Questions to ask your partner on your next walk

Start with curiosity, and leave room to pass

Pick a question you would be comfortable answering yourself. Ask it, listen, and give your partner time to think. "What made that stand out?" often leads somewhere more interesting than rushing to the next prompt.

These are original conversation ideas, not a relationship test. Either person can skip a question, keep the answer light or decide they would rather walk quietly. Save anything that needs privacy for a place where you both feel comfortable talking.

For an ordinary day

1. What was the nicest small moment in your day?
2. What have you noticed lately that you would normally walk past?
3. Which part of this week would you happily do again?
4. Is there a tiny job I could take off your mind tomorrow?
5. What have you been enjoying that I have not asked you about?

Make your own answer specific too. "The dog waiting outside the bakery" gives your partner something to picture and ask about.

For a shared memory

6. Which ordinary day together do you remember unusually clearly?
7. What did you first notice about the place where we met?
8. Which meal we shared would you like to have again?
9. What is a small adventure we still laugh about?
10. What detail from an early date do you think I have forgotten?

You might remember the same day differently. Let each version have its moment rather than turning the conversation into a search for the official account.

For the next little adventure

11. If we had a free afternoon nearby, where would you take me?
12. What is something new we could try without spending much?
13. Would you pick a coast, a forest, a city or a hill for our next walk?
14. What would make next weekend feel restful to you?
15. Which small plan would you like us to actually put in the calendar?

Keep imagined plans separate from commitments. If an idea sounds good to both of you, decide who will check the practical details afterwards.

When you are walking miles apart

16. What can you see right now that you wish I could see too?
17. Where would you stop if we were taking this walk together?
18. What is one thing I might misunderstand about your everyday routine?
19. What would be a nice small surprise to receive this week?
20. What shall we look forward to doing on our next visit?

Walk first and reply later if a call is inconvenient. A question can travel in a voice note without requiring an immediate answer. Try the photo-hunt or playlist dates if you would rather do something than talk.

Give the question a journey

We make Tandem Trails, an iPhone app where two walkers' Apple Health distances add up along one virtual route. You can choose a question for the week and check your shared progress when you next talk.

Explore Tandem Trails for couples. You can use every question here without an app, a step target or a planned route.