Hiking is the preferred term, in
Canada and the
United States, for a long, vigorous walk, usually on
trails (
footpaths), in the countryside, while the word
walking is used for shorter, particularly
urban walks. On the other hand, in the
United Kingdom, and the
Republic of Ireland, the term walking is acceptable to describe all forms of walking, whether it is a walk in the park or
backpacking in the
Alps. The word hiking is also often used in the UK, along with
rambling (a slightly old-fashioned term),
hillwalking, and
fell walking (a term mostly used for hillwalking in northern England). In
New Zealand a long, vigorous walk or hike is called
tramping. It is a popular activity with numerous worldwide, and studies suggest that all forms of walking have health benefits.