The medical form for this event will be included in your confirmation email. This medical form NEEDS to be filled out prior to the event. The link will also be sent out a few days before the event

Nordic Walking: The art of efficient movement and power whilst staying relaxed, with Nordic Walking poles, giving a free and fluid movement over the ground with 4 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 - 4 legs are better than 2 in the fells.

Nordic Walking benefits:

• Use 90% of your muscles, by using upper body equally as hard as lower body

• Improve & correct your posture, & strengthen your lower back & core muscles

• Increase your cardiovascular and aerobic fitness

• Lift 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 ⅓ with correct posture and pole plant

• Manage your poles over technical or tricky ground, to give confidence.

• Take your hiking to the next level AND most of all... have fun in the fells with 4 legs!

Course information: During this course, we will start with the basic techniques on flat ground, followed by a hike up Loughrigg. We will stop regularly to learn the next step and understanding the Nordic style tools for keeping fit outdoors with poles. We even have a go at skipping with poles for a bit of fun. We teach how to propel up hill efficiently with your poles and how effectively you can you protect your knees and hips down hill 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 historically caused you to move a much slower pace. Balance and posture are also paramount in the Lake District fells whilst carrying a heavy backpack. Remember your poles are not crutches and must not be leant on, but used efficiently, and we can show you how!

This course will continue up the fell onto the Loughrigg Summit, to tick a Wainwright Fell, with a glorious detour to take in the Bluebells on Loughrigg Terrace. The route is 10km with 500m ascent.

This event is in support of the Alfred Wainwright exhibition hosted by The Armitt, co-curated by Chris Butterfield

About the walker

Nicola Merrett founded "Hiking Highs" and formally "Nics Nordic Walks" in 2015 to deliver guided walking breaks, inspire folks in the Lake District Mountains and share her passion for the hills. Using poles in the fells and also teaching their magic is Nicky's passion, alongside navigation, to those keen to develop their skills in the hills. As an accomplished Nordic Walking Coach for hiking and distance events, Nicky found her clients were keen to explore higher fells, so she took the next step to qualify as a Mountain Leader in 2018. Nicky now teaches the Bronze, Silver & Gold Levels of Navigation for the National Navigation Award Scheme, recognised by the Mountain Training Association (MTA).