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Would you consider a 2 mile walk a hefty distance?

To give a bit of context, I live between 2 and 3 miles from my school but use 2 miles as an approximation. For ages, my friend has dismissed the distance I walk here as "not that far" because he refuses to believe that it's a long distance. Sure, it's not as far as other distances but its further than what anyone else I know walks. Also, I walk it every day which adds up to at least 10 miles a week (more when I have study lessons in the afternoon and walk back). There is a school bus from my area but walking is the only exercise I get half the time, and it is quite a distance from my house to school considering I live pretty much at the top of the village. Also, I take the bus back (if I have a full day of lessons) so it's not as if I'm not using the available transport. I choose to walk because it's nice to get the exercise from it, but I'm just wondering whether or not you'd consider a 2 mile distance a lengthy walk (considering it's at least 10 miles a week when you add it all up). The annoying thing is now that I've proved my distance is longer than the distance from here to neighbouring school, he keeps changing the subject and asking why I don't take the bus because he doesn't like being proved wrong. I've never actually implied it wasn't my choice to walk here, I just do and take the bus back. So yeah, would you consider it a lengthy walk?

Edit: As attitudes to exercise are changing, I wanted the opinions of people here. People are obviously gonna have differing opinions depending on how they view exercise.
(edited 5 years ago)

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Original post by Know Your Enemy
To give a bit of context, I live between 2 and 3 miles from my school but use 2 miles as an approximation. For ages, my friend has dismissed the distance I walk here as "not that far" because he refuses to believe that it's a long distance. Sure, it's not as far as other distances but its further than what anyone else I know walks. Also, I walk it every day which adds up to at least 10 miles a week (more when I have study lessons in the afternoon and walk back). There is a school bus from my area but walking is the only exercise I get half the time, and it is quite a distance from my house to school considering I live pretty much at the top of the village. Also, I take the bus back (if I have a full day of lessons) so it's not as if I'm not using the available transport. I choose to walk because it's nice to get the exercise from it, but I'm just wondering whether or not you'd consider a 2 mile distance a lengthy walk (considering it's at least 10 miles a week when you add it all up). The annoying thing is now that I've proved my distance is longer than the distance from here to neighbouring school, he keeps changing the subject and asking why I don't take the bus because he doesn't like being proved wrong. I've never actually implied it wasn't my choice to walk here, I just do and take the bus back. So yeah, would you consider it a lengthy walk?


It’s quite a distance! A lot of people would just take the bus, but probably 30 years ago or so it would be quite normal to walk that far, and those who took the bus would live much further away. Just shows you how much attitudes change!
Original post by carrotstar
It’s quite a distance! A lot of people would just take the bus, but probably 30 years ago or so it would be quite normal to walk that far, and those who took the bus would live much further away. Just shows you how much attitudes change!


Exactly. It's my choice to walk that far but I still think it's more of a distance than he believes. I choose to walk it every day for the sake of getting exercise. I don't know anyone else who walks that distance at all, let alone that far.
Original post by Know Your Enemy
Exactly. It's my choice to walk that far but I still think it's more of a distance than he believes. I choose to walk it every day for the sake of getting exercise. I don't know anyone else who walks that distance at all, let alone that far.


Does he ever ask for proof of how far you walk? Slip into conversation what time you leave home each day or what time you get up each morning as I’m sure it will be earlier than him!

Otherwise just don’t worry about it. I can’t see why it would matter him knowing how far you walk.
Not really. I've just walk around 2.5 miles down to the railway station, into town and home again.
Oh c'mon! If you walk at the slow regular pace of 4mph, then it's only a 25-30 minute walk. Most journeys to work in London involve a minimum of 10-15 mins to public transport then 10-15 mins from transport to the workplace. So it's really no big deal.

