Is a two hour hike a long way for you?

[Laura Corin]

We had a lady staying last weekend and went for a gentle hike in the Highlands. The path was well made, rising gently to the top of the valley and then returning. It was about four miles and we took about two hours to do it. I realised towards the end that the walk might have been a bit more than she bargained for. She's from Texas but now lives in London, where she says she walks much more than she ever has.

 

So would that walk be a strain for you? Poll to follow.

 

Laura

[Mrs Mungo]

We rather frequently go on 2 hour+ hikes and ours involve hills. We have taken many people on such hikes and only once have we had to turn around and go back early.

[KristenS]

I would have found it very difficult to do with no notice, and quite possibly even with notice. I have health issues that are not readily apparent, and that can cause me trouble with long-term exercise, even mild levels like gentle hiking.

[Liz CA]

We had a lady staying last weekend and went for a gentle hike in the Highlands. The path was well made, rising gently to the top of the valley and then returning. It was about four miles and we took about two hours to do it. I realised towards the end that the walk might have been a bit more than she bargained for. She's from Texas but now lives in London, where she says she walks much more than she ever has.

 

So would that walk be a strain for you? Poll to follow.

 

Laura

 

No, it would not be anything worth mentioning here, however, I live in the country and constantly have to run around the property. I also love to walk and do it as an exercise and have held a job up till recently where I had to walk in all kinds of terrain for about one hour.

It really depends on how fit a person is. When my mom visits, we have to tone it down with the walking - but she is 70 now.

[Laura Corin]

I would have found it very difficult to do with no notice, and quite possibly even with notice. I have health issues that are not readily apparent, and that can cause me trouble with long-term exercise, even mild levels like gentle hiking.

 

We talked by email in advance of her visit about hiking in the Highlands. I didn't specify exactly how long the walk would be, but she said that she would like to do a walk.

 

Laura

[MissKNG]

My husband and I walked about 35 miles in one day.

 

I used to walk 14 miles for fun (when I was single and alone).

 

2 hours, no problem.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

We had a lady staying last weekend and went for a gentle hike in the Highlands.

So would that walk be a strain for you? Poll to follow.

 

Laura

I would love to take a hike through the Scottish Highlands. Hopefully I will dream about it tonight. What a lovely dream to anticipate.:)

[KristenS]

Well, if she said it was fine, then it was. :)

 

And I will add, if I ever made it TO the Highlands, I'd certainly risk taking the walk. I bet it's lovely there!

[Jennifer in MI]

Sounds like a beautiful walk! 30 min/mile average isn't very fast. If she was in reasonably decent shape, I'd think it would be okay.

 

How was your friend on the walk?

[littlebug42]

I would probably be OK if I was ready for a hike. I don't think personally I would consider 4 miles a WALK so maybe her definition of a walk and your definition of a walk are just not the same.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Well, right now due to health reasons I couldn't do it at all. But last summer when I still had health problems (but not as severe) I could have done it without problem.

[Laura Corin]

 

How was your friend on the walk?

 

..gracious. But she dropped back with her husband on the way down.

 

Laura

[Daisy]

No problem. We routinely walk that far just down to the library and back. Proper shoes and good hydration, and our entire family would have been fine.

[cjbeach]

Hiking in the Highlands so lush and lovely, so much so that I can imagine that the time passed quickly. I'm sure she slept very well that night!;)

 

A 2 hour hike on the a hot FL beach here, now that's another story...

[elegantlion]

I could do it with warning. I have exercise induced asthma, it sometimes depends on the weather as to how my body reacts.

 

There might have been a difference in her mind of a hike vs a walk. That distance would fall in the short hike category for me. However, I would have gladly put up with any discomfort to see your beautiful countryside.

[Laura Corin]

I would probably be OK if I was ready for a hike. I don't think personally I would consider 4 miles a WALK so maybe her definition of a walk and your definition of a walk are just not the same.

 

I said 'hike' in my email.

 

Laura

[SproutMamaK]

I would have had no problem with it, and I'm extremely overweight.

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

I regularly (4x/week) walk 4 miles without any problems. The ground is flat, but we walk it in less than an hour. The hike sounds wonderful!

[SapphireStitch]

I would have found it next to impossible to go that far due to physical problems (fibromyalgia). I could probably barely make it without having to be carried :) but I would be out of commission the next day for all intents and purposes.

