The quest for happiness is as old as humanity itself. Leaf through a history of philosophy and you’ll find that every great thinker worth their salt has something to say about it. Theories range from Aristotle’s eudaimonia (the path to true happiness comes through the pursuit of virtue) to Schopenhauer’s pessimism (basically: don’t bother – life is rubbish, so you’ll end up miserable anyway). But, the good news is there might be a straightforward route to happiness; and it doesn’t involve sitting around talking about it.
Main image: Hike happy above the clouds on Sgurr nan Spainteach, Kintail | Credit: James Roddie
A few philosophers had already found this out. “Unhappy businessmen,” said Bertrand Russell, “would increase their happiness more by walking six miles every day than by any conceivable change of philosophy.” Recently, science has stepped into support him. Plenty of peer-reviewed research has now demonstrated that outdoor exercise can be as effective as antidepressants for mild to moderate depression and anxiety. So what is it about sweating your way to a summit that can have such a transformative impact on your happiness levels? We explain all – and provide plenty of inspiration for trails on which to test the theory.
Highlights of this good news special issue include:
- Find hiking heaven on the happiest trails in the world from the Scottish Borders to Bhutan
- Good news from the outdoor realm, from rewilding to your Reader Awards winners, delivered to you
- We find out how to make every hike a happy one (and what actually happens to your brain outdoors)
- Your long-weekend trek guide: this summit-to-sea backpack is perfect if you’re short on time
- Ishtayaq Rasool visits the mountain-preserved Village of Snows in this unaltered Himalayan region
- Alex Roddie avoids the obvious route to the Peak of North Africa in the High Atlas
PLUS: Jim Perrin paints a portrait of The Dragon’s Back; we escape to the Mont Blanc Massif; our gear team delivers 15 in-depth kit tests including the best hiking socks and backpacking meals; Nadia Shaikh is impressed with the flirting techniques of the great crested grebe; Juls Stodel helps another reader with their Uphill Struggle; we share the latest news from the mountains; check the calendar of walking events we rate; and get inspired with our reviews of the latest outdoor books and films.
Read on to hike happy:
On the trail of happiness: Looking for an adventurous pick-me-up? We spoke to conservationists, access campaigners and hillwalkers to profile walks around Britain with the feel-good factor
“Under the combined influence of winter and bad news overload, it’s easy to forget that the world is – by and large – a pretty incredible place. Perhaps the reason walking is so strongly linked to happiness is because it pulls us out of the social media echo chamber and reconnects us with the joys of exploration. Even the most ordinary backdoor ramble can be a source of the new, the surprising and the sublime. The walks here have extra SAD-busting power: they might vary in length and location, but all share inspirational back stories. From celebrating access and conservation wins to encouraging mindful reconnection with nature, there’s plenty about these happiness pilgrimages to feel positive about…”
Echo From Another Mountain: Gurezi-born journalist Ishtayaq Rasool returns to Tulail, on the edge of Kashmir, where the people speak an ancient tongue and winter lasts half the year
“Tulail begins where most journeys end, stretching across nearly 30 villages that eventually open into a new world where wooden homes lean on one another, families store food for six-month winters, and the Shina language is still spoken in one of its purest forms. As a Gurezi-born journalist now based in Delhi, I hadn’t been back for years. I often dreamt of returning to explore this place. The last time I crossed the wooden bridge into Purana Tulail, I was a teenager, guided by my father. He pointed out distant peaks, naming villages I had never seen, and explaining their histories as if teaching from a living map. He would say that villagers from Tulail would walk into Kamri, Minimarg, or Gilgit, trading dried apricots, woollen pakols (the round cap typical of the Dard region), and other goods. Returning now, with a notebook and camera strapped on my shoulder, I retraced old roads and reconnected with the people my father had once known. Wherever I went, my father was my passport: his name opened doors, smiles, and stories that flowed like the Kishanganga River, winding endlessly through the valley…”
And your winners are: The Great Outdoors Reader Awards 2026 are the UK’s biggest democratic celebration of the best of outdoor culture – you’ve voted in your thousands and now it’s time to meet your winners
“Over half of voters in The Great Outdoors Reader Awards 2026 wanted to honour every single volunteer who is on call, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to rescue walkers, climbers, missing children, and vulnerable adults in the mountains. Nominators shouted out specific teams including Glencoe, Langdale and Ambleside, Tayside, Glencoe and Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Teams…”
Living Atlas: Veteran trekker Alex Roddie makes his first foray outside Europe to walk Morocco’s multi-day Toubkal Circuit – and discovers that hiking in the High Atlas is as much about the people as the peaks
“This small town in the foothills of the Haut Atlas has been described as the Moroccan Chamonix, and as we strolled through the streets – taking in the guides drinking mint tea, heavily laden mules ready for the Toubkal Circuit, and street vendors loudly selling their wares – the description resonated. I’d joined a group organised by my friend Emily Woodhouse, who was back in the Atlas to finish researching her upcoming guidebook…Our goal was the Toubkal Circuit, a multi-day trek over many high-altitude passes in the Atlas to the hut at Toubkal Base Camp. We’d then climb Toubkal itself, the highest mountain in North Africa at 4,167m, before hiking back out to Imlil. This, I realised, would be like no other long-distance walk I’d ever done. My usual style is to go lightweight, self-supported, and alone. But that won’t cut it in the Haut Atlas. Legally, hikers must employ a guide in the Toubkal National Park. For the first time in my life, I would experience the mountains in a way wholly dictated by the people who call them home…”
