Walking, Cycling and Staying Active with Kenneth

Our Act Now, Age Better campaign encourages those aged 50+ to stay active and try something new. We caught up with Kenneth (62) from Livingston about his journey, from relocating back to Scotland, staying active and finding joy in community groups. Finding an activity you enjoy can help you stay fit, build confidence, and connect with others while having fun.

Can you tell us a wee bit about yourself? 

My name is Kenneth, and I’m 62 years old. I live in Livingston, and for work I'm a mobile app developer, but outside of work, I enjoy taking part in my local walking groups and cycling groups.  

I do quite a lot of cycling. There are a couple of cycling groups locally. There's a West Lothian 50-plus cycling group which I attend on Saturdays. As I work during the week, I get invited occasionally to some of the weekday events. At the weekend, I'm also a member of the Livingston Cycling Club. 

Can you tell us more about your Walking and Cycling clubs? 

As part of the Walking group, I attended a four-mile walk from Partick to Glasgow Green along the River Clyde on one of the hottest days of the year. I'm also a qualified cycle leader and happy to stand in if needed.  

I also enjoyed taking part in the cycle around Loch Leven. Most members of the West Lothian cycle group have E-bikes, which assist your pedalling, allowing you to go further distances. Whenever my wife and I go on holiday, we will always do an E-bike tour, especially if exploring a new city; it’s a great way to see the sights!  

We recently did an E-bike tour in London; we went from Tower Bridge all the way to Buckingham Palace. It's quite a walk if you had to do all of it on foot, but you can still use your muscles while cycling and it’s a brilliant way to see the landmarks.  

What motivated you to take up your activities?

We didn't really know anybody in this area because we originally came from the West Coast of Scotland, and then we moved to England. We lived there for 35 years, and then we moved up here. So, we didn't know anybody when we moved back, so we joined the West Lothian 50-plus group.   

It was brilliant because there are so many activities and we would have been lost without it. We had our immediate family; our daughters live in Scotland. It's been great to meet people our age; it’s been brilliant.  We’ve done so many things that we’ve got to know everybody, and they know us. It's quite a small community.

Was there anything you did to prepare physically or mentally before joining the walk to Glasgow Green?

From a planning perspective, we're thinking about the route, where to plan the toilet break, where we can stop to get drinks and eat. It’s important to consider if it's suitable for everybody and accessible, and is there any chance of anybody getting lost? 

I always take a first-aid kit with me on the E-bike. However, to reduce weight while walking, I didn’t take it on our walk from Partick. Then we had a little mishap on the route. Luckily, we just went into a local supermarket and they helped us. But I think in future I would want to try to bring a first-aid kit with us, with water, and maybe a little emergency food. 

Has exercise in later life helped you meet new people?

Yes, we’ve met a lot of people through joining clubs; you meet people of a similar age. It's amazing the number of people that live in Livingston. The backgrounds of people are incredible. We spent 35 years living in Surrey; a gentleman at one of the clubs comes from Essex. There are a few people from Newcastle and Sunderland, and even a guy from California, from all over the place. It is a magnet, this place. I think the increase in new houses in Livingston and West Lothian is remarkable, and it draws in people from everywhere.  

Do you have any advice for people who might be unsure about starting?  

There’s a group for everyone. We never leave anyone behind. We never go fast; we're geared for the slowest person. It’s a very, very friendly group and includes everyone regardless of ability.