Walking tourism. Hiking, geography and continents for tourism

Despite the ever-increasing number of cars on the roads, flights, sea ​​cruises, on foot hiking trips remain popular among travelers. This is one of the types sports tourism and a great opportunity to travel the world.

The “sports” name for hiking is trekking. It allows you to visit the most unexplored and inaccessible corners of the globe.

If we talk about the sports component of hiking trips, then, by analogy with, they have 6 levels of difficulty. Thus, categories 1–3 are weekend hikes, and the highest category 6 implies the presence of serious obstacles on the route - mountain passes or gorges, deep rivers, rocks, etc. It is noteworthy that by doing hiking professionally, you can receive the title of master of sports.

Currently, hiking tourism is developed throughout the continental part of the Earth, and even in Antarctica. But it is most popular in Europe, the Himalayas and North America. And if people travel around Europe and America, first of all, to see new places, then climbing Chomolungma (the peak of the Himalayas) is far from an easy walk. Hiking in the Himalayas allows one to challenge oneself, overcome difficult climbs and enjoy stunning views.

Slovenia is ideal for hiking trips. This small country has it all: the beautiful Alps and... amazing nature, and cities with interesting architecture, and amazing Mountain Lake Bled with a small church on an island...

To cross dwarf country Liechtenstein, you will need no more than 1 day. After all, the area of ​​this state is only 100 square kilometers of the most picturesque mountainous area between Austria and Switzerland. And one of the hiking routes in Liechtenstein from the Swiss to the Austrian border is only 12 kilometers.

Traveling through Northern England along Alfred Wainwright's route is a walking classic. You will cross Great Britain from west to east, most of The path passes through the territory and heathland.

The Dublin-Dingle walking route will allow you to get acquainted with the beauties of Ireland. For about 10 days you will travel through green valleys, coasts, and mountainous areas.

One of best routes for hiking tours are located in France. There are about two hundred thousand kilometers of trails and routes throughout the country. You will be able to walk the paths of Brittany, wander along the rivers, visit the peaks of the Cevennes, etc. Traveling around the country, you will constantly encounter white and red GR signs on your way - roads for long hiking trips are marked there, as well as yellow PR signs – they mark roads for walking and hiking.

Benefits of Hiking

Affordable price . By traveling on foot, you save significant amounts on travel costs. Alternatively, you can sleep in a tent under open air, eating in non-tourist places is a great opportunity to see the world for literally pennies.

• Do not miss:

Cognition. To get to know the spirit of a city or country, seeing its main attractions is not enough. After all, the main flavor is in residential areas, in bazaars, in cafes and restaurants where they eat local residents. You can get off the hiking trails and admire the area in its true form, observe nature, and relax your soul.

freedom of choice. Walking tourism does not tie you to the schedule of planes, trains or electric trains. You can change your route at any time, linger in places you like, and visit attractions that were not included in the original plan.

Simplicity. Hiking is simpler than other types of travel in many ways. So, crossing the border on foot is much faster than by car. And, living in a tent, you don’t have to leave it at 12 noon like a hotel room.

• Read also:

Disadvantages of Hiking

Lack of comfort. Of course, traveling in the seat of an airplane or car is more comfortable than traveling on your own. And a hotel room, whatever one may say, more convenient than a tent. But if you are not picky in terms of amenities, this is not a problem at all.

Physical training. Hiking requires a certain level of physical fitness. Those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, move little and hardly run, will get tired on the first day.

Link to weather conditions . Every tourist wants it to be warm and sunny during his trip. But, if for automobile and bus tours Rain is more or less acceptable, but walking for several hours in the cold and pouring rain is a very dubious pleasure.

• This is interesting:

Despite the disadvantages, hiking is a healthy lifestyle and a unique opportunity to see the most interesting places our planet, while spending very little money.

All about hiking

Long, vigorous walking, usually on trails (footpaths), in rural areas in Canada and the United States is most often called hiking, while the word "walking" is used for short, mostly urban walks. However, in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the word "walking" is acceptable to describe all forms of movement, be it a walk in the park or mountain climbing. The word "tourism" is also often used in the UK, along with others (rambling, hillwalking, fell walking). In New Zealand, long, vigorous walking or hiking is called "tramping." This is a popular form of physical activity. There are many all over the world tourism organizations, and research shows that all forms of walking have health benefits.

