Do you like walking alone or in company?

[pdstsp]

Thinking about this topic and I got to thinking about my C2C in 2019 which I did with two old friends, with a third joining us at Kirkby Stephen.  This was one of my favourite outings ever, including some longish distance cycle tours, and I think a lot was down to the company and shared experience.  But I wonder if I would have enjoyed it so much when I was in my twenties or thirties, when, perhaps the macho or competitive spirit would have been stronger.  As it was, four middle aged giffers wandering through the countryside, chatting sometimes, and sometimes strung out over a few hundred yards, with a pie and a pint and a comfy bed to look forward to, was pretty idyllic

[MkPotato]

Walking alone is almost certainly the most effective way of covering distance and pushing yourself, as there’s only one pace to consider. I often listen to music (which is another divisive issue), but happy with my thoughts anyway.


I equally enjoy walking with my wife, but whilst very capable, she will not entertain more than mild scramble, and I’ve learnt the hard way to not take her on any scree-fests. (She was extremely unimpressed with the Glyder Fawr descent).

[Casual Ambler]

I don't want to hear any music at all.


It dulls the senses and I want to hear everything that's going on around me particularly the birdsong.

[Mel]

I walk for relaxation/pleasure whether on my own or with company. 
 
After reading the comments about how irritating it is to stand and wait for the slowcoaches to catch up I will be walking alone from now on as I am that irritating slowcoach.
 

[pdstsp]

No smiley face emoji there Mel, so I sincerely hope you are joking.  I can honestly say I never find waiting irritating, mainly because I know that walking with a group is different to walking alone.


And there is simply nothing irritating about waiting for you crossing a stream  .  Indeed it is one of life's highlights.

[andybr]

Both. At he same time. I used to be a dedicated solo walker but since I met my wife 30+ years ago I have mainly walked with her. We do, however, have quite different walking characteristics. I am usually quicker going uphill whereas she is always quicker when descending. Over the course of a walk we can often be far enough apart to lose sight of each other completely but always seem to come back together by the time we finish.

[ninthace]

My wife the same, no matter how far apart we get, by the time I get to the bar at the end of the walk, she is right beside me.

[WhitstableDave]

Thinking back to my earlier reply, I said that my wife works so I mostly walk solo.

However, I should have added that, as time has gone on, I've come to much prefer walking together than walking alone. 

Until a couple of years ago, my wife wasn't keen on doing long distances and wanted to walk slower than what was natural for me - especially up hills, which she really didn't like - so we had the occasional... er, tensions. 

Then, nearly two years ago now, she took up running. And now everything has changed. She enjoys the challenge of very long non-stop day walks (30+ miles) and she not only doesn't mind hills, she enjoys them - and sometimes she even runs up them, leaving me struggling after her. Fortunately, unless she breaks into a trot on the flat, my much longer legs usually allow me to keep up! 

(Neither of us has the slightest desire to walk with a group though, simply because we both see walking as more of a sport than a ramble.)

[Moorlander]

I don’t mind a bit of company, I have a walking buddy who comes out to the Moor once a week, he lives in one of them there towns, but more than happy to be alone.  I would hate to even guess at the miles I have done on Dartmoor, but I never get fed up with it, there is always something new to see, but if you want to yomp on, then I am not a great companion.


My hiking is always relaxing, taking it all in, using my binos to spot that Deer or bird.  Gently does it for me, not due to lack of fitness, far from it, but I just love where I am......So no rush.

[richardh1905]

.. but I just love where I am......So no rush.

Indeed. There are times when I like to push on, or have to, if I have a long walk planned, but it is not a race, and I am just as happy loitering over my local fell for a couple of hours, poking around looking at crags, trees, flowers, limestone pavement; whatever - just happy to be there.

[Strider]

Sometimes solo, sometimes with a group.  Advantages to both.  It's nice to have company and share the views etc.  but it's also good to have the freedom to wander without a set route or pace.

I walk for relaxation/pleasure whether on my own or with company. 
 
After reading the comments about how irritating it is to stand and wait for the slowcoaches to catch up I will be walking alone from now on as I am that irritating slowcoach.

I prefer to walk in short bursts and stop to take in the surroundings rather than plodding on relentlessly so I don't mind waiting for others to catch up, it fits my usual walking rhythm.  Sometimes I'm the slow one....

[pleb]

Hobsons choice, its solo by law, more or less for me now. I did one walk with company all 2020, just before covid struck.

[Dyffryn Ardudwy]

I do not mind walking in the company of others, but my biggest gripe, is having to adjust my walking fitness or experience, to fit in to less fit members of the group.


I know that sounds selfish, but when i have a particular walk planned, its very rare, for me to curtail the planned route, as i tailor each route to my own fitness and experience.

Years ago, i can remember many a jaunt in the Brecon Beacons, being cut short, or cancelled all together, when certain group members, found an easy enough walk too demanding.

When a walker struggles to keep up, you never leave them behind, you have to adjust your speed to theirs, which is not always easy.


Regular fit walkers, know their walking speed, and to suddenly have to slow down, to suit other's, is a nuisance.

If someone moans, and say's they want to turn around, you have to accompany them, because i know full well, if the walker gets lost, others will get the blame.

I can remember one walker in a challenge event, in the Beacons, getting hopelessly lost, resulting in an extensive search for them, simply because nobody accompanied them back to a known checkpoint, walkers in the group,just presumed the walker was experienced enough to look after themselves in the hills.

There's lots of pros and cons surrounding solo walking, but when you go it alone, you only have yourself to worry about, and if you feel full of adventure, an easy walk can be turned into a serious outing.

Its solo walking for me.

Going it alone, its up to you, how hard or easy you want to make a walk, and if a fellow walker does not show up at an agreed time, there's no issues.

[Peak]

For me it has to be walking alone as I don't usually plan anything until the last minute. I take the train from Nottingham to Sheffield and then onto the Hope Valley, the journey is spent with a coffee, a map and no idea where I could end up as I often change course as the will takes me. It helps that I am retired and single.

[Mary_walker]

I prefer walking with a family member rather than a company, you could walk in your own pace and make as many breaks as you want. But in harder trails it might be wise to be with a company.