Every year more and more people head into the great outdoors to enjoy the beauty of the countryside with the help of their local hiking club.
Hikers come from every corner of the world and there are literally thousands of local hiking clubs to choose from, although searching for "hiking" will not always bring up the results you are looking for. For example, in England you are more likely to come across "hill walking" or simply "walking" clubs, while Australians tend to use the term "bush walking" and New Zealanders "tramping".
More strenuous forms of hiking, perhaps in mountainous regions, is often referred to as "trekking" and longer outings including overnight camping stops on the trail is usually called "backpacking".
No matter what terminology is used hiking is one of those activities that you can enjoy entirely alone, getting away from the trials and tribulations of everyday life, or with other family members or a group of friends and fellow enthusiasts of all ages and ability levels.
If you've never tried hiking then now is an excellent time to start. It's a very inexpensive pastime for the beginner and all you really need to get started is some basic equipment, including such things as a good pair of shoes or boots. Just how much gear you decide to kit yourself out with very much up to you but today you will find a huge range of equipment available from backpacks and tents to specialist men's and women's clothing and footwear in all the colors of the rainbow and at every price range.
For the beginner though a map, compass, simple backpack, windproof jacket and a comfortable pair of waterproof boots is really all you need to get started.
Our aim here at The Hiking Club is provide you with all the basic information you need to get you ready for that first hike covering everything from how to use a map and compass, getting yourself fit and basic first aid to finding the right shoes or boots so that you can get out and about and enjoy some of the world's most beautiful countryside.
Best sellers from
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson Amazon Price: $7.99
Customer Review: I love laughing out loud with Bill. Once again he cracked me up. I found this book slightly more tedious than all his other ones because of so much factual history and details about the national parks. But over-all, I appreciated his candor, relished in his irreverent wit, and laughed out loud. Thanks, Bill.
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer Amazon Price: $10.20
Customer Review: I was looking forward to reading Into Thin Air, I love mountaineering and Mt. Everest, and the life & death struggles that come with it, and nothing like sad tragedy to make me feel...alive and thankful.
I read this book in 2 days, but went from enthralled with the mountain drama to disappointed with Mr. Krakauer's growingly evident biases.
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My friend wants one in every city! Hopefully, there is one!
Central Idaho developers might close hiking trail - KPVI-TV 14 Mar 2010 at 11:17am
Central Idaho developers might close hiking trail KPVI-TV AP - March 14, 2010 12:14 PM ET HAILEY, Idaho (AP) - Two central Idaho developers say they will permanently cut of public access to a popular trail along ...
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? When Will the Big Banks Start Hiking Dividends? - Seeking Alpha (blog) 14 Mar 2010 at 4:11am
? When Will the Big Banks Start Hiking Dividends? Seeking Alpha (blog) One can always look to the preferreds of these bank stocks for a higher and potentially more reliable (athough not increasing) dividend. ...
Gov't official warns on home down payment hikes - The Associated Press 11 Mar 2010 at 3:13pm
Gov't official warns on home down payment hikes The Associated Press Democrats fear that hiking standards too much will cut off many borrowers ? particularly minorities ? from being able to buy homes. ...
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Getting Started With Hiking. If you are thinking about taking up hiking then there are a few things that you'll need to consider before you head out into the wilderness. Read More
Techniques For The Novice Hiker. As with most things in life the key to enjoyable hiking lies in the preparation and novice hikers should take the time to prepare themselves, rather than rushing in head first. Read More
Basic First Aid Tips For Hikers. While hiking accidents are thankfully infrequent and rarely serious anyone heading out into the wilderness should equip themselves with at least a basic knowledge of first aid. Read More
Take Along The Best GPS Hiking Device. Many tens of thousands of individual like hiking today and happily can now do so far more safety because of the arrival of GPS. Read More
Hiking To Divisadero In Mexico. Hiking around Divisadero in the Copper Canyon region of the Sierra Tarahumara in Mexico provides the hiker with both a challenging hike and some spectacular views. Read More
