Hiking is a simple sport which may be practised by everyone. This activity consists of following an itinerary which runs through paths or trails along the most adequate routes through valleys, hills, ranges, etc., allowing for visits to sites of interest as regards landscape, culture, tourism or history. At present, there are four types of hiking paths, the markings for which are blazed on stones or trees:
- Long-distance paths (GR-gran recorrido): their distance exceeds 50 Km. and their marks are red and white.
- Short-distance paths (PR-pequeño recorrido): their distance is between 10 and 50 Km. and their marks are white and yellow.
- Local paths (SL-senderos locales): their distance does not exceed 10 Km. and their marks are white and green.
- Urban paths (SU-senderos urbanos): limited to an urban setting, and their marks are white and red.
Hiking is neither an extreme sport nor requires demanding physical training, but it does call for a technique beyond simply walking. It is advisable to practice hiking in the company of another person, and remember: take a mobile phone and let a family member or friend know where you are headed. It is best to avoid areas full of bushes, thick shrubs and ticket. If you get lost and cannot locate the next marking on a rock or tree, keep in mind the cardinal points: the sun rises on the east, sets in the west, and faces south. Moss on trees provides another clue: they indicate north. If fog rolls in, one of the most dangerous challenges posed by a mountain, you must descend until finding a river and follow it, as it will always lead to an inhabited place. If an electrical storm catches you by surprise, you must: avoid high places, not carry metallic objetcs, and search for an open area away from trees.
The practise of pleasant activities, like sports, is intimately related with a positive mental state. Given the setting in which it usually takes place, hiking is presented as a relaxing activity since it combines direct contact with nature as well as leisure. Likewise, as a sport, it is a way to increase your self-esteem because once small challenges are accomplished, like completing a path of certain difficulty, for example, you will feel successful and motivated to repeat the activity again. In short, hiking is a gratifying way to fuse together sports, nature and culture, and, in addition, yields the beneficial sensation of self-sufficiency, control and competence.
The information published in this media neither substitutes nor complements in any way the direct supervision of a doctor, his diagnosis or the treatment that he may prescribe. It should also not be used for self-diagnosis.
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ASSSA advises you to always consult your doctor about any issue concerning your health.
