However, there are some do\u2019s and don\u2019ts and guidelines that are worth following. Below, the Taunton Leisure team has compiled a ten-strong list of hiking tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Plan ahead by checking the weather forecast.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
You know the saying, by failing to prepare, you\u2019re preparing to fail! This mantra certainly rings true regarding hiking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We recommend starting by checking the weather. While some may be undeterred by a bit of drizzle, it\u2019s not a good idea for hikers of any experience level to get caught in a deluge of rain, as the terrain can become unstable and your safety compromised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
By keeping tabs on the weather, you\u2019ll ensure an enjoyable hiking experience where rain won\u2019t dampen your spirits, and you can take full advantage of the views! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Know your route and familiarise yourself with a map and GPS.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Another crucial step to planning and safety is familiarising yourself with your chosen hiking location. Google Maps or mapping apps are great tools for prep, but you should get to know your way around your GPS-capable device and apps you\u2019ll be taking for the hike, as well as a good old-fashioned map<\/a> and compass<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though a GPS enabled device is usually reliable nowadays, you can never be sure when technology might fail you. Packing a map just in case and marking your route, key locations or points of interest can be a real asset. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check out our Navigation and Watches<\/a> page for a fantastic range of products to help with this!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Top Tip: <\/strong>If you encounter wet conditions on your hike, place your hiking guide and map in a map case to keep them dry yet readable!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Choose a beginner-friendly hike.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
One of the biggest mistakes that novice hikers make is choosing a route unsuitable for their experience level and overdoing it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether that\u2019s a hike that\u2019s too long or a trail that involves tackling too much challenging terrain and climbing, it\u2019s important to take things step-by-step, building up to more challenging hikes as you progress your knowledge, skills, and fitness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We recommend starting things off with a hike with minimal climbing and totals under five miles in distance. It\u2019s worth remembering that a five-mile hike that factors in lots of inclines and declines will feel much longer than a five-mile hike that doesn\u2019t! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The National Trust<\/a> has a great walking page<\/a> on which you can find places to walk around the UK near you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Invest in hiking gear for beginners.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Most people probably own a decent waterproof jacket<\/a> or two, and one of the great things about hiking is you don\u2019t need much specialist equipment to fully enjoy it and get the most out of the pursuit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, we always recommend investing in some select bits of hiking gear, notably some good-quality hiking boots<\/a> and a backpack<\/a> to safely stow away any layers, food, technology, maps, and other hiking equipment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, if you\u2019d feel safer and more confident being fully prepared, Taunton Leisure stocks a range of outdoor clothing<\/a> and gear that will give you that extra peace of mind. Whether waterproof trousers<\/a>, fleeces<\/a>, base layers<\/a>, vests and gilets<\/a>, these items will ensure you\u2019re ready for all conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Pack the essentials.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Naturally, the size of your list and the number of items you\u2019ll need to take on your hike will depend on how long you\u2019re planning to spend away. To simplify things, we\u2019ve listed the essential must-haves to chuck in your rucksack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Food: <\/strong>Staying well-fueled is essential to completing your hike. Trail mix, nuts and seeds, fresh fruit, and energy bars are all energy-rich and convenient to pack away. At Taunton, you\u2019ll find a fantastic selection of easy-to-cook camping food<\/a> if you plan to take a stove and heat a meal.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Water: <\/strong>Ensuring that you\u2019re hydrated along your hike is crucial. Whether you pack bottled water or invest in a quality bottle or flask<\/a>, it\u2019s a must-have addition to your hiking essentials.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- A torch and batteries: <\/strong>Though it\u2019s recommended that you start your hike nice and early to make the most of the daylight, sometimes hikes can overrun, or you may find yourself in conditions that require a torch\u2014particularly during the darker winter months.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Survival equipment: <\/strong>A first aid kit<\/a>, fire starters<\/a>, and a pocket knife or multi tool<\/a> are well worth including in your backpacks. You can find all these essentials at Taunton Leisure on our Survival and Emergency Outdoor Equipment<\/a> page.
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- Suncream and sunglasses: <\/strong>It\u2019s not always miserable and gloomy here in the UK; sometimes, we do get some sunshine along a hike!
