Come chat hiking with me!

[SanFranBear]

I've noticed whenever hiking comes up as a general chat subject, loads of people jump in to say how much they love it. I thought there might be a general thread somewhere on this as I'd love to chat with people who walk regularly but couldn't find one.

Would anyone like to join me? I live down on the South Coast so am lucky that there are some gorgeous places for me to walk - the New Forest, South Downs and further up the coast in both directions. I normally manage a couple of decent walks a week, depending on DC's care pattern, as well as trying to get out for the occasional hour or so on other days. I mainly walk alone but do have a friend who joins me on occasion.

I'm quite a novice as only really started walking in February of this year and the furthest I've walked is just over 20k, but I'm finding it so liberating - I feel like a different woman after a walk, my mind is free and my body feels tired but satisfied, if that makes sense?

Would just be nice to have a friendly chat with like-minded bods. And perhaps share some photos - helps the weather is beautiful at the moment but I'm struck every time I'm out, just how beautiful our country is - even when I'm wandering in the inner city. Here's a couple of pictures from my Friday walk - a stunning church in a village in the middle of nowhere and some great graffiti on the side of a motorway underpass 😃

Looks like I may be talking to myself but that's nothing I don't do in real life, so feel nicely at home.

Despite the rather rubbish weather, I made it out for a 14k walk across the New Forest this afternoon. I actually quite like a rainy walk and my friend decided not to brave it so got to plug in my podcast and just enjoy my time. Meant I also walked further than I would've if she'd joined me, so not a bad result at all.

I saw the most beautiful rainbow today once the weather had started to clear up - as well as lots of obligatory ponies (and a herd of cows!)

Need to wash my shoes as got gloriously filthy but have made the mistake of sitting down - and now my cat is curled up on my lap so of course I can't move now!

I started going out for walks during the lockdowns. I live in South Wales and enjoy going out at least once a week for a decent hike. Im glad to see a thread like this has been started and will be happy to share walks and photos.

Oooh.. someone else on the thread! Welcome, LadyFuschia (is that a Gormenghast reference? I bloody love those books!!)

I went to University in South Wales and it is absolutely stunning round there - probably a few too many hills for me but I bet there are some incredible hikes!

I’ll join you @SanFranBear if only to look at the lovely photos you will undoubtedly share of the New Forest

I live on the edge of Snowdonia myself, but am not much of a high mountain hiker. I much prefer the (slightly) gentler foothills and coastal walks. Anglesey and it’s stunning coastal scenery is only a short drive away, so I feel pretty spoilt for choice.

I’ve attached a photo of yesterday’s hike, which was along the Yorkshire coast, where I’m currently on holiday. It’s absolutely amazing, with 1000s and 1000s of seabirds lining the cliffs. I did this same walk twice yesterday (!). Clearly I like it! Spotted a couple of puffins in the morning and barn owls hunting in the evening ☺️

I'd love to join this group but as an observer. I love scenic hikes but living in London, it's the local parks and woods regularly but I do like to get out once in a while for some good long walks.
I've joined a hiking group that gets us out of London for a day for a scenic hike but I've yet to attend one...

North Yorkshire here.

35-40 miles a week on the North York Moors or over in the Dales.

Have walked since I was a very young and couldn’t live without it. It soothes my mind and calms my stress. I get very uptight on a day that doesn’t include a walk.

This week alone I have walked the most amazing Bluebell woods, seen Lapwings and Curlews, watched a Buzzard clearly nesting, rescued a lost lamb who had climbed a stone wall and got separated from Mum and been joined for a few steps by a weasel.

Beats the daily grind anyday !!

I'll join in! I live on the edge of the Lake District, so am spoilt for beautiful places to walk. When we moved here, we pinned up a list and map of the Wainwrights and planned to do them all. Dh has done far more of them than me, because he's fitter, keener and his knees tolerate steep descents better than mine!

I do love walking in the fells though. The dc aren't so keen on long hikes, but they're now old enough that dh and I can go on our own. I walk ddog daily anyway, but really want to get out on more fell hikes now the weather is getting better!

A group of us meet up several times a year from all corners of the UK (wives of university friends) We stay in a youth hostel and do a couple of 5 hour walks.
I’m off tomorrow collecting 2 en route and can’t wait!

We’re about an hour from Cumbria and slowly started working our way through Wainwrights at the beginning of this year, although with a 5 yr old and 5 month old we’re limited! I love proper fell walking, the silence at the top is bliss. Bonus points if there’s a tarn for a quick swim

I'm in the South West and I feel so grateful to live in such a beautiful place. We try to get out for long walks every weekend. We only manage around 5 miles so I'm not sure that that counts as a hike, but the DCs are still quite young, hopefully we'll manage longer in a few years.

First photo is of some goats at the Valley of the Rocks. Second photo is of the Tors in Ilfracombe.

Beautiful pics and what a great idea for a thread. Another group (not the wives in a youth hostel mentioned upthread) are doing this walk. Covid meant it’s taking over 2 years but it’s a lovely cheap way to catch up with friends with minimal travel.
tfl.gov.uk/modes/walking/capital-ring
A little urban splendour- Abbey Mills Pumping Station.

Hello fellow hikers :) I live in Norfolk and hike every weekend if possible, though we haven't got much in the way of hills! I dream of moving to the Dales or Lakes but not sure if I could cope with the winter weather...

