Us walkers are social folk, so the idea of choosing to walk alone might be a bit of a strange one. After growing to love it ourselves, however, we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the possibilities.
1) It lets you get some much-needed headspace
Solo walking is great for those much needed moments of peace and quiet that you just can’t get on family or group walks. Being by yourself, just you, your walking shoes and beautiful nature is great for your head. There’s lots of evidence to suggest that getting out into the great outdoors has a positive impact on your mental health.
2) Catch up on your favourite podcast, audiobook or music
If you’re not content to be alone with your thoughts, then you could try listening to an audiobook, podcast or just some music. There are plenty of free options so walking can remain the cheap pastime we like it to be. It is hard to carve out time to care for both your body and your mind, so this is an amazing way to do both.
3) Build your confidence at your own pace
There’s nothing like having to do something totally on your own for building confidence. We’re not saying you should try scaling Scafell Pike if you’ve never climbed a mountain before, but pushing yourself a little more every walk is one of the best ways to improve your skills. It may be that you and your walking partner are at different levels, or perhaps the people you walk with are content with their skills; whatever the reason, solo walking could be a great way to get better on your terms.
4) Experience nature the way you want
For wildlife lovers walking with partners can be a bit of a drag. If you want to hang around and examine a rare form of fungus and your walking buddy wants to power on and rack up more miles the walk can go from fun to frustrating very quickly. The best way to walk the way you want is to do it by yourself – unless you’re lucky enough to have someone in your life who’s happy to come too!
5) Fit your walks into your schedule
We’re all busy, and sometimes our walking partner’s timetables just don’t line up with ours – but that’s okay! Now that you know solo walking is an option, you could try that time next time you have a dropout or a scheduling clash. We aren’t saying you need to walk by yourself exclusively, but having the confidence to take on a solo hike when you need to is a great thing to have.
What are you waiting for? Get those walking boots on and head out for a wonderful, solo walk. Your brain and body will thank you.
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