“One reason why I, like many others, started walking during the lockdown, was the search for mental peace. I was in a difficult period mentally, and was looking for ways to speed up my recovery. When I began walking in nature, I noticed that much of the white noise in my head died down. Feeling a connection with nature is a genuine tool.”
Having got the taste for it, she soon wanted more. How did you walk from picturesque meadows to challenging mountain tops?
“That didn’t happen from one day to another, of course. Walking is peace and relaxation in a familiar environment, but I wanted to push my boundaries. Hiking and hikes are more sport-like in challenging environments which you may not yet be familiar with. During and after my first hike, I noticed that my meditative state of being was ten times as intense. That feeling when you reach the summit and stand there, that’s amazing! Walking was, and is, still a good way to wind down, but if you eat, sleep and walk in nature for several days, the connection with your environment is much stronger. Fewer stimuli, back to basics and back to the essence. Nature and the outdoor life are in our DNA, you really feel that when you spend several days in nature.”
What started as a personal (walking) trip has developed into a veritable Academy. Can you tell us more about that?
“When I started sharing my walking adventures, I wanted to demonstrate that walking and hiking are not excentric hippy activities. On the contrary! It inspired a lot of (young) people to put on their walking shoes. The only problem: there was little or no information available on how to get started. And certainly not in a modern and accessible way.
“After many questions and messages, I took matters into my own hands and set up the ‘Op Wandel Academy’. The ‘Start-to-Hike’ package provides with you numerous courses, and everything you need to prepare independently for your first hike.
As well as bringing mental peace and distraction, walking and hiking stimulate the mind. Particularly on a creative level.
“I come from the creative sector myself, and we were already familiar with the concept of walking meetings, which proved that people form insights and reach solutions more quickly when moving. This is not illogical: by allowing your mind to drift off for a moment, you allow it to recharge. Nature lowers our stress hormones, and this, in turn, gives our mind more space to restore its creativity. I get a lot of ideas for my ‘Op Wandel Academy’ when walking and hiking. It’s a wonderful way to get inspired.”