BBC Learning English.

'Going for a walk' is a popular pastime among older and younger generations alike because of its well-known benefits for our physical and mental health.

But you may be surprised to hear that meandering through pretty streets or hiking along mountainous ridges have not always been considered leisure activities, according to Daniel Gale, a researcher of pedestrianism.

He says that in Britain, walking for fun "wasn't really a thing" until the 1780s.

Before that, it was just something people did out of necessity, and some people associated it with criminal activity.

But for Charles Dickens, the famous English 19th Century author, marching through London streets and tramping around the countryside was a big part of the creative process; a time to absorb what was going on around him.

He walked at an impressive pace of four miles per hour, according to his biography by Peter Ackroyd.

But if speed-walking isn't your thing, perhaps you can take inspiration from another big-thinking wanderer.

19th-century American writer Henry David Thoreau took a slower approach, preferring to saunter over hills and fields and meander through the woods.

He said that he could not preserve his health and spirits, unless he spent four hours a day walking at least.