Walking holidays

theleg

theleg

theleg

Soldato
Joined
17 Oct 2002
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UK
So ive got some time to kill so i thought id go for a walk..Thinking about spending 7 days walking round the South West Path...

Has anyone done a short holiday like this? Ive not done too much walking in the past but i think it would be a nice way to see some of the local area and would be an adventure..

Although given the weather down here at the moment, im gonna need some really waterproof trousers.

For those of you that are into walking, can you recommend any decent boots for newbies....and essential gear ill need for a short walk..
 
Get yourself up here and on the West Highland Way. Experience real walking in the best scenery in the UK.

Decent boots normally come down to being fitted properly, pop into a local store and see what they say and get a proper fitting. I like good old fashioned leather boots myself, hard wearing.

Other essentials:

Good waterproof trousers
Very good jacket, ideally with additional layers.
Maps & GPS if you have one
Compass
Snacks for energy
 
You should give the Appalachian Trail a shot if you fancy a challenge ;)

appalachiantrailmapcopy.png
 
Scarpa SL boots will last you a long time, but they're not the cheapest.

I prefer Rab event overtrousers to the Berghaus goretex I had before - that wasn't the latest Goretex pro-shell though, was their older 3 layer fabric. Make sure you get ones with articulated knees, makes moving up hill so much easier.

How are you making tea or coffee?
 
Am i better off wearing my normal trousers and slapping on some waterproof overtrousers or getting a pair of warmer waterproof trousers?

I dont drink tea or coffee..it will just be water for me...what an exciting life i lead

Those scarpas look nice.

Ive got maps and compass and guide book. Just wondering whats a decent number of miles to cover a day for novice walker.
 
If you're going to be walking in waterproofs all day, just get a pair of thicker waterproofs. You could always have some normal trousers in your bag if the weather is too warm for the waterproofs.

If you do get normal waterproofs make sure you can get em on without taking off your boots. Pain in the arse otherwise! :p

Make sure you always have warm clothes, spare socks, snacks, water, map, compass and GPS if you have one. At least one decent torch, preferably a head torch [hands free!] and a spare set of batteries. If you don't want it to get wet, get a dry sack - these go inside your rucksack then you put your stuff in and seal them up.

Another very handy thing to invest in, especially if you're getting new boots, is some engo blister prevention pads: http://www.goengo.com/

You but them inside your boot where you feet tend to rub and prevent almost all friction. Combined with a decent pair of walking socks and you shouldn't get a single blister. I tested these in the most extreme way possible - I went on a two day hike in a pair of boots I hadn't even remotely begun to break in! I'd had them a week and wore them to work twice! :p

Normally the backs of my heels get shredded in new boots [I have wide feet so tend to have to get boots that are slightly too long in order to get the width right]. With a pair of 2-layer hiking socks and these pads, not a single blister. They last quite a while and they tell you when they're not working so well - the blue wears off.
 
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