Hiking is when people go for walks generally in rural areas and places of natural beauty, there are plenty of places specifically for hikers to take in the sights. There are many natural beauty sights around the UK that specifically build hiking tracks for people to appreciate them fully.

In the UK People generally refer to hiking as hillwalking or walking in the country, there is a wide scale of people that take up hiking now from young to old. If the hiking trip involves an overnight stay then it's commonly referred to as backpacking, and if it includes stop off's in several places it's known as a thru-hike to many people.

Comparing Hiking To Other Forms Of Touring

Hiking is one of the fundamental outdoor activities on which many others are based. Many beautiful places can only be reached overland by hiking. Enthusiasts regard hiking as the best way to see nature. It is seen by many as the best way to tour because it's less intruding and damaging to the environment plus it means the hiker can reach areas other forms of transport can't.

Rules For Hiking

Hiking is a recreational sport so it's common practice for those that enjoy it adhere to certain rules while in the country to ensure they don't effect the environment or spoil anyone else's experience. Here are some of the most common things you should follow if you are taking a hiking trip:

• When two groups of hikers meet on a steep trail, there may be contention for use of the trail. To avoid conflict, a custom has developed: the group moving uphill has the right-of-way. In other situations the larger of the two groups will yield to the smaller.

Hiking in a group increases safety, but hikers may wish to hike at different rates.

• Being forced to hike much faster or slower than one's natural pace can be annoying, and difficult to maintain consistently. More seriously, walking unnaturally fast causes dramatically increased fatigue and exhaustion, and may result in injury. If a group splits between fast and slow hikers, the slow hikers may be left behind or become lost. A common custom is to encourage the slowest hiker to hike in the lead and have everyone match that speed. Another custom is to have an experienced hiker sweep up the rear, to ensure that everyone in the group is safe and nobody straggles.
• Hikers often enjoy the silence and solitude of their surroundings. This enjoyment is disrupted by loud sounds, such as shouting or loud conversation. Some hikers purposely avoid loud sounds, out of deference to other hikers. Staying quiet will also increase the likelihood of encountering wildlife.