Adrian's Walking Tips

Over the years, I've picked up quite a few hints and tips regarding walking, while experience has shown me other things that are a good idea or very useful. Also, I picked up quite a bit of useful knowledge while a member of the Air Training Corps back in the early 1980s. The squadron I was with was fortunate in having members of staff who were former members of the RAF Regiment and Royal Marines, and they made sure that all members of the squadron received a comprehensive training in map-reading, navigation and survival techniques. Many of the hints and tips I've picked up are really just common sense, but others are a little less obvious and may even sound a bit silly at first. However, I know from experience that they do work and make good sense, and so I thought I'd take the opportunity to pass them on here. You don't have to follow the advice below, but I'd recommend you at least give it some thought, as it could help make your walking experiences much more enjoyable, and possibly a little safer too.

Boots

Feet are obviously very important to a walker, and a good pair of walking boots is the walker’s best friend. There is a huge a variety of boots out there, and the choice of boots is very much a personal preference. However, it is always important to make sure that the type of boots chosen matches the type of terrain over which they will be used. For normal trail walking on hard surfaces, either full boots or smaller trainer-style walking shoes are suitable. Obviously, full boots give more ankle support, but can be heavier and some people may find them less comfortable than the trainer-style walking shoes. At a pinch, a good stout pair of trainers can be used for trail walking, but it is important to make sure that they have a good tread pattern on the sole. For rougher terrain, full boots are always the recommended option, preferably ones with a proper waterproof upper as this kind of terrain can often be wet and muddy, and there is nothing worse than walking in dripping-wet boots with dripping-wet socks!

Whatever type of footwear is chosen, it is important that it be well broken-in before attempting any significant walking. If not broken in, then any boots, no matter how expensive, are almost certain to rub and cause painful blisters, so always make sure to break in a new pair of boots before attempting a walk in them.

Socks

And the choice of socks can also have an effect on your chances of getting blisters. When you buy a pair of boots, always make sure they are a little larger than your usual shoe size, as this then allows you to wear the proper socks inside them. My own personal preference is for a pair of thin cotton-rich socks such as sports socks, over which I then wear a second thicker pair. This second pair provides a layer of padding between my feet and the boots, while the inner pair stops the rougher outer pair rubbing my feet, and also helps soak up the sweat.

What NOT To Do...

Obviously, there are some types of footwear you should avoid when going walking. As crazy as it may seem, some people do try to go walking in high heels! While it may seem obvious to most sensible people that these are highly unsuitable for walking in, it isn’t unknown for some to try, and then act amazed when they lose their footing, sprain an ankle, and have to be rescued by the emergency services. Other types of footwear you would be wise to avoid includes sandals and flip-flops, deck shoes, cowboy boots and dress shoes.

One of the strangest pieces of advice I've ever heard was given to my neice and her friend when they were doing an 18-mile sponsored walk for charity, on which I accompanied them to make sure everything went OK. They were advised by somebody (not me) to rub their feet with a well-known brand of petroleum jelly, smearing it on very thickly, before putting on their socks, as this would stop them getting any blisters. The person who gave them this advice claims to do long-distance walks of up to a couple of hundred miles, etc, although myself and others have serious doubts about many of their claims to their walking experience. Needless to say, my neice and her friend did get lots of big blisters while I, just wearing my well-broken-in boots and a couple of pairs of socks, didn't get a single one. So I think it's fair to say that, if anyone tells you to put petroleum jelly on your feet, you should ignore them and just go with some good socks instead!

Layers Are Your Friend

As with footwear, it is important to have the right clothing for walking. Exactly what you wear will be a matter of personal choice and style, but there are a few useful guide-lines it is worth keeping in mind. The first is to always follow the principle of layering, which is wearing several thin layers rather than a few thick ones. While this may mean that you are wearing more garments, it also allows you to add or remove layers to help control your body temperature much more easily. This will make you feel a lot more comfortable, and make your walk a lot more enjoyable. Also, loose-fitting clothes will help air circulate around your body much better, again making you feel more comfortable – and they will also rub you a lot less, avoiding things like the dreaded “jogger’s nipple”.