Basic types of walking

In the United States, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom, “hiking” refers to outdoor walking on paths or rough terrain for recreational purposes. A day hike is a hike that can be completed in one day. However, in the United Kingdom the word "walking" is also used, along with "rambling", when walking in mountainous areas called "hillwalking" (literally - walking on the hills). In Northern England, including Yorkshire and the Lake District, walks in the hills and mountains are called "hill walks".

Tourism sometimes involves bush clearing. This particularly applies to difficult hikes through dense forest, underbrush, or bushes where vegetation must be cleared from the road in order to progress. In cases where the vegetation is so dense that it is impossible for a person to pass through, a machete is used. The Australian term "bushwalking" refers to both walking on paths and over rough terrain. New Zealanders for definition hiking use the words "tramping" (especially for overnight trips), "walking" or "bushwalking". To describe multi-day treks in the mountainous regions of India, Nepal, Pakistan, North America, South America, Iran and high mountain areas East Africa The word "trekking" is often used. Hiking over long distances with a known starting and ending point is also called “trekking” (thru-hiking). In North America, multi-day hikes, usually with tents, are called backpacking.

History of Hiking

The idea of ​​walking through the countryside for pleasure first appeared in the 18th century, and it arose from a change in attitudes towards nature that was associated with the advent of the Romantic movement. Previously, walking was mainly associated with wandering.

Sports tourism in the UK

Thomas West, an English clergyman, popularized the idea of ​​walking for pleasure in his 1778 guide to the Lake District. In the preface he wrote that he wants

so that people enjoy visiting the lakes, and for this purpose he provides the traveler with a guidebook; it contains and describes the places that travelers who recently visited here and the author himself liked most.

To this end, he described various places near the lake from which tourists could enjoy scenic views. The book was published in 1778 and was a huge success.

Another famous lover of walking for pleasure was the English poet William Wordsworth. In 1790 he began a tour of France, Switzerland and Germany. This journey was later described in his autobiographical poem "Prelude" (1850). The poet was inspired to write his famous poem "Tintern Abbey" by visiting the Wye Valley while traveling through Wales in 1798 with his sister Dorothy Wordsworth. Wordsworth's friend Coleridge was another supporter of walking, and in the autumn of 1799 he and Wordsworth undertook a three-week tour of the Lake District. John Keats, who belonged to the next generation of Romantic poets, began a walking tour of Scotland, Ireland and the Lake District with his friend Charles Armitage Browne in June 1818.

More and more people began to go to walking tours throughout the 19th century. The most famous of these is Robert Louis Stevenson's journey with his donkey through the Cevennes in France, later described in his Travels with a Donkey (1879). Stevenson also published the essay "Walking Routes" in 1876. In the next 20th century, many works in the genre appeared travel notes, which later became classics. An example of early American literature that describes a long walking tour is A Thousand Miles to the Bay (1916) by naturalist John Muir, which recounts his long journey in 1867 to study plants.

Due to industrialization in England, people began to move to big cities, where they often had to live in cramped conditions and unsanitary conditions. To distract themselves, many went to wander outside the city. But land in England, particularly around the urban areas of Manchester and Sheffield, was privately owned and trespassing was illegal. Soon, “walking clubs” began to appear in the north of the country, which began to seek the legal “right to wander.” One of the first was the Sunday Ramblers Club, founded by Leslie White in 1879. The first government organization, the Federation of Walking Clubs, was formed in London in 1905 under the patronage of a peer.

Attempts to legislate the "right to roam" across private lands were made periodically by Parliament from 1884 to 1932, without much success. Finally, in 1932, the Rambler's Right Movement carried out a mass trespass on the Kinder Scout plateau in Derbyshire. Despite attempts on the part of the police to prevent this passage, it was successfully carried out due to mass publicity. However, the Mountain Access Bill, passed in 1939, was not passed by many organizations, including The Ramblers, who felt that it did not sufficiently protect their rights, and ultimately account it was cancelled.

Following the Second World War, attempts to achieve access to land led to the National Parks and Countryside Access Act in 1949, followed in 1951 by the creation of Britain's first national park, the Peak District. Creation of this and others national parks gave everyone the opportunity to walk in the fresh air. The Countryside and Right to Travel Act, passed in 2000, significantly expanded the rights of walkers in England and Wales.

