It’s often said that getting in touch with nature through hiking can be claiming and a serene escape. What’s often underappreciated is just how much of an inspirational tool it can be. Just Caspar David Friedrich used his paintings to evoke a connection to nature, a lengthy nature walk can be just what you need for creative inspiration.
The Science Behind Hiking and Creativity
Studies reveal that even short walks can enhance creative thinking and problem-solving abilities. However, there’s something even more profound that can be tapped into when undergoing a lengthy pilgrim trail, such as a 7-day adventure through the Camino de Santiago network.
Hiking stimulates divergent thinking, which is the key component of creativity. It does this by exposing us to a variety of natural stimuli, yet gives us the breathing space to think deeply and get side-tracked. The physical exertion itself is great for creativity, but so too can be the things you come across. There is an entire field (mind the pun) dedicated to understanding the mental health benefits of nature immersion called Ecopsychology.
Stories of Artistic Inspiration from Long Hikes
Many artists have drawn inspiration from their hiking experiences, capturing their journeys through en plein air paintings or maintaining visual journals filled with sketches. Gustave Courbet was a French Realist painter who frequently depicted himself in his paintings as a trekker. He frequently hiked through the Jura Mountains, while many of the Spanish artists trekked through Finisterre to reach Santiago – though many had religious motives too.
Consider more recently Sharon Bamber, who walked this exact route. Her project was to paint every five miles along the Camino de Santiago and her work beautifully illustrates how hiking and art can merge.
The Camino de Santiago: A Pilgrimage of Creativity
The Camino de Santiago has been mentioned a few times, and that’s because it has all the right ingredients. It’s a historic pilgrim route, meaning it’s been walked for hundreds of years, and it goes through many inspiring villages and landscapes. However, it needn’t only be northern Spain of course, as the Portuguese route – and pretty much all over Europe – is popular too. Companies like Santiago Ways can organize the trip for you, even taking care of luggage transfers, and this really helps you focus 100% on the artistic inspiration side of things, rather than worrying about logistics.
Transformative Hikes
Extended periods in nature can really shift our perspectives. It’s not about the exercise nor is it about the journey, but simply being indulged in that world for a long period of time can break down our usual modes of thinking. For a week, there is no capitalism or social norms, but instead an extended period of solitude and connection to nature, the animals around you and the fauna.
Whether you’re heading on local trails or iconic routes, hiking is particularly encouraged for creative types who want new perspectives. Nature remains timeless, and it can help connect us to the past as it’s one of the few shared experiences that we still have with our ancestors.
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