Wind And Rain

Another thing to keep in mind is that this is Britain, and this means that we can get rain at any time of the year. So it is always wise to make sure you have some waterproof clothing with you, even in the summer. At the very least, this should be some form of lightweight waterproof jacket, and will ideally also include some waterproof over-trousers too. Up on the tops of hills, or in other open terrain, it can also be very windy, so a windproof jacket is essential if you intend walking in these areas.

Keep A Cool (Or Warm) Head

Something else worth having is a hat. While you may not normally wear one while “out and about”, a hat is a very useful thing to have with you while walking. In hot weather, it can help keep the sun out of your eyes and off your head, helping to avoid sunstroke and other similar hot-weather conditions. In wet weather, it can help keep your head dry - And yes, many waterproof jackets do have hoods that serve the same purpose, but these have the disadvantage of restricting your hearing, which can be a dangerous thing when walking on narrow roads which lack pavements. And, in the winter, a good warm hat will help stop you feeling cold and miserable, and possibly help prevent dangerous conditions such as hypothermia in very cold weather.

Along with a hat, don't forget a warm pair of gloves in cold weather. Not only will they help you feel more comfortable, they can again be potentially very important if you find yourself getting into difficulties as a result of the conditions.

What NOT To Do...

One very common mistake a lot of people seem to make is forgetting that, as you walk, you are going to warm up as a result of the physical exertion. As a result, they overdress for the conditions, find themselves getting over-warm, and have to stop to remove one or more layers in order to cool down. It's far better to slightly under-dress, so that you feel a little cool as you're standing around before starting your walk knowing that, as you walk, you're going to warm up to what hopefully should be a comfortable temperature. Of course, if you do this, make sure that you're carrying the extra layers needed to help you feel warm if you have to stop for any reason.

Although it's a very tempting thing to do in hot weather, it's not actually a good idea to walk in shorts. This is especially true if the route of your walk goes across moorland or other similar terrain. Why? Because having bare legs can leave you open to getting scratched by the vegetation, which can lead to some nasty infections. It can also expose you to the possibility of being bitten by various insects such as Ticks, some of which can potentially be carriers of things like Lyme Disease. Long trousers help protect your legs, minimising the potential for both scratches and insect bites.

The tendency for most people when going walking is to load up their rucksack with plenty of food, plus either a flask of tea or coffee or a couple of small bottles of water or fizzy pop. It may come as a surprise to many of those who do this, but they are actually making a potentially serious mistake that could affect their chances of completing their planned walk. And, if they do complete it, they will be in much worse physical condition, and take longer to recover, than if they had done things a little differently.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate...

When planning a walk, most people assume that the most important thing to carry in the form of provisions is plenty of food. This is based on the assumption that, when walking, it is food that the body will need the most. However, this is a mistake, as it is actually fluid, not calories, that our bodies need the most while walking.

It's an unfortunate fact that most people in the UK don't drink enough fluid. This is probably a result of our cooler climate in the past, and various cultural influences. However, as our weather turns warmer as a result of climate change, it is going to become increasingly important that we understand the need for proper hydration. Research by sports scientists working with people such as endurance atheletes and racing drivers has shown that as little as 2% dehydration can have a significant effect on physical performance, but the average person will be anywhere up to 7% dehydrated before beginning to feel thirsty. So, by the time you begin to feel thirsty, you will already be significantly dehydrated and your physical performance will have begun to degrade. As little as 2% dehydration can also have a significant effect on decision-making ability, which can prove critical in emergency situations and lead to possible wrong decisions being made. Mild dehydration such as this can have other effects too, including headaches and nausea, which can also impact upon performance. Maintaining a proper hydration level also speeds recovery from exertion, meaning that you feel fewer after-effects from any activity and regain your normal energy levels much quicker. This is why sports scientists and trainers now advise those under their care to maintain proper hydration levels at all times, and this is advice that walkers would be wise to heed too.

For walkers, the two primary factors influencing fluid consumption are the terrain over which you are travelling and the weather conditions in which you are doing it. The rougher the terrain and the hotter or more humid the weather, the more fluid will be needed. Research conducted by the Israeli Army in the 1960s showed that, in very hot conditions, the amount of fluid needed to maintain proper hydration while walking can be as high as one litre per hour. While the UK does not have the same Eastern Mediterranean climate as Israel (yet!), this does show that the amount of fluid needed far exceeds what most people would imagine.

