April 20, 2026, 4:38 am | Read time: 7 minutes
TRAVELBOOK author Robin Hartmann regularly embarks on long, sometimes multi-week hikes in his free time. While he enjoys being around people in his daily life, he prefers to spend his time in nature alone. What this has to do with self-healing and what experiences led him to prefer solo adventures outdoors—here he shares his experiences.
A morning in early fall, the night has brought a noticeable chill to the land, the thermometer reads 37 degrees Fahrenheit. Dreamily, I peel myself out of my sleeping bag, into damp clothes worn for days. This has been going on for almost two weeks now, every morning anew. A quick meal prepared on the camping stove, a tea, and then off again, walking all day, one foot in front of the other, the mantra of the hiker. Besides my steps, only the concert of birds in the treetops, the rustling of the wind, the gurgling of a brook. And I am happy, completely at peace with myself, absolutely free. The feeling I am describing can only be found on my beloved hikes. And only when I am alone.
I would certainly describe myself as a social person. In everyday life, I have many interests that require community. I regularly go to board game nights with my girlfriend and just as often make music with friends in a pub. In my favorite café just around the corner, I meet friends and new interesting people almost every day and generally maintain a lively exchange. But then there is also this other side of me that needs a lot of solitude, which I would by no means equate with loneliness. I am very good company for myself, and I never really get bored with my numerous hobbies, even solo. I draw my greatest strength from being in nature. And here, especially from long hikes all by myself.
A Hidden Treasure
Of course, there are numerous moments on such tours when I wish I could share them with a loved one. My girlfriend is always with me in spirit when we’re not already hiking together. But I equally enjoy having these moments on hikes all to myself. Like a treasure I have found because nature deemed me worthy of it—that’s how I imagine it in my mind. Because I can walk at my own pace, not having to adjust to or look after anyone. And so, with all my senses and a maximum of mindfulness, I keep discovering wonderful things.
Let me be completely honest: I am a classic Sturm und Drang character. Exuberantly joyful, deeply saddened—these extremes are sometimes just a blink or a few thoughts apart in my daily life. What my hikes in nature give me is an inner balance, a sense of just being. But I find this nirvana-like state only when I am completely alone outdoors. I don’t want to say directly that other people would disturb me. But perhaps you have also noticed how much more you pay attention to when you are not talking to anyone, not looking at your phone, consciously engaging with moments.
Place of Inner Reflection
Hikes with as few distractions as possible have thus become one of the most important breaks in my life. And believe me, I know what I’m talking about when I say you can actually talk nature to death. I regularly had this experience when I worked as a hiking guide in Berlin and Brandenburg for a few years. Already in the morning at the train station, on the way to the countryside, I was met by a cheerfully chattering group of mostly older ladies, whose chatter didn’t stop all day. Many of the excursions we took together, I had also done alone, but in the group, everything was suddenly different, more exhausting. Instead of healing silence, nice but ultimately trivial conversations, and the growing desire to finally be alone again.
It’s just like this: The whole magic of nature will only reveal itself to those who hike with all their senses sharpened. The most wonderful details that make a tour unforgettable are discovered only alone. Nature is for me a place of deep inner contemplation with myself, perhaps even a connection to our ancestors. How much comfort am I willing to give up? How far can I go today? Will there be enough water along the way? What experiences await me? When you boil life and our oh-so-hectic everyday lives down to these questions, everything suddenly becomes very calm. Only nature is capable of finding a healing answer to all of life’s problems.
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Unlimited Thirst for Freedom
There is another reason why I undertake long hikes alone. I became and remained a freelancer mainly to be the master of my own time. However, sometimes in everyday life, I have an excess of it. And I feel underchallenged by life, practically trapped in my very nice apartment. Then I know it’s time to disappear outside for a few days again. And here I like to push myself to the limits. There is hardly a more exhilarating feeling than realizing the power your own mind has over your body, indeed, over your entire life. To be actually at the end of your strength but still keep going. To eventually let yourself sink somewhere, inflate the sleeping pad, look at the starry sky, and think: Yes, today I have lived.
And that’s exactly why I have to undertake long hikes alone. I don’t want to have to worry about whether my companion might have already exceeded their limit. Discussions about which way to go and how to proceed would limit my thirst for freedom. Moreover, over the years, I have unfortunately also experienced that many people are not able or willing to admit their limits to nature, either to themselves or to others. And these are situations where it can become really dangerous in the worst case. Where someone accidentally or out of exhaustion gets injured. I won’t name any examples here, but I have experienced this several times in the past with friends.
Being Alone is Peace of Mind
Perhaps you have also noticed on vacation that you act quite differently when you are alone than when you are with someone else or even in a group. Conversely, when you are not alone, you are sometimes perceived by others as a closed unit. In my experience, this circumstance significantly limits the likelihood of extraordinary experiences. At least on my hikes, I am very happy to be alone, but also much more open to random encounters. And often enough, these change an entire day’s plan. When you learn about an interesting place or a good inn during conversations, for example. Things you hadn’t even considered yourself.
I am well aware that this type of nature enjoyment does not appeal to everyone. Fortunately, otherwise, the forest would be full of eccentrics like me. Nevertheless, I would recommend everyone to consciously embrace the adventure of being alone outdoors as much as possible without distractions. What I find on my hikes is a peace of mind that the city and my everyday life cannot give me. Just looking at a map and imagining an upcoming tour makes me happy. Just as much as remembering past excursions. Because in my heart, I can always return to these places and feelings. It will be such moments that will hopefully one day give me the feeling that I have lived my life right.