Nordic Walking For Fells

Nordic Walking, Hiking & Distance Events with Poles

NEXT AVAILABLE COURSE DATES (other dates at bottom of page):

3-hour group course price: £43 per person
Monthly Nordic Walking courses 4th & 18th of every month:
Glenridding / Keswick / Grasmere / Staveley (near Kendal)
Or can be in your location by arrangement.

4 or 5 Hour 13 Valleys Course price: £63 per person
13 Valleys course runs the same weekend as each of the 13 Valleys Ultra Recces.

Bespoke courses: £30 per hour solo, or £45 per hour for two people
We recommend 3 hours tuition for beginners but this can be adapted to suit you.

''Great Nordic Walking course with Nicky. I will be returning next year for a running with poles course and silver map-reading course.''

Many (most?) people use poles incorrectly. However, poles used properly can greatly enhance your efficiency, the longevity of your day and your fitness for the fells.

Three hours' tuition is our standard course length. This can be reduced or extended to suit you and your ability if you book a bespoke course with us.

The Nordic Walking technique is an art form.
The art of efficient movement and power while staying relaxed, with free and fluid movement over the ground with 'four legs'.

You don’t realise what you don’t know about your own body until you come along and have a go…

Our true belief: four legs are better than two in the fells!

OUR INSTRUCTORS:
Learn these techniques with our Hiking Highs experts, Nicky Merrett, AKA 'Nordic Nic' since 2015. Or Sean Bolland, our new expert instructor. Both Nicky and Sean are qualified instructors with British Nordic Walking. They will take you through the ‘10 Steps to Nordic Walking’ in line with INWA (International Nordic Walking Federation) guidelines, enabling a smooth and efficient technique to be developed over your Nordic Walking journey.

NORDIC WALKING BENEFITS:
Use 90% of your muscles, by using upper body strength as well as your lower body
Improve and correct your posture
Strengthen your lower back and core muscles
Increase your cardiovascular and aerobic fitness
Lifting the pelvic floor (essential for everyone), this is where the power for our shoulder / arm strength originates in the body
Alleviate pressure on knees / hips / ankles for the duration of your hikes
Increase uphill speed by a third with correct posture and pole plant
Manage your poles over technical or tricky ground, to enhance your confidence
Have excellent ‘pole etiquette’ around other walkers (no-one likes poles flying everywhere at gates / stiles or when not being used!)
Take your hiking to the next level
AND most of all: have fun in the fells!

COURSE INFORMATION:
Our regular 3-hour courses are over a 3-mile route, stopping regularly to learn the next step and understand the Nordic style tools for keeping fit outdoors with poles. We even have a go at skipping with poles, and demonstrate running with poles. You can have a go at both if you like, but this is not compulsory!
Course dates are 4th and 18th of every month.
See the buttons below for course dates and locations.

Bespoke courses can be arranged, with a gentler outlook, tailored completely for you and your friends. Alternatively, we may be able to put on an additional group course for 90 minutes if you feel this is more appropriate, by arrangement on a day which suits you. Nothing is set in stone with Hiking Highs, and all is flexible!

POLES
LEKI Nordic Walking or running poles are supplied on all our courses. We will fit you with the appropriate length poles for you. There is the opportunity to buy from the range of LEKI Nordic Walking poles, from Hiking Highs, after our courses. We offer 10% off the retail price to our clients. We strongly recommend you do not buy Nordic Walking or trekking poles prior to the course, as you may find are not suitable or have been described incorrectly online! Please wait until you have tried them out!
Moving efficiently in the hills for the whole day adds longevity to your day, dispersing the effort for hiking throughout the whole body if poles are used efficiently.

We teach how to propel uphill efficiently with your poles, and how effectively you can you protect your knees and hips downhill, too.

Rough ground typical to the Lake District can cause concern for some, especially over wet or rocky paths. Using poles correctly can alleviate this anxiety, and enable momentum over ground which may have caused you to move at a much slower pace in the past.

Balance and posture are also paramount in the Lake District fells while carrying a heavy backpack.

Remember your poles are not crutches and must not be leaned on, but used efficiently – and we can show you how!