That’s right, you read that title correctly. I have chosen to explore hiking as my topic for my free inquiry project (!).

Here are some components to my project:

  1. I want to attempt hikes I’ve never done before. I think completing new hikes will give me a higher level of satisfaction.
  2. I’m interested in exploring the relaxation aspect of hiking. How can this project help me to feel relaxed during an extremely busy semester?
  3. I also want to explore the social aspect of hiking. Do I feel I connect better/have more fulfilling conversations with my loved ones out in nature while in movement?
  4. I will aim to track all my hikes on AllTrails. I’m a fan of statistics on how much I move. In my day to day life, I aim to get at least 6,000 steps a day (I know that this isn’t that much, but I’ve found that it’s still a challenge, seeing as I sit at a desk on Zoom class several days a week). This summer, I was consistently getting between 9,000 & 10,000 steps a day. I want to experiment through this project to see what level of physical activity feels good for me.

Screenshot of hike stats from All Trails.

So… let’s discuss the first hike I did for this new project! This Sunday, September 27th, I went to Lone Tree Hill Regional Park in the Highlands with my dad. We did 2.5km with 132 meters of elevation (!). It was a quick hike, it took us under 45 minutes to make it to the top and back. It did have some significant elevation however, which really got our heart rates up! At the top, we sat on a rock and looked out at the view.

My dad & I at the trailhead.

We were surrounded by a thick canopy of trees as far as the eye could see. I pulled out a Lara Bar to refuel (and tried out a new flavour called “Chocolate Chip Brownie”). My dad & I sat and chatted, watching a hawk fly in circles a bit further down the hill (see the video at the end).

Why you should try this hike: Gorgeous views at the top, an outhouse at the trailhead before you start your ascent and a short duration. Overall, a good quick cardio session.

Drawbacks/be aware of: It feels like a lot of elevation (132 meters) since it is condensed into such a short duration (2.5km), there is limited parking (7 spots in the lot + some street parking) and no public transportation/bus route that go here.

Lone Tree Hill Provincial Park

Photo by me.

Photo by photo-nic.co.uk nic from Unsplash.