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?

@whitemule Learning how to read an Ordinance Survey map properly - how to navigate at night, micro and macro navigation, how to plan a route and work out your mileage and how long it will take, how to find your bearing and follow it, how to navigate in the snow etc. I‘ve done courses with local mountain leaders and at Plas y Brenin.

Love this thread. My family think I am a bit strange when I am so fussy about my walking partners. My walking friend moved a few years ago and I have never found a replacement. Tried walking groups and like everyone hated the constant chatting, last group managed to lose me and was horrible. Happy to go on my own but find I just don’t really - my dog is too old to walk now so that doesn’t help.

Im truly blessed as my best friend comes with me.

We just compliment each other, we walk the same pace, we know when we are ready to slow it down or speed it up, we know how far to push each other, we just know when its time to move on and the chat is pertinent to us both

Luckily we are neighbours and neither have any intention of moving

Always on my own - apart from the dog. Tried a group once, never again. Go walking and camping with the dog- bliss!

So I’m not alone with enjoying being alone when walking?! I like a little light chitchat, but not hours of it. No company is better than poor company. I wish I had a dog to walk with but that’s not something viable with my restrictions, sadly.

Also, is it my imagination or do people seem to be unable to do anything alone anymore?

Prefer a podcast or audible book tbh then the usual rubbish I am expected to listen to on a walk.

Alone and Zen

It varies but mostly alone. Interesting that someone said chose well populated areas for safety but actually I think it's safer away from popular places. I often walk all day and don't meet anyone. The chances of that one person I meet five or six miles away from anywhere being someone looking to harm me is minimal. Whereas an area with lots of people, someone with ill intent will know there are people but still the opportunity to grab someone into the woods or similar.

Alone. I hate having to scurry to keep up with people. I like to take photos and just stand and take it all in sometimes.

I love it when it’s just the dog and me.

I like both, but they are very different. Every year I do a UK long distance path on my own iver a week or so, which is wonderful. I also like exploring new places with a group and enjoy a chat sometimes. It doesn't need to be exclusively one or the other.

Alone or with partner. I don’t want to make small talk with strangers when I’m hiking, it just spoils it for me.