What sort of walks am I preparing for?

We do country walks. That means we don’t climb rocks, wade rivers or scale snow-clad mountains. The group walks in the Midlands will rarely encounter remote areas so we don’t have the need for extreme equipment. On weekends away, we will tackle more isolated areas and more difficult terrain.

Our Guidance to Walkers has a summary of what the group expects. We will expand on it here.

Footwear

We recommend “suitable footwear” by which we mean boots, but in summer some form of walking trainer is OK. By this we mean a trainer designed for walking – grippy sole as stiles, rocks and bridges can still be slippery, and some form of toe protection – walking trainers will have some rubber protection over the toes to protect against stubbing yourself.

Make sure you try them on with any thicker socks you plan to wear.

As for boots, a good leather boot is preferable to a Gortex style boot. Regardless of what the manufacturers and treatment providers say, boots made of material rarely remain properly waterproof, and in cooler weather, boots are continually wetted by dew on grass, even if it isn’t raining. Leather boots are pretty easy to look after, wash off fresh mud, brush of dried mud, a quick wipe with a damp cloth then cover with dubbin.

We suggest that you consider high ankle boots. While serious walkers may suggest that these stop you strengthening your ankles, unless you are doing a lot of walking, you will benefit from the support of a high boot if you twist your ankle and it can help you resist a more serious injury. When you walk regularly, this is less of a problem, but we assume you are here because you don’t!

Clothing

It is obviously weather dependent but, top to bottom:

• Sun hat
• T-shirt and layers.
• Windproof fleece – easily ties round the waist or popped in a backpack.
• Rainproof lightweight anorak for summer, something more robust for winter.
• Walking trousers. Jeans get wet and heavy
• Thicker walking socks – warmth and comfort.
• Rucksack. Most people use a small one, 25 litres or less. Framed rucksacks are more comfortable, even for a small one, but use what you have.
• Something to sit on. Lots of members carry a light plastic mat that folding into the rucksack, but a plastic bag to avoid a wet bum might be good enough for you.

Other Stuff

First Aid Kit

Nothing extensive, just some plasters for grazes or blisters, insect bite treatment as you see fit and appropriate to your skills.

Emergency Contact

Please always carry some form of ID and emergency contact number in case of unforeseen incidents.

Phone

Always carry a phone. While walk leaders rarely lose anyone, things happen, medical incidents and so on.

We also recommend the OS Maps application. The paid subscription includes all the UK maps you would ever need, but the free version still includes reasonable mapping and importantly can show you where you are.

Maps

As our walks are guided, you don’t need maps and our leaders don’t expect people to know where they are going. However, we would hope that as you get involved, you would enjoy the challenge of planning and leading a walk. There is only one choice for walking in the UK, Ordnance Survey Maps. As mentioned before, the OS Map application is the best way to get these maps these days, you can use them on a PC for planning, and follow routes on a smart phone, even without a phone signal. Importantly, unlike a paper map, it can show you where you are and where the footpaths are.

As we do not walk in remote areas, there is no need for compasses, sextants or whatever they recommend for trekking in the wilderness.

Food and Drink

What you drink is personal preference, but carrying something is essential. No need for energy drinks, just hydration. For walks over 5 miles, bring something to eat. The walk instructions will remind you. We don’t suggest you need an exotic picnic extravaganza, just sandwiches, fruit and biscuit suitable for eating in a field somewhere.