Do you feel silly going for a walk by yourself without a dog?!

[C1239]

I love walking, quite like my own company, but I always feel silly going for a walk by myself! It would be much easier if I had a dog! Does anyone else feel like this or is it fine to go for a long walk by yourself?!

This is crazy. I can't believe anyone would think like this. Why would walking only be something you do with a dog??!

Regularly walk by myself, nothing unusual about it at all. Own a dog but sometimes leave him at home so I can have a nice walk on my own!!!!!

Absolutely not. I walk by myself loads. As a single person with no dog, I'm not confining myself to the house by this ridiculous expectation. And when I had a partner, I still enjoyed walks on my own too.

Not at all.
It's good to get out gather your thoughts and listen to nothing but the sounds around you.
Grab a reusable cup and take a cuppa and enjoy your stroll.

Dog ownership is a big commitment, and they stop every 5 seconds for whatever reason.
If you're really bothered by it find one of those borrow my dog sites and give that a try.

I will give you the opposite.

There is a walking group near me - and they attract a lot of walkers. Like 40 people on a walk. Which I think is too much in the country on a group ramble .Imagine waiting to get through a stile when 40 people are coming through.

What are you actually talking about?!

Then we would look at each other, realise our shared predictament, and give a silent nod, acknowledging each other's weirdness before turning around and walking away.

Nope! I love going for a walk on my own. But I also enjoy going to theatre and cinema alone (why do need company there when you can't talk anyway!). I'll often go for a walk and pop into a cafe for a coffee on the way home.

I know what you mean. I used to think I couldn’t just go for a walk on my own as it would look strange, but I really wanted to walk, I love walking, so I got a dog and we go for walks everyday and we pass lots of people, male and female, in the countryside walking on their own. And they don’t look strange at all. They look like they’re getting their bit of exercise and peace and enjoyment. I love my dog to bits, and he’s my incentive to go out every single day, but I’ve realised I certainly didn’t need him for this purpose.

No. I’ve never given it any thought.
I go for a walk every morning.

I do pass a lot of people out walking alone and always wonder what has made them go a walk. You definitely need a dog!

There's a lot more to dog ownership than going out for a walk!

People go for a walk for their wellbeing, to help keep fit physically and mentally, to enjoy the exercise or the weather or their surroundings.

I would be more inclined to wonder why people don't go for a walk regularly.

Right, so "you definitely need a dog" was for the OP?
Ok. I don't think anyone needs one, but it's personal choice.

Where I live now there are loads of circular walks, I walk alone quite often, sometimes after dark if that’s when I can fit it in. How is anyone to know if your walk has no purpose other than exercise and fresh air, and what’s wrong with that anyway? Having said that there is a flooded quarry nearby that I avoid when walking alone.
However I used to live in the north and the walks there can be a lot more isolated and far from any roads, I would think twice about going on a walk alone in the back of beyond but for reasons other than feeling silly. Just how it is. Although, when I left school I went hitchhiking up north with a couple of friends without a care in the world, shudder to think of it now.
I recall many years ago, someone saying how women drivers so rarely took hitchhikers and they seemed oblivious to the reason, as I was at the time.

I would agree, @stemthetide .
Flips the argument well.

No. I often go for a walk in my local park/area. More so when it’s not freezing cold though! I usually have my headphone on listening to a podcast.

I felt weird at first – self-conscious - but then I looked around and saw plenty of other people walking alone, cycling alone, jogging alone, so stopped worrying about it. We’re all out for our different reasons – shopping, exercise, a form of transport for getting from a to b without a car, a love of nature, photography, the challenge, the fresh air, the thinking time, whatever.

It doesn’t cross my mind nowadays and I quite enjoy the solitude to escape from being at everyone else’s beck and call for a while. The longer and more remote the walk, the better!!

Someone upthread mentioned “moving meditation” – yes, that exactly!

I used to walk 3 miles around my village every morning.Noone knew I wasn't heading to a particular place.

I understand how you feel. I feel the same when out walking alone, but see nothing silly about other people doing the same 🤷‍♀️. Now that I have a dog it’s somehow very different. Chalk it up to personal quirkiness.

This. Do you really think anyone would notice or care?

I like to go walking on a local common. I dont have a dog but I am almost always the only person there without a dog. I do wonder sometimes if I look strange not having a dog with me.

I absolutely love walking by myself. A dog would mean I'd be distracted from my audiobook😃 In fact, with or without an audiobook playing in my ears, lone walking is when my thinking is clearest. The rest of the time, my brain is a jumbled up mess.

What???? Plenty of people go for walks without dogs, how ridiculous!

It would be much easier if I had a dog!

Trust me, nothing is made easier by having a dog . I love my dog, and having him was making me walk much more... until I went back to work full time and had to pay a fortune for a dog walker. But yes we certainly went on walks fir years before we had a dog. It wouldn't remotely occur to me to feel odd walking without one!

I go for loads of walks on my own. I like walking with other people, but I also NEED time to myself. When I feel overwhelmed, I really, really need time on my own, but I also need to be moving; having a bath by myself doesn't give me the same clear head as a walk or run on my own, probably the endorphins?

Anywho, I walk alone a lot. No one has ever asked if I've lost my dog 🤣. I see plenty of fellow solo walkers and say hello, or have a chat with a few who I see regularly. They tend to be a bit older than me (I'm 30s).

I have also pretty much always worked shifts, so have had lots of random weekdays off by myself where my friends and family are at work. So I'm used to going for a walk, swim, coffee, lunch, cinema, theatre etc on my own. I love my own company and feel a bit sorry for people who don't do things by themselves because they are worried about looking silly.

Try it OP.

No. I don't like dogs so I'm never going to have one. I like walking and regularly walk alone.