 

BUT, I would have questioned you carefully to find out a firm estimate of how long the hike was intended to be, the terrain, any resting spots along the way, etc. If possible I would have opted to walk part of the way and find a place to sit and wait for your return, bringing along a book or camera or knitting to keep me occupied. If that was not possible I would have remained at your house and entertained myself while looking forward to hearing your report of your excellent hike. :)

 

In the past I have overextended myself in a situation like that to avoid embarrassing explanations and also because I didn't want to be left out. With age, I think I'm getting better at being realistic with myself and with others. Perhaps your friend has similar unseen disabilities or perhaps she isn't a good judge of her body's capabilities because she doesn't hike often?

[chiguirre]

..gracious. But she dropped back with her husband on the way down.

 

Laura

 

If she had to slow down on the way down hill, she probably has problems with her knees or she's very afraid of falling (maybe she has balance issues). I wouldn't worry about it because she did agree to go.

[Gooblink]

Since you referred to it as a 'hike' I think 2 hours is reasonable. I signed up for a "Nature Walk" at a women's retreat not long ago, fully expecting it to take the 2 hours allotted. Well, it turned out to be a 100 yard skip to a lookout point and back again. Talk about disappointing. :)

[MamaT]

My family regularly hikes for several hours, sometimes up and down mountainous terrain. I would have had no problelm. It sounds beautiful.

[Dandelion]

We do hikes like this as a family 1-2x per week (even DD2 can handle it, although her pace is a bit slower and we do carry her now and then)... ;)

[Sherry in OH]

Much of Texas is flat. London is also fairly level. The changing elevation may have been more of an issue than the distance.

 

It would not have been an issue for me. My husband cannot handle hills.

[Stacy in NJ]

duration of any activity well in advance of beginning and let them judge if they're capable or not. You can then modify if need be.

[Veritaserum]

I would have been fine. Whether or not I would have been fine while also toting two toddlers and herding three school-aged children is another story.... ;)

[creekland]

Two hours and 4 miles? That's a SHORT hike for us... and we do hills or mountains. We could do that even after a long winter when we're more or less completely out of shape without any issue at all. (We do hike in the winter, but not as often.)

[AngieW in Texas]

My dh would have keeled over before one hour was up. My 17yo would have started complaining about 15 minutes into it, but would have been fully capable of doing the whole thing.

 

The rest of us would have loved it. I took my 11yo and 14yo camping two weeks ago. They love to hike, so we spent most of our time hiking various trails.

[Sasharowan]

I would have been able to do it, but probably would have felt it the next day.

[JustGin]

Nope, I could do it and I would have loved every minute of it. :D I walk 2 miles every week with a close friend, and I walk all over my small town. I'm not a serious hiker, but I do love day hikes and walking.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

I , too, have fibromyalgia. But, could easily do 4 miles in 2 hours. Now....the day after.... well, maybe I'd be in alot of pain.:001_huh:

[Annie Laurie]

The kids and I were just hiking in the woods today and it was about 2 hours until we came back out, I don't find that difficult, especially if you're taking your time and enjoying the scenery.

[lmrich]

before my foot injury that was my idea of perfect. My perfect day would be a long hike in beautiful country and an hour or two to read with my kids. Now I go on a long hike and put my foot on ice and read... not bad, just not the same.

[Alessandra]

A walk in the Scottish Highlands, home of my ancestors? I'd be there in a minute, if invited! I walk at least 2-3 miles most every day.

[BigMamaBird]

I see you live in Scotland. If I could be in Scotland, I would walk 4 miles on my hands and knees and thank you the whole way!:D

 

Seriously though, 4 miles in 2 hours doesn't seem like a lot for someone who's in good health.

[mcconnellboys]

Well, what was the altitude? If she's higher than she's accustomed to being, that might play into her fatigue. My father thought he was having heart problems when we were out west at the Grand Canyon and other places, LOL, in spite of the fact that guides kept telling everyone the altitude was going to do to them exactly what was happening to him.....

[Remudamom]

I don't think my arthritis could handle it. I have problems standing/walking for long amounts of time. I "hike" with the kids, I just cheat and ride a horse along.

[Lovedtodeath]

Well I am feeling very sorry for myself. I can't believe you all are so healthy.

[RoughCollie]

I'd never make it, due to heart problems, arthritis in my knees and bursitis in my hips.

