Benefits of Hiking
One pastime that has always been popular and held in great affection throughout Britain is hiking. It's a healthy, fulfilling and enjoyable activity that attracts people from all walks of life. It's refreshingly inexpensive too. The main expenses involved in any hike are travel to the area you want to hike in and accommodation if you are going on an extended stay. Even those expenses can be kept to a minimum whether you're hiking in the UK or have chosen a foreign destination to enjoy the delights of hiking abroad. Many hikers choose to stay in low-cost youth hostels (all ages welcome). Hiking brings a whole range of benefits too. Here are just a few of them.
Being in touch with nature
For many, the most fulfilling part of hiking is the feeling of being in touch with nature. A bus tour through a beautiful area, such as Snowdonia in Wales, for example, reveals beautiful scenery but always from a distance. Hiking through Snowdonia, or any other area of natural beauty, is a very different experience. There's no separation between you and your environment. You become part of your surroundings. Everything is up-close and real.
Improve your health
Hiking is a very healthy pastime. Walking in the fresh, clean air of the countryside ranks as one of the most effective forms of exercise available. Choose your own pace, and choose a hiking route that isn't any longer or more strenuous than you're capable of.
Learn as you go
There's so much that you can learn about any of the places that you pass through on a hiking route, such as the geography and geology of the landscape, local wildlife and nature as well as the history and cottage industries of small rural communities. Village pubs are a great source of local info as well as providing a welcome and refreshing break from the hike.
Make new friends
While some hikers enjoy the feeling of solitude that comes from hiking alone, most others enjoy hiking with friends and sharing the experience. It's also a great way to make new friends. Hiking has always enjoyed a strong community spirit with like-minded devotees keen to share their knowledge and experience with each other.
If you've decided to try hiking for the first time, you've made a great choice. You'll have an enjoyable and memorable time, and you'll come back healthier, more knowledgeable, and with a strong sense of fulfillment and achievement. Those are benefits that are very hard to beat.
Weight loss
Many people use hiking as a part of their exercise and weight loss program. Hiking and walking isn't too bad on people's joints, and people can hike for hours. Coincidentally, there isn't much eating going on during the hike so it is also a good way to keep yourself from eating. If you are actively focusing on weight loss, check out some diet supplements from our partners.
Even More Benefits
We recently had a guest blog post about the benefits of hiking for health and happiness if you want to read more about this subject. In addition, we also recently had a guest blog post about choosing the right hiking boots to ensure your joints stay healthy.