A country where more people choose to walk more often will be healthier, happier, greener, safer and more prosperous.

We can all do our bit to get Scotland walking, what could you do to help Scotland become a walking friendly country?


Offer free community walking programmes supported by trained volunteers


Promote the benefits of walking for physical, mental and social wellbeing

Support and enable local communities to encourage walking

Enable easier access to good quality and maintained parks, greenspaces and wider
countryside for everyone

Provide good quality, maintained multi-use path networks in and around communities

Design our towns and cities to be walkable, safe, attractive & sustainable

Increased footfall in town centres boosts local economies and our walking environments
attract visitors to Scotland

More people walking more often will help reduce air pollution. ‘If it’s not far, leave the car’

Robust evidence is collected to demonstrate the impact of walking

Download the National Walking Strategy document in full here

Download the National Walking Strategy Action Plan here

Download press release and ‘Walk Back Better – A statement from the National Walking Strategy Delivery Forum’

The National Walking Strategy is the Scottish Government’s ambition for a nation that walks more every day. More people walking will improve physical, mental and social health, create safer, friendlier and less polluted communities,
and boost local economies through increased footfall and healthier, more productive staff. The strategy supports a range of policy areas including the National Performance Framework, Public Health Scotland’s priorities and the Active Scotland Outcomes Framework.

The strategy is delivered by a range of partner organisations, facilitated by Paths for All