The late summer sunset turns the glassy surface of Loch Lomond a brilliant copper and, save for a few folks grilling by their camper vans, I have the whole of beautiful Milarrochy Bay to myself. I consider another wild swim – my third of the day – but with the light failing and another two miles before I reach my destination, I realize I’d better press on.
Some 45 minutes later, I’m rambling down the final descent of the day into the lakeside town of Balmaha in the near-dark, grateful to see the twinkling lights of town. After a 21-mile day of walking along a section of the winding West Highland Way, my feet are throbbing. My heart is singing, however. It’s been a full day of walking along one of the most glorious spots in Scotland, and now I can enjoy at the local hotel while I wait for my bus home.
On previous excursions, I’ve hiked this section with my one-person tent and sleeping bag, turning it into a multi-day adventure, but today I’ve gone for a long-distance day hike. I live for hiking and trail running, covering nearly 100 km on foot most months in my hiking boots and trail running shoes. I consider every adventure worthwhile, whether I’m taking a quick jaunt up a nearby hill for an hour after work or heading into the backcountry for several days of backpacking. But my favorite? It has to be a long-distance day hike like the one I've just completed.
I love backpacking, but let’s be honest, it’s a lot of work packing, preparing meals, setting up camp and breaking it down. Thru-hiking is epic, but honestly, after a week I’m excited to see my loved ones again and I like my job and life too much to check out for six months. And a short day hikes? They’re ideal when I don’t have much time, but I miss the feeling of really being immersed in nature for hours on end.
If you ask me, a long-distance day hike is the best type of adventure there is, whether I’m walking a section of a long-distance trail, hiking Longs Peak in Colorado or the Half Dome trail in Yosemite National Park. Here’s why:
1. You don’t have to haul as much gear
Sure, I love the excitement of loading up my Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor backpack and heading off into the wild for days, the thrill of finding that perfect campsite and the joy of waking up with the birds. But that level of happiness comes at a price, and it’s the price of carrying a tent, sleeping pad, bag and camping stove on my back, in addition to food and extra clothing.
Don’t get me wrong, I quite enjoy walking with a loaded pack, but you can’t deny the virtues of walking unencumbered, with nothing but a light daypack. Yes, it still needs to be loaded up with my water bottle, waterproof jacket, first aid kit, map, compass and snacks, but pound for pound, I can easily skip, scramble and scamper when I’m not being weighed down with overnight gear and that lets me move faster and more freely.
2. It’s long enough to get lost
I don’t mean literally get lost, since that’s never the goal with hiking, but walking for distances of about 15 miles or more takes me the best part of a day, and that’s where I really feel the mental benefits of hiking. I won’t say no to a quick two-hour blast of nature if that’s all I have time for, but walking rhythmically for hours is where I can really free myself of the grind of daily life, think around obstacles and properly appreciate the wonders of nature. It’s even better when I’m not thinking about where I’m going to set up camp for the night.
As I’ve written previously, walking helps you think and I find the longer you have out there, the more your mind can slow down, stop analyzing everything and simply open up to your surroundings. Also, let’s face it, for every hour I’m not on the trail it’s an hour I’m not looking at a screen, and that can only be a good thing.
3. It’s great for building endurance
I don’t only hike for the physical benefits, but they’re certainly an excellent side effect of my favorite activity. All hiking is great exercise, helping to strengthen your legs and cardiovascular system, and compared to higher intensity activities like running, it mostly keeps you in what’s called Zone 2 training, which means you’re staying in a fat-burning, aerobic state.
Zone 2 training is highly recommended for building stamina, prolonging life and exercising without causing injury, and it’s recommended that it take up the bulk of anyone’s training or exercise regime. As I age, I’m becoming more compelled by the benefits of increased stamina, which is the number one physical result of regular long-distance hikes. It doesn’t just help me be a better hiker, it helps me with daily activities too so I can be on my feet all day without tiring or getting grumpy, which my family appreciates.
4. You experience different parts of the day
Any moment spent in nature is a moment worth having in my opinion, but if you always go out for short hikes, you may only ever see the trail at the same time of day – that’s morning for most of us, or evening for desk jockeys in the summer months.
Hiking over the course of a full day is a magical way to experience many different cycles of nature, from the twittering birds at dawn as the morning sun burns off the fog to finding the shade of a tree for lunch during the lazy heat of midday. If you're interested in watching wildlife, nature come alive again at twilight when the temperature drops and you can pull your binoculars out.
When the low setting sun lengthens the shadows is one of my favorite times to be on the trail. Always hike prepared with a headlamp and you can even enjoy a spot of night hiking on your way back to the trailhead – if the moon is bright enough, I recommend switching it off or using the red light function so you can see the stars.
5. When it’s all over, you can sleep in your own bed
Don’t get me wrong, I love a night in a tent and with my Therm-A-Rest ProLite Apex sleeping pad and Sea to Summit Ember Down II camping quilt, I have my sleep system dialed. But nothing beats coming home at the end of a long hike, soaking in the bath and climbing into my soft, cozy bed in a cool, dark room for the best recovery of all. When I wake up, there's no tent to be taken down or camping pots to burn my fingers on, just that lovely tired feeling in my legs to remind me of my adventure.
