Amble in Seattle: The Fremont Walk

I am an avid walker. No, I don't put on special workout clothes and power my way down a bike path. My style is more old-fashioned and leisurely. Whether it's a brief constitutional for fresh air and exercise, or a semi-epic trek that takes all day, I love letting my feet carry me. Walkers take in sights, sounds and smells that people moving in faster modes of transportation don't get to experience. Of course, one of the best parts of regular walking is that it's some of the best cardiovascular exercise you can do. A good walk will give you that preferred 45 minutes of elevated heart activity while proper posture and ambulation will work a variety of muscle groups and promote thorough bloodflow.

Luckily, I happen to live in one of the best walking cities in America. Seattle, Washington is extremely pedestrian-friendly. There is a safe walking path to pretty much everywhere in the greater metropolitan area while Seattle's plentiful green spaces and careful urban planning make for some beautiful scenery, not to mention an escape from the pollutants of the inner city. There are a lot of great walks in Seattle and today I'm going to share the highlights of one of my favorites.

Fremont is a quirky, little town on the banks of Lake Union, just north of downtown Seattle. While most of us downtown-dwellers bike, bus or drive to Fremont, the walk from Seattle's business district to Fremont has a lot of variety and character. For our purposes, all of my documented Seattle walks will begin at Westlake Center downtown, a busy but open commercial district. We'll be following along with the official mascot of this feature, Amble.

The first leg of the Fremont walk is the long path down Westlake Avenue, which I'll break into three distinct sections.

Taking Westlake Avenue from Westlake Center, Amble passes through the on-the-rise Westlake district with expanding roads, new environmentally-friendly condos and office spaces. Watching a good city blossom is a lot like watching a good nature reserve do the same. It can be beautiful, encouraging and especially nice when the view is up close.

At the tip of Lake Union, Amble begins to enjoy the allure of one of Seattle's finest piers. Yachts line the western docks and seagulls caw overhead. Especially on a sunny day (we have more of them in Seattle than you might think) the distinct scents of the water fill the air.

Beyond the main pier under a canopy of old trees, Amble walks beside the house boats as he negotiates the old, wooden train tracks of the Burlington Northern line. Towering above him is the Aurora Avenue Bridge to North Seattle, but Amble is interested in a smaller, more nearby bridge.

Ascending a stone staircase, Amble finds himself at the southern end of the beautiful Fremont Bridge, painted blue, heavy with foot and bike traffic. The bridge looks out on Lake Union with boats of all different makes and sizes coasting through the No Wake zone. In the distance Amble sees his destination, the strange and stunning Gasworks Park.

After crossing the bridge, Amble is now in downtown Fremont with its eclectic shops and jovial public sculptures. He turns right on 34th Avenue and makes his way east until he comes to a dip in the road that leads to a bike and walking path adjacent to Northlake Way. About 200 meters down the path, a wall of tall trees hides the stunning emerald greens of Gasworks Park. Once in the park itself, Amble ascends the unique kite-flying hill and stands at the summit, looking across Lake Union to the shimmering skyline of Seattle.

All told, Amble walks four miles (or a little over six kilometers) one-way. At a brisk pace it takes him between 1 and 1.5 hours to get to Gasworks Park from Westlake Center. Whether he wants to walk all the way back or grab a bus to downtown Seattle all depends on his whim.

The Downtown to Fremont walk may be a bit much for those who aren't used to long-distance urban hiking, but for regular enthusiasts it's just a pleasant way to spend the afternoon. The sights are varied and often quite pretty, the path is relatively flat and stable, and the destination is extremely rewarding. Amble and I will be back next week to feature another challenging but nice walk in Seattle. Thanks for reading.