Hiking is a wonderful experience. Feeling the wind in your face, the sun streaming through the trees and the tranquility that Mother Nature brings to everyone.
Even if you are the most avid hiker, there is always a new perspective and learning a few tips and tricks can really bring your outdoor time to a new level.
To make the most of your hike, make sure you are prepared for the adventure ahead. Pack enough water, and wear comfortable clothing. Also bring along your favourite snacks for a pick me up en route. Once the physical preparations are done consider enhancing your hike through mindfulness or games.
The hiking season is upon us and after brushing the cobwebs off our gear it’s time to get out and about again. Making the most out of your hike means making it as enjoyable as possible. With the right gear and mindset that will be an easy task. I offer many helpful tips and tricks below.
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Physical Preparation For Your Hike
Preparing for a hike can be a lot more than just hopping in your car with your trusty rucksack and hoping for the best. Gear can make a difference but so can good route planning.
Let’s face it, no one is having a good time if they are hungry, tired and still have several miles of hill to climb. Avoid this by giving yourself the best chance of success!
1. Fitness Level
You do not have to be the fittest person on earth to go hiking. It is all about tailoring a route to your ability level. I have also had some absolutely amazing walks that are easy. Just because I am not climbing the highest peak didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it.
Taking your time, not breaking a sweat can actually be what you need to get the most out of your hiking experience. It definitely allows you to enjoy the view more without any stress.
If you are new to hiking, consider a shorter loop to a route between two train or bus stops. That way you can get a good few miles under your belt without worrying about having to get back.
Also picking a valley or river route is likely to be flatter than a hilltop and still just as pretty. Consider well walked routes too as these tend to have well managed paths which will save you from rough terrain and bogs.
Even if you are a regular hiker, consider your fitness on the day. If you spent the winter hibernating (no shame, it’s the best!) then hikes you found easy last summer may take a bit of edging into. The same goes for those who may be recovering from an injury or illness.
I say this because I made this mistake. I had a hip injury, and after months of physio I was finally declared healed by my doctor. After months of not being able to walk, I was so excited to hit the trails again. I had been running again and building up my fitness and felt like I could do it.
I booked a trip and walked on good terrain about 15km. It was relatively flat until the last kilometre and there was a steep downhill and I got a sudden pain in my foot. I had to keep walking but that evening, I struggled to weight bare on it at all.
It may not have been my initial injury but my body was not used to that repetitive motion after months of barely weight baring and then only moving on the flat.
Whatever your situation, you would benefit from some hiking training. This could be hitting your gym if that’s your vibe. Work on your core and leg strength as well as your balance. Especially with your ankles and on rough terrain. It tires them out quickly if you are not used to it.
Best training is regularly going for short walks, ideally in the kit you would be taking if you went hiking. If you need to build up to that, then that’s OK too. Nothing is more beneficial than going a few times a week and getting on your feet. If you can try and mix up terrain and get in some hills.
Being physically more capable (through training or well chosen routes- ideally both!) will help mitigate the fatigue and make the whole hike so much more enjoyable. Allowing you to get more out of it.
2. Choose A Good Route
Not all hikes are build the same. Some have spectacular scenery throughout, others are a bit of a graft but the end point is worth it. Choosing a hike that meets what you’re in the mood for will add to the hiking experience.
Something that varies even more than your mood is the weather. Not just the weather on the day but consider the weather conditions from a few days before.
Perhaps what normally is a beautiful woodland hike is now waterlogged because of heavy rain past few weeks. Slipping and sliding all over the place can be funny but slow going. Adapt the route accordingly and don’t expect to power through at the same pace.
The same is true for routes which are fords or river crossings. If there has been a lot of rain (or snow melt) then you may have to find an alternative route around. Higher ground is also more exposed so if it‘s windy, keeping to a sheltered valley may be a lot nicer.
