How to start hiking

It all begins with one simple word: GO!

People are drawn to hiking for a multitude of reasons, each as diverse as the landscapes they traverse. For some, it's the allure of escaping the hustle and bustle of daily life, seeking solace and serenity amidst the tranquility of nature's embrace. Others find exhilaration in the physical challenge, relishing the opportunity to push their limits and conquer rugged terrain. Hiking also offers a profound connection to the natural world, allowing individuals to immerse themselves in breathtaking vistas, breathe in crisp mountain air, and marvel at the wonders of the wilderness. Whether it's for exercise, exploration, or simply the joy of being outdoors, the call of the trail beckons adventurers from all walks of life, igniting a sense of adventure and discovery that can only be found along the winding paths of the great outdoors.

Below are my top 10 tips to start your adventure.

Tour du Mont Blanc, my first solo hike

• 1. Pick an easy route

  Just like starting a new musical instrument or a new sport, it’s great to start small and build up.

  Pick a local route, a couple of kilometers or more depending on your fitness and go simply with the goal of finishing. This is a great way to see if it’s for you but also to allow you to make mistakes whilst in the comfort of your local area. It’s much better to realise you have the wrong shoes on a 5km local hike than a 100km hike in the Alpes!

  Feeling comfortable in your body, your navigation, your sleep system etc. is a great confidence boost befor you head of on larger, more isolated trails.

• 2. Leave no trace

  This may sound obvious, but with climate change an ever increasing threat, and the outdoors being used by more people than ever before, we must all make an effort to keep our treasured outdoors clean so we all as a collective ecosystem can enjoy the natural world.

  Check your local area for regulations and advice regarding ‘leave no trace’.

  Wilderness England contains a useful set of guidelines for the UK. This includes:

  1. Plan & prepare

  2. Be considerate of others

  3. Respect farm animals and wildlife

  4. Travel and camp on durable grund

  5. Leave what you find

  6. Dispose of waste properly

  7. Minimise the effects of fire

• 3. Think about what you want to achieve

  One of the things I love about hiking is that everyone has their own slightly different reason why they are constantly drawn to the activity. Before setting out on you hikes, think about what you want to get out of the hike, and if this hike will allow you to reach your goal. This may be:

  • Overcomng a physical or mental challenge

  • Slowing down the business of everyday life

  • Exploring and learning about your local area, its history, wildlife and more

  • Achieving a goal with friends or family

  • Seeing the world in a way many people haven’t before

  • Reflecting on yourself and allowing you more time and space to think

• 4. You don't need all the gear

  We’re so bombarded these days with videos comparing gear, people telling you about this £200 jacket, or this £300 bakpack that it may seem daunting and frightfully expensive to go hiking.

  Assuming you’re not reading this in arctic Canada, I recommend a pair of hiking shoes and that’s it! Day hiking is more than great with standard sports clothing, your everyday rucksack and a standard waterproof jacket if needed.

• 5. It's not a competition

  Following from point 3, the great joy of hiking is that it’s not a competition. To one person, they will find joy in finishing as quickly as possible; to another, stopping for a relaxing lunch, taking photographs along the way will be more fulfilling.

  By choosing to go out for a hike, you’ve already beaten 90% of the people on their sofas!

• 6. "Second degree fun"

  Hiking will not always be enjoyable in the moment. The idea “second degree fun” means no matter how difficult in the moment, you will feel great at the end. So don’t worry if you feel tired, or like there are 20 other things you could be doing in the moment, because, just like a good book, you’ll be thankful, overjoyed and a changed person at the end.

• 7. Tell someone

  It’s always a great idea to share your route with friends or loved ones before you go. This can be through GPS, a phonecall, or many apps now allow you to share your route.

  Not only do your loved ones feel reassured an less worried, but in the case of an emergency, they may be able to help.

• 8. Bring a map

  My three main rules of navigation:

  1. Don’t fully rely on your phone, bring a map and compass. Phones carry an inherent risk; if you run out of battery, you drop your phone or its poruing with rain. Whilst on a short local hike, this may be ok, on a longer ‘foreign’ hike, a map may be a saving gace. It’s good to get in the habbit early by practicing navigating in familiarterritory.

  2. Check your surroundings regularly. Your phone is telling you a stream is to your left, but you see no stream… Perhaps, you GPS is faulty or your maps have lost internet connection. A standard 1:25,000 map will guarantee you a good level of detail to know your position relative to the landscpe

  3. Don’t assum everyone else is going the same way as you. It may be easy to see a group in font of you and follow them without checking your map. I would ask the group where they are going first and also periodically check my map and compass.

• 9. Stay safe, don't take shortcuts

  We are all creatures of habit, follow my scenario:

  After realising you’ve been on the wrong path for the last 2 kilometres, you decide to take a shortcut to save you having to go all the way back. Whilst this may be ok on a local path that you know well, getting in a good habbit and re-tracing you steps to your last known correct location is important.

  • Footpaths are designed to avoid dangerous terrain. By taking a shortcut, you are increasing the risk of walking in unstable or unsafe terrain.

  • Getting lost off the footpath can be very risky. Depending on the terrain, it can be difficult to retrace your steps, or difficult for others to find you.

  • Re-tracing your steps may lose you much less time than getting lost between footpaths.

• 10. Have fun!

  There is a reason why so many people love hiking, mountain biking, trail running and more.

  You can make lifelong memories, grow as a person and meet many incredible like-minded people along the way!

“Hiking is a way to cleanse the mind and escape the noise of everyday life”

Check out my first sololong distance hike, the Tour du Mont Blanc. I faced a lot of challenges and learned so much during the 9 days on trail. Click the video to find out more!