The focus of interest of the November blog from Cupar & District u3a is with the physical and mental benefits to be gained from taking exercise.

Exercise is known to be good for improving physical and mental well-being. Of course, exercising is a part of many differing activities. Many of us take a few thousand steps daily as a normal part of our lives.  And some are members of groups in which exercising is an important part.

First, let’s think about the benefits to be gained from exercising.

Let’s start with walking.

Research Findings

How much exercise?  And how often?

Recently published research draws an interesting conclusion.

The October 2025 edition of the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) reports on a study of the health benefits for older women which associated with exercise involving taking steps.

The summary findings …

• The researchers at Harvard University set out to look at the associations between daily step counts and death from all causes and from cardiovascular disease in older women.
• The study of 13,547 women of 62 years age and more (their average age 71) recorded their steps taken daily and the subsequent mortality of the women over nearly 11 years.
• The researchers found that achieving at least 4,000 steps per day on 1-2 days per week was associated with a significantly lower risk of death and a lower risk of cardiovascular death (CVD). There was a 26% lower risk of death from all causes and a 27% lower risk of dying from heart disease when compared with not reaching this level of steps on any day.
• The conclusion from this observational study of older women of their daily step activity suggests that taking more steps (between 4,000 and 7,000 daily steps) once or twice weekly is more beneficial than having lesser targets for daily steps.

(Research: Association between frequency of meeting daily step thresholds and all- cause mortality and cardiovascular disease in older women Doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2025-110311   Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine)

Stepping Out …

Members of u3a seeking to gain exercise benefits can choose between out-door and in-door groups. In NE Fife we are favoured on account of the sunshine record, the attractive landscapes, and the network of paths and minor roads across the countryside of the Howe.

Our u3a has four walking groups and a cycling group.

Also, the soils are fertile and there are splendid gardens and landscaped parks within N E Fife. Our u3a has two gardening groups.

Cupar and District u3a has a mix of groups which engage in indoor exercise: there are dance, table-tennis, badminton and short-tennis groups.

Our u3a web-site lists the contact particulars for all the groups including a time-table of group activity by day (morning and afternoon).

For example …

To help illustrate how our out-door groups plan and carry out their meetings, the leaders of two groups kindly provided information which is summarised below.

The Gardening Group 1 (below) meets out-of-doors monthly from March to October.   The group holds a planning meeting and a plant share in the garden of the group leader in March. Over the subsequent seven months the focus of their meetings is split between carrying out practical sessions and with making pre-arranged visits to private gardens further afield.

In 2025 the practical meetings took place in April, June and October.  The focus was with supporting the seasonal gardening activities of members of the group, including pruning, clearing borders, lawn edging. Help with tasks was given, skills were learned and plants were exchanged.

During the summer months group members made pre-arranged visits to gardens of special interest.

• May – the group visited the garden of Pitcurran House, Auchtermuchty
• July – the visit was to Strathkinness Community Garden
• August – Glassmount Garden, Kirkcaldy
• September – Millfield House, Falkland.

The group practised car-sharing meeting in Fluthers Car Park.

The Walking Groups: there are four different Walking groups in CDu3a, each group agrees their own programme of monthly walks, which run from September to June in line with the preferences of group members.

For example, the 2025 programme of walks of the Swallows 3 group (below) was planned by meeting over a group lunch in January. The walks have taken place monthly, excepting for the holiday months of July and August.

The walks are relatively short, between 2 and 4 miles in length, and during which the local history is described and a period of mindfulness is taken.

Each walk has explored a rural locality. The walks have included:

• Markinch heritage trail and Balbirnie Park
• Hill of Tarvit Mansion and Estate
• The footpaths around Annfield Muir, Kettle Hill and Burnturk including learning about the lost site of the Coaltown of Burnturk.
• Kinclaven Bluebell Woods – a shared experience of the Bluebells in this delightful Perthshire woodland.
• Ancient woodland close to the Keil’s Den close-by Lower Largo
• An ancient tower provided the focus of the walk in September, this starting at the Round Tower of Abernethy.
• In October, the group’s walk began at the historic Monimail Tower and included exploring the garden and orchard of the Bishops palace.

The Swallows have rounded off each walk by taking a social lunch at local eating places.

Wrapping up …

Exercise is known to be good for improving physical and mental well-being.

The plans and activities of the groups described are of the long-established groups whose leaders have good experience of the requirements of running a successful group. These groups are attractive and they do not lack members.

BUT, how do we create additional opportunities to increase the number of members engaging in group activities which offer physical exercise?  AND, are there members willing to initiate and lead the formation of additional out-door or indoor groups which are exercise-based?

Forthcoming Events

Good causes bring out the best in us, two Cupar and District u3a members are leading two upcoming events. Enjoy evenings in good company.

Friday, 21st November

• Susan Maciver is organising a Raffle and Quiz-Night, Friday, 21st November, 7.30 pm at the Cupar Bowling Club, Bowling Green Road, Cupar. The event is funding-raising for the Cupar and Howe of Fife Twinning Association (CHOFTA). £10 for a table of 4.

Sunday, 30th November

• Susie Macleod is the musical director of the choir and musicians at the St. Andrews Day Choral Concert, Sunday, 30th November, 4.00 pm at Ceres Church.  This is a fund-raising event for the support of the children of Palestine. Entry is by donation.

Need more?

Want to now more? Would like information on joining Cupar & District u3a? Click on this link to find contact details of their committee.

 

Thank you for reading.

Please feel free to share with all who might be interested.