The benefits of walking in the mountains…
I had an office job a few years back. I worked crazy long hours and had no me time, let alone time to spend with my kids or to follow my passions. I definitely didn’t have a good work / life balance! I was overweight and stressed; my mental health was suffering. Things came to a head and I decided to make some changes. One being that I would get back into climbing and mountaineering, something which I hadn’t done for years. So, I arranged to meet an old friend to go on a weekend mountaineering trip.
I drove all the way to the Lake District on a dark Friday night and after driving along a rough track in the middle of nowhere, with the rain pouring down, I eventually found the remote hut we would be staying in. It was great to catch up with my old buddy but it was very late and so we quickly went to bed. The following morning I looked out the window and saw a view that took my breath away! The mountains!! We quickly got ready and headed out. Although it was still lashing it down with rain, I was grinning from ear to ear! This is what I had been missing out on!!
It’s hard to quantify why walking in nature is so good for us. On their website, the charity Mind https://www.mind.org.uk/ mentions such positive effects as: improving your mood, reducing feelings of stress and anger, helping you take time out and feeling more relaxed, improving your physical health, and improving your confidence and self-esteem. I 100% agree and there is growing scientific evidence of the benefits too. And as long as you are able, you can do it!
I would love to share my passion for the mountains with you too and hope to see you on the hill when the current situation allows. All the very best.
Clarke
