General Aspects

Speed is of less importance than economy of effort. To hurry is foolish except in extenuating circumstances. Slower hikers should always be encouraged and never left to struggle along on their own, to become exhausted and depressed.

Keep together and on no account should any member of the party be sent back on his own.

There is no Best Position for the leader of a party. He may be at the front, at the back or in the middle. Normally he will be at the front, having appointed the next most experienced member of the party to bring up the rear.

Rhythm is essential to good hill-walking. Springing and flexing the knees by taking too high a step and jerky movements tire the muscles and should be avoided. The leg should be allowed to swing forward like a pendulum. The natural sway of the body assists this movement.

Spare clothing should be carried in the rucksack, never tied around your waist.

In order to maintain rhythm, the same speed of pace should be used on all types of ground, the length of pace should be shortened for steep, difficult ground and lengthened for easy or flat ground. Each foot should be placed down flat with a deliberate step, resting the heels on any available projections such as stones or tufts of grass.

Where the slope is very steep, zig-zagging will assist the walker. When descending, over-striding and putting the foot down heavily should be avoided as this will jar the body and is extremely fatiguing to the muscles.

If you have to negotiate a scree, deploy the party in such a way that debris dislodged by one person cannot fall onto another down below.

Constant stopping and starting breaks up walking rhythm and should be avoided as much as possible. One should try to make halts at fixed intervals based on time and ground.

Your job as a leader of a party is to stimulate interest and above all safe enjoyment in everything the mountains have to offer.

Rest Periods

With an appropriate steady pace the primary reason for periodic rests is to decrease the level of lactic acid and other waste products in the blood. This can be accomplished with 5 to 10 minutes of rest every hour. If a longer rest is requested the leader should slow the pace – although stragglers that are too slow should be halted or turned back if feasible.

Longer rest periods are not particularly advantageous because the fall off in concentration of waste products decreases with time – recovery in 20 minutes is only about twice that in the first 5 minutes.

After lunch some time should be allowed for digestion (about 30 minutes) because this process competes with exercise for the blood supply.

Preparation before the hike:

  • Make sure someone at home knows your route and expected timings.
  • Program the emergency numbers into your cell phone.
  • Increase your magnesium intake before setting out on the hiking adventure. This helps with leg cramps.
  • Read up on the area you want to hike, know what possible dangers and interesting things you may encounter to be prepared for them.
  • Check the weather forecast and if you’re hiking along a river, check the weather upriver too so that you are not caught out by flash floods.
  • Wear new shoes in before a long hike.

Essentials to pack:

