Scott Bryce wrote:

snip

The OP didn't even mention hiking. He said walking. Boots of any sort
are overkill for walking.

That depends on which language you speak. Here in the UK (and the OP
would appear to reside here) hiking is not a word in general use to
describe recreational walking. Hill walking is frequently referred to as
walking without the prefix and 'rambling' used to describe walking in
the countryside away from paved surfaces.

Two nations divided by a common language as GBS is alleged to have said.