Hillwalking to be renamed 'Wild Walking'

© Dan Bailey

The BMC has announced that hillwalking is to be renamed 'Wild Walking' in line with other extreme pursuits that naturally take place in the wilderness - AKA the outdoors - such as Wild Swimming and Wild Camping. 

Not another soul for metres, on a Wild Walk in the Cairngorms, Scotland's last true wilderness  © Dan Bailey
Not another soul for metres, on a Wild Walk in the Cairngorms, Scotland's last true wilderness
© Dan Bailey

Ramblers have long agonised over the appropriate terminology to describe their activity, sitting as it does in that awkward-to-define grey zone between country strolls and extreme alpinism. But not everyone is happy with the change.

"Walking was just walking before adrenaline sports started getting marketed to the masses" mutters traditionalist Musty Greybeard. "Then everyone had to start upping the ante in order to sell more boots. Now Wild Walking. Why do people feel the need to attach labels to everything?!"

Wild swimmer Wim Hoff disagreed: "Knowing that what I'm doing is classed as a bit edgy and extreme really makes up for the fact that I'm freezing my bits off out there! Why wouldn't walkers want to share that action image?"

The BMC clarified that the term would be applicable to all disciplines of walking that take place more than five minutes from the car park. Hill running is also in line for a re-wilding re-brand. A spokesperson said:

"As long as there are no toilets, no artisan coffee and no wifi, we'd say that classes as pretty wild."

Really Wild Runner Finlay Wild commented: "I'm psyched about this news. Now my Wild Runs will get more coverage in The Guardian and get more Instagram likes. Maybe I'll even write a book about it. Tame walking is for losers."


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