Sports tourism in the USA

One of the first in the United States to show interest in hiking was Abel Crawford with his son Ethan. They cleared a trail leading to the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire in 1819. This 8.5 mile trail is the oldest in operation. tourist routes in USA. The influences of British and European Romanticism manifested themselves in North America through the Transcendentalism movement. Its representatives, Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82) and Henry David Thoreau (1817-62), greatly influenced the popularization of walking in North America. Among Thoreau's outdoor and hiking writings is the posthumously published "A Walk" (1862). His earlier essay "A Walk to Mount Wachusett" (1842) describes his and a companion's four-day trek from Concord, Massachusetts to the summit of Mount Wachusett. , Princeton, Massachusetts and back. In 1876, America's first organization to protect hiking trails and mountains in the northeastern United States, the Appalachian Club, was created.

Scottish-born American naturalist John Muir (1838 -1914) is another advocate wildlife USA at that time. He helped Congress pass the National Parks Act in 1890, which created Yosemite and Sequoia parks. The Sierra Club, which he founded, is one of the largest environmental organizations in the United States. The love of nature and enthusiasm expressed in his writings inspired many, including presidents and congressmen, to take action to conserve large areas untouched nature. Today Muir is called the "Father of National Parks." In 1916, the National Park Service was created to protect national parks and monuments.

In 1921, forester Benton McKay came up with the idea of ​​creating America's first national hiking trail, the Appalachian Trail. It was implemented in August 1937, and runs from Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine to Georgia. The Pacific Crest Trail was first explored in the 1930s by a tourist group called the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association). It now runs from the Mexican border to the Canadian border.

International routes for tourism

Currently, hiking is very popular. long distances. For this purpose, tourists often use national tourist routes, including the National Trails of England and Wales, the US National Trails System. ​​" Big walk"(Grande Randonnée) in France, Great Route (Grote Routepaden) in Holland, Big route(Grande Rota) in Portugal, the Great Walk (Gran Recorrido) in Spain are a network of walking paths in Europe. There are extensive networks of long hiking trails in other European countries, as well as in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Nepal. Other Asian countries, Turkey, Israel, Jordan also have networks of hiking trails, but not as extensive. IN Austrian Alps, Slovenia, Switzerland, Germany, France and Italy, walking tours are often organized “house-to-house”, using an extensive system of mountain huts.

Since the end of the 20th century there has been an increase in the number of official and unofficial routes long distance. It is now easier for tourists to use existing trail systems than to organize their own excursion route. The oldest examples of interurban paths are the Appalachian Mountain Trails in the USA and the Pennine Way in the UK. Some travelers view the pilgrimage routes as tourist routes, for example the North Downs Way is very close to the Pilgrimage Way to Canterbury.

The time required for a hike can be estimated using Naismith's rule or Tobler's hiking function.

Walking Equipment

The list of things needed for a hike depends on its duration, but even for short walks, tourists take at least water, food, a map of the area and waterproof clothing. Climbers typically wear durable hiking boots for mountain walking and hiking - they are comfortable for long walks and offer good foot protection. The Mountaineering Club has developed a list of ten essential items for hiking. It includes a compass, trekking poles, sunglasses, sunscreen, flashlight, first aid kit, flint and knife. Other organizations also recommend hats, gloves, insect repellent, and a thermal blanket. A GPS navigation device will also be useful, and route maps can be used as a guide.

Proponents of backpacking "light" argue that a large number of necessary items for multi-day hikes increases the weight of the backpack, and therefore fatigue, and the likelihood of injury. Instead, they recommend reducing the weight of the pack to make long-distance backpacking easier. Even the use of hiking boots for long hikes is controversial among "ultralight" hikers, due to their weight.

Environmental impact

A large number of tourists can cause serious harm to nature if they do not take care of it. For example, constant deforestation can deprive the alpine region of valuable nutrients and have dire consequences. Some animal species, such as martens and bighorn sheep, are very sensitive to the presence of humans, especially during the mating season. Typically, protected areas have rules aimed at protecting environment and minimizing harm. Such rules include a ban on lighting fires in the forest, setting up tents only in designated areas, removing garbage and waste, and limiting the number of tourists. Many travelers subscribe to the Leave No Trace philosophy, meaning they take cleaning up their litter, food waste and other environmental impacts very seriously.

