Women hiking alone

[Teatimes2]

Inspired by another thread, I'd love to hear stories about women who enjoy hiking/ long walks alone. It's something I used to do before I got into running. I was a member of a hiking club at one stage but I found the constant chat and big groups to be draining and would love some inspiration from other women who also prefer doing this alone.

[helpfulperson]

Well done. How are your navigation skills? If anything less than good it's worth doing a course when starting to walk on your own. Our local ranger service runs them.

[Teatimes2]

So I was off work today and did a 3.5 hour hike alone, I'm delighted with myself. As I mentioned previously, I did hike with a club at one stage, but today I loved the silence/ listened to a podcast, didn't miss the constant chatter at all! I'm planning my next one already.

[Dozer]

Lots of inspiring posts!

Have only hiked alone in easy, v popular areas, would be fearful, primarily of physical injury or getting lost - am crap at navigation.

sometimes run in quiet places and am fearful of attack by a man, although know the odds are low, there have been a number of sexual assaults in my area. So I head for places there’re people, eg dog walkers.

[Sophoclesthefox]

Lovely thread, exactly what I needed to see today!

I’ve always been happy to walk, hike and trail run alone, and go out most days for about 1 1/2 -2 hours, with dogs. My favourite walks are in the woods, as being alone and moving under my own steam through trees is the surest way I’ve found to dissolve all my problems. I go into the woods with problems, and I come out with solutions.

I’ve travelled and walked alone all over the place- deserts, mountains, coasts- and only got myself in bother a couple of times, and only through bad planning or sloppiness. I got caught out in Bali by not realising when it would get dark, and had to flail back along a beach and coast path in the pitch black with no torch and when no one knew where I was. And I got lost and fell in a river in New Zealand, but again, my own fault as I’d misread the map and refused to acknowledge it for far too long, preferring instead to insist that if I pushed on, the path would reappear

[Saltyquiche]

OS maps online is one I use for planning routes

[Taswama]

What a lovely, inspirational thread.
I run and cycle alone but rarely have enough time to myself with access to the car to go for walks.

[Luredbyapomegranate]

I do. Love it. Have done since I was a teenager.

[notacooldad]

I'm glad BitchIAmFromChicago has mentioned Koomot. It is a really good app.
I would also recommend AllTrails. I have paid up for 3 years and love it and my friend is happy with the free version.
Ine other app I'd recommend us FatMap. Its absolutely brilliant and shows the hills and mountains in 3 d.

[Betsyboo87]

Not totally alone but my fondest memories of maternity leave are the long walks. Covid meant no baby groups and DS would only nap in the pram so we would walk for miles everyday. I loved seeing the seasons change and discovering places I’d never been too. The quietness was bliss. DS loves to be outside now so we still get out for walks but they’re not as peaceful with a one year old.

[BitchIAmFromChicago]

Walking is my new hobby since DS started school…and now I’m addicted! I’ve found the Komoot app has helped me with planning routes and settling any anxiety I might have about going out alone.

[WorriedMillie]

@EdithKnobchops

I'm planning on walking the Sandstone Trail next year over two days. It's around 34 miles Frodsham to Whitchurch. Bed and breakfast in Tarporley at the half way point.

I used to live up that way and rode/walked much of it, some lovely countryside, you’re in for a real treat 😍

[WorriedMillie]

I’d love to do more lone walks, especially in different countries, when DD is older. We went on holiday to Northumberland in the summer and I enjoyed some early morning costal walks, where I didn’t see another soul. Amazing 😍

[thecatsthecats]

I do my daily walks and work outs with music, but find it really wonderful to get out alone with just the sounds of nature on proper walks.

It's actually been a bit tough visiting my parents in their national park home where I grew up, because normally they let me crack on with it, but having been separated so much last year that they always want to come with me.

[wonderstuff]

I love walking on my own, I don’t get out anywhere near as often as I would like. I love travelling solo too and haven’t had that opportunity for many years, you see so much more and get such a different perspective on your own. I love not having to please anyone else, my family are quite a laid back lot but still..

[EdithKnobchops]

I'm planning on walking the Sandstone Trail next year over two days. It's around 34 miles Frodsham to Whitchurch. Bed and breakfast in Tarporley at the half way point.

