to ask if anyone has a LONG walking commute every day

I guess if it's a type of route you can give up half way through and get public transport or a taxi, then it'd be fine.

Not so much if you're somewhere really remote so have no choice but to continue if you feel knackered.

You'll probably get used to it though. I love walking but can't do it much anymore.

Slightly baffled at the problem with the dark. What's unsafe about it? OP's walking home from work, not yomping through a warzone. It's dark at 4.30 now - do you never leave the house after sunset? How do you get home from work without setting foot outside in the dark?

I used to walk 45 mins each way. It was in Eastern Europe so a fair time of the year was in the snow where it was more sliding along in the snow and ice which to be fair I loved. Never been so fit or slim! 15 years later or so and I am 4 stone heavier and a very great deal less healthy!

Walking to work is The Best. I've not been able to do it for ages tbh. My last job was too far to walk really (I did it a couple of times in the snow) tho i used to run occasionally or cycle more often. It was about 3.5 miles – a good 50-min walk and I often needed to be home to take the DC to activities so it wasn't practical. Is yours a similar distance @Consideringparttime? If less, then yes and you could do it in less time (assuming you are fit and healthy). If it really is 60 mins then that's a long way. Perfectly doable tho. Do you ever need to be home by a specific time?

I agree get a jacket with high-vis so you can be seen; and good shoes. Also if possible have an alternative option if it's raining. Tbh tho when I cycled regularly to work it would only be raining at 8am about once every couple of months. People always think it will be raining but not so much. I would happily cycle home in the rain no worries. The good thing about an active commute is that you have to do it (or stay in the office haha) so it forecs you to do the exercise.

And as for the walking in the dark concern - wtaf? sorry but if you won’t walk in the dark on your own you are so very much limiting yourself. Do you never go out to the local shop or round to a friend’s after 4pm in December @Njbbdss ?

What's the route like? Not quite as long, but my commute includes a 30 minute walk from the train station. The distance is fine but half of it is along a busy road with a pavement barely 2 feet wide, which doesn't feel safe at all. There is a cemetery next to said road that you can cut through, but it's locked at sunset (and I wouldn't feel safe doing it after dark anyway) so in the winter I take the bus instead.

I walk my dogs round the woods alone in the dark ! I’m sure op is capable of walking home and we’re not all afraid of the dark ( bad things also happen in the day btw …..)

I walked 50 minutes to work and 50 minutes back every day for 8 years!! I moved house so not anymore but I really, really, really miss it.

I cannot explain how much i loved it and how much I miss it!

I took a cab ocasionally if I worked a particularly long day and it was past midnight.

Do you never walk anywhere unchaperoned after 4pm in winter? Everyone else does!

I think there is a difference between walking in the dark during rush hour and walking in the dark at 11pm with less people around.

One thing I would say about walking in the dark is to make sure you can be seen.

It worries me seeing people in black coats that are barely noticable. I used to pass a man with a black dog, the dog had a light up flashy collar. He was obvuously concerned about the dog being seen no concern about himself being seen. The dogs collar was the only noticeable thing about them.

I did do this for a while, and I enjoyed it. About 3 miles, taken at a leisurely pace so I didn't arrive very sweaty, took me about 50 minutes. It became impractical due to childcare, otherwise I would have continued.

I’d do it! My commute in the car is 50mins each way and I’d much prefer to be walking in that time than sat in the car!

Quite. It's probably 5pm. The shops are still open! There will be millions of women walking around after 4pm in December...

It's a great idea OP. I would do it but my route to work includes a couple of miles of dual carriageway and there isn't a footpath. I run before work instead!

Why is the dark unsafe?

Why not?

What’s the route? In the winter in the pouring rain I would want decent shoes and a decent coat

I used to walk 45 mins each way when I lived and worked in Central London. I loved it, so much to see, and so many characters, plus the Tate Modern was on my route so I'd pop in there for a nose sometimes, I felt incredibly lucky to have that walk.
I carried on until I was 7/8 months pregnant until I started almost fainting a couple of times, and my family and midwife told me off for walking 'so far' 🙄 but fair enough. I found the bus hot, uncomfortable, stressful and hardly any quicker so got it on the way home only.

Anyway tmi there. I'd say definitely do it especially if you can make the route interesting, varied or have nice scenery. You can also listen to podcasts and music to make the time go quicker. I'd say November and January are the worse months due to the light and weather (December has Xmas, so there's all the pretty lights). If you can get through those months hopefully it'll become a lovely energising routine for you.

I used to walk about 35 minutes each way along the canal to work 3 days a week.

Absolutely loved it in the summer but less so in wet and dark or if icy. I did have the option to take the bus instead and sometimes I would do that so it’s good to have a bail out option.

Then my commute got longer and I got an e-bike through cycle to work scheme.

What kind of nonsense question is this? What does it matter if it's dark? Or she's by herself?

I used to walk from Liverpool St Station to Green Park station daily for four months for health reasons. It took about 90 minutes and I felt energised by the time I arrived at the office. I listened to Danny Baker’s breakfast show on BBC London for the entirety of the show (0600-0900) and was thoroughly entertained every day. On the way home I walked back to Holborn station to get the central line to Liverpool St Station

I probably walked 16,000 to 20,000 steps per day, depending on the route

Come rain or shine, although not for work I would go out for a long walk.
It cleared my mind has many benifits and is a good weight bearing excercise.

I think it’s fine as long as you have a back up plan in place for torrential weather or when you’re not feeling great.

my commute is about 3.5km (just over 2 miles) each way (but hilly!) and I don't mind it but I rarely walk both ways. It takes 40minute or so but if I walk there I shower and change at work so that means carrying clothes, plus lunch and laptop etc. I guess if that was my only form of exercise it would be feasible but I also want do other things so might get the bus home and go to the gym!

TBH its probably a decent commute.

Back in the day I was a 15min walk to station 30min on train, 10min to work and the same in reverse.
My BMI was 23 without trying, lunch was a sandwich, choclate / crisps and full-fat coke!

You won't be long in getting fit.

Try it OP, it's seriously good for you, doing lots of walking Vs e.g. running or the gym. The problem is, most people can't spend enough hours a week to do enough but making it your commute is the way to go. My old job was 50-60, now I'm 40-45min each way and yes, I do it even in the dark