Lunch Time Walking Routes
There are three walking routes available:
| Route | Length | Time* |
| Yellow | 1.7 km | 21 mins |
| Green | 2 km | 25 mins |
| Red | 3.4 km | 42 mins |
* at a hearty pace of 10 mins / km.
They have all been designed around a loop system so they are easy to follow as you finish where you started off. In addition, they are of varying lengths to allow any person, no matter how little time they have at lunch, to exercise.
The new lunch-time walking routes for staff were designed by a team from HR, Public Health and Buildings and Estates in consultation with the Irish Heart Foundation’s Slí na Slainte initiative.
These routes have been complimented by new motivational Time to Walk signs that have been erected at the Western Road pedestrian gates in UCC, the gates into the car park at Aras na Laoi and the gates into Brookfield Health Sciences Complex. These signs give the time it takes to walk from these three exit points of UCC to various locations around the city such as Cork University Hospital, Washington Street and North Mall. These signs will hopefully compliment our commuter plan by encouraging people to walk short distances instead of using the car.
Advice for Walking
Warming up:
- Walk slowly for the first few minutes to gradually increase the heart-rate.
- Then do easy muscle stretches.
Winding down:
- During the last few minutes of a brisk walk, ease your heart and breathing back to normal by gradually slowing your pace.
- End your walk by stretching all your major muscle groups.
Posture:
- Keep your shoulders relaxed and your head held high in line with your spine.
- Tighten your stomach for optimal lower-back support.
- A full stride is best with heel-to-toe landing.
- Your breathing should be deep, easy, and rhythmic.
Clothing:
- Wear comfortable, supportive footwear.
- Wear a few layers of comfortable clothing so that you can adjust to your body’s changing temperature.