[EssexLioness]

Just to clarify, mine were all day hikes. I do pant do camping at all as I like the comfort of a proper bed!

@Janeandjohnny I prefer a brief hello or something as you go on your way. Feels less intimidating as you appear friendly, but not too friendly. Eg look away apart from the brief greeting. If overtaking from behind ‘passing through’ etc helps let me know you are there and your intentions. If possible, cross to the other side of the street or leave plenty of room as you pass. Thank you so much for asking this question. I wish all men considered this as it can be really scary when you are aware of a man suddenly behind you, especially if moving at speed.

[EssexLioness]

I love my own company and being out in nature but was always too anxious to go on a proper hike on my own. This year I booked a few days in a hotel within a national park and just did it. I stuck to fairly easy footpaths cos I was a bit worried about breaking a leg or something, as I am so clumsy!
However, I absolutely loved it. One of the best things I’ve done in a long time. Went hours with hardly seeing anyone else and I felt so free and happy. Plan to do this yearly if I can and maybe do some longer walks closer to home.

[tectonicplates]

I've been walking on my own countless times. I've also been on multi-day walks where I stayed at hostels and/or hotels on my own (I'm not a fan of camping). I've never found it a problem. I've always done this "in season" when there are plenty of other walkers around. The only person who's ever been shocked by this was a man - a complete stranger.

In my opinion, the countryside is much safer than London where I live - I mean we have knife crime and all sorts going on here.

[NobbyButtons]

I often happily walk my dog alone for 2-3 hours (and walked alone before having the dog). This is around the area where I live, so I know it well and don't have to worry about navigating.

When it comes to walking across fields full of cows, however, I would much prefer to be in a big group of 30+ ramblers!

[MintJulia]

I recovered well after having ds but HATED maternity leave. I was bored stupid. His dad and all my friends were at work.
Ds was an easy baby and I bf so I bought a sling and walked the easier bits of the Brecon Beacons, all of the ridgeway and some of the Peak District that year. It was a brilliant summer and I lost my baby weight, no problem.
Lots of people stopped to chat too which was good because I was quite short of adult conversation.

[Spudlet]

I did this a lot when I was single - packed up the car, loaded up the dog and camped and hiked in the Peak District. I can read a map and navigate, and I didn’t go in winter (too cold for me to camp then!), and I loved it.

These days I trail run, almost always alone. Dear old dog is gone now, and I have a young puppy who will be my running buddy in time. We have some adventures to go on, him and me. I also have a hankering to run a long distance trail, perhaps the Icknield Way, one end of which is very close to my home. I love the idea of an expedition and travelling to where I’m going on my feet. And I’d love to do the coast to coast as well, although that I’d do with DH. Financial and family commitments prevent this at the moment, but one day…

[CazY777]

I have hiked on my own, multi-day hikes on the South West Coast path, South downs way, and on trails in New Zealand. I never felt unsafe, there were always other people around (too many people who wanted to chat on the South West Coast path, it took me ages to get anywhere!). I did occasionally worry about getting blown off a cliff when it was windy but apart from that it was a fantastic experience. I mainly just run on my own at the moment on local routes. I've never had any trouble, just comments from older men telling me I'm doing well and cheering me on (I must look like I need some encouragement!).

[Pyewackect]

I live v near Richmond Park and I love taking the long way round through the park but I’m mindful of time of the day. I wouldn’t feel safe after dark.

[powershowerforanhour]

I love it, have done this since I was old enough to drive, and round our local country roads before that. In Wales I used to go up the Brecons and Black Mountains (quite often would see maybe one other person near the mountain road on the latter- then nobody, all day. If it was a warm summer's day I'd have a sleep in the grass for an hour, looking back I was lucky not to get any ticks!) . In New Zealand I climbed Mount Taranaki and did the Tongariro Crossing on my own. Got out of the way of it now but I did spend some of the last couple of weeks of my second maternity leave walking...I climbed Slieve Donard which I had never done before, and also my county top Sawel Mountain- didn't see a sinner on that one, even for the last 20 minutes of the drive on the road in. When the wind dropped there was complete and utter silence (it being winter- in summer, there would have been skylarks probably. Skylarks are reason alone to go hillwalking by yourself).

[Saltyquiche]

Almost solitary, just me and two older dogs