  • The weight of all equipment should not exceed 1/5 (20%) of the normal body weight for body size.
  • Take a 5L collapsible water container. When setting up camp collect water and add purifying tablets so you don’t have to run for water all the time.
  • Plan and pack for long hikes in groups of three. That way you share a stove, medical kit, meals etc. This reduces pack weight.
  • There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.
  • Bring a compass or GPS to make sure you know where you are going and how to get there..
  • Put a heavy duty plastic bag in your backpack before packing, you don’t want anything to get wet.
  • Carry a proper first aid kit. Also ensure that there is good communication amongst everyone in the hiking group and that there is a proper emergency plan.
  • If you have a liquid fuel stove (MSR etc) take a syringe and a small plastic bottle of meths for priming. This works especially well in cold weather.
  • Get plastic screw-top bottles from the chemist. These are useful for whisky or whatever you drink; and meths to prime the stove.
  • Always carry a beanie/balaclava and enough warm and waterproof clothes. The weather changes suddenly in the mountains. Don’t forget the sunblock too.
  • Take a husband, if you haven’t got one – borrow one. Never steal one. They are great for carrying the extra load, making fires and packing away sleeping bags.
  • Ensure you have more batteries than you expect to need.
  • Add matches, two striking strips from matchbox and a small BIC lighter. Carry this in a waterproof bag.
  • Take some brandy/whisky. This is a great disinfectant for wounds and also can be used for toothache. A tissue or cloth dipped in it takes a spark easily in wet conditions and a perfect nightcap for cold nights in the berg.
  • Buy a Buff made of micro-fiber cloth. This can be worn in more than 20 different ways on and around the head. It can also be used as a washing cloth for hot pans, mugs etc.
  • Make sure you have cable ties and duct-tape packed. They can be used to fix backpacks, torn clothing/material, tent pegs and anything that needs a quick, yet effective fix on the trail.
  • Carry a tube of an anti-inflammatory rub for the end of the day’s hike. It helps with those aching limbs.
  • Pack in a couple of clothes pegs
  • Don’t forget map and sunglasses.
  • Put your toilet paper in a empty aqueous cream container and use from the inside.
  • Pack some trail mix (nuts, smarties, jelly tots etc)
  • Wear long tight-fitting socks or gaiters to avoid having bushes scratch you.
  • Soya mince with cous-cous for dinner as it is light to carry and will make you feel full.
  • Pack in insect repellent, a Swiss army knife as well as biodegradable washing powder for clothing.
  • A headlamp works much better than a normal flashlight.
  • You may not have cell phone signal in case of emergency so take a flashlight. Even during the day you can use this to send SOS signals.
  • Take warm clothes. Regardless of what the weather man says, always be prepared. Hypothermia is a killer !
  • A ziplock bag will ensure that your items that you do not want to get wet are protected.
  • Use tablets to purify water.
  • Instead of a cap, make sure you have a big floppy round hat, that provides adequate protection from the sun. Also remember to always bring lip balm.
  • Remember to leave some dry, clean clothes in the car for when you get back after your hike.

On the hike:

  • Do a warm up routine before starting the day’s hike.
  • Don’t only drink water, rather drink a good isotonic solution to balance salt intake.
  • Peanuts are good energy boosters.
  • Always carry a high carb snack like a banana.
  • A walking stick is recommended.
  • Foot care, foot care, foot care ! (great shoes with crappy socks is money well wasted !) Put foot powder in a ziplock bag that you take with you, stick your feet in there before you put your socks on. Repeat this exercise during your lunch break, in order to keep your feet dry and hopefully blister free. Blisters aren’t good for misters or sisters, wearing 2 pairs of socks will help prevent blistering.
  • Layered clothing is best.
  • Ensure that you are able to stay warm at night. Rather too hot in summer than too cold in winter. Rather spend more on a down sleeping bag than getting a cheap hollow-fibre one. Use your sleeping bag’s stuff bag as a pillow, stuffing your fleece or jacket in it.
  • Rent a tent – if you’re only going on a long hike once every few years, rent a light-weight, good quality tent for that time, rather than buying a cheap one.
  • Use two hiking poles. This is much better for weight distribution and helps a lot to take the pressure off your knees and legs.
  • Learn how different lacing methods affect the feel of your boot. For example when coming back down the mountain, if your boots are a bit small and your toes start to touch in front, try to tighten the front loops.
    Every time you rest for 5 minutes or more, take off your boots and put your socks in the sun. Dry feet and dry socks prevent blisters.
  • Adjust your pack exactly to your requirements at the time. Even during the day a strap might slip or you might walk with a different posture as you get tired. Towards the end of the trip if my hips are sore, I put some weight on the shoulder straps (which generally should not be done).
  • Take a needle, thread and spirits. If you get blisters, sterilize a needle and thread in the spirits and pull a short piece of thread through the blister and leave it there. It drains the blister and prevents it from forming again.
  • Take tasty but light and easy-to-make food, eg mince and mash. Cook lean mince at home with salt and pepper. Dry overnight in an oven at low heat (like rusks). Before preparing it soak it in water, then cook it and add a packet of mince powder. Eat this with instant mash.
  • Make sure you have a fitted rain cover for your bag.
  • Always carry a whistle and charged cell phone in case you need help.