I prefer to hike alone, my favourite hikes are where I go two or three hours without seeing a soul. It's quite unusual to see lone women out walking unless they have a dog.

Oh, what a lovely thread!
I'll join for the lovely pictures.

Sadly I live in an area of farmland and not much else, so "hiking" isn't that exciting.

I love hiking!
I'm in North East Scotland and lots of my usual paths have been blocked since Storm Arwen. We tried one at the weekend and it was like the Crystal Maze or something.

Great thread! I’ll join please to give myself a push to do longer walks! Love walking ( can’t call myself a hiker yet but hoping to get there!)
Was used to doing long walks every day with my dogs but they are too old now so have dropped. Getting used to walking without one. Have tried group hikes but was disappointed to find I did not enjoy walking in a group. Happy enough on my own or with a friend.
Am in France.

I’m really hoping to find time this summer to do a couple of bigger fells. My sis wants to do Helvellyn so hopefully we will be able to find a slot! Not with the kids as we will also need to stay the night and drink some wine for restorative purposes and also I think my 5 year old would faint with horror

I just leave this here for some more inspiration...
(a hidden gem in Alsace)

Another hiker here - based in Nth Mcr so our walks are a combo of Wainrights (87 done so far) and local walks around Calderdale which is fairly close to both me and other half. Was trying to do all the Wainwright’s before a significant birthday but Covid and staying local put paid to that so I’m just dying to do them as quick as I can. we either do day visits or head up camping for a long weekend.

Loving seeing all the wildlife at the moment - curlews and skylarks are aplenty locally at the moment, and the ground is awash with bluebells.

Would be interested in tips for Anglesey walks c10-12 miles or so - visited for the first time over Easter and vowed to return.

I haven't got any pics from very recent proper hikes, but here's one of part of my daily dog walk 5 mins from my house. It's often the starting point for longer local walks too though.

@SweatyChamoisPad There are so many beautiful walks around Anglesey, that it’s difficult to go wrong! This website has lots of good suggestions:

www.alltrails.com/parks/wales/anglesey/anglesey-area-of-outstanding-natural-beauty

These are all tried & tested:

1.This one is fantastic for deep sea scenery & wildlife. Not sure I’d rate it easy though. It’s the only walk I’ve ever done on Anglesey that made my thigh muscles cramp up 😬 Worth it though!

www.alltrails.com/trail/wales/anglesey/cemaes-bay-extended-circular

2.Another one that’s great for coastal scenery, plus a bit of history & a very scenic lighthouse + puffins if you visit at the right time of the year 🥰 One of the UK’s rarest birds, the chough, calls this area home too.

www.alltrails.com/trail/wales/anglesey/holyhead-mountain-circular

3.This one is a bit long, but can easily be shortened. Lovely woodland walk with a chance of seeing red squirrels, followed by a sandy beach and fantastic views of Snowdonia.

www.alltrails.com/trail/wales/anglesey/newborough-and-ynys-llanddwyn-circular?ref=result-card

4.And finally, this one is in my favourite part of the island. Lots of history and stunning views of the north Wales coastline. Ignore the pictures, they really don’t do it justice

www.alltrails.com/trail/wales/anglesey/the-historical-puffin-circular

If you like wildlife, I can also really recommend Point Lynas, where porpoises and seals are pretty much guaranteed and dolphins a definite possibility.

Oh wow... busy day so only just popped back and I've suddenly got lots of hiking buddies! How wonderful 😊

Some absolutely stunning pictures posted - the one in Alsace is particularly beautiful, Ylvamoon - like a mirror. And TheVillageBaker - your second picture is like a professionals, just gorgeous!

I'm a bit rubbish at recognising a lot of wildlife beyond the standard farm animals and some deer and ponies. I would love to see a Puffin.. there's something so exotic about them. Those walks around Anglesey sound just the ticket...

And I'm also slightly in awe of those attempting big peaks - we have some decent hills and downs round here but don't think my knees are ready for anything more intense.

I'm heading out tomorrow afternoon for a walk through the South Downs. There's an old Iron-Age hill fort somewhere on the route which I'm looking forward to - that and the views provided the weather gets its act together - been very changeable last couple of days.

Thanks so much @CrimsonAlligator - will definitely check those out!

@SanFranBear - I worried about knees and did have quite a problem with them for a while especially on the big descents, but three things that have helped me are;
1 - walking poles. Watch a YouTube video on how to use them properly. I had a Sherpa in Nepal tell me he never walked without them. Also, don’t walk in boots that are too old - you need shock absorption.
2 - I started running to strengthen the muscles around the knee joint. Not much, just one or two off-road 5ks a week but it’s made a massive difference to both my knees and my lung function.
3 - HRT. If you’re a woman of a certain age like me, joint pain can be almost debilitating during perimenopause. HRT has basically given me my knees back.

DH and I walk a lot, some probably count as hikes. We're in Lancashire, can get to the southern lakes or parts of the Yorkshire dales quite easily.
Some recent holiday pics from Skye which were definitely hikes ...

A few pictures from my walk along the Yorkshire Coast today. Don’t let the blue skies fool you. I was wearing 3 jumpers, a fleece and a wind proof jacket and was still incredibly cold! 🥶 Gorgeous scenery though - caves, rock arches and so many interesting little coves. Can’t wait to explore a bit more tomorrow 😊

Moody looking Crummock Water from last weekend