Once you’ve been on your first hike, you will catch the bug and want to go on another. It’s a really nice experience heading out into nature, seeing beautiful landscapes and breathing in the fresh air – you’ll soon forget about the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
If you are new to hiking, there are a few things that you should be aware of before setting off on your walking adventure. Hiking is not a race, so don’t over-exert yourself trying to make it one. As a beginner, choose beginner hiking gear – you don’t want to fall into the category “all the gear, no idea” – and make sure you tell someone you are going before setting off – safety is so important.
We want you to enjoy your hiking experience, so here are some of our top tips for beginner hikers.
It’s not a race
Unlike other sports, hiking is not a race! When you set off on a hiking trip away, you want to pace yourself at the level you are currently at – slow and steady wins the race as they say. As someone new to hiking, you don’t want to injure yourself on your adventure because you have gone too quickly. You also don’t want to be too tired that you don’t enjoy the hike.
Choose beginner hiking gear
As with all new hobbies you start, don’t go straight into buying all the top, expensive equipment. Beginner hiking gear is still very good and will work perfectly well for your hike. Make sure you get all the essential equipment like walking boots, hiking socks, mid and base layers as well as a jacket in case it rains. Once you have been on a few hikes and know you are going to go on many more, then you should consider investing in more advanced gear.
Tell someone before you go
Before setting out on your hike, always let a few people know you are going. Hiking is a very safe activity but that doesn’t mean it’s fall-proof. When out, you could slip and hurt yourself, so it’s important others know where you are going in case you need to get help. Make sure you bring your phone with you, in case you need to make a call during your trip.
Research the route
Never go out on a hike without having researched the route you are going to take. It’s so important you dedicate some time to researching the areas you will be heading to, the types of terrain you are going to face, the inclines you need to prepare for and of course the likely weather conditions that you will be battling through. The more prepared you are for your hike, the easier it will be.
What tips would you like to share to help beginner hikers? Which of the above tips did you find most useful? When are you planning on going on your hike? Let us know in the comment box below. We would love to hear from you.
