We met at the village of Aston, Mel introduced herself and got out the Nordic walking poles, which are different from normal waking poles, longer with an attachment for a wrist strap.

We started walking and Gordon another qualified instructor gave me some instructions about Nordic walking. telling me to have the poles at a length where the arm is at 90 degrees, and as you walk almost drag the poles behind you, and then using your shoulders propel yourself along by pushing the poles from behind, the idea is you get a full body workout.

I asked Gordon my mandatory questions about Nordic walking. I thought it was quite a new thing, but he said it’s been going for 20 years.

Nordic walking cones from Norway and the Norwegians when the snow had gone they wanted to continue getting that full body workout they got in the winter months when they would walk in the snow with their special poles, so Nordic walking was born.

The weather conditions were perfect for our first Nordic walking session around Aston. quite cool and a bit damp and very muddy underfoot.

Gordon quoted a mantra –
Be bold stay cold
Be a wimp stay limp
Meaning it’s best to be a bit cold to start as you soon warm up.

I met new people too on my walk Sharon and Tracey who too were trying something new, they were from Stevenage, had been friends for many years and they wanted to get out there in the great outdoors instead of being stuck in a gym.

I met Caroline a fellow nurse, she told me about how with her husband they had built a wooden house out in Malaysia, and he was out there now doing the finishing touches, how amazing. She is also an adventurer who years ago had been to Everest Base camp and had trekked all around the world.

I met another lady who had done some vertical climbing in Thailand. which is a type of rock climbing.

Further along the walk Mel did a few warming up exercises with the poles , pushing them out in front and doing squats, and to the side, you could certainly feel it in your legs.

We walked along the rolling hills of the Hertfordshire countryside where the fields were varying colours and looked like carpets, it was beautiful.

Afterwards Mel provided a picnic of homemade flapjacks tea and coffee, they were delicious.

A great morning was had doing Nordic walking, trying something different and thoroughly enjoying meeting new people amongst spectacular scenery.

It was bliss and I was in my element fully embracing that very positive feeling of trying something new, I highly recommend it.

Have a great day

Love from
Loraine x