10 Mar 2026
Participants in St Albans Netwalks recently marked the 30th occasion of the business social event – organiser Jen Smith of The Curious Mentor looks back on their success.
Inspired by a model developed by Small Business Britain, the idea was simple: create a regular space where local business owners could step away from their desks, get moving and talk – without pressure.
Over time, a couple of unofficial straplines have emerged. Walkers often joke that I am “The Weather Whisperer” – because in 30 walks it has barely rained. We have had drizzle on just three occasions; the rest have been dry. In Britain, that feels statistically miraculous.
The other favourite line is, “Sometimes we even talk about business.” And that sums it up rather well.
Seventeen people gathered for the 30th walk at EYES on St Albans in Marshalswick, where JL Spex kindly sponsored the coffee and cake afterwards.
It was a generous way to celebrate and a reminder of something that has been true since the beginning – community grows when local businesses quietly back one another.
Netwalks run monthly and the event is deliberately uncomplicated. It is open to anyone in business locally who would value fresh air, gentle movement and conversation. It is not traditional networking. There are no pitches, no structured introductions and no expectation that you must “make it worth your time”. The smallest walk has had 12 walkers, the largest 34 (we started that walk with 32 and still aren’t entirely sure if the extras actually intended to join)
Running a business can be lonely, even in a city as vibrant as St Albans. Walking side by side softens that. Conversations unfold naturally. People share challenges, ideas, encouragement. Sometimes simply hearing “I’ve felt that too” makes all the difference. If business flows from that, it is welcome – but it is not the goal.
From the outset, a conscious decision was made to end each walk at an independent coffee shop. St Albans is full of brilliant local cafés, and choosing them matters. When businesses support one another in practical ways, it strengthens the fabric of the city.
We also love it when businesses sponsor the coffee. When that happens, the walk becomes truly accessible – no one has to weigh up whether they can afford to stay. They can simply show up.
The next few months reflect the spirit of the Netwalks beautifully. Each walk starts at 10, covers around 3km at a gentle pace, aiming for coffee about 11.
On March 18 we will walk around Verulamium, finishing at George Street Canteen for coffee, cake and their legendary sausage rolls. On April 17 we will head to Heartwood Forest for bluebell season, with coffee at the newly reopened Heartwood Tearooms.
And on May 19 we will walk at Greenwood Park in partnership with Youth Talk for Mental Health Awareness Week, with coffee afterwards at the Lazy Llama café.
People are welcome to join just the walk, just the coffee, or both. Most months dogs are very welcome too.
Thirty walks in, what stands out is not the number but the rhythm. Each month, people choose to show up and for that we are immensely grateful!
If you would like to join a future Netwalk, you can book via the Curious Mentor website. And yes – we cannot guarantee sunshine. But the odds are looking good.
https://thecuriousmentor.com/netwalks