So how much fluid should you carry? Well, as already said above, it depends on the walk and the weather. For a flat walk such as one of the ex-railway trails in cool weather, you probably won't need much at all, so one litre per person could well be enough for the whole day. However, if its a really hot summer day with temperatures in the high 20s or low 30s Centigrade, then you may need to double that to two litres per person. For a cross-country walk with a few hills, then on a cool day somewhere around 250ml per hour would be typical for how much water you'll get through, or 500ml per hour on a hot day. So for a typical 6-hour walk, while 1.5 litres may be sufficient for a cool day, a hot day could well see you needing around three litres per person, or even more if it's really hot. Is this more than you would have thought to pack yourself? I think it probably is.

What To Drink, And What NOT To Drink

What kind of fluid is best to carry? Although some may think it traditional to bring along a flask of tea or coffee, this is not a good idea as both tea and coffee are diuretics that promote the loss of fluid and speed up the rate at which the body becomes dehydrated. The same goes for alcohol and “energy” drinks containing caffeine. The best fluids to carry are either isotonic sports drinks, fruit juice (but not pineapple or lemon, as these are both diuretics) or water. My own experience is that both the isotonic drinks and fruit juices can be a little too acidic to make up the bulk of your fluid intake, and this can upset your system and cause indigestion or even diarrhoea – not really what you want when out in the wilds! Experience has shown that by far the best form of fluid to carry is simply water, either ordinary tap water or a still bottled variety. If you so wish, you can add various things such as a carbohydrate powder like Glucose or Maltodextrin. These don't affect the water's hydration properties, but can help give you a bit of an energy boost, but more of that below...

Don't Forget The Electrolytes

As you walk, you're going to lose fluid via sweat. Along with that fluid, you're also going to lose certain key salts that your body needs to function properly. These salts are known as "electrolytes", and are the reason that sweat tastes salty. If you don't replace them, your body will start to function less efficiently, and you will start to feel increasingly fatigued. So, besides staying hydrated, you also need to make sure that you replace these electrolytes. The main four you need to worry about are Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium and Sodium, and the easiest way of replacing them is via the fluid that you're drinking. If a fluid contains these electrolytes, and they are in the amounts and ratios that would normally be found in your body, that fluid is described as being "isotonic". Does that sound familiar? It should, because it's a word used on many popular sports drinks. So if you've ever wondered what it means, now you know!

So you could use a commercial isotonic sports drink to help replace the electrolytes but, as pointed out above, sometimes they can be a bit acidic and potentially upset your system if you drink too much. They can also be quite expensive too. A much better and cheaper solution is to use either soluable tablets or a powder that you add to one of your normal bottles of water. These can be obtained from many high street health food shops, or online from specialist suppliers of sports nutrition products. Some of the powder products, in addition to containing the electrolytes, also contain a carbohydrate powder to help maintain energy levels, so you're actually getting two benefits in one.

At the start of the walk, you won't have lost any electrolytes, so stick to drinking plain water or similar. Once you reach about half distance along your route, that's probably about the time to start with the electrolyte-enriched water - although if you've been sweating heavily in the early stages of the walk, you may want to start earlier. Don't be tempted to drink it all at once, as the large amount of salts all at one time could make you feel a bit sick. So spread it out through the rest of the walk, with a few sips every so often, and maybe a little more after any big exertions.

Food, Glorious Food...

But what about food? When going walking, many people make the mistake of taking far too much food with them – I know, as I’ve done it myself! All this does is mean that you end up carrying excess weight, which then makes you burn more energy. So how much food do you actually need to carry, and what type?

Well, the Guide-line Daily Amount (GDA) for calorific intake is 2,500 calories for an adult male and 2,000 for an adult female. This is based on an average activity level, and prolonged strenuous activity can increase this significantly. However, this doesn't mean that's what you need to carry with you for a short recreational walk. If you're on a multi-day camping trip, they yes, but for a normal recreational walk of around six to eight hours, then around 1,000 calories should be all you really need - plus a reserve for if you get stuck somewhere waiting for help.

