UKH

Is it my imagination or does road walking tire you out more than hill walking?

When I can't get on to the hills I try to maintain exercise by doing a walk of about three to five miles along our local prom. I usually average about 3mph

When I get back I feel that there has been as much or more strain on my legs and feet than doing a similar distance on the hills.

I'm wondering whether it's to do with walking on a harder surface combined with my steps and gait being more repetitive.

Anyone got any thoughts on it?

I think you are right. Possibly in part due to a psychological uplift when hill walking and a more varied terrain leading, I assume, to reduced repetitive strain type pain.

Thanks for the input. I notice too that after a good day on the hills despite perhaps being knackered there is often a feel good factor as well. I assume that's the endorphins working.

When I am walking on a road - particularly at the end of the day - if there is an option to walk on grass verges I always choose to do so to combat the fatigue. I put it down to a softer footfall and it seems to work.

spot on

day on the hill is fine, wander round the shops, bloody killer

Tarmac is horrible.
I walk in the verges no matter how bad they are.

you definitely need different footwear, if poss, for roads.  Having said that, when I was doing the 'boring day' on the coast to coast this year - the 23 miles from Richmond to Ingleby Arncliffe, I reverted to the original Wainwright route with road walking on quiet lanes rather than the new route over hardened, rutted field paths and lots of gates and stiles.  Endless rapeseed fields or fields full of cows is not my idea of a great day.  The road walking was quicker and easier and I got to my pint at The Blue Bell a good deal sooner! 

If you walk up the Silverband road in the Eden Valley in Cumbria you can suffer the hill and the highest metalled road walk in the UK, and then walk to the UK's highest bothy to get over it!  You'll see some suffering cyclists as well.

Totally agree, but much is different on the road. Tarmac is a hard surface which we were never designed for, you probably walk faster with longer strides on the road without realising it, repetition on the flat, hard surface. 

But like most things, if you are used to it you don't find it so hard. I could run all day off road on the hills, but a transfer to the road left me in bits.

Top marks for the use of the word "prom"!

My perception is that I get more tired walking on tarmac. However, it is often the case that the road walking stage comes at the end of the day - usually getting back to the start point, which may bias things.  I have tried doing the opposite - get the road section done at the beginning, and this seems much better. Of course, this is all subject to the nature and location of the particular route. On a few occasions I've also carried a pair of trainers (my road running trainers) and changed to them when I reach the road - certainly feels better than walking the tarmac in boots.

Alternatively I just get my butler to come and pick me up in the Rolls!

N

I find the same when running.

I can go fell running and love it. A 5k on the road is awful on my legs and brain!