Head for the Hills to Alleviate Stress
My partner and I love nothing more than to go hiking over the South Downs. Most weekends we try to get out for at least a few hours, breathing the fresh air and enjoying the spectacular countryside views.
If someone had told me, when I was a teenager, that one of my favourite pass times in middle age would be hiking I’d have laughed. But here I am, in my fifties and routinely hiking twenty miles or more at every opportunity.
We are immensely lucky to live in an area of outstanding natural beauty, surrounded by footpaths, bridleways and open access land that enables us to go miles without even having to cross a road. We love to investigate the ancient landscapes that surround us, long lost iron-age settlements, hill forts and burial mounds.
When walking we always travel light but there are a few essentials that we take along including a good little pair of binoculars and some lightweight outdoor clothing in case the weather changes, which it often does.
If you are in need of a little gentle exercise, and who isn’t, I strongly recommend that you stick some water and sandwiches into a backpack and head for the hills. You’ll hopefully find the experience as uplifting and invigorating as we do.
