Senior walks promote physical activity: ‘You go home feeling uplifted and happy’

Leena Pommelin-Andrejeff, Marianne Siponen, Sakari Björninen, Outi Riikonen and Timo Hällberg meet in Hietalahti Park before the group walk. Lively chatter breaks out as soon as the group see each other again after a week apart.

The senior walking group, originally set up by the City of Vaasa, has been meeting for regular walks for the past year. Good company keeps group members coming back week after week.

– If it were up to me, I might well curl up on the sofa, but when you’ve agreed on a time and a place, it gets you out of the house, says Outi.

During their walks, the group catch up on current events, chat about cultural events in the city and share tips on things to see and do. For quite some time, group members didn’t even know one another’s last names, but now they’ve even swapped contact details.

– I sort of joined halfway through really. The group had already been going for almost a year by then. But everyone’s been really welcoming, and I’ve quickly become part of the group, says Outi.

A weekly routine increases happiness

The Hietalahti group meets year-round, whatever the weather, including throughout the winter months. Fresh sea air and time in nature are an important part of the experience. In winter, the group have walked out on the ice, while in spring they have listened to birdsong and tried their hand at identifying different bird species. Along the way, they often stop to photograph the scenery and capture how it changes from season to season. Many of the members have invested in studded walking shoes.

– I joined because I wanted to start getting regular exercise once a week and enjoy a change of scenery, says Leena.

The group usually covers around five kilometres during the hour-long walk. The pace is set to suit the slowest walker in the group.

The walking group has brought a little extra energy and joy into the members’ lives, and many say they feel more energetic in the afternoon after the walk.

– I do feel more energetic. You notice that there are plenty of hours left in the day, and you still have the energy to enjoy other activities as well, Leena comments.

– And the best thing is that you go home feeling uplifted and happy that you got out of the house! This is a group of happy people from Vaasa, she continues.

The walking group has become an important highlight of the week. Timo says he starts counting down the days to the next group walk early in the week. Leena says she keeps Wednesdays free from any other activities.

A new walking group launched in Gerby

The Gerby walking group started last week and now meets every Wednesday in the car park of the Gerby S-market. Kaisa Virtanen acts as the group’s volunteer Walk Motivator, organising the walks and serving as the main point of contact.

– I pointed out that there wasn’t a walking group like this in Gerby, and the people at the city’s Sports Services suggested I become a Walk Motivator myself. So my walking companion and I decided to give it a go, says Kaisa.

Kaisa became a Walk Motivator because she wants to spread the joy of walking. According to her, walking is an excellent low-threshold form of exercise: it’s easy to get started, enjoyable to do together and a great way to meet new people along the way.

There’s no expectation to attend every week. If you can’t make it one week, you’re welcome to join the group again the following week. And there’s no pressure to keep up or push yourself.

–  We can stop for coffee along the way, if we feel like it, says Kaisa.

New walkers welcome!

Both the Gerby and Hietalahti walking groups encourage other seniors to join them.

– Just come along and join us. We’ll plan the routes so that everyone can keep up. And if you can’t, we’ll carry you the rest of the way, Kaisa laughs.

– At least come and give it a try. I know there are many seniors spending a lot of time alone at home, and this is a really good alternative to that, Timo encourages.

The City of Vaasa promotes walking

The City of Vaasa has launched walking groups in different neighbourhoods in response to residents’ wishes. The aim is to encourage sustainable mobility and support residents’ wellbeing. Walking is an easy way to build more physical activity into everyday life while also helping to reduce transport-related emissions. Some of the walking groups, meanwhile, are run by local associations and have been going for longer.

– It’s been wonderful to see how positively the walking groups have been received. Walking is an accessible form of exercise that offers a wide range of benefits for health, wellbeing, and the maintenance of functional ability. Taking part in physical activity together can also make it easier for people to get moving, strengthen community spirit and increase their sense of belonging, says Hanna-Mari Joutsen, Health Promotion Coordinator.

In addition to Hietalahti and Gerby, there are walking groups also in the town centre, Palosaari, and Huutoniemi. From November, people will also be able to enjoy safe indoor walks at the ice rink in Suvilahti.

The Huutoniemi walking group has been a little quieter recently, and the organisers are particularly keen to welcome new walkers there.

Learn more:

Walking groups and their schedules (in Finnish and Swedish) 

The City of Vaasa aims to be carbon neutral by the end of the 2020s. Transport is already a major source of emissions, and efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions include encouraging more sustainable ways of getting around. The European Commission has awarded Vaasa the 2026 European Green Leaf title in recognition of the city’s determined efforts to protect the environment and tackle climate change.