Mixed-ability groups
There were a wide range of walking abilities within each of the instructor-led walking groups. Both participants and leaders reported occasional problems keeping groups together during the walk and arriving back at the same time to ­complete the warm-down exercises. A number of groups made adaptions to the programme to accommodate the different walking abilities, for example, having shorter routes for slower walkers, slower walkers walking together on a loop which were in-line with guidance provided in the walk leader manual. Mixed-ability groups were seen as positive, as they encouraged slower walkers to improve their pace and buoyed self-esteem for some of the faster walkers.