To better understand what you should take with you, it helps to understand a little bit about basic nutrition and the differences between the various components of our food. (Concentrate - here comes the science bit!) Most foods have four basic components - carbohydrates, fats, fibre and protein. Of those four, its the carbohydrates, fats and protein that are most of interest to us as walkers, as they are what give us our energy. Carbohydrates are further broken down into simple and complex carbohydrates, depending on how long it takes our bodies to process them, while fats are broken down into saturated (bad) and unsaturated (good).

Fats are a great source of energy, with around nine calories per gram of fat compared to around four calories per gram for carbohydrates. However, it takes our bodies a long time to release the energy from the fat, so they are very much a "slow-release" food.

Protein often gets ignored by many people, who focus more on the calorific value of foods. However, protein is important, as it is protein that is responsible for muscle recovery and growth. A high-protein food can help with muscle recovery, stopping your legs from aching and speeding recovery times. Like fats, it takes our bodies some time to process protein and get it to where they actually need it, so it's not usually a quick fix that will kick in during a walk.

As we are walking, it will normally be the carbohydrates in our food that will be the main source of our energy. By having the right carbohydrates at the right time, we can help our bodies to make it through the walk in the best possible condition, but we need to do it right. To do this, we need to know the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are simple to digest sugars that our bodies can access quickly. They can give us a rapid energy boost, but this short-lived "high" is then followed by a "crash". Complex carbohydrates take longer for our bodies to access and process, so are a "slow-release" form of energy that can keep us going for long periods, but at a lower rate of exertion. So what we really need is a diet high in complex carbohydrates to give us long-lasting energy, with a smaller amount of simple carbohydrates for when we need a shorter burst of higher energy - for example if we're going up a steep slope.

What to eat on a walk actually begins with what you eat BEFORE the walk. They do say that a good breakfast can set you up for the rest of the day, and that's very true if you're a walker. A good breakfast with the right sort of things in it can really set you up for at least the first half of your walk, so it's important that you don't skip breakfast. Obviously, what you have for breakfast will very much depend on your own personal preferences and other factors. However, what you really want is something rich in those slow-release calories that will keep you going through the day. The classic "full English" breakfast is a great option, being high in fats and protein, and if you have bread or toast with it, some complex carbohydrates too. Something oat-based, such as porridge or muesli, is also a good option, as oats are high in slow-release complex carbohydrates. There are other options too, and a little research and some trial-and-error will probably show you what works best for you.

So what about on the walk itself? Again, personal preferences will come into play here, but you should start by considering your lunch. As with your breakfast, this should be based around slow-release complex carbohydrates, with some fat and protein as well. Bread, pasta and rice are all good sources of complex carbohydrates, so try and use them as the basis of your lunch. Cheese is a good sauce of fats and protein, as are many nuts. You'll probably need to do a little experimenting to see what works best for you, but if you make sure you're getting those complex carbohydrates, you won't go far wrong.

You'll also need some snacks for during the day. As with your breakfast and lunch, your own personal tastes and preferences will guide you here, but oat-based flapjacks are a great option, especially if they also contain some fruit or are chocolate-topped. The oats help top up your slow-release complex carbohydrates, while the sugars in the mix are simple carbohydrates that will give you a bit more of a boost if you need it. Chocolate is a commom option for many, often in the form of various snack-sized bars. However, this has a couple of drawbacks. Firstly, chocolate bars are pretty much all simple carbohydrates, so you get the rapid spike of energy, followed soon after by the crash. This may be OK for helping you up a hill, knowing that you're going to have a bit of a break at the top of it, but it's not great if you're looking to keep plodding on at a steady pace. Also, chocolate hates warm weather, so it can be an incredibly messy option on a hot day! Other good options can be a fruit and nut mix, or some of the various pressed fruit bars that have become popular in recent years.

As mentioned previously, if you add a carbohydrate powder or an electrolyte powder containing an added carbohydrate to your water, this can also help boost your energy levels. But be aware that all of these carbohydrate powders are simple carbohydrates, and so will give you the quick boost followed by the crash. However, as you should be drinking them regularly as you're walking in order to maintain proper hydration, this will actually even out the spikes and dips a little, so the effect shouldn't be as pronounced.