Garbage and waste left by travelers cause great harm to nature; they can pollute water bodies and cause illness to other tourists. To reduce the risk of bacterial contamination, it is recommended to make so-called "Cat Pits" 10 to 25 cm (4 to 10 inches) deep, depending on the local soil composition, and bury them after use. Such pits should be made no closer than 60 meters (200 feet) from reservoirs and springs.

Fire is a particular source of danger, and even one traveler can cause enormous damage to an ecosystem. For example, in 2005, a Czech tourist caused 7% of burnout National Park Torres del Paine in Chile, knocking over an alcohol burner.

Travel etiquette

Sometimes travelers' actions cause inconvenience to other people nearby. To minimize conflicts, the so-called tourist etiquette was developed. His general rules are:

When two groups of tourists meet on a steep path, the group going uphill has the right of first passage.

Many tourists find it difficult to constantly walk at a speed higher than their own. This increases fatigue and can lead to injury. But if the group consists of fast and slow tourists, slow travelers may fall behind or get lost. Therefore, as a rule, slower tourists go ahead, setting the pace for the entire group. There is also a rule for experienced travelers to close the chain of travelers to make sure that everything is in order in the group.

Climbers try to avoid shouting or talking loudly, or using mobile phones or music. However, in countries where bears are found, tourists use noise as a precaution by using whistles or bells.

Tourists try not to change anything in the lands through which they travel. This can be done by following established routes, not picking up plants, and picking up trash after yourself. The Leave No Trace movement suggests adhering to the following principles when hiking: “Leave only footprints. Take only photos. Kill only time. Keep only memories.”

Feeding wild animals is dangerous. This can cause harm to both animals and people.

Hiking rules

During a hike, you can find yourself in a dangerous area, become a victim of inclement weather, get lost, or one of the tourists may experience an exacerbation of a chronic disease. Hazards, accidents or illnesses that tourists encounter include, for example, diarrhea, one of the most common diseases affecting tourists in the United States.

Potential dangers also include dehydration, frostbite, hypothermia, sunburn, sunstroke, as well as injuries such as ankle sprains and fractures.

Be aware of potential hazards such as attacks from animals (mammals (such as bears), reptiles (such as snakes), or insects) or contact with poisonous plants that can cause a rash (such as poison ivy, poison oak, stinging nettle). In some places you should be wary of attacks from other people. Lightning is also a threat, especially at higher elevations.

Traveling in glaciers is potentially dangerous due to possible cracks. Giant cracks in the ice can sometimes be hidden under the snow. To cross a glacier, ropes, crampons and ice axes are usually required. Deep, fast-moving rivers pose another danger. To cross them, as a rule, ropes are needed.

In some countries, borders may not be well marked. In 2009, three Americans were arrested in Iran for traveling across the border between Iran and Iraq. It is also illegal to cross the border into the US from Canada while hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail. However, crossing from south to north is much easier and can be done if the Canada Border Services Agency takes certain measures. In the Schengen area, which includes most EU countries and associate members such as Switzerland and Norway, there are no barriers to crossing along the way.

Types of hiking

Dog tourism is hiking with dogs wearing equipment.

Traveling by llama walking in the polar regions.

“Climbing” is “non-technical” rock climbing/mountaineering, or “technical” hiking.

Water trips

Waterfalling is a well-known type of hiking, hiking with the goal of finding waterfalls and enjoying their grandeur and beauty.

Sports tourism competitions

Cross-country ski racing is a form of travel on skis.

Hill running - In England and Wales this is running over rough mountainous terrain, often off-road. In Scotland and Ireland it is called "hill running". This sport is similar to mountain running.

Hiding places is a treasure hunting game.

Orienteering is a sport that involves finding your way with a map and compass.

Hiking to the tops of the mountains.

River trekking is a combination of trekking and mountaineering, and sometimes river rafting.

Rogaining is long-distance hiking over rough terrain.

Hiking in deep snow.

"Pioneers" - known as "Breaking the Way" in Europe.

