Soft Hiking

Photo by Mark Squires

Soft Hiking

The perfect way to combine exercise, mindfulness and nature

 

What is soft hiking?

Soft hiking is a low-impact activity that’s redefining the approach to ‘traditional’ hiking. The budding trend is centred around immersing yourself in nature and exploring your environment at your own pace, staying mindful and open to sensory experiences.

Aside from the physical benefits that come with getting in movement outdoors, the mindfulness aspect that heightens with ‘soft hiking’ allows for moments of mental calm and improvement in overall mood. (Dr Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller, Chief Medical Advisor, AllTrails.)

It’s all about approaching hiking with a different attitude. Soft hiking is an experience, rather than a challenge, and focuses on listening to your body’s cues and walking more mindfully.

Ben Conroy, author and outdoor enthusiast at GO Outdoors adds: “Soft hiking is the perfect way for anyone to get into fitness. It is free to do, has no time restraint and no pressure to reach certain goals. The most important thing to do is to enjoy yourself!”

Benefits

A definition of “soft hiking” might go something like, “Soft hiking, as you described, is a more mindful and inclusive approach to hiking that emphasizes personal enjoyment and connection with nature over competition, physical challenges, or speed.”

This approach can offer several benefits:

  1. Accessibility: Soft hiking is suitable for a wide range of people, including those who may be new to hiking, families with children, seniors, or individuals with limited mobility. It allows more people to experience the joys of being outdoors and exploring natural landscapes.
  2. Mindfulness and mental health: By slowing down and focusing on the surroundings, hikers can be more present and appreciate the beauty, history, and geology of the area. This can lead to a deeper connection with nature and have positive effects on mental health, including stress reduction and relaxation.
  3. Social connections: Soft hiking creates a relaxed atmosphere for people to connect and engage in conversations, fostering a sense of community and friendship among hikers.
  4. Personalized experiences: The “hike your own hike” philosophy allows individuals to tailor their hiking experiences to their unique preferences, abilities, and interests, ensuring a more enjoyable and fulfilling outing.
  5. Sustainability: With a focus on appreciating nature and the environment, soft hiking may encourage more environmentally conscious practices, such as following Leave No Trace principles, and promote a sense of stewardship for the natural world.

Source: Mountain Hiking

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@softgirlswhohike

Soft Hiking Resources

Benefits of walking

Walking is part of every journey we make. It is important that people are encouraged to walk more often. As a regular activity, walking:

  • improves health and fitness for individuals in the community
  • benefits the environment by reducing air pollution and traffic congestion
  • provides children with an informal learning environment for their physical, practical, emotional and social development
  • improves local neighbourhoods when goods and services are purchased locally
  • provides people with the social benefit of interacting with others in their community
  • increases a sense of safety with more people out and about
  • is the least costly and most sustainable form of transport.

Source: Queensland Government

Read More

Walking

Put on your walking boots and explore the beauty and splendour of Queensland’s parks.

There’s no better way to refresh and reconnect with nature than walking in national parks. Our walking tracks will lead you through diverse environments, ranging from rugged rainforest gorges to peaceful forested creeks and long sandy beaches.

You’ll discover much more on foot than from the car window! Get up close to delicate ferns beside the track, glimpse flashes of colourful birds and butterflies flitting through foliage or gaze in wonder at picture-perfect views.

Walking tracks are designed to be enjoyed by everyone, from families with small children in strollers and visitors with limited walking abilities or who use wheelchairs, through to serious hikers seeking more challenging walks.

Tracks are graded from easy to difficult so you’re sure to find one to suit your preferences and abilities.

Source
Walking
Parks & Forests
Department of Environment and Science

Useful Links

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