If you feel a dose of the winter blues coming on as a result of shortening days and bad weather, then outdoor walking might just provide a cure.

That has often been held to be true by seasoned outdoor enthusiasts who think nothing of venturing out in all weathers.

Now, however, the benefits of even just a short stroll are being highlighted by the NHS.

Walking, they say, is simple, free, and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier.

Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier.

West Dunbartonshire has a plethora of great walks in a diverse range of places, from hills to coast, parks and woodland and, of course, the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs national park is on our doorstep.

The council has produced a map showing popular routes in the Dumbarton area, featuring routes around Strathleven House, Overtoun House, Carman reservoir, Pappert Hill and other nearby locations.

However, as the NHS points out, you don't need to walk for hours. A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise.

If you're not very active but are able to walk, increase your walking distance gradually.

And if your joints are a problem, check whether your local swimming pool holds exercise classes. The water helps to support your joints while you move, and once you lose a bit of weight, the pressure on your joints will reduce.

If you're not active because of a medical condition, the NHS suggest getting advice on exercising with a disability.

The advice on walking comes as a new survey shows that people spend just six hours a week outdoors during the winter.

People who responded said they are likely to spend less than an hour outdoors each day when it’s cold.

What’s more, those who do go out at the weekends only do because they don’t want to feel as though they’ve wasted a day.

The study was carried out by open water swimwear brand www.selkieswim.com

Initially, all respondents were asked how long they estimated that they spend outdoors each day, with the average found to be 52 minutes, equating to just 6 hours and 4 minutes per week.

When respondents were asked what it was they were going outside for, almost half said ‘I walk to and from my car to get to work and back', around a quarter said ‘I sometimes go out on my lunch break at work’ and 14 per cent said ‘dropping the kids to and from school’.

Asked to detail their reasons for not venturing outside over the autumn/winter months, just over a third said they didn't like the cold/wet weather, a quarter said it was too dark, 15 per cent said winter depression (SAD) made them want to want to stay in

and ten per cent said there were less things to do in the winter/colder months.

For details of the Dumbarton walks, go to west-dunbarton.gov.uk/leisure-parks-events