IT’S a warm, sunny morning in May and I’m standing on a beach in Poole clutching what looks like a pair of ski poles. But there’s no sign of any snow and I’m not wearing any skis.

No wonder I’m getting some rather puzzled looks from passers-by.

I’m about to try Nordic walking – one of the most effective calorie burning workouts which mimics the benefits of cross-country skiing but is suitable for any season or landscape.

“Nordic walking is a fantastic all-round workout," enthuses my instructor Karen Guttridge as she hands me my poles and shows me how to strap them to my wrists.

“It’s like the cross-trainers in the gym. It works 90 per cent of the body’s muscles compared to 70 per cent with ordinary walking and it’s low impact as it takes the pressure off your joints.”

We start by striding along the promenade dragging our poles behind us until we get into a smooth rhythm and then gradually we start to raise our arms straight out in front of us – as if we were about to shake hands.

It feels a bit like marching and it’s amazing how much ground we cover in a short space of time. Once Karen is happy that I’ve got the hang of it we move onto the beach.

We then remove the little rubber pads off the ends of the poles known as the “paws” to give us better control on the sand.

Karen, who works as a local weight loss consultant, says many of her clients don’t want to run which is why she decided to try Nordic walking.

“It’s the missing link between running and walking and because it is a low impact exercise it is suitable for anyone. I have people aged between 13 and 90 in my classes.”

And because we are walking rather than running, we can also enjoy the scenery and even chat to each other, too.

Jackie Castles, 50, who attends Karen’s Sunday morning sessions in Poole Park with her 78-year-old mother Maggie, says they both enjoy the social side as much as the health benefits.

“It is a very sociable activity – we thoroughly enjoy it – Karen makes everyone feel welcome and she tailors the class to suit people’s different needs.

“I had breast cancer about 18 months ago and was experiencing a lot of chest pain but I’ve found that his really has helped.”

Nordic Walking was first developed in Finland in the 30s as a summer training exercise for cross-country skiers. In Germany there are estimated to be three million Nordic walkers.

The sport is particularly popular with ex-runners and those with knee problems because it has less impact on the joints.

It might look easy but it’s important to learn the technique if you want to get the full benefits and with 500 instructors in the UK the activity is growing fast.