Roz Purcell (pictured above)
Broadcaster & Creator of the Hike Life
Broadcaster, entrepreneur and The Hike Life creator Roz Purcell reveals why she loves hiking in the great outdoors — and shares some sound advice for hiking novices.
It’s no wonder that Roz Purcell has always loved the great outdoors. She grew up on a farm at the foot of Sliabh na mBan mountain in Tipperary, so countryside scenes were all around her. She remembers: “I started hiking when I was very young. It was just something we did as kids. We didn’t call it ‘hiking.’ We just explored.”
Personal benefits of hiking
These days, Purcell does call it hiking. She now has a busy life as a broadcaster, entrepreneur, author and creator of The Hike Life, a social media platform dedicated to daily hiking inspiration and information, which has spawned a number of books. One thing hasn’t changed, however: the personal benefit she gets from hiking is still immense.
“All I can talk about is my own experience,” she admits. “I love hiking for my fitness. Being able to climb and scramble up mountains has kept me fit — and that carries into other sports that I do. I find being in the outdoors a nice break from my mind racing.”
You want to avoid making big mistakes
in the outdoors, so taking advice from those
who have been in it for a long time will help.
Hiking for mental clarity and physical fitness
On a hike, Purcell feels that she can leave the rest of the world behind. It also stops her from overthinking. “While it doesn’t sort my problems, it makes me feel more able to tackle them,” she says. “It’s kind of reassuring.” Because she isn’t a novice, she’s able to take on more challenging climbs. “That really helps me be fully present,” she says. “Being fully switched-on to every movement when taking on a hard section.”
Practice safe hiking with trusted information
For anyone who wants to take up hiking, Purcell recommends putting effort into researching and planning your hike ahead of time, plus joining a local walking group to become familiar with local trails in a safe environment. As a woman, she understands that it can feel scary to hike alone. “I know it can be intimidating to join a group, but it’s a fantastic way to learn from experienced hikers,” she says. “You want to avoid making big mistakes in the outdoors, so taking advice from those who have been in it for a long time will help.”
