Walking equipment: What should I bring with me?

This is a simple checklist, which we send out to booked guests, so there's no need to print it out.

Maps are provided for our self-guided walking routes, so there is no need to bring your own.

For those who want to know more, some of the items on the list have links to additional information and/or suggestions. We have 70 years experience of walking between us, but that doesn't mean that we know everything there is to know about walking equipment. On the other hand, we pay for all our gear, so you can trust our opinions to be honest!

Small rucksack, capable of containing items marked * (plus any other clothing you may have to carry, and your Hillscape packed lunch)
Walking footwear   More info
*Waterproof cagoule & overtrousers   More info
Walking clothes, inc. plenty of socks
Clear plastic map-case
Compass
*Vacuum flask and/or water bottle to carry drinks
*Gloves (Oct-May)
*Hat (Oct-May)
*Insect repellent (summer)
*Sun-tan lotion (summer)
*Small first-aid kit - Compeed, plasters, etc.
Informal wear for the evening

Optional
Swimming gear & towel
Binoculars
Camera
Musical instruments
Darts
Walking poles

THE HILLSCAPE GUIDE TO FOOTWEAR

Footwear Facts

1. The world will not end if you get your feet wet;
2. Nothing except rubber boots will keep your feet dry in all conditions;
3. The waterproofness of footwear is not proportional to its price or weight;
4. The idea that boots are necessary for ankle support is a myth;
5. The best way to dry wet boots or shoes is to put them on (with dry socks) next morning, go for a walk .... and hope it doesn't rain!
6. Socks made from man-made fibres are the least likely to give you blisters.

When in Rome ...........

From spring to autumn, we usually walk in comfortable training shoes (= trainers, pumps, daps, sneakers......) with good grip, whatever the weather. If it is wet, we get wet feet: it really doesn't matter, as long as they are warm enough. And if it's hot, paddling through a cooling stream or bog is sheer bliss!

For ankle support, we rely on our muscles, tendons and ligaments. Occasionally, if we are walking in rocky terrain, we resort to lightweight boots, but that is for ankle protection (from abrasion on rocks), not for ankle support.

Socks? Unless it is very cold. we wear just one layer, and Hilly Mono-skin Off-Road socks are brilliant: a mix of nylon and wool, and we rarely get blisters. The idea that socks need to be absorbent is another myth!

Blisters? Put a Compeed on as soon as you feel a rub.

If we finish a walk with wet footwear and we're walking again next day, we just put them on wet with dry socks - it feels fine!

From autumn to spring we mostly wear Nokia Trimmi (a.k.a. Bogtrotter or Finntrim) rubber boots (with studded soles) to keep our feet dry and warm.

TOP TIPS

Bring footwear that you know will be comfortable for the length of walk you plan to do. Never go on holiday with new boots, however good they felt in the shop! You'll be much better off with boots or shoes that are old friends, even if they leak.

Don't let shop salespeople, advertisements, or walking gear reviewers con you into buying footwear more suited to an Everest expedition than a Hillscape holiday; light feet are happy feet, and a saturated heavy boot weighs far more than a saturated lightweight boot!

THE HILLSCAPE GUIDE TO WATERPROOF CLOTHING

Cagoules and overtrousers

We've tried everything over the years, starting with good old polyurethane-coated ("PU") nylon, which didn't breathe at all. It certainly kept the rain out, but it soaked you with condensation and sweat! At least it kept you wet and warm - until you stopped, when you'd be gradually overtaken by clammy coldness.

Then there was Goretex. Goretex was (said the ads) the answer to every walkers' prayer: it would keep the rain outside, and let that nasty condensation inside escape through microscopic pores, so you'd be both warm and dry. No more clammy coldness! If only life were that simple. But Goretex isn't perfect, despite its considerable price; after a few hours of hill-walking in driving rain, you'll be wet inside, because not even Goretex can stop you sweating when you get too hot, and driving rain interferes with the breathability. But its biggest failing is that after a year or two, it starts to lose its magic (i.e. you get wet) and it's time for the next major equipment investment.

Goretex may be over-rated, but it did change the world of waterproof shell clothing. Breathability became as important a property as wind- and waterproofness, and there are almost as many breathable fabrics on the market now as there are gear manufacturers, most of them less "breathable" - and less expensive - than Goretex. To some extent, you get what you pay for, but we couldn't find anything that maintains its performance for more than a couple of years of fairly frequent use.

Then we discovered Paramo. Or to be more honest, two of our guests raved about it so much (and over such a long period) that we decided to push the boat out (it isn't cheap) and buy some Paramo waterproofs. Wearing is believing! If you walk regularly in British conditions, it is well worth the cost: very well designed, really comfortable to wear, and it does keep you warm and dry. But the best thing is that the breathability is permanent - or, more accurately, renewable: you just wash the garment occasionally in a special solution, and hey presto! Another feature is that it doesn't lose its waterproofness if you puncture it (e.g. with a pin, or - more likely - a thorn). You can find out more about Paramo waterproofs (and other Paramo gear) by clicking the link above, but there's no substitute for seeing it in the flesh, next time you are looking for new waterproofs.

In the end of course, what you're prepared to spend will depend on how much you're intending to use it, and how highly you value your comfort when you do have to wear it.

Gaiters

These are designed to stop water rolling down your legs and into your boots. They are a pain to put on and take off, and they tend to make your feet hot. Of course, if you walk in trainers (see our footwear guide) you'll probably have wet feet anyway, so there wouldn't be any point in wearing gaiters!

Umbrellas

The original breathable waterproofs, and the cheapest by far! They are popular with walkers in Europe, but in the UK, where rain usually comes with wind, brollies are prone to blow inside-out, so their use is never considered by most "serious" walkers. But on days when it rains without blowing too hard, they can't be beaten!