Walking is just about the easiest, cheapest and most accessible exercise you can do. You can walk anywhere and Perth has some beautiful spots for getting out and about. When I was a new mother, walking with my daughter in her pram made me leave the house every day, helped me lose my baby weight and keep my sanity.
What I found is that some places are much more pram-friendly than others. Here are five of the best walks south of the river.
You could fit your entire mums group on this path.
Bibra Lake Reserve is a great place for a walk on a warm day, offering stunning views of the lake and plenty of shady spots thanks to the lakeside trees along Progress Drive. The path is surprisingly wide if you want to take a friend along for the walk. There are toilets located at the Progress Drive carpark and a playground in case your little one wants to have a run around.
Where? The path runs around Bibra Lake from Progress Drive to Hope Road and Bibra Drive.
Bibra Lake - nice and shady.
The Esplanade in Mount Pleasant has a lovely, flat path running alongside the Swan River and is positively pram-friendly. The Esplanade footpath runs from Canning Highway to beyond the freeway bridge and passes Deep Water Point along the way, a lovely spot with a playground and plenty of rest areas. What I love about this walk is that you can get a coffee along the way – while Deep Water Point Café is currently closed, there is a coffee van frequenting the site in the morning. Remember to wear a hat and a shade cover for the pram as there is only intermittent shading along the way.
Where? The Esplanade, Mount Pleasant
Deep Water Point in Mt. Pleasant. Very pleasant indeed.
The walk and cycle path along the Rockingham Foreshore is simply amazing – it's flat in some places and hilly in others, making for a great workout with the pram. It's a gorgeous walk with magnificent views of the beach and Indian Ocean to enjoy along the way. If you start at Bell Park, which is close to the foreshore cafes and restaurants, you'll notice a whole heap of different playgrounds along the way – great for restless little ones who want a break from the pram.
Where? Rockingham Beach Road. Start at Bell Park and walk from there, or enter the carpark at Roe or Victoria Street.
A pram-friendly walk along Rockingham Foreshore.
Starting from the Left Bank on Riverside Drive, the East Fremantle waterfront is another stunning and pram friendly walk. It's mostly flat, but if you want a real challenge, cross over the road at Pier Street and push your pram up and down the hill a couple of times – you will certainly feel those quad muscles working. Most of the footpath isn't shaded, so take a hat and slip, slop, slap on the sunscreen. There is a coffee stop at Zephyr Café on the way and a playground. You will also find outdoor exercise equipment just past the Swan Yacht Club.
Where? Riverside Drive, East Fremantle
Riverside Drive, East Fremantle.
A friend and I used to go rollerblading along the South Perth Foreshore some years ago – it was perfect for that and it's perfect for prams. You can start anywhere along South Perth Esplanade and there are car parks all along the foreshore, including Mends Street and Coode Street. It's pretty much flat the entire way, with some lovely shaded areas, as well as playgrounds and coffee stops to enjoy. There are gorgeous, unparalleled views of the city and some cracker photo opportunities – what more could you want on a walk?
Where? South Perth Esplanade, South Perth
The South Perth Foreshore.
Don't forget to wear comfortable footwear and dress yourself and baby appropriately and avoid spending long periods of time in the sun.
A walk can do wonders when you're having a bad day, and you and your bub will appreciate getting out to enjoy a walk in the beautiful Perth sunshine.