Finally, what you eat after the walk can be just as important as what you have before and during it. You've been putting your legs through a lot, and they're probably aching a bit, right? Yes, we've all been there, and we all know what's probably coming when we open our eyes the following morning. Well, you can help yourself recover quicker and ache less the next day if you have a good high-protein meal after finishing your walk. It doesn't matter if its meat, fish, dairy or vegetable protein, as long as there's plenty of it in there. This will help your muscles recover, and help ease the aches and pains in them.

Do you need a rucksack? Well, not necessarily, but it is by far the best solution. A rucksack helps spread the weight across your body, and also keeps both hands free for when you need them to help maintain your balance over rough ground, or for passing through or over other obstacles.

A common mistake made by the inexperienced is to select too large a rucksack – When going for a day walk, you don’t need a huge 80 litre capacity rucksack, and a smaller “day-sack” of no more than 35 litre capacity should suffice. In fact, for most people, a 25 litre backpack should prove more than adequate to carry all of their water, food and waterproofs, plus the other bits and pieces it is wise to carry “just in case”. If possible when selecting a rucksack or backpack, make sure it is at least shower-proof, and if possible try to get one that has a built-in rain cover.

Even if the rucksack or backpack you choose is shower-proof or has a rain cover, it is always a good idea to use a waterproof rucksack liner to protect the contents and keep them dry, as even the best rucksacks can leak a little if the rain is heavy enough. While such liners can be purchased from specialist outdoor equipment suppliers, a simple thick black plastic bin-liner can do just as good a job at a fraction of the cost.

As for the alternatives to a rucksack, about the only one that is recommended is a “messenger bag” or similar. Although not ideal, as they don’t allow you to keep both hands free at all times, the larger styles of messenger bag would have enough room for all of your food, water, etc. As such, they would be a reasonable alternative for a simple day-long trail walk if you only do a little bit of walking and don’t want to go to the expense of buying a rucksack. However, most experienced walkers would strongly recommend that you do buy a proper rucksack, as they do make things so much easier and safer.

Probably one of the hottest debates currently in the walking community is about the best way to navigate. Years ago, the only option was an OS Map and a compass, but now we also have GPS receivers, and even mobile phone apps too. So which is the best, and what mistakes should you avoid making?

Map And Compass

Starting with the old-school option of map and compass, well there's not really much to go wrong there. Yes, you could lose one or both of them, or the map could get wet and fall apart - although that's not so much of a problem now as you can get laminated waterproof versions of the various OS maps. So there's not really much that can go wrong with a map and compass, but there are a few drawbacks. Firstly, you need to know how to use them, so you do need a certain level of skill and experience that can only come with training and practice. Also, you need to be able to see the surrounding terrain in order to take bearings to allow you to fix your position if you become lost. This means that it isn't the best method in conditions of poor visibility, or if you are in an area where there are no distinctive landmarks to take bearings from, such as on the top of Kinder Scout.

Having said all of that, most experienced and sensible walkers would always recommend that, regardless of what other method you may be using to navigate, a map and compass is a good backup to carry.

Mobile Phone Apps

Probably the most popular method of navigation at the moment is to use one of the many different mobile phone apps that have been developed. While very convenient, and usually simple to use at a basic level, they do have quite a number of drawbacks, and quite a few people have got themselves into very serious trouble through blindly relying on them.

The first issue is that using the app also uses up your phone battery. Depending on the phone and app, this can place quite a drain on the battery, and it's not unknown for people to suddenly find their phone dying on them due to low battery in the middle of a walk, leaving them with no idea of the onward route, or even of exactly where they are. There are things you can do to increase the battery life, such as switching the phone to "airplane mode", or carrying a power bank to recharge the phone if needed. But none of these are ideal solutions and all have their down-sides.

Also, some apps depend to some extent on having a useable mobile phone signal in order to work properly. Unfortunately, in some areas of the Peak District and elsewhere, there is no phone signal. This can then lead to the app failing to work, leaving you with no way of knowing where you are or where you need to go. Some apps do allow you to download maps in advance and use them in an offline mode, so always make sure that your chosen app gives you that capability, and that you have downloaded all of the necessary maps before you set off for your walk.

Another issue is that many people look up routes that others have plotted and put online, and assume that it will be within their capability. On many apps, the original creator of the route will give it a difficulty grading from "easy" to "very hard", or whatever the equivalents are on that particular app. However, what people forget is that one person's "easy" walk may be "difficult" for someone much less experienced than they are. So people see a walk, look at the grading, assume it's within their capability, and then discover partway through that it's actually a lot more difficult than they assumed and they are way out of their depth.