In such cases, it\u2019s always best to be prepared with protection for your eyes and skin. After all, it won\u2019t take long for your shoulders to catch the sun, making carrying that backpack very uncomfortable!
<\/li>\n\n\n\n- A compass and map:<\/strong> We\u2019ve already mentioned these, but they’re essential inclusions nonetheless. Pack away a compass<\/a> and map<\/a> in case your devices fail\u2014and familiarise yourself with them beforehand!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Wear the correct combination of walking boots, walking shoes and socks.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Choosing the wrong style of outdoor footwear and socks<\/a> for your hike is a surefire way to earn yourself some nasty blisters. Your boots should fit snugly but not too tight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We recommend measuring your feet to ensure you invest in the right type of walking boots<\/a> or walking shoes<\/a>. Happily, at Taunton Leisure, you\u2019ll find an extensive range of fits for all foot sizes, including narrow, medium, wide and extra-wide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Similarly, you should also factor in the correct type of sock for your footwear. Trainer socks are an obvious no-no, but you should wear longer socks for full-length hiking boots, while short socks are fine for hiking shoes or mid length boots<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Take your phone and make sure it\u2019s fully charged.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Phones have come a long way since their early incarnations. These days, we benefit from handsets with many uses and much broader signal coverage than ever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019d be surprised just how far you can venture and still find a signal, a factor that can be crucial if you find yourself in an emergency. Aside from providing a point of contact, your phone can also double as a handy navigation device via Google Maps and its onboard compass, and your phone camera means you can capture all those beautiful landscape shots along the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Pace yourself.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
You know what they say: it\u2019s about the journey, not the destination. Remember that hiking isn\u2019t a race; instead, it\u2019s about enjoying the great outdoors at your leisure, soaking in the scenery and finding hidden gems along the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t be afraid to take your time and stop for more breaks than planned if you need them (daylight permitting). Most importantly, ensure that you enjoy the hike and savour that moment as you reach the end of your route!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Bring some friends.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Although solo hiking can be fantastic fun, it\u2019s not recommended that you venture out alone until you have some experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not only will taking some friends along for the hike mean you\u2019ve got some company, but your party can also help you navigate the hiking route and help out with first aid or the like in an emergency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Learn about basic first aid skills.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Nobody expects you to get a doctorate just for your hike, but it\u2019s essential that you, a friend, or indeed all party members familiarise yourselves with basic first aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether it\u2019s a twisted ankle, a nasty cut, or a concussion, however minor or serious the injury, it can happen, and it\u2019s vital that you know how to deal with it in more remote locations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember to pack that essential first aid kit<\/a> and review its contents and the correct procedures before you head out on your hike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFor more essential information and product reviews from the Taunton team, check out the Taunton Leisure blog page<\/a>. If you have any questions about hiking or any of the products mentioned in this post, please don\u2019t hesitate to contact us<\/a> or reach out on Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hiking can be daunting for beginners. As you take your first steps to exploring the great outdoors on foot, the unfamiliarity of your route and your limitations can be intimidating. Of course, the beauty of hiking is that you don\u2019t need any specialist skills to enjoy the pursuit (although some quality outdoor clothing and walking<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":3041,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3040","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-buying-guides"},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/06\/austin-ban-juHayWuaaoQ-unsplash-scaled.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Jon","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/author\/jonmayo\/"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3040"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3040\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3046,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3040\/revisions\/3046"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Learn about basic first aid skills.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Bring some friends.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Pace yourself.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Take your phone and make sure it\u2019s fully charged.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Water: <\/strong>Ensuring that you\u2019re hydrated along your hike is crucial. Whether you pack bottled water or invest in a quality bottle or flask<\/a>, it\u2019s a must-have addition to your hiking essentials.
- Food: <\/strong>Staying well-fueled is essential to completing your hike. Trail mix, nuts and seeds, fresh fruit, and energy bars are all energy-rich and convenient to pack away. At Taunton, you\u2019ll find a fantastic selection of easy-to-cook camping food<\/a> if you plan to take a stove and heat a meal.
- Pack the essentials.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Invest in hiking gear for beginners.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Choose a beginner-friendly hike.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Know your route and familiarise yourself with a map and GPS.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n