The Royal Spanish Academy defines hiking as "A sport that consists in walking following a specific trail or footpath in the countryside". This sport is associated with leisure, since there are no age restrictions and it does not require a particular physical condition. Its intensity can always be adapted to one's needs, so people can hike at every life stage. Moreover, it does not require specialised technical training or equipment.

In traditional societies, every land journey, regardless of its purpose, was done either on foot or with the help of an animal. The train, the bicycle and the motor vehicle were invented in the 19th century, and so travel changed over the next century. Almost simultaneously, the waymarking of footpaths began, linked on one hand to a "return to nature" in response to the development of large industrialised cities, but also to nationalistic political currents. Footpaths were also linked to Romanticism, as it involved rediscovering landscape and traditional folk as an identity element. After the Second World War, there was another turning point, once again linked to the stable waymarking of routes with paint marks, which became the norm after the creation of the European Ramblers Association and the establishment of this discipline in various state and regional federations.

It is estimated that the number of hikers in major European countries is: 40 million in Germany, 6.6 million in the Netherlands, 15 million in France and 15 million in England. In Spain, 4 million people practice this sport, which represents slightly less than 10% of the population. Among the federated sports community, only 1% do not hike, while for 53%, it is the only or preferred activity.

Sedentary lifestyle and obesity are two of the factors that most contribute to the poor health of the population in developed societies. Leading an active lifestyle saves lives because:

• It helps you maintain a healthy weight.
• It increases “good” cholesterol levels.
• It lowers blood pressure.
• It helps you develop muscle and bone in a healthy way.
• It improves balance and reduces the risk of falls.

To find out more: "Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health"

For all these reasons, hiking is the right activity for you because:

• You don't need expensive equipment.
• You can hike anywhere and in any season.
• It allows you to start at your own pace and to increase the difficulty gradually.
• It improves our lifestyle and health habits.
• It is simply nice to get together with friends and go for a walk.

Source: misendafedme.es