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We all have that one thing, don't we? That one activity that makes us feel closer to our partners, unlike anything else. For us, it’s a shared love of multi-day hiking. It’s slow and quiet. Each day ends with an overnight stay. While it’s undoubtedly a grand travel adventure, it’s also a simple, powerful way we reconnect.
A Shared Project
The first step is a little like putting a puzzle together. Our first consideration is where we’ll be traveling to anyway — it just makes sense financially, right? Since our daughter lives in Scotland, we’ve mostly hiked there. We’re lucky: it’s a gorgeous, iconic place to hike with plenty of wonderful, well-marked routes with charming towns along the way for overnight stays — just like we like it.
Once we pick a hike, we isolate a 3- to 4-day section. It’s a fun, united effort — if one of us did all the research, it wouldn't feel like an “us” thing. Additionally, the anticipation is difficult to put into words. But it’s equally serious business: mistakes here will haunt us later. Stay tuned!
I’ll set the scene for you: with Scottish music and drams of whisky, we sit together side-by-side, mapping out the route. We obsess over the trail, cozy inns and geek out on the topography, mileage and bloggers’ comments. It’s part of our planning MO — another reason we invested in high-performance backpacks a few years back, another sign of this being our thing. Sure, you can have your bags transferred for you, but we like the discipline (and challenge) of doing it ourselves.
Unplugged Connection
Once we hit the trail, it’s pure joy — all the prior planning comes alive and each day is exhilarating. It feels surreal to be untethered from the reality of the day-to-day. Disconnected from phones and work, we just walk, sometimes talking about our adult kids and their adventures, work challenges, or things we’re reading and learning. Other times we’re silent, enraptured by the surrounding beauty.
In reality, multi-day hiking is a picture of simplicity and self-reliance. We rise early, have a full breakfast at our inn, grab our packs and walk, stopping for a packed lunch and then continue walking slowly. Out in nature on a trail, it's a grounding experience that deepens our ties.
Mutual Support
Hiccups happen and they give us the opportunity to empathize with each other. One recent example stands out. We were on the Great Glen Way over Loch Ness and had foolishly planned a 17-mile day. It sure as heck seemed doable, but once on the trail, we realized it was exhausting. Honestly, it was me who was especially pooped — my feet hurt.
There was a point when we were given an option to lengthen our route by a tad, taking us up even higher over the renowned loch, before reconnecting with the trail. Normally, we’d have done this — we’re suckers for great views, but we agreed that with what the day still required, the extra loop was too much. I knew my husband could have easily done this himself, but he stuck by my side. And truly, we couldn’t complain because we’d already had numerous amazing Loch Ness views along the hike.
Test of Teamwork
Even with the best-made itinerary, there are things outside of your control. When at home locking in our details, we were united, ready and rational. We packed for rain, a norm in the Highlands. But what we encountered instead was an unusual heat wave and our warm clothing stayed in our packs, unused, eating up precious real estate.
Our route that day had aggressive mileage (again!) — given we’re in decent shape, we fancied it’d be fine. But that unusual heat plus mileage wiped us.
When we realized we’d bitten off more miles than we could chew, we didn’t panic. Together, we adapted, consulting Google maps to find the first path leading us down the mountain to a bus stop. We agreed to save our feet for the following day. It’s really about flexibility and solving problems together. These were “us” not “me” moments. Looking out for each other — there’s no time for pride and sticking to a rigid plan. The goal is finishing in one piece, yes, but having fun together is really what this special time is for us.
Enduring Memories
We hiked the second half of the iconic West Highland Way a few years ago, and when we arrived at our destination of Fort William, it was raining hard. That final day was 100 percent wet, and we were dripping when we dragged ourselves to the trail’s iconic end at “The Man with Sore Feet” sculpture.
We were cold, and I could feel that squish-squish in my supposedly water-repellent hiking shoes. The crazy thing is, we just couldn’t stop laughing. We looked hilarious, and sure, we were definitely ready for hot showers, but we felt incredibly happy. Instead of heading to our nearby hotel, we walked into a brewery and ordered drinks and a wood-fired pizza.
In a nutshell, our “thing” that draws us close and makes us happy isn’t without its challenges and hardships. But that’s what makes it interesting, meaningful and fun. Every time we embark on a hike, it’s a new experience that is unique to us.
These hikes provide memories that last a lifetime and aren’t shared with anyone else. So, what's your thing?
How many of you love to hike? Let us know in the comments below.
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