|
|
| |
| Outdoor Adventure Information – Your Guide to Outdoor Fun | |
|
|
|
Hiking Safely on the Hills
SAFE WALKING TREKKING OUTDOORS If you are contemplating a long distance walk, or indeed a day walk, on the any of the high level routes in the UK, such as The Pennine Way, for the first time, between October and May, please be aware that you are embarking on a test of your endurance and stamina, especially when carrying a backpack. Each stage in a long distance walk involves a period of several hours spent outdoors, often in isolated and remote locations and sometimes at altitudes above 400 metres, in possibl;y rain or snow. A number of factors must therefore be taken into account at the planning stage. Weather Conditions & Daylight Hours Regardless of when you undertake the journey, you must check the expected weather conditions each day. Between October and May there is increased risk of high winds, heavy rain, sleet and sometimes snow blizzards. Any of these, together with the significantly smaller number of daylight hours, can provide a challenge for the unwary. Basic Equipment Rucksack If you have arranged for back-up luggage to be transported by your next accommodation, then a medium size rucksack (25 to 30 litres capacity) will be adequate to carry your daily needs of clothing, food and liquid as well as a basic first aid kit. Alternatively, if carrying all your equipment yourself then greater capacity will be needed, depending on what you consider to be the bare essentials! Guide Books, Maps & Compass Most UK long distance walks are quite well signposted. However, it is unwise to embark on any unfamiliar route without a good Guide Book and a Ordnance Survey map of scale 1:50,000 to show a broader topographical picture on either side of the route. Maps in guide books are generally good but of necessity relatively narrowly focused on the route. I prefer to be able to "see" what lies to either side, mainly for my own enjoyment and to be aware of possible escape routes should the weather turn bad on a high level path. Maps to scale 1:25,000 give much better detail; ideal for day trips but too bulky for long distance hiking because you will need more of them. Fine for when you decide to explore an area. If you are used to mainly one scale of map, be aware that your "map speed" will be halved or doubled if you change scale. Good mountaineering practice recommends carrying a compass on all hiking expeditions. Contact your local hiking club for a quick navigation course if you are not confident with a compass. Mobile phones tend to work only on the hills; valley signals are often poor. An optional extra but can be useful in an emergency. Clothing Warm and dry hiking is happy hiking, especially for non-hardened beginners! Therefore comfortable walking/hiking boots and socks, a hat, gloves, fleece jacket, water & wind-proof jacket and over-trousers are essential outer wear, as the conditions dictate; if you're sweating, take something off. Beneath that, wear layers, starting with a synthetic wicking shirt (I wear them with long sleeved which can be rolled up when summer walking). Synthetic vests do not absorb sweat like cotton vests and are therefore more comfortable next to the skin when you take your outer garments off for a lunch break, and are quick to dry. (Antarctic sledgers simply shake off the iced sweat in the morning and bingo...a nice dry shirt!) If you are new to trail walking then the advice of a specialist hiking gear shop is a wise preamble to setting foot on mountain. Some Mountain Safety Tips Never undertake a walk in wilderness country alone. Two is the minimum & three is better. Wear or carry suitable clothing, food, basic first aid kit, survival bag, head-worn waterproof torch, plenty of spare batteries (they always seem to run out when you need them) & a whistle, preferably on a lanyard, so you know where it is. Know how to read a map and use a compass. Always carry both and use the map to maintain a check on your location and rate of progress; it is so easy to miss a turning and head off into the unknown! Know the weather forecast; be alert to changing conditions en route. Plan your route. Rough terrain and a heavy pack will limit your speed to around 2mph or less if unfit. Leave a note of your plan and expected arrival time at the place of departure and don't forget to report back on arrival. No-one wants to leave the comfort of a warm pub to search the hills at night for you if you're tucked up warm in your bed! Carry a mobile telephone; only use it to summon Mountain Rescue in a real emergency. Don't forget to charge your phone every night too, before you go to the pub! If an emergency arises stay calm; think before you act. If someone needs to leave the scene to get help, take bearings from known features if possible, leave plenty of warm clothing with the injured party plus a light and whistle and a hot drink if possible. If summoning help, first identify your location (grid reference), then contact Emergency Services (999) and ask for Mountain Rescue. Be prepared to buy a lot of drinks in the pub that night! The Countryside Code. Respect the people who live and work in the countryside. This is their home. Respect private property and farmland as well as wildlife and the Environment; do not light fires except at designated campsites. Take all litter home. Leave gates as you find them - open or closed. Always use gates and stiles in preference to fences, hedges or dry stone walls. On roads without pavements, walk in single file on the right hand side, and use a torch to warn oncoming motorists of your presence. In a nutshell, be sensible and enjoy yourselves! Happy Hiking! http://www.trekking-hiking-outdoors.co.uk http://www.trekking-hiking-outdoors.co.uk/articles_1.html Mike Jozefiak seems to have survived 56 years relatively unscathed (physically, anyway!) and is still thirsting for knowledge! "Experience is the comb Life gives you after you have lost your hair"!
