Four Hiking Related Things To Do During Isolation
So, getting out to hike might be a little bit tricky at the moment with all the restrictions that are currently in place.
However, just because we have to stay indoors and not hike as much as we’d like to doesn’t mean we can’t being doing hiking related things.
In this blog, we’ll go through four indoor alternatives that will keep you going during lockdown.
The Timber Trail, New Zealand via The Hiking Society
Plan & Research
What’s the best medicine to cure your post-hike blues? By planning the next one, of course!
And the same sort of thinking applies here as well.
These lockdowns have put a halt to so many future hiking adventures both home and abroad, but it doesn’t mean you can’t plan.
In fact, there’s never been a better time to start planning and researching that next big hike.
Once you’ve decided where you’re going to go, you can then get into the best bits – how you’re going to do it.
And if you’re an avid hiker like I am, there’s nothing better than planning your food, campsite locations, water refill locations, and so much more.
Hiking gear via The Hiking Society
Cleaning Your Gear
I’d argue that the last thing most hikers want to do after they’ve come back from a hike is to clean their gear.
If you’re like me, all you want to do is just want to sit down & relax and go through all the photos you’ve taken.
BUT…cleaning your gear is a must.
In fact, you’ll probably find you’ll get a few more year’s use out of items such as your boots, tent etc. if you make a conscious effort to clean them after each hike.
So, now is the time to get out all of your gear and give it a good scrub to ensure it’s ready to go once you can get back out there on a more regular basis.
Outdoor Photography
It’s probably fair to say that hiking and photography go hand-in-hand with one another.
Regardless if you have a smartphone or a DSLR, it’s always nice to have a few happy snaps of your most recent adventure.
But often they’ll stay on your phone or on the SD card of your DSLR and…well…stay there not doing much.
This is an ideal time to transfer all of your amazing photos onto an external hard drive and keep them somewhere safe.
You might even take it a step further and select a couple of the best ones and turn them into framed photos.
Bridal Veil Falls, New Zealand via The Hiking Society
Learn How To Use a Map & Compass
Navigation skills, whilst incredibly important, are often overlooked as a necessity when we step into the outdoors.
“I’m hiking a track I’ve done a thousand times,” we might say to ourselves, “why do I need a compass?!”
Sure, the chances of you becoming lost and disorientated whilst on a familiar track are slim-to-none but it’s always good to have a compass and/or map of the area with you.
In saying that, learning how to use a map & compass is an incredibly handy skill to have in the event that you do become lost.
This is an ideal time to teach yourself about contour lines, bearings, magnetic north and so much more to ensure you are adequately equipped for your next hike.
These are just four things I reckon you can be doing with your time during isolation/lockdown that doesn’t involve actual hiking but are absolutely hiking related.
Do you have anything you could add to this list that you’re perhaps already doing? Leave a comment below and let us know.
John Feeney is the owner and main guide of The Hiking Society; an adventure company that offers the best guided hiking tours in Victoria.
