Walk schedule

Private Walks and Countryside Walks

Available upon request; pricing see below under 'more information'.
We can custom-design a day out of town for you and your family. Based on your needs, this can include fitness walking, nature-mediation and some teaching about wayside wonders, such as birds, plants, and local history.

Group Walks (West London)

Join us for a guided walk through nature - with a friendly group of people. What we do on the walks:

Fitness walking at three levels (Gentle, Active, Dynamic)
Warm-up and cool-down exercises
Feedback, tips and exercises to improve your technique and get more out of your walk
Enjoying nature - spotting birds, wildlife, and interesting plants.

How to join our Group Walks

Before you join our walks you need to take our Foundation Course. This ensures that you use your poles in the right way and turn your walk into a full body workout. It also prevents you from building bad habits and damaging your joints.
To join our Active or Dynamic Walks, you need to be able to use the appropriate arm/leg dynamic (step-push on the opposite side).
If you have taken a course with the INWA/the British Nordic Walking association before, we will assess your style and may invite you to join the walks without taking the course first.

Walk Schedule

If you have not walked with us before, do contact us. You need our Foundation Course to join the walking groups.

Sign-up: per Email: vitalityleap@gmail.com, phone/text: 07766 464623, or join our Whatsapp group.
Holidays: No walks between 24 June to 7 July; and 19 to 31 August
Short-term schedule changes will be announced in our whatsapp group.
If you are not on whatsapp, contact us before you come to the walk.

Thursdays

Meet at Bunny Park, Hanwell (Hanwell Zoo; Church Road Parking)
click for map

9.30-10.30am: Active
10.45-11.45am: Moderate
6.30-8pm: Active (summer Season only; starts again 20 April)

Some Saturdays

Long Local Walks or Horsenden Hill Walk (Meet at Horsenden Farm parking area, Perivale. click for map.)

Country walks to Chilterns, Thames Valley, Seaside.

Sundays

Meet Studland Road/High Lane, North Hanwell. click for map

9.00-10.00am: Dynamic
10.15-11.15am: Active
11.30-12.30pm: Moderate

You can walk at 3 different intensity levels/speeds:

Intensity Level 1:
Moderate Walks

These are relaxing walks at a moderate speed, which improve your fitness and agility. We keep to the drier paths and avoid the muddy fields as much as possible.
In the warm-up and cool-down phase, we will do some exercises that help with flexibility and strength. You also receive some ideas on how to improve your walking technique, but there are no speed-drills.

This walk is for you if...

you want to softly build up your fitness level
you enjoy nature and the company of others on your walk - including having a leisurely chat
you would like to improve your technique without feeling rushed
you have a specific health issue (such as joint pain, challenge with fast walking, rehab after surgery, recovery after illness)

Intensity Level 2:
Active Walks

These are faster walks than the Moderate Walks, and we choose longer routes. We sometimes walk on muddy, challenging ground. We will choose the route/distance to cater for different ability levels in the group and add some extra loops or challenges for more advanced walkers. We also do some technical drills and participants will receive some individualised feedback to help them improve.

This walk is four you if...

you like to improve your fitness, and enjoy a walk at a steady, fast speed
your technique is good enough to use your poles for a powerful push-back
You like to socialise a bit on the walk, but also enjoy phases with intense training and technique improvement.
you don't mind walking on slightly rough territory (some mud and wet grass, some ups-and downs)

Intensity Level 3:
Dynamic Walks

This is fast and sportive walking, and there will be some speed and agility drills. We intend to achieve an intense full-body workout.

The Brent Valley Dynamic walks are mostly on flat territory. Horsenden Hill walks will go up/down the Hill (82m) a few times on each walk, and then include some dynamic speed walking in the flatter parts.

This walk is for you if...

You can walk fast for an hour
You use your Nordic Walking as a hard fitness workout and want to gain fast results
You train up for the skiing season or supplement your gym work with some outdoor training
You can deal with rough trails: slippery slopes, swamped meadows, narrow and possibly slightly overgrown trails with some obstacles (roots, rocks, etc)

Long Walks and Countryside Walks

Prerequisites:

Foundation course and Participation in some of our regular walks (you cannot just come on our Countryside walks)
Good fitness and solid, safe Nordic walking technique. These are often circular routes, so all participants need to be able to walk at a steady speed for 8-15km.
Ability to walk in wet and sometimes muddy grass (These walks are mostly on trails or meadows).

Active/Dynamic Walk level. You need to have done the Foundation Course, and joined us for several of our regular walks (Sundays or Thursday mornings) to join these walks.

Local Long Walks
These will take about 2-2.5 hours. Examples are walking in the Horsenden Hill area, Paddington to Alperton canal-side walk, or Putney to Hammersmith Thameside walk.

Countryside walks
All-day walks which lead us further away from West London (examples are Burnham Beeches, Chilterns, Thames-side walks towards Oxfordshire, Seaside walks).
Upcoming walks:

Saturday: 17 June: Faversham to Whitstable (Active/Dynamic walkers only, this is a 3-4 hour walk).

Costs

Regular walks (usually 1-hour):

With your own poles: £10. Discount scheme: Buy five walks and get one free if you pay in advance (£50 for 6 walks, valid 6 months).
With pole hire: £12. Discount scheme: Buy five walks and get one free if you pay in advance (£60 for 6 walks, valid 6 months)

Long local walks and countryside walks:

Long walks count as two walks; country walks as three walks

Cost of Private Walks

Local Walks (starting in or near Hanwell): Cost: £22 for the first hour, £40 for 2 hours, £60 for 3 hours.
Share your Walking time: And additional person on your private walk only pays £15, and a third person £10. They must have taken our Foundation course to join.
Countryside Walks (near London): Private Days-out are £120-150 (depending on location and timing; with lunch break/picnic - bring your own). Special rates for private groups and families, please inquire.

More Information

Medical readiness for Nordic walking:
Nordic walking has many health benefits and is appropriate for most people. Minimal requirement for joining our walks and courses:

you have to be able to walk safely, with no risk of falling over.
you have to be able to hold the poles and swing your arms.

Before joining, you will have to fill in our 'Physical activity readiness questionnaire', which contains some medical questions. If you have any doubts about your medical readiness to join Nordic walking, please talk to your GP first.

Poles

To join our courses and walks, you need to use genuine Nordic Walking poles, not Trekking poles or Walking sticks. Otherwise, you cannot apply the right technique. Nordic walking poles have 'gloves' for your hands, not just ribbons, which support the correct push back and full body workout.
For the courses, the use of our poles is included in the price. After the course, we recommend that you walk with our poles for a few walks to find out what you need (pole length and quality).
Once you decide to buy poles, we are happy to give you some advice. Some cheap poles do not fit well anatomically, have weight limits and don't last long. So make sure you buy poles that are right for you.

Other equipment

You do not need any special equipment; just comfortable walking clothes and trainers / walking shoes (avoid hiking boots with hard soles).
Rain gear, sun protection, bug spray as needed.

Children and Families

Many children enjoy Nordic walking from the age of about 10 years. We do not offer special children's courses, but interested kids with an adult guardian may join our regular walks/courses (half price to the age of 16). If you join with children, you have to sign-up everybody for each walk, so that we can have the appropriate short poles ready. You will have to sign a parental consent form when you get started.
We offer Family Nordic Walking courses (2 hours) for 2 adults and up to 3 children to the age of 16 (£95).

Dogs

No dogs allowed on our walks/courses (we love dogs, but our suburban trails are just too busy; it would be too distracting to keep your eye on your dog).