Back when I used to go backpacking around the world, I did around 8-12 hours per day of hiking, so it’s bizarre to think I didn’t really enjoy it back then, I just felt like I had to tick off life experiences and a lot around South American and wherever I went involved trekking. As soon as I hit 30 years old, the love for hiking emerged and it hit me hard.
Now I only get to go hiking properly about once a month with my good mate Matt, as we venture as far as we can in the car, which usually means we’re limited to Sussex if we have to get back in time for all of our responsibilities.
I will try my absolute best to share my best hiking tips I wish I knew if I was to turn back the clock.
Using Apps
Firstly, this isn’t an ad for Komoot, they aren’t working with me and I have no incentive to highlight them, but I will say I use the free version of Komoot on almost all of my UK based hikes. I have also paid the subscription at points when I was doing it more regularly.
You can navigate along paths and routes without ever making a wrong turn, it feels a world apart from the OS maps my dad still uses, while you can also see famous landmarks and find out some interesting facts about them as you’re walking past them.
I would recommend downloading Komoot, but worst case scenario, Google Maps is your best friend. Also, if you’re parking up somewhere free, you can mark where you’ve parked your car, which is incredibly useful on a long hike as we have forgotten a few times.
Choosing The Right Trail
You should go for a loop route, meaning you end up where you began, meaning back at the car or at a train station. This makes your life a lot easier most of the time.
Start with a relatively short journey to see how your body handles it. I personally most prefer hikes that last around 2-3 hours. Some prefer full day or multiple day adventures while others get tired after a single hour, the reality is you don’t want to push yourself too much on day one, as you want to see where the switch is from joy to chore.
The level of elevation on your route will also play a factor, I say 3 hours for me is ideal, but I spend a lot of that time going up and down hills, which increases the heart rate quite a bit. If you were on flat land, then the energy levels might go further.
What To Wear
I love to wear gloves when it’s nippy, but traditional gloves prevent you from being able to use your phone, not the most useful when you’re following along to a map-app. This is where ‘touch gloves’ come in, with touchscreen compatibility. Helly Hansen has an amazing unisex Versalite touch glove liner, which is ideal when it’s not too cold and you just want to keep your hands nice and cosy without overly thick layers.
Wearing the right shoes is absolutely critical as well, as if you just wear your casual trainers, the mud or puddles will go through and leave you with wet socks (bring on the blisters). You want to feel like it’s a tight, yet comfortable fit, which hiking boots offer, like the HH Waterproof Mid Cut Hiking Boots.
These will feel nice and cushioned inside, yet they’re incredibly sturdy on the outside. The ‘Helly Grip’ is also very useful, you’ve no idea the amount of times I’ve almost slipped on a path back in the day before I used more sturdy boots. I could never go back to trainers again.
I’d also recommend using a bag which resembles what you see joggers use. Why you might wander, the reason is for the water holder and the clips around the waist or chest. If you wear a normal rucksack with a water bottle inside, your back will ache so badly by the time you’re home. But if you have it strapped around you, it transfers the weight and you don’t feel it on your lower back. Just the same, having easy access to the water makes life a lot easier than dipping into your bag every five seconds, hence those strap pockets are a real game changer.
Finally, you should consider hiking socks. This recommendation has been drilled into me by my dad, as I buy him these for Christmas most years, as he uses them relentlessly on his hikes. They’re thick, have a relatively tight compression and need to be made from the right material.
The Helly Hansen unisex hiking quarter socks are perfect, as they will fight off potential blisters that come with thinner socks that can lead to friction. They’re also great at moisture management, as you will probably get a bit sweaty after hiking for hours. They’re thicker and made of wool so they provide a nice cushion to those regular steps, as well as being warm when it’s cold and breathable when it’s hot outside.
What To Pack
So I’m going to presume you’re bringing some form of back-protecting rucksack, like I highlighted earlier, meaning you won’t have all the pressure on your lower back. You then need to ensure you have a good supply of water, plus you should know where you can pick up some more water or top up your bottle if you’re going over 3 hours. We sometimes make a pub or cafe on the route, to stop for a coffee and top up our water bottles if we’re doing a 3-5 hour trek.
You might also want to pack something in case you get peckish. Everyone is different, my mate can easily go 6 hours of hiking without getting hungry, whereas I get peckish after a single hour. For that reason, I used to pack protein bars, as I think they’re ideal for a hike, but I’ve since learned about some negative health aspects around them, therefore I’d now recommend a more natural snack.
You could pack some nuts (but you only want a few as they’re very high calorie), some cucumber and carrot sticks, or maybe some rice cakes.
You may want some basics in regards to a medical kit, such as plasters and anti-bac hand wash. I’ve also occasionally brought a phone charger, if I’m highly reliant on my phone for the trek, as the apps do rinse it on these hikes.
