Walking the Hills Safely and Leaving Them as You Found Them
Hill walking near a rural base is one of the best parts of a country holiday. It asks for a little planning and a lot of respect for the land.
Plan the walk
- Choose a route that matches the slowest person in the group.
- Tell your host where you are going and when you expect to return.
- Carry a paper map or an offline map; signal disappears in valleys.
- Check the weather the evening before and again in the morning.
Weather changes faster at height
Cloud can drop onto a ridge within minutes and take the view and the path markers with it. Carry a warm layer and a waterproof even on a sunny morning, and be willing to turn back.
Water and food
Do not count on springs or village cafés along the way. Carry more water than you think you need, particularly in summer.
Leave no trace
The Leave No Trace principles are a widely used outdoor ethic. In practice: stay on the path, take all litter home, leave gates as you found them and never light fires where they are not allowed.
Respect working land
Many paths cross farms. Walk around crops, keep dogs on a lead near livestock and give working animals plenty of space.
Walked through again 2026-10-20