To prefer hiking alone or with a club?

[Hikinghike]

I've always loved hiking and did so alone - but was careful to stay in popular areas - or with friends. I joined a club a couple of years ago for more variety of walks and, although I'm enjoying new routes, I find the constant chatter overwhelming at times. I'm very much an introvert though and maybe this is why!

Which do you prefer - alone or with a club?

When dh was alive and we used to walk, we joined a walking club, he loved it and was with it for years but he got fed up with the chatter and the constant stops for food, waiting for the group to all catch up sometimes.

we often hiked by ourselves, we could stop where we wanted, when we wanted, take photos etc.

Alone I’d prefer a club purely because it’s safer.

depends on your preference I think.

I prefer hiking alone- groups tend to go too slowly and too much chatting. I like to commune with nature!

Alone or with my husband. I don’t feel worried about safety on my own but can understand why others do.

Alone, preferably with dog or with close family and friends xx

I love hiking and was a member of a club. But it became cliquey and gossipy and either you were too fast, too slow or people wanted to do a different routes. I lost count of the number of days lost on a hill as my car sharing buddy got drunk sat night and could not face walking Sunday and had to be driven home.

I just do my own thing now - much easier.

Yes, I find mine cliquey and gossipy also. I have to say I'm only with the group for the different routes, not the chats... I find that hard work.

I like a mixture of both. Some days I feel like having silence and time to myself and others I do a club walk for more of a challenge.

Alone! Music on and i go.

I can’t stand the getting to know you blah blah.

im a quick walker too and get irritated by lower ones.

I usually take a stick but a club could come in handy, too. 🤗

Alone for the peace and solitude.I take a hot drink,a bottle of water,my poles,kindle,binoculars and camera.

Balm for my soul.

Absolutely alone (although I favour a good Podcast!)

Awful to admit but my heart sinks a little when people want to come with me.. they never wall fast enough!

I've never worried about my safety although full on darkness with my hi-vis and torch can sometimes be a little eerie! Only time I wish for company!

I find the small talk and getting to know people really draining - I guess it's my introvertness!

I definitely prefer to walk alone (or rather just me and the dog) but I am a shit navigator and love the tranquility of a group walk in which someone else tells me where to go.

I would like a silent walking group for miserable gits, where everyone understood that the only reason for walking together was to avoid getting lost. Perhaps I should start the Rambling Bastards, to compete with the plain old Ramblers.

Definitely alone for me (although I do hike with my other half sometimes but we don’t feel the need to chat). Once I learned navigation there was no going back to walking with a group.

I, too, would love a silent walking group... my idea of heaven! Usually there's 20 to 25 on my walk.

With friends. We chat but also know when we all want some quiet time.

I like sometimes going alone and sometimes in company depending on my mood. Going with a club depends very much on the club. There was one that I used to go out with sometimes that would make sure everyone was split into smaller groups, ideally with a max of 4 (very very max of 5) in each group so that there wasn't a horde of walkers. I liked going out with them as I hate being in a huge group, but I also hate coming across enormous groups in the hills as well as I feel like they are often very loud and it detracts from the feeling of remoteness and solitude that I enjoy in the hills.

Like a group as I have no navigation skills at all. However rhe downsides are not being the same speed as other people as the groups range between people who should be full runners ro those with dodgy knees. Don't mind the chat but some of the men do go on and on and I avoid them

I like all types but prefer with just one other person.

I much prefer going on my own but that’s because I’ve got a very small bladder and my pelvic floor is not what it was and so I need frequent loo breaks which is somewhat embarrassing if everyone is waiting for you to nip behind a bush.

I went out with a group last week,first time in years, and yes, too much chat. New route was nice though. Prefer going out with 3 or 4 friends and did that for some years but unfortunately we’ve all kind of moved on.

now I Usually go out with husband and dog now and do same old dog friendly walks.

Definitely alone, well with the dog. Can't be bothered with the chat. Nothing better for the mind than a nice silent hike on your own in the middle of nowhere. The dog makes me feel safe and I go the same 4/5 routes all the time so I know them well

Alone!

I did join a local walking group, but I just found chatting to strangers for 2 to 4 hours totally draining.

Also, I was not as fast a walker as some, and that became an issue unfortunately.

Yes OP a silent walking group – that could catch on! 😃

It might be nice to have some socialising at the beginning and at the end, but the relentless Small talk did my head in and no space to take in the scenery.

Fab thread.. I love hiking but haven't due to health reasons (lack of fitness and depression) for the past 3 years and I miss it.

I hiked with a group one year.. 10 women in total, 5 hikes, awesome guide... loved it.

I also hiked with friends for a while but struggled to find the perfect partner. I had two women I really clicked with.. one used to come to visit every year and we had the best hikes... LOVED it.. then she changed jobsand couldn't come any more..

I also found another 'perfect' partner.. right amount of chat, perfect pace, right amount of encouragement when I struggled. We hiked for a few years together and she moved away.

Now I need to get fit and find a replacement.

I have done a few hikes on my own but find it very hard to get out on my own.

The idea of hiking with 25 people fills me with horror!!

@PauliesWalnuts just wondering what do you meant by “learning navigation“?