Hitchin Vikings are recruiting - and they want YOU!

Our town's Vikings are called the Ulflag.

They are a Varangian Guard warrior formation who train regularly in the established JomsViking fighting system - which can commonly be described as Steel MMA (Steel Mixed Martial Arts) or Competitive Steel combat

Members in Hitchin and across the country range from experienced fighters both competitively and in showmanship, to those completely new to the culture of a 'modern viking'.

Prior to the Covid pandemic they took park in a variety of events and activities including film and TV, the gaming industry, and other media work as well as living history demonstrations and lectures for schools and other educational institutions.

So, read on to learn more about Hitchin Vikings - in their own words in our special Hitchin Nub News Q&A feature

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William Sale - Hitchin Viking: It's like rugby but you get to hit people with swords - it's quite fun

I started in December last year. I play rugby for Hitchin and as most sports haven't been on during lockdown I picked this up as it's something I'm allowed to do outside.

You literally just pick up a shield and a sword and start bashing people with it. It's great fun.

It's not re-enactment as such, you have to be fully armoured. Although the blades are blunt who do still hit people with them properly.

I've always had an interest in Viking mythology and when [fellow Viking and rugby club member Charlie Rablah] spoke to me about it I was interested in joining.

It's kind of like rugby but you get to hit people with swords as well. What's it like to hit someone with a sword? It's quite fun.

The feedback from my friends and family has been good. They're all really supportive of it and are genuinely interested. I've taken my sword around to show my mates and they've really enjoyed it.

Charlie Rablah aka known as 'Blah Blah the Viking:

How I met my fellow Viking Will

I saw him in Hitchin town centre with his rugby pals wearing rugby kit but covered in nordic artwork and runes. He's a massive unit of a guy. I thought to myself: That guy looks like a Viking. And before I could speak to him he was gone into the crowd.

One day I was a bit hungover and I was looking out of my flat window and saw this massive giant walking down below and I just shouted at him from my window: 'Hey – want to be a Viking?'

And Will looked up and just said: 'yeah'. And that's how most people get into it. I found out about it through a documentary and wanted to learn more. But most of the time you see a guy and you just say to them: 'Hey, want to be a Viking?'

Before being a Viking I used to be a Jack Sparrow impersonator

I've been into it for a few years. I've always been interested in history. I used to be a Jack Sparrow impersonator ten years ago.

That's make believe but it got me involved with pirate re-enactors. I was a bit of a reprobate but one day I was watching a documentary on the organisation we're part of. It started off as a reenactment but someone suggested as we all have Viking names, instead of just dressing up why don't we make this into a real marshal art. So, a curriculum was drawn up to make it into a marshal art - and also to ensure no-one gets any permanent injuries.

I did think: 'Have I lost my eye?' But it was fine

[Charlie sports a black eye when we talk] Through doing what we do, it opens up a lot of things. We're associated with a lot of things including bands and we get scouted out for a few bits and pieces in terms of filmwork, stuff you wouldn't normally get involved in if you weren't a modern-day Viking.

I was choreographing a film and I ended up having a little spar on set with a guy who was a reenactor. The guy ended up jabbing me in the eye with his sword. I must admit I did think 'Have I lost my eye.' But it was fine.

Accidents happen

Accidents do happen. But everyone is really dedicated and train so hard. We take it seriously. Ulflag are the elite of the Viking world. It takes a solid year at least before it becomes natural and from there it's up and up. Some of the guys are known as the best in their field. We've got a guy who is renowned for being one of the best one-handed axe fighters in the world.

Viking life

My Viking name is 'Blah Blah'. There is a hierarchy. You don't just turn up and swing a sword. I get so many friends of mine who say they want to turn up. I tell them you have to do four to eight weeks of basic training before you are even allowed to fight another guy. And then after that you become a 'prospect' I've been a prospect for two years, so I'm an experienced 'prospect'.

I got my name because before lockdown, we had a Viking weekend in Poland with about 170 other guys. We've got five Charlies in our group and someone asked what my name was and they replied it's Charlie 'Blah Blah' because he talks a lot. And it just stuck.

Vikings are a loyal brotherhood

There's a number of things we get out of it. Some people turn up and it's a bit of a hobby but for most it's a brotherhood. We are an organisation that treats it like a brotherhood. It's for people who want something else in their life. If you feel a bit lost. And then we've got guys who have a perfect homelife who just want something else in their lives. It's a massive brotherhood and something to dedicate yourself to.

We use real weapons and would be fighting in the way the Vikings would have been – but without the danger of actually dying and going to Valhalla.

Vikings and lockdown

Everything had to stop during lockdown. It was really hard. We started up a Facebook page with the north, south east and west 'Storm'.

Within those groups we are Ulflag. Some of our brothers and sisters from Poland are Trivlag or Norderlag. There's one guy in Florida I know who's got a group called Swamplag. Lag is basically an old Vikig word that means the Law.

Which is basically what Vikings were back then: The Law.

It has been hard during lockdown. We haven't been able to train. But at the same time it's been good because we've been able to connect more. We came up with the slogan over lockdown. Feed the flame. We've been busy training members during lockdown.

Between the lockdowns in the autumn about 30 of us booked a castle in Germany and we had drinks and had a big battle. There's a documentary on it on Youtube. We're planning to put on a big festival in Hyde Park in a few years. It starts as a hobby but then all of a sudden snowballs into all these opportunities and having a great time as a Viking

Bored with your life? Become a viking

How would I sell it to someone in a line or a sentence? Bored with your life? Need to hit something with a sword? Want to be part of a massive brotherhood: Ulfag.

We're always on the lookout for more Vikings in Hitchin. In terms of getting involved we've got a big training group in London but in terms of Ulflag we're a Hertfordshire organization.

My girfriend loves me being a Viking

You do get the classic question is it like reenactment with the fancy swords. But we are a step up, graduate if you will.

My dad used to do American Football when he was younger but he quit as he didn't want to get debilitating injuries. What does he think of it now? He's kind of accepted it now but to begin with he did think it was kind of risky.

My girlfriend loves it. She thinks it's sexy as hell. All the grease on my chainmail looking dirty.

I'm captain of the Hertfordshire garrison. Hopefully it will carry on growing. We've got use of the local rugby club. It's all insured and we've got use of the weights.

We've got Facebook page but in the meantime contact me and/or Will or get in touch via Ulflag. If you build it they will come.

Viking culture is growing in the 21st century

These days Viking culture is a lot more prevalent. There's lots of TV shows about Vikings.

We get a lot of people come along expecting to be Ultred son of Ultred covered in furs and armour and swinging two handed swords - but when they find out what we're about and the fact we're rooted in history and what we do is really authentic then they actually prefer the idea.

Vikings are the past and the future

To contact William feel free to message him via his Facebook account.

Or you can contact Charlie via his Facebook account here

For more information on Vikings visit the links below:

Jomsborg Miklagard Ulflag

Ulflag Vikings Instagram

Ulflag