Healthy living

This page provides links to a range of exercise ideas. Exercise helps prevent high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, poor circulation, obesity, joint and bone problems. It can also provide valuable social contact, reduce anxiety, help with depression and make you feel more alert, energetic and cheerful.

Walking

To find local organised walks in Essex check the Walking your way to health initiative site or your local council:
Essex County Council
Basildon
Braintree
Brentwood
Castle Point
Chelmsford
Colchester
Epping Forest
Maldon
Rochford
Tendring
Uttlesford

Downloadable guides for walking in Essex
Essex County Council has produced several walking, cycling and horse riding guides for the County. These are available to download for free.

Essex pub walks
This website lists walks in Essex which start and finish near public transport. Each walk also includes a pub to stop at along the way.

Ramblers
On this site you can find out where your local ramblers groups are, how difficult the walks are and walking guides. There is also practical advice if you are new to walking and information on walker's accommodation.

Walk and Cycle in Essex
These pages show recommended walking and cycling routes throughout Essex.

Cycling

Local Cycling Clubs in Essex  (PDF)
This document lists in alphabetical order, cycling clubs within Essex and their websites.

Cycle Streets
This website allows you to plan a specific cycle journey. It allows you to choose from a fast route, a balanced route and a quiet route. This tool will also tell you how long your journey should take, the distance, as well as allowing you to give feedback on any problems you may have encountered with your route.

Dance

Let's Dance!
This is a 'Change 4 Life' campaign to get move people active through dance. They have put together a whole range of dance tips and ideas to encourage kids to dance and get the whole family inspired. There are plenty of activities and suggestions, everything from organised dance events to simple dance games that can be enjoyed at home. It's all about getting everyone up and about and having fun.

Sports facilities

Leisure centres will often offer 50+ sessions, GP referral programmes, classes to suit all levels of fitness, gentle exercise classes and a centre for inclusive fitness with fitness equipment catering for the needs of the disabled. Follow the links below to find details of your local sports and leisure facilities.

Basildon
Braintree
Brentwood
Castlepoint
Chelmsford
Colchester
Epping Forest
Maldon
Rochford
Tendring
Uttlesford

Leisure and sport passes

Discount cards are available for many sports and leisure facilities. These offer reduced entry charges for local residents.

Sportessex  
This is the official body for sport in Essex working in partnership with many organisations across the County to promote sport and set up new sporting opportunities.  The sportessex website includes a searchable database to enable you to look for sports, clubs or facilities in the county.

The Healthy Arts project  
Living a healthier lifestyle isn't about facing difficult big decisions, it's about making small changes which can improve your health and your quality of living. This project aims to improve health in the community and independence amongst people with disabilities, achieving this by offering a mobile outreach service which is broken into two elements: health monitoring and advice and community art classes.