Traditional planning usually pairs into your fitness level. How far are you wanting to hike on the day? How much will you physically be able to cover? Consider the hills, up will take you longer. Downhill is horrible on your knees when it is steep. Add in mud or loose shingle and it can take even longer than getting up there in the first place.
The same is true whether you’re walking open moorland or a nice well maintained cycle path. Both can offer huge benefits and lovely walks but it depends upon your abilities. A challenge is healthy but overstretching yourself, normally leads to a miserable hike. It’s normally better to plan a shorter hike. You can always add on to a route if you’re feeling good!
So how do you even find out these sort of things? The best port of call is normally a good map. One that will show you the route, whether it’s a bridal or foot path or even a lane but also has the contour lines on.
The level of elevation between each line is usually 10m height gain but do check on your map. Really flat areas may have a 5m difference whereas mountainous areas will have a higher jump between to save them colouring the whole map in! The closer the lines, the steeper the climb.
This is also the most accurate way to work out how far you are walking. With each grid square usually being a km. Again check your own map because some can change. Use string or a piece of paper (turn and mark with dots along the edge) along your route and either place it alongside the scale.
Alternatively, there are many maps online, and you can either screenshot them or download them so they are offline. Only issue I have had offline is I didn’t take detailed enough screenshots so it got a little tricky as the surrounding features where not clear.
Google maps directions capability can give you a very good time estimate so long as it shows the walking route you want to take. It is also pretty uniform so if you know that you walk slower or faster than the estimated time then you can account for that too.
Another place to look at, especially if you don’t want to manually work out distances is using a track my run app or website. They tend to show more footpaths than google maps and allow you to tailor your route. Many will give you distance and elevation details. There are several walking apps now too that likely offer similar services. I find their free versions such as Alltrails useful but limiting when actually hiking.
Finally check out whether other people have done the trail. If it’s well known then people will rate the hike and let you know if there are any issues. The more recent the review the better for details on terrain but all reviews are helpful when choosing a new route to hike. Find blogs, hiking apps and even Quora may have some helpful advice.
If you can’t find advice that way then head over to google maps again and switch to satellite imaging layer. You can zoom in pretty close and although it wont show you all the details it can show you how big the path is.
The colour can help you tell if it is tarmac or gravel and if you’re keeping off well used routes it can give you an idea of boundary crossings and the type of vegetation in the area. If you’re lucky enough, you may be able to use street view on your route. I find this particularly useful to assessing how busy a road will be if I have to cross it or walk alongside. I can answer questions such as does it have a pavement option. Doing that has saved me some dangerous routes.
All this can seriously impact how much you will enjoy your hike. You know yourself best, and personally unless you’re going for a challenge, I find I get the most out of enjoying my hike. During at least. Challenges are more enjoyable afterwards!
3. Preparation For Your Hike
Once you know where you’re going, you need to make sure you have the right stuff. This can make the difference between an awful hike and one which you feel like you can conquer everything!
Food
Firstly, don’t start the day dehydrated or hungry. No one likes it when you’re hangry! If you’re not someone who likes to eat breakfast consider taking something en route, especially if you are driving to your hiking destination.
On the trail, bring snacks that you like. Another lesson I learnt the hard way. I brought breakfast bars that sounded nice but they weren’t to my taste. They ended up just being dead weight.
Dry food is lightweight but it can get very repetitive. Try and mix it up as much as you can. If you’re just hiking for the day, you can get away with more perishable food. Just pack them well, no one wants a smushed banana! Try nuts, cereal bars, dried fruit and then even if it’s a day hike way not take a portable camping stove and have something hot for lunch. It makes a nice change from sad sandwiches.
Also it’s important not to live off sweets the entire day. They are the perfect pick me up but if you don’t pair them with a slow releasing energy source you will have a crash. The same goes for energy drinks. The hiking gels are lightweight and provide a much needed boost if done correctly. You can always bring wraps or pitta breads for a savourity base. Cheese will last a day too, otherwise add boil in the bag food to your wrap for a change.