There's also issues with inaccurate mapping of routes, either inaccurate maps, or errors in the GPS signal. This means that, while someone may be following what they think is the correct route, they may actually be some distance off it due to the errors in the mapping or GPS. Normally this isn't much of an issue, as you can see the surrounding terrain and see where you should actually be. However, there have been incidents in poor visibility where these errors have quite literally led to someone walking off the top of a cliff!

It's because of these issues with the apps that the official advice from the various Mountain Rescue Teams is that people should NEVER rely on a phone app as their sole or primary source of navigation, because they've had to rescue far too many people who have been led into trouble by them.

GPS Receiver

If you do want to go down the technology route, then by far the best option is to invest in a proper walking GPS receiver. These have a number of big advantages over trying to use your phone to navigate, and offer capabilities that the users of most phone apps can only dream of.

The first advantage of using a proper GPS receiver is the lower battery drain, and the longer battery life. This also means you don't have to switch your phone to "airplane mode", putting you out of contact with people, or have to worry about whether or not you'll still have enough battery life in your phone to call for help if you need it.

Also, a proper GPS receiver tends to have better positional accuracy than a mobile phone, giving you a better fix of your position on the ground. And, unlike many mobile apps, a proper GPS receiver will tell you the actual error in the position it is giving you, so you know if the position you are being given is accurate or not.

And most GPS receivers will easily give your OS grid reference, usually to ten digits, which many phone apps will not. This can be important when calling for help, as a ten-digit grid reference can fix your location very accurately indeed.

Finally, as they have been designed for use outdoors in all conditions, most GPS receivers are fully waterproof, so unlike a phone you don't need to worry about them getting wet. My own GPS receiver has been soaked by torrential rain on many occasions, seen the bottom of several streams, and even taken a dip in a flooded grough up on Kinder Scout when the bank gave way under me and I went in up to my waist! This would have killed a mobile phone, but had absolutely no effect on my GPS receiver, so I was still able to find my way safely off the plateau, which I may not have been able to do if I had been relying on a phone to navigate.

If you were to ask a selection of experienced walkers what other things you should carry with you on your walk, you would probably get a whole range of answers based on the personal experiences of each of them. Some would say you didn’t need anything else other than your food, water and waterproofs, while others would give you a long list of things, most of which would leave you completely baffled. As you are not going treking through Siberia or the Amazon rainforest, it is highly unlikely you will need a survival kit worthy of Ray Mears or Bear Grylls, but there are a few things it is wise to consider packing “just in case”.

Keeping In Touch

Probably the most useful thing to make sure you have with you is your mobile phone. Most places in the UK now have pretty good mobile phone coverage, and so you can usually use your phone to summon help if anything goes wrong. However, remember before you set off to make sure it is fully charged and you have plenty of call time, as there is nothing worse than your battery going flat or running out of call time right when you really need your phone. And if you have two phones, take both, as you never know when you could need a spare. If you do take a spare, it is probably a wise move to put it inside a waterproof bag, just to be safe, and keep it switched off to preserve the battery life.

One little bit of advice I always give people is the value of regular check-ins as you're walking. I'm sure most of us know it's only sensible to let someone know where you are going, what route you're planning to take, and what time you expect to be back. That way, if you don't get back at the expected time, they can raise the alarm and get people out looking for you. However, all they can do is tell the searchers what route you were planning to take, but not whereabouts you may be along that route. This means that they may have to search your entire route, which potentially can be quite time-consuming. So what I advise people to do is to arrange a rough schedule of pre-planned check-in points along your route, or times of the day, at which you will call your contact person and let them know where along your route you have got to. That way, if anything was to happen to you, they can relay that information to the search team, letting them know your last known position, and they then just have to search from there, rather than checking your whole route.

If you're carrying a phone, or anything else electronic and rechargeble via USB, it's also a good idea to carry one or two fully-charged "Power Banks", plus all of the leads you may need to connect them to your various devices. These can then be used to recharge your phone, GPS receiver, or whatever else may need a top-up in order to keep it working.

