One foot after the other – embodied information on the West Highland Way

Embodied information is posited to be a rich and novel concept with which to explore information behaviour in serious leisure pursuits (Cox et al., 2017). This research uncovers how embodied information is experienced on the West Highland Way (WHW), a long-distance hiking route in Scotland.
Qualitative data was gathered using ethnographic methods, recruiting participants and conducting in situ interviews while the first author walked the route. From this, the interview data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and findings emerged related to how participants interpreted and used embodied information during their journey.
A model of four forms of embodied information is proposed based on the findings: environmental embodied information, embodied information from within, embodied information from others and embodied information recorded using technology.
This model helps to define embodied information in serious leisure physical activities, allowing for their use in further exploring other active pursuits. The WHW was found to be a rich field of embodied information, helping to create memorable and meaningful experiences for hikers, demonstrating that it can lift an activity from the everyday to the profound.