Hiking for beginners
Almost every scare in the mountains comes from choosing the wrong route, not from lack of fitness. Here's what to check before leaving home.
Elevation matters more than distance
This is mistake number one. An 8-kilometre route with 800 metres of ascent is far harder than a flat 15-kilometre one. When looking at a route, check the cumulative ascent first, not the distance. To start, stay under 400 metres.
How to estimate time
A rule that works reasonably well: about 4 kilometres an hour on the flat, plus an hour per 400 metres of ascent. Then add stops. If the calculation gives five hours and you set off at eleven, you'll be descending in the dark: that's exactly how easily people get into trouble.
Types of route
Circular is the most convenient: you return to the same place without repeating ground. Linear out-and-back always leaves you the option of turning around whenever you want, which is ideal at the start. And point-to-point traverses require solving how you get back to the car.
What to carry
Water (a litre and a half per person for half a day, more in summer), some food, a waterproof windproof layer even in sunshine, a warm layer, a cap and sun cream, and a charged phone. Add a small head torch: it weighs nothing and it's what separates a delay from a problem.
Footwear
The one thing worth spending on. Trail shoes or light boots with grippy soles cover almost everything you'll do at first. Street trainers on loose ground is how ankles get twisted.
Read the route before leaving
Download the track to your phone and offline maps too: there's almost never signal in the mountains. Check where water sources are, if any, and where you can cut the route short if things get complicated.
Basic safety rules
Always tell someone your route and when you expect to be back. Don't set off if the forecast is poor, and understand that mountain weather changes fast. And turn back if you're running behind schedule: the summit isn't going anywhere.
Start with waymarked routes
Signposted long- and short-distance paths are maintained and documented. Leave unmarked routes until you have a few under your belt.
Where to start
Two or three hour routes in nearby natural parks, midweek if you can. String a few together before attempting a full mountain day. That progression is what makes this stick rather than burning you out on day one.
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