Trekking poles are a common hiking accessory that function to assist walkers with their rhythm, to provide stability, and reduce strain on joints on rough terrain.
A pair of trekking poles
Mountain guide Alice Manfield with a long wooden walking pole in the early 1900s
A man bearing a hiking staff in an etching from William Blake's Europe a Prophecy first printed in 1794. This copy of the etching is currently held by the Fitzwilliam Museum
An impact of trekking poles, scratches left by poles on a rock in a wilderness area
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Religious pilgrimages have existed much longer but they involve walking long distances for a spiritual purpose associated with specific religions.
Hiking in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado
A hiker enjoying the view of the Alps
The Karhunkierros ("Bear's Round"), an 80 km (50 mi) long hiking trail through the Oulanka National Park in Kuusamo, Finland
Hiking fashion, 11 July 1932