Walking tourism is a type of sports tourism. Trekking (that’s what this type of tourism is called in English language) is a hiking trip over rough terrain, and its participants are untrained people (tourists). Hiking is preferred by amateurs active rest, since he is able to bring a lot of vivid impressions into their tourist life.

In addition, hiking tourism has significant freedom in choosing routes, which, undoubtedly, can be attributed to its advantages. And if the route you have chosen also contains many different natural obstacles, then hiking can become combined and turn into, for example, pedestrian-water or mountain-pedestrian.

Walking tourism is less expensive than other types. Since in this case less comfortable places for accommodation are used, this type of tourism can be afforded by citizens with a relatively low level of income. Organizing hiking trips is relatively simple. As for the complexity of the routes, the options here can be very different: excursions and weekend hikes, and more difficult definitive hikes.

Since a large group of tourists is quite difficult to manage, tourist groups do not exceed 12 people (minimum 6 people). Pre-trip training is often carried out, weekend hikes are organized, as well as tourist competitions. These events are aimed at ensuring that hiking participants get to know each other better, which will certainly contribute to a healthy atmosphere in the group.

Particular attention should be paid to tourists’ equipment, first aid kits, and provisions. At the same time, do not forget about the weight of the backpack, because you will have to carry it over your shoulders. It is advisable that the backpack be as light as possible, but not at the expense of important things during the trip.

On the eve of each major hike, it is necessary to draw up all route documents, determine control dates and points along the route, and register with the control and rescue service in the area of ​​the future hike. The route and qualification commission of the tourist club can help in organizing these moments. It is also necessary to have cards with detailed diagrams and detailed descriptions of the most complex and important route sections.

It is no secret that the success of a trip largely depends on the organizer. The role of the organizer, of course, should be an authoritative, demanding person who has experience in participating in more complex tourist trips.

When scheduling a hiking trip, days for rest and reserve time in case of bad weather should be taken into account. In the first days of the hike, it is not recommended to plan long treks and overcome difficult areas where significant physical exertion is required (for example, mountain passes). At the same time, it is also not worth leaving them until the end of the hiking trip, because at this time fatigue begins to appear, and the level of attention and reaction decreases. The most optimal and safe time The best time to travel is in the morning, especially in mountainous areas. In forests it is advisable to use paths, even if the travel time increases. It is also better to cross the river in the morning at low water, in the place where it branches into several branches and flows more calmly.

In general, if a hiking trip is organized properly, and when exploring the route, all participants adhere to safety precautions, then the trip will turn out to be really interesting and safe.

Hiking, or trekking (from the English trekking - to cross, move, make a big transition) is a popular type of sports tourism, the main advantages of which are:

• mass character;
• in most cases, there is no need for special sports training (it is enough to simply be in good physical shape and have the endurance required for the level of difficulty of the route);
• availability.

Hiking millions of fans active tourism annually travel across all continents of the planet, reaching even its most remote corners. Despite the fact that the classic option for hiking is to cover a route through slightly rough terrain, many hiking trips are accompanied by hiking in the mountains. require more serious preparation from participants, the level of which is determined by the complexity of the route.

Hiking: tourism from “A” to “Z”

What a traveler needs to know when going to hiking:

• Each hike has its own level of difficulty. In sports tourism, trekking is classified into 9 levels of difficulty. The assignment of a route to one or another difficulty category depends on the presence of local obstacles, geographical features, intensity of the route, its length and duration;
• Hiking in the mountains requires special physical preparation, since an unprepared body may inadequately respond to high-altitude conditions, which require adaptation even for experienced tourists;
• Hiking requires special hiking clothing, shoes and equipment. All of the above is selected based on the climatic conditions of the active tour and the characteristics of the area;
• any malaise should be a reason to refuse the trip, since on foot the malaise may worsen. When traveling, your illness can become an obstacle not only in your path, but also disrupt the plans of the group members;
• if you are traveling to hiking, tourism according to the “all-inclusive” system and the habits accompanying it, forget or put it aside for a while - we are talking about drinking alcoholic beverages. , involving difficult hiking trips, including mountain tours , completely exclude alcohol consumption, the rest are significantly limited;
• When going on hiking trips, carefully study the safety rules and strictly adhere to them in hiking conditions.

