Stay healthy by walking but remember, keep safe

By Vivienne Crow

Last updated 11:42, Wednesday, 09 July 2008

ABEGINNERS’ guide to walking? How hard can it be? You just put one foot in front of the other, don’t you?

View more pictures...

Be seen: The perfect waterproofs are high visibility and lightweight says Carol Westmorland

for beginners

If you’re going for a stroll in the park or a half-hour amble along a popular riverside path, that’s probably true; but if you’re planning a longer outing or are thinking of heading on to the fells, there are many more things to consider.

A good starting point is to join up with people who know what they’re doing – friends who go fellwalking regularly or a local walking group.

Graeme Bell, chairman of the Carlisle and District Rambling Club, says would-be walkers can gain experience by going out with other people.

“Even if you find you don’t like walking in a group, it’ll give you a good grounding in what you need to know about the hills,” he says.

His first piece of advice is to start off gently. “Don’t be too ambitious, find out what your limitations are.

“There are some fairly gentle walks around the Lakes, like Walla Crag; don’t try and climb Scafell Pike the first time you’re out.

“People underestimate walking – they walk to the supermarket, they walk into town, so they think, ‘well, I can walk’, but that’s misleading. It can be harder than it sounds.”

One of the first skills that walkers need to learn is how to read a map and use a compass. The Ramblers’ Association suggests you gain experience by walking a route from a guidebook while attempting to follow it on the map, relating what you see on the ground to the map. You should choose an easy, safe route and go in good weather so that you can clearly see the surrounding countryside.

Mountain leader Veronica Dunn, who runs navigation courses in the Lake District, echoes this. “The best place to practise is somewhere you already know your way around,” she says. “But actually take the map out with you. You’ll find paths you didn’t know were there and, if you go wrong, at least you’re not completely lost.”

She also adds that walkers must be properly equipped, especially if heading on to the high fells.

“Don’t rely on the weather up high being the same as it is in the valleys,” she says. “Make sure you’ve got decent footwear and clothing.”

Many outdoor instructors and guides advocate the use of the layering system to prevent hypothermia, which, in our unpredictable climate, can be a danger at all times of the year. This involves:

n A base layer to ‘wick’ sweat away from your skin. Cotton T-shirts are unsuitable because they capture the moisture from your sweat and hold it against your skin long after you’ve stopped perspiring. This is not only uncomfortable, but will force your body to increase its heat production and leave you shivering.

n An insulating layer such as a fleece, which retains heat by creating a layer of still air around your body.

n An outer jacket made from a material that is windproof, waterproof and allows your body moisture to escape.

Being prepared is the key to an enjoyable day out. It’s so much easier to stride out and enjoy the mountains if you are neither too hot nor too cold, know exactly where you are and where you’re going, have good boots on your feet, have a decent supply of food and water in your daysack and are reasonably confident that you know what to expect of the weather.

Get all those things right and the chances of you having a mishap on the fells is cut considerably. Having said that, walkers on the high fells should always carry the following:

n Emergency food rations;

n Mobile phone in case of accidents;

n Whistle/torch in case there is no mobile coverage and you need to use the distress signal (six whistle-blasts/flashes repeated at one-minute intervals) to summon help;

n Survival bag or ‘space blanket’ to keep accident victims warm;

n Basic first aid kit.

These are the sort of things that sit at the bottom of experienced fellwalkers’ daysacks, gathering dust. Hopefully, they’ll never see the light of day.

Fact file

Local walking groups

n Carlisle and District Rambling Club. Contact Alan Nash on 01228 526263 or Geoff Entwistle on 01228 512765.

n Whitehaven Rambling Club. Contact the membership secretary on 01946 822438 or visit www.whitehavenramblingclub.org.

n Workington Rambling Club. Contact David Oldfield on 01900 824519.

n Ramblers Association Carlisle and North Cumbria Group. Contact 01228 529650.

n Ramblers Association Penrith Group. Contact 01768 863155.

n Ramblers Association Lake District Area Group. Contact 01539 723705.

n Ramblers Association West Cumbria Group. Contact 017687 75755.

n Keswick and District Rambling Club. Contact Mrs Allison on 016973 71397.

Navigation courses

n Ullswater Community College in Penrith runs navigation courses (£26 - £27.50), including one specifically for women. Phone 01768 864120 or visit www.ullswater.cumbria.sch.uk.

n The Lake District National Park Authority runs practical ‘map and compass’ workshops on the fells throughout the summer (adults £5, children £3). Phone 0845 272 0004 or visit www.lake-district.gov.uk.

n GPS Training, based at Redhills near Penrith, offers navigation courses using a map and compass (£49 for a one-day course) as well as GPS (£65). Phone 01768 885855 or visit www.gpstraining.co.uk.

Weather forecasts

n Always get an up-to-date weather forecast before setting out. The Met Office issues five-day fell forecasts for the Lake District. Visit www.metoffice.gov.uk. More detailed, three-day forecasts for the Cumbrian fells are available on www.mwis.org.uk. n The Lake District National Park Authority also runs a Weatherline on 0870 055 0575.