You hear it all the time: "teenagers don't get enough exercise", "when I was their age I was always outside", so why not prove them wrong and start hiking? Then you can tell them that actually, you do go outside and exercise, why just last week you took an eighteen mile trek through the countryside, thank you very much.

But that's not the only benefit. If you never seem to be able to spend enough time with your friends, then organising a hike could be a good way to get all your pals together for a whole day. While walking into town or around a park can be fun, there are a lot of great hikes you can plan to go on for hours (okay, I admit that doesn't make it sound fun, but just imagine all the good times you'll be able to squeeze into a whole day without the distractions of TV and computer games).

Going on hikes is also the perfect excuse to visit a new place or at least have a look at the beautiful scenery. There are dozens of places in the countryside that you can visit, from castles to villages and everything in-between. Fancy yourself as a photographer? Well what's a better picture than dawn from the top of a mountain? Like visiting historical landmarks but hate the long train rides? Why not walk to them instead? Hiking is the perfect opportunity to try something new and go to places you've never been to before.

And finally, let's not forget walking is healthy! Walking for long periods of time can improve your stamina and if you aren't used to the level of activity, you could even build muscle. So really, can you see a downside to hiking? It offers the chance to go someplace new, see something interesting and get some exercise all at the same time!

Hannah Cowie, Kingston Grammar School