We have been chatting to members in all of the areas Coast and Country lead walks, to find out what are your favourite routes and memorable moments.  We also wanted to know what being a member meant to you.

The response was amazing, thank you. Here are some of the things you had to say. Reading through these may inspire you to try a new walk or area. They are all open to you, as part of your membership. If you have a free weekend or want to try something different.  It would be lovely to get you socialising more across the county.

What is your favourite walk/exercise session and why?

Favourite walk is West Wittering beach. I like being able to walk fast on the sand. I really like the terrain and the beauty of West Wittering beach. I personally like Nordic walking fast with good technique rather than just doing hills. I also really like the smovey workouts now they’re happening on a Wednesday morning

Littlehampton beach walk and/or exercising when the tide is out on a sunny morning. Nothing better.

West Wittering beach – it’s my happy place and it’s always invigorating to walk there. it changes every time we’re there i.e., the weather, colours etc. I love watching all the people and dogs on the beach too. The coffee is good there too and so is the chat

Favourite walk must be Wittering beach, whatever the weather, whatever the season.

My favourite walk must be West Wittering as it never fails to uplift you and the coffee at the beach cafe is one of the best!

My favourite walk is the The Walderton circular because it is so varied.

I also enjoy the Witterings as the beach is always a pleasure (except in the rain and wind!) and the light is always spectacular, be it deep cloud or emerging sunlight or even hot and bright.  I also love the sea and how that changes and looking at the boats – often huge ferries coming from Portsmouth in the distance.  I have to say that I equally enjoy getting up onto the downs and like the area around Walderton and Cocking.

Favourite walk is Houghton – because there are so many varied routes to take, as well as the majestic trees & changing seasonal colours of the flora & fauna lining the paths.

Wittering Beach and West Dean Woods (both are wonderful)

Mandy’s walk, Bluebell and Stone Rocks and Kingscote circular (not sure on exact title).

For me I enjoy the slightly longer hour and a half walks in a rural environment. My favourite walks are around Dover Lane (especially) and Patching as they offer many options in terms of routes, terrain and scenery.

Highdown well-being. Fun, friendly, achievable.

Don’t have a favourite walk but do enjoy the more challenging ones with open space and views.

Favourite walk …love them all for different reasons. Top of the list anything hour and a half, pushing the pace.

The ideal walk has some walking in the woods, some gentle hills and some views with one steep-ish hill for cardiac exercise.

 

What do you get out of being a member?

I found this quite difficult to answer because I used to get an awful lot both from an exercise perspective and a social perspective. .  I have made good friends.

An excellent selection of walks and exercise sessions for a reasonable price, reassuring supervision and encouragement in spades. It’s never boring!

Friendship, fitness and a sense of community

Being a member, I have met a great group of people, made friends and enjoyed great chats.

I have been a member for almost 4 years it is great walking with such a great bunch of people and have interesting conversations with a diverse set of people. I love the social chat over coffee and a walk always starts the day off well.

NW gives me friendship and the opportunity to stay just fit enough. I see some beautiful scenery and I wouldn’t really want to walk them on my own or too slowly so NW is perfect for that.  I like to feel I ‘deserve’ that coffee at the end.

The walks have extended my social contacts and introduced me to a whole new group of people.  I have learned more about where I live since I started NWalking that I did in the previous 30 years. I am now familiar with every cafe and coffee stop for miles.

Being able to access varying walks/exercise classes – just about daily if required- at the click of a button

Meeting new people from all backgrounds who have similar interests in fitness and enjoying the  countryside, and having great conversations!  Several people are now close friends who I wouldn’t have met any other way.

Enjoy meeting new people from all walks of life.

Friendship, exercise, support.

Love being a member, meeting people who likewise enjoy walking outdoors and enjoy using Nordic poles to work the body for an all-round exercise.

Being a member has encouraged me to get out and about more in my local area to explore paths and areas that I never knew were there to be able to enjoy the outdoors.

I love the NW social interaction with likeminded individuals.

Improved health, encouragement to push yourself with expert support, making new friends.

Friendship ,exercise, support, mental wellbeing, giggle.

 

How has being a member impacted on your health and wellbeing?

Personally, it helps me to keep fitter and exercise the brain as well as the body. Again it always leaves a feelgood feeling after a walk whatever the weather or where we have been walking.

I love the people I walk with, and this has had a positive impact on my health and wellbeing.

Health and well being….where to begin , great to be part of a super group of people, great to have a new different type of life after a working life that has impacted in fact changed my life. I never thought I would be walking marathons, half marathons, hill climbs, 30 miles in a day or wandering around footpaths and bridleways. Climbing fells, walking all over Purbeck. Night walks, sunrise walks, these opportunities and the support from others and the motivation and inspiration from yourself, Alison and Chris has been amazing. Plus, the joy of leading others out doors and seeing their progress is incredibly rewarding and moving. Don’t know how to sum that up its very emotional when I see such progress in walkers.

I think overall being a member has impacted positively on my health and wellbeing.

I maintain fitness and a healthy weight going into older age. Keep arthritic joints and joints mobile. I have successfully recovered from a frozen shoulder over the last 18 months.

Opportunities to participate in fitness challenges occasionally.

It’s always good for mental health to get outside in the fresh air especially after being indoors at work all day. It’s also helped me get fit after a couple of knee ops which is great

I am so much fitter and enjoy the benefits.

Health wise – it has been great for both mental health and physical health. Nothing like the great outdoors for sweeping away the cobwebs and feeling energised and motivated.

I feel I am fitter and healthier because of the walks.

Having a dog that I walk daily does keep me fit, however being a member also allows me not only to just walk, but to enjoy the company of others with light hearted chat, information sharing, new friendships as well as  support & encouragement its the best tonic ever for ones mental health

Increasing my fitness and stamina as well as the psychological benefit of enjoying the fresh air, feeling positive and forgetting stresses

Walking has certainly helped my fitness levels and has offered a variety of challenges and experiences that I would not have had otherwise encountered. Thoroughly enjoyed getting up to the Lakes to enjoy time away with the group.

It has given me back my life!

 

What was your most memorable moment on a walk?

Too many to mention, in the beginning getting to the end of a walk without using my inhaler, getting soaked in the rain but still laughing, being on the hill in the snow, walking 1000miles in a year, just a few many more.

Getting absolutely drenched to the skin covered with mud and lost at Climping with Pauline and Lesley. We all could not stop laughing out loud like school kids, wonderful.

There’s been so many, but I think seeing a white deer up at Walderton while I was doing a recce for a walk was magical

Most memorable moment on our local walks’ sunrise walks the first one when all the blue t-shirt were coming over the hill back from Patching and the sunrise coming up behind Patching Church this year.

The linking up with everyone on zoom during lockdown and pass the pole was fantastic. That was so good for me during lockdown, kept me happy, sane, and healthy. Can’t thank you enough for that.

Too many good walks to pick one out but I remember feeling good about not needing so many stops during uphill walks.

My memorable walk was visiting the wild daffodils.

Most memorable moment was getting ‘lost’ in the woods with a thunderstorm going on just down the road on its way to us. It was very dramatic but not at all alarming.

Every new walk is memorable until the next new one.

My most memorable moment was at Pulborough Brooks & hearing a Nightingale sing for the first time in my life.

Wittering beach on a beautiful morning with very few other people. West Dean woods for the bluebells and wild daffodils and occasionally seeing deer.

The ‘Sun Rise’ walk, seeing it rise over Patching Church, was perhaps my most memorable moment.

All walks are memorable even in the rain!!

Seeing the surprise and enjoyment of coming across this tandem bike on the Horsted Keynes and Highbrook walk.