Walking Creekside

You are keeping up a steady pace as you meander through the beautiful creek. Twigs and leaves break underfoot as you pass, letting nearby animals know of your passing. Every once in a while, puddles must be avoided, and a casual splash through them brings great delight. Birds are heard high in the treetops, curiously following your progress. Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step. This applies regardless of the number of limbs - even arthropods, with six, eight or more limbs, walk. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the term walking is used to describe both walking in a park or trekking in the Alps. However, in Canada and the United States the term for a long, vigorous walk is hiking, while the word walking covers shorter walks, especially in an urban setting.