Many people overpack the food they need and this takes up valuable space. You will only need a bit more food than you normally eat and an emergency stash (if multi-day hiking consider 24hours worth). Your trip may also pass nice cafes where you can top up. Don’t rely on these to be open (or take card) but you really can’t beat a good ice cream on a hot day.
Water
Judging how much water to bring is quite a challenge. You need to drink in both hot and cold conditions but how much you will need will depend on the difficulty, weather and whether or not you can top up. This could be through towns en route or if you have a water filtration system then you can top up from streams.
A baseline is 2 litres per day, but if your hiking in the peak of summer its definitely better to overpack water. It is heavy so don’t go mental but it’s what your body needs most. Dehydration is a huge cause of feeling rough even before it becomes dangerous.
I would also recommend taking a hydration bladder AND a bottle. Hydration bladders are great because they allow you to sip water with ease. No need to stop and get it out your bag, however, this can lead to you running low without realising. The bottle is the back up and it helps make refilling the bladder easier in some cases.
Girls especially, don’t avoid peeing in the great outdoors, especially if you’re avoiding drinking to do so. It’s super dangerous and you will feel awful at best. There will be somewhere to give you a little privacy. If not and your with people get them to hold up a coat or jumper to give you a little screen. Tie it up if you feel so inclined.
I used to get really pee shy on hikes. Practice is key to a) get used to it and b) find a method that works for you. I also find squatting for the bathroom really uncomfortable so where I can I will try and use a tree as a support. Great if I can lean against it, but if not I use a hand leant against it to take some off the pressure of my legs!
This way you will enjoy your hike so much more by being comfortable and that way can keep a good energy levels throughout. No hangry people around!
Clothing
All you need to go hiking is a pair of shoes with good grip and a coat. You really do not need the technical clothing to hit the trails. A lot of the time it is overkill anyway. But you do need to choose smart with what you do bring otherwise it can be so unpleasant. It definitely will stop you making the most out of your hike.
If you don’t have walking boots, then keep with well maintained trails which are perfectly find to walk in trainers. Boots do become a necessity when you start going over moorland or up scree covered mountainsides. Higher levels still which will require crampons will not be compatible with all shoes and dangerous if you do not have the correct equipment.
Where the option allows, a pair of waterproof shoes will be preferable. It is amazing how quickly even the dew on the grass can cause trainers to get wet (yes it can dry but that’s still time). Nothing is worse than wet feet to me!
Whatever shoes you choose make sure you have worn them in well. That process normally takes several weeks. Try them on different grounds, up and down hills and for varying durations.
Hotspots are not good and you should avoid that pair if they do not go away once they are worn in. Either way, a good set of blister plasters can make the world of difference. Apply them before your hike if you know you are prone to them as a prevention or as soon as you feel your shoes rubbing. Don’t wait for the blister to form!
Another thing to avoid is wearing anything cotton. Denim is a type of cotton too so avoid wearing that. I have a whole article on wearing jeans for hiking which you can read here and I also have an article on what to wear if you don’t have technical hiking clothes to read here.
In summery any activewear clothing should suffice such as what you would wear to the gym. It’s moisture wicking, allows for movement and drys fast. Most clothing, if you’re comfortable to go for a run in it, then it will be fine for hiking.
Just allow for adjustable layers because your temperature hiking can change in an instant. An exposed windy section is different to a nice sheltered spot in the sun. Your temperature also drops when you stop so be sure to take a fleece.
Being comfortable, which is usually warm enough and dry is the key to getting the most out of your hike. But you can take your hike to the next level with really engaging with the activity.
Enhancing Your Hike
Everyone can chuck on a pair of shoes and head out the door. They can see hikes as a tick off list and wish to complete them without enjoying the journey as such.
