Health walks for older people are free, short, led walks that start from a library, a surgery, a church or a pub, and they are the easiest way for someone who has lost confidence walking alone to get out again. Hertfordshire Health Walks runs them in Potters Bar, Hitchin, Hertford, Ware and Harpenden, and village groups add Sunday walks in Shenley and Tring. This article explains what they are, what a first walk is like and where to find one.
In our experience the people who join a health walk are rarely unfit. They are people who stopped walking alone after a stumble, a bereavement or a winter, and who need a reason and some company to start again.
Why do health walks help older people?
The NHS physical activity guidelines for older adults recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week for adults over 65, and brisk walking counts. A led walk also does the thing the NHS guidance on loneliness in older people points to: it is a regular local group with a reason to turn up. The walk is the excuse. The conversation on the way round is the point.
Led walks are also safer than walking alone. There is a trained leader, a back marker, and a route chosen for the group. For someone whose family worries about a fall, that is the practical reassurance.
What is a health walk like?
Hertfordshire Health Walks are graded, and the ones on our pages are the gentler grades. The First Steps walk from Oakmere Library in Potters Bar on Friday at 11am is for beginners, and the organisers ask you to arrive ten minutes early the first time. The Sele taster walk in Hertford on Thursday at 10am is a short introduction. The walks from the Millstream pub in Hitchin on Tuesday at 11am and from Leaside Church in Ware on Friday at 10am are weekly and free, with no need to book.
Village walks are more informal. Shenley Village Walks leave from outside the White Horse on the first Sunday of the month at 10.45am. Tring Rambling Club walks on Sunday mornings. Harpenden Health Walks leave the Village Surgery one Saturday a month. None of them need special kit beyond comfortable shoes and a coat.
What do health walks cost?
Hertfordshire Health Walks are free. You can register online in advance, or simply turn up and the leader will take your details. The village walks are free too, though the rambling club may ask walkers to contact the chair first.
How do I get a parent to a first walk?
Go with them the first time, and choose the shortest walk on the list. The leaders are used to someone arriving unsure, and nobody is left behind. Then go back the following week, because the second walk is when the group starts to feel like company rather than exercise.
Getting to the start point is sometimes the obstacle. Where that is the barrier, our companionship care includes a carer who goes with someone to the walk, walks alongside if that helps, and brings them home.
One more thing we have learned about health walks for older people: the walk leaders notice. If someone misses two weeks, somebody asks, and that quiet attention is part of what families are looking for when they worry about a parent walking alone.
Where to find health walks for older people near you
Each of our town pages lists the led walks and walking groups we know of under exercise and movement, with the day, the start point and who to contact. We confirm the details with the organisers and check the pages every week.
St Albans · Harpenden · Radlett and Shenley · Hemel Hempstead · Berkhamsted · Tring · Hitchin · Hertford and Ware · Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield · Potters Bar · All of Hertfordshire
Common questions about health walks for older people
How long is a health walk?
Most health walks for older people on our pages are short. The beginner and taster walks on our pages are short, usually around thirty minutes at a gentle pace, with a leader and a back marker so nobody is left behind. Longer graded walks exist for people who want them.
Do I need to book a Hertfordshire Health Walk?
No. You can register online in advance, but you can also simply turn up. The organisers ask new walkers to arrive about ten minutes early so the leader can take their details.
Can a carer walk with my parent?
Yes. A companionship carer can go with someone to the start, walk alongside them and bring them home. Starling Homecare's St Albans office is on 01727 324 127.
If a parent has stopped going out on foot, a led walk is often the gentlest way back. Start with the What's On for Older People pages for their town, and we are on 01727 324 127 if you would like to talk it through.
Arranging Care Is Simple
Starting care can feel like a big step. We keep it calm and straightforward, and we are here to guide you from your very first call.
1. Talk to us
Get in touch by phone or request a callback. We will listen, answer your questions and help you understand the options, so you can decide what feels right in your own time.
2. A home visit and initial consultation
We arrange a visit to understand your routines, your home and what matters most to you. Together we agree an initial consultation and shape the support that feels right.
3. Your care begins
A small, familiar team starts your care, arriving at the agreed times and staying involved as your needs change. We remain your trusted adviser throughout.
Whenever you are ready, we are here to help.