Hiking is essential to our wellbeing

1. Hiking outdoors has plenty of perks: nice views, fresh air, and the sounds and smells of nature.

It's good for you, too. Hiking is a powerful cardio workout that can:

• Lower your risk of heart disease
• Improve your blood pressure and blood sugar levels
• Boost bone density, since walking is a weight-bearing exercise
• Build strength in your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and the muscles in your hips and lower legs
• Strengthen your core
• Improve balance
• Help control your weight
• Boost your mood. "Research shows that hiking has a positive impact on combating the symptoms of stress and anxiety," says Gregory A. Miller, PhD, president of the American Hiking Society. "Being in nature is ingrained in our DNA, and we sometimes forget that."

Hiking cannot be done alone as there is safety in numbers. While hiking social distancing can be maintained and hiking buffs worn on the nose and mouth area at all times.

Hiking is an outdoor activity therefore it is much safer than schools or churches. Hiking can still be maintained within our provinces. Finally group numbers can be kept low.

We want our hikes back as this is and has been our coping mechanism.

Christopher Adriaan    Contact the author of the petition