Today is Walk In The Park Day.
Not that we should need a day set aside for it. And given that it is still March, there are probably better days for taking a walk in the park, but really, I don’t think there are bad days for taking a walk in the park.
It’s really a day to celebrate natural areas that are enclosed in more urban areas. When you get down to it, we’re pretty lucky. We tend to live in more urban areas surrounded by natural areas. In spite of that we still have plenty of parks to explore around this area.
Some are wide open areas, others feature trails through the woods, some have beautiful displays of plants and flowers, others are a bit more rustic and natural. You have federal parks, provincial parks, municipal parks… there really is no shortage to choose from. And if you get really adventurous, you can probably find a spot to just go for a walk in the woods.
The day was founded to encourage people to get outside and reconnect with nature a bit. A bit of physical activity is good for us, and, as many people discovered over the past couple of years, there’s a lot of therapeutic value in just going for a walk outdoors.
And while today may be a bit on the cool side, it does have one advantage. The bugs aren’t out yet. Although they soon will be. And you may want to do a quick tick check when you get home. But otherwise, it looks like a pretty good day to check out a local park.
I certainly have my favourites when it comes to parks in the area. Since I live in Liverpool, Pine Grove Park in Milton is certainly at the top of the list, although there are a few others close by as well. Pine Grove I enjoy because you can feel like you’re taking a walk in the woods when you’re really not far from the center of town. And in a few weeks, the rhododendrons will start to bloom, which can be truly spectacular. But I also like just getting out and wandering around a few woods trails I know fairly well.
If the winter has kept you inside a bit too much, today is a good excuse. Get out and take a walk in the park.
