Hiking - The word hiking is understood in all English-speaking countries, but there are differences in usage. In some places, off-trail hiking is called cross-country hiking, bushwhacking, or bush-bashing. In the United Kingdom, hiking is a slightly old-fashioned word, with a flavor rather of 'heartiness' and 'exercise' than of 'enjoying the outdoors' (people in the UK would be more likely to use more modest terms such as hillwalking, or simply walking).