favourite routes for you to try all across the UK, split up into strenuous hikes and then sensory walks for active recovery. Just a little taste of the 1000’s of ready made routes available at OS Maps.
Editor’s Pick: Walking and Hiking Routes
What is a W.O.D.?
For any of you that aren’t crazy about gym classes and cross fit, workout of the day (W.O.D.) is a portion of a class where you aim to smash goals, increase the numbers of reps and really push yourself.
- 1.warm-up
- 2.strength training
- 3. W.O.D.
- 4. Cool-down
If you’ve ever hiked up a mountain in the UK you’ll recognise each of those stages! The gentle lowland slopes, the thigh burning ascent, the epic scramble to the summit and the amazing feeling of dipping your tired feet into a cold stream or tarn as you walk back. We’ve taken WOD to another level! Get outside and enjoy the challenge of a strenuous walk up to a summit, we guarantee you’ll be on a high for days after working out in our gym!
Not All W.O.D’s Are Equal…
When it comes to hiking for fitness there are a number of different kinds of walks that you would do for different reasons. When you’re searching for routes in our hike planning app OS Maps you can easily filter by the route difficulty and length.
- Strenuous Routes – get your big engines fired up with a challenging summit walk
- Daily Strolls – break up your day with interesting walks in your local area
- Active Recovery – nature is medicinal, it’s good to take time to breathe it all in
Hiking Inspiration
Read More Inspiring Advice for Winter Wellness…
Sensory Walks for Active Recovery
St Andrew’s Park – Bristol
A gentle sensory walk around St Andrews Park taking in the surroundings and engaging with the trees and wood carvings. This walk is on tarmac paths which are suitable for wheelchairs. The path around the pond at the start is narrow and not suitable for wheelchairs or people with visual impairments.
Wendover Woods – Buckinghamshire
The Wendover Woods Sensory Walk follows our flat, hard surfaced, turquoise play trail route. This 1km circular walk is suitable for wheelchair usage and has seating at two different Sensory Highlight points. There is a changing places facility at the start/end of the walk. The route starts and finishes at the Information Point start which is short walk from the car park and Wendover Woods Visitor Hub.
Trumpington Country Park Cambridge
A walk around Trumpington Country Park with lots of wildlife and statues to experience. The surface is over various flat hard surfaces and suitable for wheelchairs. There is a small section on grass however an alternative is provided.
Gnoll Country Park – Neath
This route can be expanded as there are lots of wooded areas to explore, however beware that if you go off the beaten track that the flooring may not be suitable for wheelchairs.
Victoria Park Landmarks – London
This route will take you round the lake, over bridges, through shady areas, round the different gardens and grassy areas and back past the playground. There are so many different areas to explore. The surface is over various flat surfaces and suitable for wheelchairs.
Strenuous Walks To Engage Your Muscles
Hartland Point Circular, Devon
This stretch of coastline – although lovely in sunshine – is seen at its best in rough winter weather. There’s nothing here that you would dare to call a beach. Between jagged headlands, the bays are full of strangely striated and razor-sharp ridges of black rock.
Twmpa – Black Mountains, South Wales
Twmpa, affectionately known as Lord Hereford’s Knob, is a striking peak in the Black Mountains of southeast Wales. Rising to 690 meters (2,264 feet), it forms part of the expansive Brecon Beacons National Park. Twmpa is celebrated for its breathtaking views and fascinating geological features.
Binnein Mór and Na Gruagaichean – Mamores, Scotland
The Mamores are almost certainly one of Scotland’s great mountain chains. Their ten Munro summits (yes, it was 11) linked by complex sweeping ridges, abound in wild and rocky corries. It is possible to tackle them all in one outing, but, for a reasonable length winter day, the high eastern Mamore summits of Binnein Mór and Na Gruagaichean make an excellent winter traverse, their steep-sided narrow ridges being honed to wintry knife-edge arêtes under winter conditions.
Mynydd Drws-y-coed – Eryri, North Wales
The Nantlle Ridge is a slender bridge of grass and rock that’s slung loosely between five separate western Snowdonia peaks: Y Garn (no, not the well-known Welsh 3,000ft-er of Glyderau fame), Mynydd Drws-y-coed, Trum y Ddysgl, Mynydd Tal-y-mignedd and Craig Cwm Silyn.
Middleham, North Yorkshire
This walk explores beautiful uplands, passing the original motte and bailey castle that predates the modern-day remains, and flits between the rivers Cover and Ure, with a pause at a fine pub in the village of Wensley. You’ll also explore the sweeping gallops on Middleham Low Moor and visit the tranquil waters of Pinker’s Pond.