What Nordic walking really involves

Nordic walking started in Finland as summer training for cross-country skiers, and that heritage explains everything about it. You are not simply walking with a stick in each hand; you are walking normally, with a natural arm swing, while poles plant into the ground and push you forward. The upper body joins in, the stride lengthens, and the whole thing feels surprisingly rhythmic once it clicks.

The classic mistake for newcomers is to treat the poles as props — something to lean on when the ground gets rough. They can do that job, but it is a side benefit. The real work happens through the strap: you push down and back, the pole swings behind you, and your hand opens at the end of the stroke. Get that motion right on a flat path and it will serve you for years on hill and moor.

Why the poles earn their place

If you have knees that complain on descents, or you are returning to longer walks after a break, poles change the arithmetic. Using them properly can take a meaningful share of load off the knees and hips, and that reduction matters most on long descents and uneven ground. Beyond the joints, they offer a few quieter rewards:

• Better posture — the poles encourage you to stand tall rather than fold forward as you tire.
• Confidence on rough ground — boggy patches, loose gravel and rooty woodland feel far less precarious.
• More work for the upper body, which raises the effort of a walk without raising the speed.
• Steady rhythm on climbs, where a short, quick pole plant can set a pace your legs can hold to.

They are also genuinely useful for anyone whose balance is not what it was. Three points of contact beat two on a wet boardwalk every time.

Getting the technique right from the start

Book a short session with a qualified instructor if you can — an hour of correction at the beginning saves months of odd habits. If you would rather teach yourself, work through these points on flat tarmac or a firm gravel path:

• Set the strap so the pole hangs from your wrist when your hand is open. You should be able to push down with the heel of your hand, not grip tightly.
• Pole length for everyday walking is roughly 0.68 times your height, which puts most adults between 110cm and 125cm. Adjustable poles are easier while you work out what suits you.
• Plant the tip level with the heel of the opposite foot, then push back past your hip. Arm and opposite leg swing together, exactly as in ordinary walking.
• Keep the pole angled backwards through the push, and let your hand relax and open as it travels behind you.
• Walk tall, shoulders down and back, and look ahead rather than at your feet.

Start with ten minutes of deliberate practice, then walk normally for twenty. It usually takes three or four outings before the movement stops feeling self-conscious.

Kit worth carrying

You do not need much, but the details matter. Poles come with carbide tips for trail use, rubber paws for tarmac and stone, and small baskets for soft ground — swap them as the surface changes. Cork grips stay comfortable in the heat; foam is lighter and cheaper. A thin pair of gloves prevents strap rub on longer days.

For footwear, a grippy trail shoe handles most gentle routes, with a low-cut walking boot for wetter, rougher ground. Add a light waterproof shell, a warm mid-layer, water, and a paper map or offline mapping on your phone. A small rucksack of 15 to 20 litres is ample for a half-day out.

Gentle routes to try in the UK

The best first routes are flat, well surfaced and short. Canal towpaths, disused railway lines and estate carriage drives are ideal: firm underfoot, easy to follow, and long enough to build a rhythm. Country parks with waymarked trails and riverside paths in the Midlands and the Home Counties work well, as do the easier circuits around reservoirs in the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales.

Aim for four to five kilometres with no more than fifty metres of ascent on your first outing. When that feels comfortable, add a little undulation — a gentle moorland edge path or a wooded valley trail. Save the big hills, and the deep bogs, for later.

Easy trails in Scandinavia

Finland remains the heartland, and the trail networks there are made for this. Lakeside paths around Tampere, the marked routes in Nuuksio National Park near Helsinki, and the gentle forest tracks around Koli all offer wide, well-drained surfaces and frequent shelters. You will rarely be far from a laavu or a fire pit, which makes a short walk feel like an outing.

Norway and Sweden are just as welcoming if you pick low ground. Norwegian forest roads — skogsbilveier — are perfect for finding a stride, and the easier sections of Sweden's long-distance trails, particularly the beech woods of Söderåsen and the lakeside stretches of the southern routes, suit poles beautifully. In summer, take insect repellent, and remember that Swedish and Norwegian paths are often shared with cyclists and runners. Greet them, step aside, and enjoy the fact that you are walking in the place that invented the pastime.