A walk in the woods

Today I went for a guided walk in the Sonian forest, which is a stunning grove of 200+ year old beech and oak trees covering 5000 hectares on the fringe of Brussels. So pretty in autumn, with the leaves blushing in orange, yellow and deep rust colours, and the ground carpeted in leaves. When I say ‘walk’ though, I really mean ‘sprint’. Because what I failed to comprehend on the tour I had booked, was that the walk would be Nordic in style. Which means walking with poles, at maximum speed, using 90% of the muscles in your body, and burning lots of calories. To be fair, it did say that in the description, I just glossed over it. Not quite the gentle ramble I had envisioned, more like Kath & Kel Knight striding around their neighborhood 🙂 🙂 but I cannot resist a challenge. So I took those poles and virtually sprinted behind my guide for the entire 8.5km route we were on. My friend Rowena has little legs, and when we have gone walking back in NZ she has said to me ‘man you walk fast’. Well today, Row, I got my revenge Nordic style. My guide Michel (who is lovely) is very tall, and his hips probably would be level with my chest. So when he set off at the desired brisk pace, every step for him was at least two for me. The only way to slow everything down was to ask a question 🙂 or to stop for a photo 🙂 and of course once I figured that out, I did both . “So, now you are a Nordic walker!” he said proudly, when we finished. I smiled and nodded (while my legs groaned). The forest is absolutely stunning, and well worth a visit if you are in Brussels. I chose a guided tour because I am directionally challenged and didn’t fancy getting myself lost, and because the last 45 mins or so we walked in the dark, with headlamps (this was my absolute favourite part, and the only words in the tour description I had paid any attention to).