I’ve always loved exploring outdoors, but a recent trip to the Alps taught me that the mental health benefits of hiking are about so much more than soaking up the natural world.

Over the course of three days, I climbed over 2,000m and soaked up everything the Les Contamines-Montjoie nature reserve had to offer. And despite it being my first hiking trip, it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with everything about the activity.

I learned some important lessons along the way, but one of the most profound was the impact hiking had on my mental health.

Hiking may not be a cure for mental illness, but the impact it had on my emotions and overall wellbeing was truly transformational. Here are three of the biggest things I noticed.  

The first bite of a meal will never taste better than after a long hike, trust me. While hiking may not be as intense as running, its steady-state nature means you end up building a hearty appetite throughout the activity. You also feel ready to eat as soon as it’s over – something I often find hard to do after a long run. Add an ice-cold beverage on top of some good food and great company, and you feel on top of the world.

Besides your heightened appetite, the simple things – a comfy chair, a glass of wine, a warm environment – feel so much better after you’ve challenged your body to take on a tough climb. The things you’d usually take for granted will bring you more joy than you ever expected them to, making it hard not to feel extra grateful for everything around you.  

When was the last time you just took some time to think? If you’re anything like me, you usually spend most of your days with some kind of company, podcast or other distraction to keep you busy, making it hard to find the time to reflect and sort through your thoughts. Being alone with your mind can be scary – especially when you struggle with your mental health – but a long hike is the perfect place to get familiar with your headspace.

Why? Well, it offers the perfect balance between mental engagement and freedom. Climbing up a steep, uneven trail requires focus – but not so much focus that you can’t ponder everything that’s going on in your life. That leaves you with just enough headspace to think things through and find solutions, but not enough that you start to overthink everything.

There are also plenty of sights and sounds to tune into, so you don’t feel the need to plug in your headphones – from the meditative sound of your boots striking the ground to the rustle of the wind in the trees and birds singing.  

There’s nothing quite like reaching the top of a pass with burning lungs and screaming leg muscles to make you feel accomplished. Unlike other activities, there’s no such thing as a ‘personal best time’ in hiking – it’s simply about reaching the destination. That means that no matter how slow you travel and how many snack breaks you take along the way, you get to experience a sense of achievement.

As someone who does a lot of running, this focus on destination over time felt like a breath of fresh air. It gave me the opportunity to marvel over what my body is capable of rather than analyse my performance and keep an eye on my watch as I climbed, so when I reached the top all I felt was a sense of joy and excitement.  

Images: Manon Guenot; Lauren Geall