Why hiking is the new midlife wellness obsession

There was a collective degree of shock, awe and admiration when, back in June, it was announced that the Princess of Wales had completed The National Three Peaks Challenge: climbing the highest mountains in Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell Pike) and Wales (Snowdon), traditionally within 24 hours. 

Shock because it’s not something you expect a future Queen to do, awe because she did it with such grace and humility (and somehow, not a sweat patch or eye bag in sight) and admiration because she was doing it for a cause close to her heart.

There haven’t been many moments when I could compare my own life’s experience to a princess, but this was – finally! – one.

A month earlier I had climbed Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) at night as part of a Lace Up and Trek challenge for baby loss counselling charity Petals. The response from family and friends was mostly: “But Ali, walking to Tesco Extra to get an emergency family bag of Maltesers doesn’t count as training – you don’t even own walking boots.”

I’d signed up shortly after starting work at Petals. Having experienced their counselling myself after losing my baby 23 weeks into my pregnancy 12 years ago, working for the charity felt like the next natural step.

Climbing a mountain, less so.

It couldn’t have been more out of my comfort zone, If you’d asked me in my 30s what constituted good exercise, the answer would have been simple: running. Hiking wouldn’t have made the list. Not least because I live in Cambridgeshire, where the fens are flatter than my hair after a rainy school run.

But in my 40s, running has become less appealing because of the potential for injury. My daily exercise of choice is yoga, but I had missed the cardio and mental health hit of being outside. Perhaps this was my way back in?

Perhaps that’s why hiking has become such an appealing midlife fitness trend. It’s physical exertion that’s gentler on ageing joints, but it also has a point. It gets you out in nature, away from screens, and – if you take on a challenge – gives you a huge sense of achievement.

The health benefits are also considerable for midlife women. PT and online coach Ben de Zille Butler of BBFit says: “Hiking itself is an excellent way to maintain muscle strength, bone density and general fitness, which is key for women going through hormonal changes.”

Hills increase the intensity of walking, while uneven ground challenges muscles, balance and stability. Hiking is also weight-bearing, helping maintain bone strength, while the cardiovascular challenge supports heart health and fitness.

Ben recommends building leg strength into your routine: “Exercises such as squats and hip thrusts will build strength in the glutes and quads. Adding in single-leg step-ups and reverse lunges will help improve balance and single-leg stability for those tougher terrains.”

But the biggest win for me was the mental health benefits. There is something about being outside and walking through beautiful landscapes that brings clarity. In a world of political unrest, environmental anxiety, money worries and screen addiction, nature has a useful way of putting things back into perspective.

As keen hiker Oprah Winfrey puts it: “On the trail, you realise how small your problems are compared to the vastness of nature. Hiking returns you to yourself.”

It also gives you something increasingly precious in midlife: proper connection. My training hikes with friends and my cockapoo became valuable time to get some cardio in and put the world to rights. I’d finish feeling as though everything was back in balance – not just from the walking, but the talking.

I even went on a walking holiday with friends to the Jurassic Coast which was pure joy. Turns out walking, talking, hills and pub stops is my jam these days. And I’m not alone, According to MoneySuperMarket.com, UK Google searches for hiking holidays have increased, with searches for “Dolomites hiking holiday” up 540% in the last 12 months. The trend reflects a wider shift towards active travel and adventure-led holidays.

Community is also a key driver. Giovanna Fletcher has also built an extraordinary community through her CoppaTrek! events, bringing women together to trek, laugh, talk, raise money and challenge themselves. As she has said: “There’s something really healing about people supporting one another, sharing stories and celebrating being alive.”

It was my own Snowdon trek that made me finally understand why hiking can bring such clarity, purpose, community, connection and hope.

That night, we climbed uphill in memory of our babies and for bereaved parents still facing their own mountain of grief. For hours we walked and talked, headtorches lighting our way through the darkness. At the summit, as dawn broke over the valleys, we felt fear, exhaustion and elation – but mostly a huge sense of togetherness.

I discovered that hiking is about navigating difficult, beautiful, unexpected terrain and discovering that you are stronger than you thought.

I’m already planning my next challenge. Next year I’ll be doing another Snowdon trek and a 20-mile Jurassic Coast hike with Petals, and I’m considering a 100km trek around the Isle of Wight to mark turning 50.

After all, adventure has no age limit.

Now, hands up who needs some walking poles and Kendal mint cake?

Celebrity midlife hiking club

 

Fancy taking a hike yourself?

• Petals’ Lace Up and Trek challenges: Take on an adventurous walking challenge while raising money for Petals, the baby loss counselling charity. Choose from organised treks and help fund specialist counselling for parents affected by pregnancy and baby loss.
• CoppaTrek! with Gi: Trek with Giovanna Fletcher and a community of “while raising money to help end the late diagnosis of breast cancer. CoppaTrek! with Gi involves five-day adventures in spectacular locations, while the one-day CoppaTrek! Challenge offers half- or full-marathon distances in UK locations. 2026 destinations included the Jurassic Coast and Great Wall of China, with future treks now open for expressions of interest.