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By Cameron Gorrie
It was our own Charles Dickens who said, “Cheerfulness and contentment are great beautifiers and are famous preservers of youthful looks.”
The great writer may be long dead (155 years, to be exact), but his ethos on wellness still rings true. As a fitness professional, I have always maintained that the best form of exercise is the one that stimulates you mentally and physically.
Life on the south coast is unique – we have the perfect blend of history and nature at our disposal, yet many of us don’t make the most of this luxury. I’m as guilty as anyone of walking past some of our historic sites without a second thought.
It’d be a shame not to truly appreciate the position we’re in. Our long, sweeping coastline is the ideal playground for (to use a popular term) mental health walks, whilst the 6,000 steps that make up the Spinnaker Tower don’t just offer unmatched views but also provide the perfect place for us to improve our cardio.
Allow me to introduce the term ‘Accidental Exercise’ – a form of wellness that puts inspiration and intellectual renewal in the driver’s seat, so much so that we don’t realise how much ground we’re covering. If you thought you had to book a holiday to exercise by accident, then think again – we have everything we need here.
If getting fitter is really your New Year’s resolution, then I suggest you make exercise as fun and as immersive as possible – and there’s no better place to embark on this journey than the area many of us call home.
The Nelson Trail, named after the famed Navy Officer, begins at Landport Gate and takes you on a journey through Portsmouth’s Old Town, highlighting points of interest related to Lord Nelson’s life around the time of the Battle of Trafalgar. The trail is open year-round and entirely free of charge.
For those looking for a longer walk, the Millennium Trail is a must. The three-kilometre trail runs from the historic Common Hard (a 1700s landing area for small vessels) to Henry VIII’s Southsea Castle. Notable points in between include Gunwharf Quays and its waterfront, the Spinnaker Tower, and our famous hovercraft terminal.
Purchased by the War Department in 1922, Southsea Common is the perfect canvas for realising your fitness vision. Not only can you embark on soothing walks or gentle jogs, but you can also join a fitness class, wander around Canoe Lake, or simply read a book for a mental escape.
Here’s the thing about fitness – it can be whatever you want it to be. It doesn’t have to be robotic and boring, nor does it have to take place under gaudy fluorescent lights in an overpriced gym. It also doesn’t have to be expensive – we have everything we need right in front of us.
Posted in: Health & Fitness, History & Architecture
