Walking is my main means of transport in the city - it's one of the perks of living in a downtown Toronto neighbourhood. I lead a lot of urban hikes as a volunteer, usually in other areas of the city that are far from my own neighbourhood. I do so because I like to explore and have energy to burn.
Urban hikes can be easier to plan and lead as safety is not usually an issue. So that means no stops to do a head count, people can drop out if the weather turns nasty, and they can buy water and snacks if they forgot to bring them. Here are ten tips for leading urban hikes based on my experiences.
1. Toilets. If possible, have at least one toilet stop on the hike. Before covid it could be using the facilities in a cafe, mall, hospital, library or college. Now that is harder to do. It underlines the lack of public washrooms in the city.
2. Green Space. Even pocket parks are charming on an urban walk. Plan your route to walk through a few of these, even if you can traverse the park in a minute. Green spaces include cemeteries. Nature delights the senses and it is calming.
3. Side Streets. It is better to use side streets as they are calmer, with less traffic and more room on the sidewalk for the group to move along. The side streets are more likely to have pretty houses and gardens too. I like to take groups through lanes and back alleys, places that they are unlikely to know.
4. Topography. Walking on flat and hard concrete in the city can be dull, tough on the feet and on the knees. I like to vary the topography by going up and down hilly streets, steps or a staircase.
5. Drop Outs. People can leave an urban hike whenever they want, but make sure they know where they are. People tend to stick to their own familiar neighbourhood and may become disorientated in a new area of the city. I like to have two or three formal drop out points, and encourage people to stick to these. It makes it easier to manage the group.
6. Theme. Urban hikes can be more engaging if they have a theme, and people are encouraged to notice what is around them. Popular themes include sculptures, murals, history, heritage plaques, or anything that you find interesting.
7. Length. About two hours is good for an urban hike. Less than that and people may feel that it is not an outing. More than that, and the feet can get sore from pounding on the concrete.
8. Start and End Point. People are less likely to get lost at the start and end of the hike, when they are meeting and ending at a specific place that is easy to find. I like to use libraries, cafes and subway stations (at the ticket collector booth at the start of the hike).
9. Dead End Streets. The city is designed for cars, so many dead end signs are for cars. The dead end streets may be accessible on foot or a bicycle and can connect to other areas. I like to explore dead end streets just to see where they lead to.
10. Pre-hike the Route. A golden rule is to check the route before you lead a group. The route that looks so great on a map, may not be so in reality. It is better to find that out on the pre-hike, where the mistakes and getting lost are known only to yourself.
© Jacqueline L. Scott. You can support the blog here.
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