Hiking trips from the Direction club: the exoticism of distant travels and the unexplored hinterlands of Russia.

Hiking trips are good because they practically do not limit participants in the choice of travel destinations. In almost any country, on any continent, you will find active tours that include a walking part of the route.

What to choose? Close, but not always well studied Russia (the proximity of some of its regions traditional for sports tourism is also very relative) or distant exotic countries? Each tourist trip has its own charm, and our planet is so large and diverse that you can study it all your life.

The “Destination” tourism club offers you original tours to the most interesting places on earth, including Russia, countries far and near abroad, quite “civilized” Europe and unexplored Africa. .

Trekking trips are included in the program of most of our tours, including short and long routes.

Hiking in Russia and CIS countries

Russia is a country of endless opportunities for active tourism. Plains, lakes, mountains, volcanoes, hills - you will find all this on the map of our country, and any exotic state will envy such natural beauties that nature has so generously endowed us with. Having not had the opportunity to travel abroad for a long time, when it appeared, we rushed together to explore distant shores, forgetting about the tourism opportunities of our country.

Fortunately, in last years the situation is improving, and such “pearls” of our nature as Baikal, the Khibiny Mountains, the Chuya Alps, the Kamchatka volcanoes (it’s impossible to list them all) have become places of pilgrimage not only for Russian, but also for foreign tourists.

Active tours, the routes of which are offered by the Direction club, include hiking in Kamchatka, Altai, Baikal, Transbaikalia, the Kola Peninsula and many others. Some of them can be mastered by beginners who have adequate physical fitness, others are intended for travelers with experience in hiking and mountain climbing. When studying the routes of our signature tours, pay attention to the information about the required level of training of their participants.

Our neighbors also have something to see - in Armenia, Abkhazia, Kyrgyzstan and Crimea.

Every active tour is studied by the instructor regarding the optimal choice of route, timing, overnight stays, etc.

European Hiking Routes

Europe is a continent with many faces, with a variety of landscapes, climatic zones and natural conditions. Despite the high population density, Europe has a huge number of protected areas that amaze with their untouched beauty(the main thing is to know where to look).

Ecotourism, which is gaining increasing popularity in Europe, is attracting new supporters of active walking tours or trekking, opening up new routes and countries. Among the most popular hiking destinations:

• travel around alpine mountains and foothills, far from traditional ski trails;
• ecotours to Montenegro, Greece, Romania, Spain;
• the most interesting hiking trips in Scandinavia, Cyprus, Crete, Tenerife, etc.

Unusual tours for exotic lovers

For those for whom the concept of active tourism is inextricably linked with the exoticism of distant travels, we invite you to test your strength in difficult but interesting routes across Africa (with the conquest of the Marumukutru volcano), exciting mountain hikes to the peaks of the Elbrus region and the Legendary Mount Ararat and much more.

Choosing hiking trips difficult routes, always realistically assess your strengths and follow the advice of our instructors, and then all your goals will be successfully achieved and roads will be conquered.

Fresh air, amazing scenery, new experiences every day: hiking is wonderful!

If you have always dreamed of trying yourself in this daring endeavor, but are still not sure whether the pleasure is worth the time spent, then we have highlighted for you some important points on how to prepare yourself and what to expect along the way.

Today words such as “trekking, backpacking and hiking” are becoming very popular. All of them relate to the type of active recreation, and the last one is exactly our topic.

What is hiking

Hiking is a long walk, one of the ways of hiking. Hiking culture is well developed abroad, but even in Russia, hiking is a very popular phenomenon.

Is hiking useful?

First of all, hiking is good for your health. It may seem like you're only using your legs while hiking, but in reality, all the muscles in your body are working.

This type of rest develops cardiorespiratory endurance, which is very important if you play sports, even if only to keep yourself in shape. Hiking can also keep your muscles toned, control your weight, improve your metabolism, and, according to the American Hiking Society, it can reduce stress and anxiety.

Among other things, hiking is a kind of meditation for body and spirit. After all, hiking interesting experience or just an opportunity to have a good summer, be inspired by new experiences and gain useful skills.

