As a serious outdoors enthusiast, I’m always cheered when I hear of an increase in the number of people getting their kicks from walking. It seems that participation in hiking in the US has nearly doubled since 2012 while in the UK, over 20 million adults are choosing to walk for leisure. In case you haven’t noticed, hiking is booming, with an even more encouraging ever-increasing upturn in the number of over-55’s lacing up their boots.
Part of the rise in popularity amongst over-55’s is likely due to a growing awareness of the health benefits of walking; certainly, even a gentle stroll will have a positive health effect for anyone who has previously been generally inactive. But other factors also play a part. Time is an obvious one – for most of us, retirement naturally frees up a considerable amount of time – but equally important, although sometimes overlooked, is just how enjoyable walking is! For me, hiking is a natural way to combine exercise with socialising, and a brisk walk always wins hands down against a gym session!
There is also perhaps the legacy of Covid. If there was any positive to the pandemic, it was our appreciation of the great outdoors at a time when walking w...