First-Aid

Another useful thing to pack is a small first-aid kit. It doesn’t need to be anything really fancy, and you can pick up small kits in pouches for about £5. (Avoid the small first-aid kits you find in many Pound shops, as these are too small and poorly equipped.) Such a kit doesn’t weigh much or take up a lot of space, but equips you to deal with the minor cuts and scrapes you may get crossing some terrains or obstacles. It is also a good idea to add things like painkillers and other "over-the-counter" medicines such as indigestion and diarrhoea relief tablets to the basic kit. If you are taking any form of prescription medication, make sure to pack what you need for the day. It is also a good idea to pack a back-up supply as well, which you should either carry on your person rather than in your rucksack, or give to another member of your party to carry in their rucksack. This ensures that, in the event you lose your rucksack containing your medication, you should still have access to what you need. This back-up supply can also be useful if you should find yourself stuck somewhere overnight awaiting rescue or a change in the weather.

Something else that is worth adding to your first-aid kit, especially if you do a lot of moorland walking, is a tick removal tool. These are available from most good outdoor equipment shops, and could prove very useful for removing any little unwanted passengers you may pick up.

Keeping Warm And Dry

Although it's highly unlikely you'll ever need it, it's also probably a good idea to pack a foil survival blanket. These are cheap to buy, lightweight, but very useful. As you probably already know, they are designed to help keep people warm, but can be used for other things too. In hot weather, they can help reflect the sun and keep you cool. They can be used as part of an emergency shelter, helping to keep you dry in wet weather. And, being so reflective, you can also use them to help draw attention to your location if needed. If you have a bit more space in your bag, consider also adding an orange plastic survival bag too.

See And Be Seen

It's also worth packing a torch and spare batteries, as this is another multi-purpose tool that can be so useful, but takes up very little space. It doesn't need to be a huge torch, as some of the modern LED torches can be incredibly bright, but also very small with it. And the other advantage of modern LED torches is the reduced current drain of LEDs gives a much longer battery life. Try if possible to get a torch which is waterproof, and if it also comes with a spare bulb or lamp unit, that's even better.

But why would you need a torch? Well, some walks could go through quite dark areas, where a torch could help you find safe places to put your feet as you walk. Or, if you are walking on the public roads, it could help make you more visible to passing drivers if you are walking around dawn or dusk. And, if you find yourself in need of rescue, a torch can help draw attention to your position.

Something that I carry in addition to a torch is an LED-based bicycle rear light. Why? Because I can hang it on the back of my backpack and set it flashing, helping to make me more visible to drivers if I'm walking along the road in conditions of low light or poor visibility.

Keeping Your Balance

Many people now use walking poles when they go out walking, but do you really need them? Well, this is another area where it is really down to personal preference, as there is no real evidence one way or the other concerning their benefits or otherwise. Some people may find they help when walking over rough ground, while others may prefer to keep their hands free and use them instead. There's only about a couple of situations where they do have a definite advantage over not having one.

The first of these, and probably the most common for most walkers, is when passing through fields containing cows and other large livestock - Many farmers would not dream of entering a field of large livestock without a long stick, as this can help ward off any animals that get too close. The other is when crossing soft ground or water obstacles - Here you can use them to test the ground or the depth of the water ahead of you, and also to help with your balance as you actually cross the hazard.

So walking poles and sticks are very much a matter of personal preference, and it is entirely up to you if you want to use them. Personally, I don't usually use them to help me walk, but I do always carry a single telescopic one with me, folded up and strapped to the side of my rucksack. I can then use it if needed for crossing fields of livestock, or for help on soft ground or crossing water hazards.

There is an unusual alternative if you don't want to use walking poles or a stick. If you have watched TV programmes such as early episodes of Coast on the BBC, you may have noticed that presenter Nicholas Crane always seems to have an umbrella sticking out of his rucksack. This may seem strange and old-fashioned to some, but there is actually a lot of sense behind it, as an umbrella is a surprisingly useful multi-purpose tool. Besides its obvious use of keeping you dry in the rain, it can also help keep the sun off you in hot weather, preventing heat exhaustion or sunstroke. It can also double as a walking stick to help you keep your balance, be used to test the depth of water, and be used farmer-style to fend off curious animals. So an umbrella, although at first something of a strange suggestion, can actually be a very useful piece of walking kit.