Walking as a hobby - who does it?

Soldato
Joined
7 Aug 2004
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10,996
Yeah I like walking, I do it sporadically due to my job requiring I'm highly busy some months but not others. During quiet weeks I like to get out to the mountains 2-3 times, usually 2 times and hike with my dog. Snowdonia usually etc but looking to head to Scotland soon.

Hate cities and walking in town, I'll wait until I head to the mountains rather than walk there, aside from a couple of times around the block for the dog of course if I am in town.

But yes lately it's getting annoying just how many people are walking in national parks, can't say I blame them but maybe it's a sign of the times and how stressed the nation is, everyone is looking to escape.
 
Soldato
Joined
2 Aug 2012
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7,809
What do you think it should cost?

And...

Have you taken a cab lately?!

I am not saying that, on the face of it, that it is an unreasonable charge, simply a very expensive way of traveling. Now, there are specific circumstances where I would be happy to pay that price (#) but as a practical alternative to car ownership altogether... No!

For example, On the rare occasions when I travel to London, I use Cabs (Or Walk). I allocate £50 for this, It is not extravagant because I only go to London very infrequently. I do this because I am a misanthrope who dislikes public transport generally and have a particular loathing for the Tube! :p
An average car can easily cost £9 per day just to own (depreciation, insurance, tax, maintenance) that's before you even buy fuel to get anywhere.

Well, if you are the sort of person who feels the need to buy a new car every three years and take the depreciation hit, then yes.

By contrast, My last Car, bought 5 years ago, cost me £300 and apart from routine servicing and an exhaust back box, hasn't really cost me anything (In unavoidable costs, I did put new tyres and new suspension bushes on it, but I chose to do this. I didn't have to)

Now, of course I had the fixed costs of Tax and MOT as well (Insurance doesn't count since I have a Trader policy, but I accept that is a special circumstance)

But beyond that it is just fuel.

if I did the same journeys using a Cab/Uber instead of my own vehicle it would be costing me (At the stated rate) >£10,000/PA. And I am not even a particularly high mileage driver.
 
Soldato
Joined
19 Oct 2008
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5,951
I don't know if I'd call it a 'hobby' but if I don't go for two or three walks every day, I get restless.

Since 10th July 2013 I've walked

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That's an average of about six and a half miles/day.

I guess it's more lifestyle than hobby.
That's impressive. I love walking, living close to Dartmoor makes it more enjoyable, but been getting knee issues for a few years now so have eased right back. Trying to use my bike more at the moment but just not as enjoyable around city/suburbs as walking (danger risk on roads). I walk fast so used to try to average not much under 5MPH when on a hike or lunch time walk near office. I burn weight off quickly, or at least used to, and was about 10stone a few years back doing lots of walking but now 12.5 which is fine for my height but wouldn't mind lowering that back to 11.
Walking up hills and stabbing pains in the knees takes the fun out of it but need to start pushing myself again and see how I get on.
 
Soldato
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St Breward Cornwall
i do the coast paths afew times a week (around holywell area today) ive also got the moors ,colliford lake ,rough tor (pronounced row tor) on my door step so lots of incentive to walk .tbh spend more time sitting drinking tea sometimes
 
Man of Honour
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Vvardenfell
I grew up in a no-car family, so for a long time walking was my default transport. I couldn't afford a car until I was over thirty, so I simply got used to walking. I consider a mile walk to the shops to buy food to be normal. I walk about two and half miles a day to work (with a Metro for a large part of it). I used to regularly cover thirty to forty miles a week, but now it's down to about fifteen to twenty. For about eight months of the year I also like to get up into the hills to walk properly. I would consider a ten mile walk on the flat to be a just a boring trip, but nothing difficult. But I think that's due to a long period of time in my youth walking everywhere.

I should point out that I'm fifty-eight.
 
Associate
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I’m a postman so walk for a living maybe 10 miles a day, 6 days a week. I generally don’t walk anywhere if I can drive now.

I went to visit my sister who lives in a lovey bit of Cumbria and they wanted to go for walks but I have to admit I really didn’t have the energy. Just wanted to rest my legs.
 
Caporegime
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Lancs/London
I walk very regularly, locally as well as the Lakes/Yorkshire Dales. 2/3 times a week minimum.

When in London I walk whenever the distance is < 10 miles, partly because I'm not lazy but also because I detest public transport, especially the tube.
 
Soldato
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18 Oct 2002
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UK
Wife does about 30 miles a week, but my working means I only walk reasonable distances at the weekend so get in about 10 miles a week. Owning a dog does wonders for racking up the miles!
 

hux

hux

Soldato
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9 Dec 2009
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Dogbin
To work or town no, drug use is prevalent so take the car there.
But I'm fairly active, did 40 miles in two days with the camera gear. Didn't use the trekking poles as I need to buy me a camera backpack. But oddly it was easier and quicker than expected, but the toenails got a hammering.
Personally I love it, hate being cooped up indoors for long periods.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Nov 2007
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4,099
I’ve got some woodland behind where i live so i i usually go for a 30 minute walk to get some exercise a couple of times a week. Part of it is ip a long stretch of hill which is a good work out. When the weathers good its blissful.
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Nov 2013
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4,294
Walking is good but if you can somehow squeeze 20-30 seconds of sprinting between 2-3 minutes of walking (3-4 sprints in total) you get more benefits than jogging through the same time period. Do that 2-3 times a week at the end of your walks and you will notice huge changes in your body.
 
Soldato
Joined
11 Jun 2015
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Bristol
Only when I take the dog out for a walk. Bristol has a few nice wooded walks that I like to take both of the bitches on (I hope she doesn’t see this) but I don’t really do much walking. I should do more as I quite enjoy walking around and taking things in, especially abroad.

I barely do my 10k steps a day. As of right now I’ve only taken 2.3k and they were probably involving me walking to McDonald’s! Office life and where my office is, there’s nothing worth seeing around in Bedminster.
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Jan 2005
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Liverpool
But yes lately it's getting annoying just how many people are walking in national parks, can't say I blame them but maybe it's a sign of the times and how stressed the nation is, everyone is looking to escape.

If you avoid the honeypot areas then you can still have a quiet day. Easter weekend I was climbing on Carreg Wastad and there was only one other team out, last weekend for the Bank Holiday I went out round Moel Elio and saw about 5 other people all day. I could see over to Snowdon from where I was and the paths were rammed.
 
Pet Northerner
Don
Joined
29 Jul 2006
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Newcastle, UK
After a couple of weeks of extra walking to work I'm feeling more energized through the day.

As of next week, I'll be walking home too (weather permitting - I hate walking in the rain)
 
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