How long does the walk take you?
I used to walk that far to do volunteer work, took me about 40 minutes (and that was before I started cycling)
My school was about 2 miles from home when walking the shortest route, but needed crossing a large park. Nice on a crisp and sunny winters day or during dry sunny weather, but irresponsible when dark and impractical with inclement weather. Bus route was 3.5 miles and took about 35 minutes through Greater London traffic, so about the same as walking the short route.
Reply 8
Original post by Know Your Enemy
To give a bit of context, I live between 2 and 3 miles from my school but use 2 miles as an approximation. For ages, my friend has dismissed the distance I walk here as "not that far" because he refuses to believe that it's a long distance. Sure, it's not as far as other distances but its further than what anyone else I know walks. Also, I walk it every day which adds up to at least 10 miles a week (more when I have study lessons in the afternoon and walk back). There is a school bus from my area but walking is the only exercise I get half the time, and it is quite a distance from my house to school considering I live pretty much at the top of the village. Also, I take the bus back (if I have a full day of lessons) so it's not as if I'm not using the available transport. I choose to walk because it's nice to get the exercise from it, but I'm just wondering whether or not you'd consider a 2 mile distance a lengthy walk (considering it's at least 10 miles a week when you add it all up). The annoying thing is now that I've proved my distance is longer than the distance from here to neighbouring school, he keeps changing the subject and asking why I don't take the bus because he doesn't like being proved wrong. I've never actually implied it wasn't my choice to walk here, I just do and take the bus back. So yeah, would you consider it a lengthy walk?



I walked a total of around 4/5 miles yesterday and consider it childs play. Proper rural landscape as well, wouldn't be able to do it in the dark without a flashlight due to insufficient lighting ....and would need a high vis vest too otherwise the chances of being hit by a car would be too great as often it's just road [no path]

I normally walk at least a couple of miles a day [minimum] just for exercise.

Most people in this country are lazy though and can't talk 15 minutes without complaining .....so I would say walking 2 miles daily is above what the vast majority of the population does and you should feel proud.
Have you considered buying a 2nd hand bike and cycling?
I only consider it far because I don't know anybody else who walks it. I just choose to walk it because it's exercise. Like the OP said, if I have a full day of lessons, I get the bus (provided by the school) back. Otherwise I may walk back. I'm a fast walker but it takes about 40 minutes. I get it's not the best of subjects but as attitudes to exercise are changing, I wanted to see the opinions of people here.
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by Tiger Rag
Not really. I've just walk around 2.5 miles down to the railway station, into town and home again.


Nobody in this area walks that far lol.
Thanks for the replies everyone! I wasn't expecting quite so many. I know it's not that far as a one-off distance but I just wanted people's opinions as attituds to exercise are changing, as everyone knows.
Original post by DrSocSciences
Oh c'mon! If you walk at the slow regular pace of 4mph, then it's only a 25-30 minute walk. Most journeys to work in London involve a minimum of 10-15 mins to public transport then 10-15 mins from transport to the workplace. So it's really no big deal.

How long does the walk take you?


About 40 minutes, and I'm a fast walker. Sometimes it's due to traffic, other times I may walk at a slower pace. Mostly though, I'm quite fast.
Original post by Know Your Enemy
Nobody in this area walks that far lol.


I walk most places. Apart from to my parents because of how hilly it is and because of how difficult the roads are to cross safely. Most of the time, it's quicker to walk places than wait for a bus here I've found.
Original post by ANM775
I walked a total of around 4/5 miles yesterday and consider it childs play. Proper rural landscape as well, wouldn't be able to do it in the dark without a flashlight due to insufficient lighting ....and would need a high vis vest too otherwise the chances of being hit by a car would be too great as often it's just road [no path]

I normally walk at least a couple of miles a day [minimum] just for exercise.

Most people in this country are lazy though and can't talk 15 minutes without complaining .....so I would say walking 2 miles daily is above what the vast majority of the population does and you should feel proud.


This is why it's considered far here. Because nobody else walks it, and because my walks add up to 10+ miles a week. Like you said, more than what most people walk.
Original post by Know Your Enemy
About 40 minutes, and I'm a fast walker. Sometimes it's due to traffic, other times I may walk at a slower pace. Mostly though, I'm quite fast.


Ok, so that sounds a lot more like 3 miles than two. Which makes 15 miles per week, - considerably more than originally reckoned. Makes sense.

Is this about winning the argument with your friend, or something else?
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by DrSocSciences
Ok, so that sounds a lot more like 3 miles than two. Which makes 15 miles per week, - considerably more than originally reckoned. Makes sense.


Yeah. I don't know the exact distance but it's between 2 and 3. I say 2 as an approximation. The question is more about attitudes to exercise than the conversations we have about my distance.
(edited 5 years ago)
in Africa children walk 10 miles to school and 10 miles home.
Original post by the bear
in Africa children walk 10 miles to school and 10 miles home.


They don't have a choice as far as I know. I just wanted the opinions of people on my distance because as we all know (and how it's been stated in a few replies) attitudes to exercise are changing and nobody really walks 2 miles anymore.

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