Scottish Tourism Guide - Articles
Nordic Walking in Scotland
Nordic Walking Arrives in Scotland
By Iain Davidson
National Nordic Walking Coach, Scotland
Nordic Walking is an exciting new sport for all seasons and for all abilities from 9 to 90!
Based on cross-country ski-ing, it was developed in Finland in the1990s. Nordic Walking involves the use of two incredibly light carbon fibre walking poles to propel the walker along. Now Europe’s fastest growing fitness activity, it is ideal for Scotland’s beautiful, unspoilt glens, forests and long, sandy beaches.
The cross-country ski technique takes a third of your body weight from your knees and hips and spreads the effort down through the poles. It is like putting your walk into four-wheel drive. The effect is electric as you stride out longer, further and faster.
And it doesn’t need to feel like a marathon. Nordic Walking can be undertaken at any pace, from rambler to runner. It is a sport that the whole family can enjoy together. At the other end of the sporting scale, it is used by professional athletes for endurance training or to recover from major injuries such as ligament and tendon damage.
Because it uses the muscles in the upper as well as the lower body, Nordic Walking gives a whole body, work out. Heart rate increases by 15 to 30 beats a minute above ordinary walking. Lung function improves with intensity and practice. And it is great for posture, a boost for sore backs and shoulders. Nordic Walkers burn up to 40% more calories than normal walkers. No wonder you can get it on prescription from GPs in Finland and Germany!
To learn to Nordic Walk properly it is best to find an introductory class in your part of Scotland. The Nordic Walking UK web site lists all UK based instructors running classes. Classesin Scotland have recently been run in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh, Linlithgow Palace Park, Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, Aviemore (Cairngorm National Park) and Inverness in the Highlands.
Once you have been to a class you will certainly want to buy your own poles. These are available on the web or from outdoor shops throughout Scotland. Your instructor can advise you on the best height, weight and price. There are various makes, but Exel from Finland and Leki from Germany are the best. Remember to ask for Nordic Walking poles and not trekking poles, which are fine for the hill but too heavy for a dynamic activity such as Nordic Walking.
More information on Nordic Walking, free trail sessions with the Forestry Commission in the Highlands, and links to Nordic Walking UK can be found on Nordic Walking Scotland's web site
And for fitness and health professionals why not consider becoming a Nordic Walking Instructor? Courses run throughout the year in Scotland and are advertised on both of the above websites. The Instructor training course is an intensive two days of lectures and outdoor Nordic fitness activities. New instructors are registered as International Nordic Walking Instructors by the International Association based in Finland (INWA).
Look forward to seeing you with your poles in the forests this summer!
Iain Davidson
National Nordic Walking Coach, Scotland
Iain Davidson's web site
By Iain Davidson
National Nordic Walking Coach, Scotland
Nordic Walking is an exciting new sport for all seasons and for all abilities from 9 to 90!
Based on cross-country ski-ing, it was developed in Finland in the1990s. Nordic Walking involves the use of two incredibly light carbon fibre walking poles to propel the walker along. Now Europe’s fastest growing fitness activity, it is ideal for Scotland’s beautiful, unspoilt glens, forests and long, sandy beaches.
The cross-country ski technique takes a third of your body weight from your knees and hips and spreads the effort down through the poles. It is like putting your walk into four-wheel drive. The effect is electric as you stride out longer, further and faster.
And it doesn’t need to feel like a marathon. Nordic Walking can be undertaken at any pace, from rambler to runner. It is a sport that the whole family can enjoy together. At the other end of the sporting scale, it is used by professional athletes for endurance training or to recover from major injuries such as ligament and tendon damage.
Because it uses the muscles in the upper as well as the lower body, Nordic Walking gives a whole body, work out. Heart rate increases by 15 to 30 beats a minute above ordinary walking. Lung function improves with intensity and practice. And it is great for posture, a boost for sore backs and shoulders. Nordic Walkers burn up to 40% more calories than normal walkers. No wonder you can get it on prescription from GPs in Finland and Germany!
To learn to Nordic Walk properly it is best to find an introductory class in your part of Scotland. The Nordic Walking UK web site lists all UK based instructors running classes. Classesin Scotland have recently been run in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh, Linlithgow Palace Park, Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, Aviemore (Cairngorm National Park) and Inverness in the Highlands.
Once you have been to a class you will certainly want to buy your own poles. These are available on the web or from outdoor shops throughout Scotland. Your instructor can advise you on the best height, weight and price. There are various makes, but Exel from Finland and Leki from Germany are the best. Remember to ask for Nordic Walking poles and not trekking poles, which are fine for the hill but too heavy for a dynamic activity such as Nordic Walking.
More information on Nordic Walking, free trail sessions with the Forestry Commission in the Highlands, and links to Nordic Walking UK can be found on Nordic Walking Scotland's web site
And for fitness and health professionals why not consider becoming a Nordic Walking Instructor? Courses run throughout the year in Scotland and are advertised on both of the above websites. The Instructor training course is an intensive two days of lectures and outdoor Nordic fitness activities. New instructors are registered as International Nordic Walking Instructors by the International Association based in Finland (INWA).
Look forward to seeing you with your poles in the forests this summer!
Iain Davidson
National Nordic Walking Coach, Scotland
Iain Davidson's web site
