Dublin’s Phoenix Park – the largest enclosed park in any European capital – is well frequented by cyclists, walkers and runners availing of its wide open terrain and designated routes alongside Chesterfield Avenue, past the gates to Áras an Uachtaráin and throughout the 700 hectares of public land.
But there is another group of regular users who go under the radar. And it is this group – members of the Dublin Phoenix Nordic Walking Club – that I’ve come to chat with on a beautiful sunny September morning.
The club, formed in 2008 by retired public health physician Dr Kathleen Barry for “fun, friendship and fitness”, currently attracts mainly women who are keen to keep fit outdoors in a sociable environment.
They meet for one- or two-hour walks every Saturday and Monday morning throughout the year and on Tuesday evenings in the summer months. Nothing except torrential downpours or gale-force winds deters them from coming out.
“I had osteoporosis and a physiotherapist recommended that I take up Nordic Walking,” says Freda Kerr. She says each scan measuring bone mineral density she has had since starting has seen improved results.
Kerr explains how by using the poles to push off from behind, walkers give their upper back, arms and shoulders a work out and take some pressure off the knees, ankles and hips.
The idea is to move rhythmically from side to side and let the poles slip from your hands after you have pushed off. The poles are attached to your wrists with a Velcro band. Rubber tips are attached to the poles – which are lighter than trekking sticks – for use on pavements.
“It’s like walking on all fours. And the vibration of the poles is good for your bones, just like dancing or jumping with a skipping rope is good for your bones. You burn up to 40 per cent more calories with Nordic walking compared to normal walking,” says Kerr, who leads the group in a short series of exercises at intervals throughout the walks.
Kasia Tarnowska, a Leixlip-based physiotherapist and Nordic walking instructor originally from Poland, does training sessions with new members of the club. She says Ireland is about 20 years behind in terms of interest in and uptake of Nordic walking than many other European countries.
“It’s popular in Poland, Italy, Slovakia, Germany, the UK and of course Finland where it started,” explains Tarnowska.
“You activate 90 per cent of your muscles with Nordic walking. It’s a neuromuscular workout for your body. There is no other exercise that you can achieve this with,” Tarnowska says.
Nordic walking can be suitable for people recovering from breast cancer, lung or cardiovascular problems, joint replacements and some chronic pain conditions. It is also an option for those keen to lose weight.
The practice of Nordic Walking – originally called ski walking – began in Finland as an alternative to cross-country skiing during the summer months. Over time, it became known as Nordic walking, and there are world championship events held each year in the sport throughout Europe. (Nordicwalkingworldleague.com).
In Ireland, there are Nordic walking groups in Clare, Louth and Wicklow, as well as in north and south Dublin.
Nordic walking instructors Joanne and Tony Burke say they have trained more than 800 people how to do Nordic walking in Ireland over the past six years. Having now stepped back from the training to travel, the couple is adamant that instructors need to maintain their standards.
“The problem is it’s not a regulated industry. Tony trained with British Nordic Walking and I trained with Nordic Walking UK. Kasia trained in Poland and she is hoping to set up training in Ireland,” Joanne Burke says.
“It’s not just about having a pair of poles and going out with them. You need to learn how to use the poles properly to get the full benefits from them. You also risk injury if you don’t do it properly.”
She adds that popularity of activator poles – which are used for balance and stability – in many community sports partnerships in Ireland may have confused some people. “It’s easier to teach people how to use activator poles but they don’t have any straps on them so you can’t do Nordic walking with activator poles.”
Back in the Phoenix Park, as I walk with the group, notebook rather than poles in hand, I can see how at ease these women are. They chat and walk at a good pace across the rough grass, as groups of fallow deer scatter, frightened by the shiny sticks held by the walkers. The views across the open fields as far as the Dublin Mountains are a delight.
Judy Somers, who lives in Palmerstown, is a regular walker with the group. “I come for the company. I love walking up the small hills in the Furry Glen and around the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park. I wouldn’t do these exercises on my own,” she says.
Mary Troy, a retired nurse, says that it’s the sociability that bonds the group. “There is so much life experience in this group, you can ask about anything from the best surgeon for bunions to tips on making Christmas cakes,” she says.
Troy says Nordic walking helps balance and bone health. “So many hospital admissions are associated with falls but the balancing exercises we do during the walk protects us from falls,” she says. “We talk about everything and encourage people to look after themselves. There is also great networking.”
Ann Maher, secretary of the group adds: “There is also something about walking which gives you perspective. Problems sort themselves out on a walk,” The 70-plus members pay €10 a year and insurance costs are covered by the State-run Get Ireland Walking initiative.
Back at the car park next to the papal cross, the banter continues as the women head off for coffee after their walk. Such is their sense of camaraderie that they meet up for midsummer and Christmas dinners as well as Nordic walking trips to the beaches of north Dublin. “When the tide is out, the firm sand is really good for pushing off from,” explains Kerr.
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