 

I daresay the first gentle slope would do me in. After that, I'd have to stop every few minutes and wait for the pain in my hip to stop burning, and to catch my breath. The slope would make the symptoms occur faster, but it would be the same on flat land after about 10-15 minutes.

[Nestof3]

It sounds perfect, but if it were hot and full of gnats as our weekend hike was, I would have been miserable. It was in the high 80's, and gnats were flying in my eyes and mouth.

 

We enjoyed the same hike in the fall when it was cool, and it was a different story.

 

Here's the hike:

http://www.hikingupward.com/GWNF/BigSchloss/

[Lovedtodeath]

When I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia my physical therapist could tell if I had walked up a single flight of stairs. I was not supposed to do it as it caused almost permanent damage. I worked up to 7 minutes on a stationary bike. A good walk was down the street and back. I am amazed at the range of abilities within a fibromyalgia diagnosis.

[Dawn in OH]

When the family and I go for a hike, it's generally a 3+ hour event. I wouldn't normally bat an eye at 2 hours. Right now, 2 weeks postpartum, no I couldn't do it. I'm a bit out of shape at the moment.

[Jean in Newcastle]

When I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia my physical therapist could tell if I had walked up a single flight of stairs. I was not supposed to do it as it caused almost permanent damage. I worked up to 7 minutes on a stationary bike. A good walk was down the street and back. I am amazed at the range of abilities within a fibromyalgia diagnosis.

 

Carmen, fibromyalgia is a syndrome - a collection of symptoms, if you will. As I research my condition more and more, I'm finding that the reasons behind these symptoms may be varied. In my case, some of the reasons behind my fibromyalgia symptoms have been a severe vitamin D deficiency, adrenal problems, parasites. . . So when my adrenal issues are bad (like right now) I have a hard time walking up a single flight of stairs and could not do Laura's hike. But there are other times when I'm not in a flare and am able to build up my body, when I would have been able to do that hike without any trouble. Similarly when I go to fibromyalgia sites I've found a similar wide disparity in ability to do physical activity.

[Lovedtodeath]

 

Carmen, fibromyalgia is a syndrome - a collection of symptoms, if you will. As I research my condition more and more, I'm finding that the reasons behind these symptoms may be varied.

Yes I totally agree. It is so disserving to someone actually disabled to have the same diagnosis as someone who is in kickboxing class and washing their own windows. It is a major pet peeve of mine and I am likely sounding pretty rude.:tongue_smilie:

[Jean in Newcastle]

Yes I totally agree. It is so disserving to someone actually disabled to have the same diagnosis as someone who is in kickboxing class and washing their own windows. It is a major pet peeve of mine and I am likely sounding pretty rude.:tongue_smilie:

 

No, just frustrated. I've been pretty discouraged lately too.

[KidsHappen]

I have a hard time walking up the stairs and a walk around the block even at a very slow pace is extremely challanging. I suffer from chronic health and pain issues though and I wouldn't have even attempted it in the first place.

[Night Elf]

I have no health problems preventing me from walking but I would be uncomfortable with a 4-mile walk with no preparation. In my neck of the woods, we don't have a need to walk, i.e. I would never walk to the grocery store because of distance and the fact that I have to go down a highway with a speed limit of 55mph.

 

I walk several times a week and I'm doing 2.8 miles in about 50 minutes. And I am tired when it's over. I do Couch 5K as well, and I'm even more tired on those days. I walk on an asphalt track at the park.

 

What's done is done. You can always ask her if she enjoyed it and perhaps mention you didn't realize until it was over that it might have been a little longer than she anticipated. Maybe she'll say she had a great time! Or maybe she'll decide not to walk or hike that distance again for a long time. I would think if she had any health problems that would interfere with hiking or walking that she would have something up front. It sounds like you planned it in advance.

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

We live in the black hills and we hike in hills alot in the summer! Very fun! When we moved here 2 years ago my 2 little guys were too little. They did better last year but this year should be great! They should be able to keep up (and get tired out) just fine!! :D

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

 

Totally off the subject-- CONGRATS ON THE BABY!!!!!:D

[Amber in AUS]

Well, I would have thought that sort of walk would have been fine. It would have been fine for me and if i was struggling at any point i just would have said i need a rest now and I am sure that would have been just fine too. If she didn't complain then she most probably enjoyed herself. I wouldn't worry about it.