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Improving Your Aim If your aim is not good, or is not quite what you want it to be, there are several ways you can work to improve it. Most people can hit the target almost every time when they are not rushed in any way. Pigeon Forge Campgrounds Campgrounds are a perfect Pigeon Forge lodging option for visitors looking to be as close as possible to the great outdoors. Campgrounds in Pigeon Forge are located near the beautiful and majestic Great Smoky Mountains National Park and are still only minutes away from the outlet malls, dining, and music theatres that downtown Pigeon Forge has to offer. Cochin - Cocktails of Cultures Eulogised as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Cochin, Kerala's commercial capital is an anachronism. The dashing metropolitan city prides itself on a historical heritage stretching back to ancient times and embracing within its far reaching hold, cultures as diverse as Hindu, Chinese, Arab, Jewish, Syrian Christian, Portuguese, Dutch and English. Going it Alone: The Waterfall at Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska I stood at the observation point on the balcony at the Visitor Center overlooking the great Mendenhall Glacier at Juneau, Alaska. Before me was a beautiful scene. Find Outdoor Camping Gear Online at Great Discount Prices Before you take off on that great outdoor adventure, be sure to write a list of all of the outdoor camping gear you will need with you and your family when on that camping trip. Some of the most important items to remember to bring are backpacks, tents, sleeping bags and camping furniture to name a few items. Backpacking Journals - Preserve Your Backpacking Experiences Backpacking is a great way to escape the rat race and be one with nature. Alas, your backpacking experiences can fade with time. How Are Minerals Formed? HOW ARE MINERALS FORMED?MINERALS are naturally occuring, inorganic solids, with a characteristic chemical composition, having a regular atomic structure throughout. Man-made industrial diamonds are not considered true minerals. Stay Out of That Old Mine! It seems like the most adventurous thing in the world. That dark opening in the hillside beckons, tantalizes, excites. Where to Find Some of the Best Beaches in the World We think that Cape Town has some of the best beaches in the world.You can choose beaches which are on the Indian Ocean, with warm water, or those on the colder Atlantic Ocean. Discount Lift Tickets - Learn what Colorado Ski Resorts Do Not Want You to Know! How to get discount lift tickets for popular ski resorts in Colorado including Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, and Beaver Creek.The ski resorts make it difficult for anyone coming from out of state to get a great deal on lift tickets. Lake Jipe straddling Tanzania and Kenya So unknown is this treasure of Lake Jipe not many Tanzanians know of its existence or location. Sandwiched between the Pare mountains and Kilimanjaro this small lake [30 km sq] straddles the border between Kenya and Tanzania. Zambia Safari Top Five National Parks Zambia is Africa's best kept secret as far as safaris go. The country is a virtual unknown in comparison to other more traditional destinations but a Zambia safari can be every bit as good and in some cases even better. Inflatable Pontoon Boats Bryce Whitmore designed the modern whitewater inflatable pontoon boat, and in fact designed several models. The one that has been produced the most is a three-tube model of unparalleled maneuverability and load bearing capacity. Is The Workamper Lifestyle For You? If you've been dreaming of traveling the highways in your RV, but see the adventure as something far in the future when you retire, then you may want to seriously consider giving the Workamper lifestyle a try. You can live your dream now; it just takes a little preparation and commitment. Inflatable Boats: An Overview Inflatable boats are made from flexible material, usually rubber, canvas, or neoprene, and hold air at high volume but low pressure. They need to be fitted with a frame to which an oarlock mount is firmly attached. Amazing Trek Across TIbet! Today Bookpleasures and Sketchandtravel are pleased to have as our guest, Brandon Wilson, author of Yak Butter Blues.In 1992, Brandon and his wife Cheryl travelled 40 days from early October to the end of November in 1992 over 1000 kilometers travelling along the ancient pilgrimage route across Tibet. The Lumemo Trail - An African Wilderness Experience for the Practiced Hiker The Udzungwa Mountains National park was created primarily for the protection of flora rather than fauna. The park was registered in 1992 and is the first of its kind in Tanzania. Unforgettable Cape Cod Vacations: The National Seashore Gift Take a captivating trip through the Cape Cod National Seashore with miles of white sandy beaches, trails and hikes to take your breath away, and majestic dunes. Just keep reading and you can visit all those places right now. How to Repair an Inflatable Boat The owner can attempt small inflatable boat repair if factory-gluing instructions are followed closely. Rips and holes larger than one inch in the air chambers, or those within two inches of a seam, should be repaired with internal and external patches by a professional repair technician at a certified repair facility. My Five-Ounce Sleeping Bag Okay, it wasn't quite a sleeping bag. However, it was only five ounces, and it kept me warm as the temperature dropped to the low forties on the bank of the Manistee River in Michigan.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |