Steps toward better health
By Casey Gillis on Apr. 21, 2010
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Recent health reports have advised that we should all be taking at least 10,000 steps, about five miles for the average person, every day.
Since we don’t all have time to run or walk five miles before or after work every day (to those who can and do, I salute you), we figured we’d get you to the halfway point.
The following three routes total roughly 2.5 miles, or 5,000 steps, each; some might be a little longer, but the interesting surroundings make it worth that extra effort.
They’re divided up as beginner, intermediate and advanced based on the number of hills you’ll encounter.
We also included several “treats” you can stop for along the way. Because, really, every good workout deserves a reward.
Note: The number of steps may vary, based on individual weight, speed and stride length. I measured the distances by first mapping out each route on Google Map Pedometer, an awesome site, and then walking them with an actual pedometer.
Beginner route: Downtown Bedford
• Start at the corner of Hampton Ridge Road and Longwood Avenue. One of the highlights about this route, for me, was checking out all the beautiful houses along Longwood.
• Take a right onto Peaks Street.
• Take a left onto Avenel Avenue.
• Take a right onto Bedford Avenue. Pass Old Liberty Station and go underneath the railroad bridge, where it will turn into Fourth Street.
• At the light, take a left onto West Main Street.
• Take a right onto Bridge Street. Here, you’ll find one possible “treat:“ Bella Bookstore & Antiques. Go in, catch your breath and browse their collection.
• Go to the light at the end of Bridge, cross the street to the other side of the road and continue up Bridge, where you’ll find a few more possible treats in the form of Ivy Bridge Café and Ranch Road BBQ. The road eventually turns into Longwood Avenue.
• Get back to the residential area, and take a right onto Oak Street.
• Take a left onto Baltimore Avenue.
• Take a left onto Park Street and follow until you reach Longwood again.
• Go left on Longwood until you’re back where you started, at Hampton Ridge Road.
Intermediate route: Wyndhurst
• There’s a small parking pull-off on Paulette Circle (right across from a BP Station, and the entrance to Neighbor’s Place Restaurant). Park there and start walking.
• Walk the entire length of Enterprise Drive, until you reach Laxton Road.
• Cross the street to the other side of Enterprise, and head back. Stay straight until you reach the light at Wyndhurst Drive. Go right.
• Keep walking on Wyndhurst Drive, a more residential area of the development. Take a left onto Duncraig Drive, right where it becomes more commercial again.
• Walk to the end of Duncraig, where you’ll reach Enterprise Drive again. Take a right (About Face Salon is on that corner).
• Take your next right onto Hexham Drive, where you’ll pass the Upper Crust Pizza Company (stop in there for a slice, if you want to your treat now).
• Take a left back onto Wyndhurst Drive and walk until you reach the traffic circle on Tradewynd Drive. Take a left, and check out another possible treat: Montana Plains Bakery, which recently opened a second location there.
• Take a right back onto Enterprise (are you sensing a pattern here?) and take your next right onto Goldenrod, where you’ll pass Mountain Frost Creamery — yet another possible treat. There are plenty of other businesses along Enterprise Drive that might catch your eye, so don’t be afraid to slow down the pace a little.
• Follow Goldenrod until you reach Wyndhurst Drive again, and go left. Take your next left up Northwynd, back to Enterprise. The J. Crew clearance store sits on that corner, if you prefer shopping to a snack.
• Go right on Enterprise and continue back to Paulette Circle, where you started.
Advanced route: Downtown Lynchburg
• Park in the public lot across from Robin Alexander, at the corner of Commerce and Main streets.
• Walk up Main Street until you reach Ninth Street, and turn left.
• Continue up to Monument Terrace and go up the actual steps (part of why this is the “advanced” course).
• At the top, take a right into Court Street and then a left onto Fifth Street.
• Walk all the way up Fifth until you reach Taylor Street, and the entrance to Old City Cemetery.
• The Cemetery is open from dusk until dawn, so if you’re doing this during the day, go in and take a look around. There’s plenty to see. I followed the road, which loops around and has some serious uphill action as you reach the exit.
• Leave the cemetery on Wise Street, take a left back onto Fifth Street and retrace your steps back to Main Street.
• Go right on Main Street and walk back to the starting point. You’ll have a number of treat options along the way: a sandwich or cold drink at Market at Main, a cup of coffee or a meal at The White Hart, or, my personal favorite, a martini on one of Robin Alexander’s two patios. The options don’t end there, so keep your eyes open and check out some of Main Street’s businesses.
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