I have hiked with many people who just want to rush to the end and there is nothing wrong with this. Some people are doing it for training, or racing a clock per se. That motivates some people, however, I believe you can create so much more value to your hike with a few simple tricks.
1. Connect With Nature
Where ever you end of walking there will be some way to appreciate nature. Even in urban environments there are some wonderful places. The trees along the path, maybe you watch the blossom rain down. Or the pigeons cooing at your feet for a little crumb. So many people miss these details and believe they have to go into far reaches off the countryside to enjoy natures finer moments.
Of course, the countryside has more to offer in turns of tranquility and usually a different array of species. I find it fun to make myself aware of the shapes and textures of the plants that surround me.
If you’re interested in photography I find that a plant that many may ignore can create beautiful macro photographs. Or play with textures and the way the light bounces off the morning dew. You may even be lucky to find an insect or two. Many can be absolutely stunning and really add to the experience of the hike.
There are so many ways you can connect with nature. Perhaps it’s just opening your awareness to the sounds of birdsong, practicing gratitude or even give forest bathing a go!
Other options include making it a game or challenge. Perhaps you keep a journal of species you have spotted or make it an opportunity to learn a new species. There are so many topics to explore, start with something you find interesting. Many people birdwatch but perhaps you have a fascination with fungi or butterflies.
If your someone who likes to be hands on, get your feet dirty and walk on the grass or sand. Connecting with the earth has huge health benefits in making you feel more grounded.
The more practical of you may want to connect with nature through foraging (ensure you have permission and leave some for nature) or creating art along your hike. You can either bring a sketchpad or use what’s around you! (Just remember to leave it how you found it).
2. Mindful Walking
Don’t knock mindfulness until you give it a fair go. I know I have suggested this, alongside meditation and I normally get excuses. It does not matter is your mind is running at 100 miles an hour. Just being at peace with yourself is something to strive towards.
When you hike mindfully you are fully immersed in the environment around you. It can really heighten the experience. It’s all about being present. Not thinking of your to do list when you get home. It’s all completely surrendering to the hike and what you can do at that moment.
You can bring your focus to anything. Whether it’s your breathing or the sounds of the wind through the trees. The way the grasses sway. The warmth of the sun on your back. When you open yourself up to these sensations it really enhances the hike. Top it off when an excellent view and the endorphins from the exercise and you will feel happier.
Don’t worry if you can’t seem to crack it first attempt. It takes practice. Perhaps take the time to take a few guided sessions. Find ones that work for you. Some of them may click better than others for yourself and practice for short periods of time. It’s all about experimenting and there is no right or wrong way to do this!
3. Play Games
Family and friends will all come along for at least some of your hikes. This is awesome. It gives you time to catch up without many distractions. Finally getting into some natter beyond the quick how are you. Get into some valuable quality time. Put away the phone and really choose to be in the moment.
You could also take this further and play games. Children friendly games include ‘I spy’ but you can make them challenging enough for adults. Think outside the box a little. Instead of tree, try bark or leaves or even more technical than that if you want to prove your the smarty pants!
‘Would you rather’ or ‘two truths, one lie’ are all games which you can walk at the same time and have a good laugh about. You could even create your own or create a fantasy story. Think dungeon and dragons but modify it so you can play en route. Perhaps you flip a coin (or rock) to see whose scenario plays out. Bonus points if you can make it an adventure of your hike!
If you find you can get bored of hiking, I have more ideas for entertainment en route here or if you’re hiking solo here. Now you can’t use boredom as an excuse not to go!
Conclusion
There are so many ways to make the most out of your hike. Start making sure you have the basics covered. Then you will be more than safe, you will actually be comfortable. Nice and warm, no blisters on your feet and fully hydrated.
Once you have completed that you can really tailor the hike to your personal preferences. Embrace your hobbies but really find something that keeps you present in the moment at the hike, appreciating the time and being grateful for the experience. That will really make you make the most out of every hike. Happy Hiking!