Where to begin

It's quite difficult to prepare for a hike if you don't know your route. Therefore, we advise you to start preparing for hiking by choosing a path. There are several hiking options for beginner hikers. You can choose already laid out routes, join a group of tourists, or go somewhere on your own path with friends or alone. One of the popular types of hiking today is urban hiking. It is suitable for those who want to try themselves in this type of recreation, but do not expect wild conditions. City hiking is an opportunity to discover interesting places in your own or any other city. There are also special routes for this type of tourism.

On hiking websites you can find useful information about where to go, what season and weather is best to do it and which route is right for you. Some of the most popular routes in our country are Karelia, Crimea, the European part of Russia, and the North Caucasus.

Guidebooks for beginners and others are also suitable for choosing routes, but the disadvantage of such publications is that they do not always provide up-to-date information about the current state of the route, and this can let you down along the way.

Foreign websites about hiking advise joining the appropriate club, where you can find like-minded people or simply specialists who periodically monitor popular routes and regularly provide information about trails in a given area.

If you decide to try your hand at hiking abroad, then here are some clubs that will help you decide: Adirondack Mountain Club, Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club.

Physical training

Hiking is fun and requires stamina and some physical fitness. Even though hiking sounds like a walk, add a backpack, a difficult mountain route, changes in weather, and you will understand that it is not so carefree and easy. But you shouldn’t give up this type of vacation forever. All you need is preliminary preparation.

Most the best option prepare yourself for hiking, of course, yoga, as the same American Hiking Society advises. The exercises included in the basic yoga course will help you develop endurance, strength and flexibility, which will be useful on the road.

It’s also worth remembering breathing exercises, and if yoga is not your thing, then regular fitness or an evening jog is an ideal option.

However, health problems should not be neglected. It is best to consult a doctor in advance about your general condition and possibly get useful tips about how to better prepare yourself for physical activity.

Who to go hiking with

Today, solo hikes are very popular, because this is a unique opportunity to test yourself in unusual conditions, test your strength and endurance, and simply be alone with your thoughts and feelings.

But don't give up on simple fun, because in the right company, hiking can be a good time for you and your friends. It’s easier to organize such a trip if you just want to relax with friends in nature, while doing something really good for your body.

But if the purpose of your trip is more serious, then a suitable environment may become a necessity. Experts from the American Hiking Society advise going on a hike with a group of at least 4 people, in case someone gets injured, two can go for help, and the injured person will not be left alone. For particularly dangerous routes there is a limit of 10 people.

Equipment

Even though in the distant 80s tourists wore jeans and felt shirts in any weather, on any terrain, this does not mean that you should also neglect the right clothes. Fortunately, today there are many worthy brands that offer everything you need for hiking, because half the success of your hike lies in the right equipment.

The most important rule: stay dry. Choose clothes that are designed to keep you warm and won't get completely wet.

Thermal underwear may not be worn on summer season, otherwise you will be too hot. Clothing should not be made from natural cotton, as it dries too quickly and can cause irritation. Shoes should be light and waterproof. Choose your shoes carefully, as the model you buy lightly will let you down along the way. You should also pay attention to accessories: hats, backpacks, glasses.

When going on a hike, don’t forget about the things that a novice tourist needs to have on the road. Here is a list of 10 important things you will need to purchase.

• Map
• Compass
• Protective cream against sun and insects
• Food and water
• Head flashlight
• Spare clothes
• First aid kit
• Matches or lighter
• Campfire set

Food on a hike

The most important thing in hiking is not to forget about water. Your body will need a lot of fluid, so make sure you have at least 2 liters of it every day. Pure water will be worth its weight in gold if the path you have chosen is not rich in natural sources.
Physical activity, as you know, burns calories, which can have a negative impact on your well-being during the hike. Don't forget to make sure you have something to eat. To get the right amount of calories, a bar with cereals and nuts is best. This option is not only good for vegans. Apples and dried meat will also be very useful. Everything else is up to you. Try to choose high-calorie snacks and avoid perishable foods; you should not overuse canned food.

Is it worth it

Hiking is definitely one activity worth trying as it is suitable for almost everyone. The obvious advantages of hiking are that you can choose the route yourself and adapt it to your needs and desires. Physical training does not go beyond a healthy lifestyle, and equipment can be found in any tourist or just a sports store, but the impressions you get will be unforgettable for both you and your friends. Who knows, you might discover something new along the way.