Prepare for hikes and expeditions with practical guidance on clothing, footwear, packing, route planning, preparation and staying safe while walking outdoors.
When you’re walking in the countryside, a small symbol on a gatepost, wooden fingerpost or trail marker can tell you that you’re following a recognised long-distance route. Learning to spot these markings makes walking less uncertain and helps you understand the signs you’ll encounter along the way. The key symbol for National Trails in England…
After a spell of heavy rain, some parts of the ground dry quickly while others remain muddy for days. You can often predict where the water will collect before the rain even starts, simply by looking at the shape of the land, the soil and the way the surrounding ground drains. This is a useful…
There’s a useful difference between walking a route someone else has marked and being able to mark a route for somebody to follow. The second takes a little more thought. You need to decide where a marker belongs, make its meaning clear and check that the next person can follow it without having to guess….
What you wear outdoors can make a surprisingly big difference to how much you enjoy yourself. A sunny morning can turn into a cold, wet afternoon, and a pair of shoes that feel fine on a pavement might not be so comfortable after a few hours on a muddy woodland path. Choosing outdoor clothing isn’t…
Staying dry outdoors is not simply a matter of putting on a waterproof jacket. Rain is an obvious source of moisture, but sweat can leave you just as wet, particularly when you’re walking uphill, carrying a heavy rucksack or working hard around camp. The trick is to manage both at the same time. You want…
Your first few hikes don’t need to be complicated. You certainly don’t need the most expensive equipment, an enormous rucksack or years of outdoor experience. What matters most is choosing a suitable walk, knowing what you’re getting yourself into and being prepared for conditions to change. Hiking gets easier as you gain experience, but there…
Steep ground can make an ordinary walk feel much harder than it needs to be. The temptation is often to push harder and try to get the difficult section over with, but that usually leaves you tired surprisingly quickly. Walking efficiently on steep ground is more about how you move than how strong you are….
Pay Attention to the Person, Not Just the Pace When you are walking with other people, it is easy to concentrate on your own pace, the route ahead or how far you have left to go. Someone who is struggling might not immediately say anything, though, and sometimes the first signs are quite subtle. They…
A long uphill section can change the whole feel of a walk. A route that seemed easy on the map can suddenly become hard work when you’re faced with a steady climb that just seems to keep going. The biggest mistake is often trying to attack the hill too quickly. You start at the same…
When you’re enjoying a walk or outdoor adventure, it can be tempting to keep going. You might have a certain distance in mind. Perhaps you’re trying to reach a particular viewpoint, get back before dark or simply don’t want to be the person who suggests stopping. But being tired isn’t something you should ignore just…
