There are many reasons why people hike and camp, and what they get out of both outdoor activities.
Most do it because they enjoy it and want to see and explore different places of their own country, as well as international locations.
Other reasons such as mental stimulation and satisfaction would certainly be reasons too.
Personally, what I get out of hiking and camping is both mental and physical satisfaction.
While the basis of this article stems from my experiences, I have no doubt that other like-minded people will be able to relate.
Regardless of any of the stresses occurring in my life, they always seem to disappear when I am out on the trail.
I am calm, care-free and nothing bothers me whatsoever. I have this theory about getting lost and how it’s not such a bad thing. I believe this to be true because I am able to cope with such an issue with much more clarity than I would back home.
Now, that’s not to say that I am an absolute wreck when I’m at work or at home. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
It’s just that immediate problems are more easily solved when I’m hiking and/or camping.
I’m not a therapist or a psychologist, and I’m not sure whether it’s because of the abundance of fresh air, but there has to be some connection between the calmness of my mental state and the outdoors.
Furthermore, the satisfaction I get when I take one person or a group of people on a hike that they have never been on and enjoy is immense.
I’m a big believer that everyone should try hiking and camping at least once in their life. It’s my hope that they get to enjoy it just as much as I do.
Physically, there is nothing better than completing a tough day or multi-day hike. Particularly, one that you have planned to do for some time.
For instance, my first overnight camping and hiking trip was Warburton’s ‘A Walk Into History’ trail. It’s usually a one way, two-day trail from Warburton to Powelltown, but I managed to turn it into a circuit.
It took me two full days and 53 kilometres to complete. While I was fairly tired afterwards, I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.
I chucked my body into the deep end of hiking and camping for the first time and quickly found out that I was more than capable of doing both.
Why do you hike? Please let us know by commenting below.
