Getting Scotland walking
The Scottish Household Survey indicates that walking is by far the most popular form of physical activity undertaken, with more than 55% of Scottish people having taken a half-hour walk for recreational purposes.
For this reason, we are focusing on promoting and encouraging walking as a way of getting people to be more active.
National Walking Strategy
The National Walking Strategy launched in 2014 contained recommendations from a working group on how to create a walking culture in Scotland.
We provide £1.2 million funding per year to Paths for All to take forward the strategy.
Paths for All is delivering the strategy via the step change website that sets out details of the Walking Strategy Action Plan and the Forum helping to deliver it.
Daily Mile
We aim to make Scotland the world's first 'Daily Mile nation' with a roll-out to all nurseries, schools, colleges and universities.
The Daily Mile is a simple but effective concept through which primary-aged children run or walk for 15 minutes every day. Any primary school can implement The Daily Mile at no cost, and its impact can be transformational – improving not only the children's fitness, but also their concentration levels, mood, behaviour and general wellbeing.
Since beginning at St Ninians Primary, Stirling, in 2012, the Daily Mile has grown exponentially with more than 3,000 participating schools and over half a million children taking part daily.
Scotland: a Daily Mile nation (YouTube video)
More information can be found on the Daily Mile website.
We produced guidance for early learning and childcare managers and practitioners, and parents/carers on the Daily Mile with young children (December 2017).