It's the Great Scottish Walk but it has proved a turn-off to Scottish men because there is a perception that it is not macho enough.

It's the Great Scottish Walk but it has proved a turn-off to Scottish men because there is a perception that it is not macho enough.

It is estimated that - while some 1400 people walked along the picturesque 12-mile route through Glasgow yesterday, raising thousands of pounds for various charities - three out of every four walkers was a woman.

Among them was Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who donned a tracksuit for the walk which began at Bellahouston Park and took participants on a route through Pollok Country Park, Queens Park, Maxwell Park and Newlands Park.

Ms Sturgeon, who was joined by Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell, said the event was a great way of introducing people to the health benefits of walking.

While agreeing that men might be more attracted by more physical pursuits, she added: "I think women are maybe more involved with charity fundraising than men. Clearly walking is a good exercise for women.

"It is great fun and it has been a fantastic day. It promotes fitness and activity which is a good thing itself but also - most people on the walk will be raising money for good causes."

Some of the women taking part took the opportunity to take their babies too, pushing them round the circuit in their prams.

Shirley Beatson, 35, of Uddingston, who is in remission from breast cancer and was raising money for Marie Curie Cancer Care with her 13-month-old daughter Beatrice, said: "It is amazing to see so many women here. I just think mums especially are happy to walk, especially those trying to get fit again after child birth and of course you would do it for charity too.

"Men may be more happy if it was more competitive and strenuous, which is a shame as it is a a great day out for the family and a chance to raise money. I took the chance to do this because I am enormously grateful for the fact that I am still alive and able to have children."

Priscilla Turner, the chief organiser of the event, was surprised by the walk's popularity among women.

"For women, they go and have a laugh, get together and do it for charity and take their kids, absolutely. Women see it much more as a social occasion," she said.

"Men would do it compet-itively and would not bring their mates, go for a walk and have a good gas, while the women would. Absolutely, men should get more involved.

"I would say the walk was a great success and people were commenting on how nice the route was as it was so leafy going through the parks."

While not a race, the first across the line was Colin Scott, a sorting office worker from Comely Bank, Edinburgh. Completing the 12-mile route in just over two hours, he has been taking part in the walk for the past 11 years, always finishing in the top three.

The oldest walker was 89-year-old Anna Goldie, who was raising money for the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice. The first female under the age of 18 to finish the competition was 12-year-old Catherine Mullan and the first under-18 male was 14-year-old Lewis Dow.