What is Hiking? A first look at Hiking

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Hiking -Encyclop�dia Britannica from Encyclop�dia Britannica Premium Service:
Walking as a recreational activity and sport. Especially among those with sedentary occupations, hiking is a natural exercise that promotes physical fitness, is economical and convenient, and requires no special equipment. Because the hiker can walk as far as he wants, there is no physical strain unless he walks among hills or mountains.

In its most basic definition Hiking is simply Walking for recreational purposes. A good summary is: �In Hiking the Journey is more important than the Destination�. Hiking could be your average Sunday walk through the park or it could be a three week expedition through the Andes mountain range. There are many words often used for Hiking depending on the hiking conditions, hike length and terrain: Trekking, Backpacking, Bushwhacking, Trailing and Mountaineering are just a few terms that could be seen as Hiking Disciplines or Hiking Variations. In their most basic forms all these activities all boil down to walking. If you are able to put one foot in front of the other then you are able to walk and you are able to hike. At a more advanced level Hiking could be seen as a starting point for learning Survival Skills, Camping, Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Navigation Skills, and a variation of other outdoor skills. A well rounded experienced Hiker is an outdoor expert with the physical fitness level, knowledge and mindset needed to deal with anything nature can throw on his/her trail.

When people think about Hiking they mostly think of nature, the great outdoors, a backpack and a tent. For most people Hiking is an escape back to nature and a great way to get a great workout while forgetting all about the day to day hassles of city life. On this website we will look at Hiking in the broadest sense of the words and look at all the different variations on hiking, the hiking skills and techniques and the Hiking Gear used. We hope this website can teach you all you need to know to get intrigued by Hiking and to get you going on your first Hike well prepared. In the next section we will look at Why you should go Hiking

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