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Everything good about a long day out begins with what you carry it in and what you walk in. A 20 to 25 litre rucksack is the sweet spot for a full day in the hills or along a footpath: large enough for layers, food, water and a few safety items, but small enough that you won’t be tempted to overfill it. Look for a padded back panel, a decent hip belt and a waterproof cover tucked into the base. If you already own a larger pack, resist the urge to bring it. Weight you don’t need is weight you’ll resent by the fourth mile.
Boots or walking shoes should be broken in well before the day itself. Blisters ruin more walks than bad weather ever has. Choose footwear with a grippy sole that suits the terrain you’re expecting, and pair it with well-fitted wool or synthetic socks rather than cotton, which holds moisture against the skin and rubs. Take a spare pair of socks in a dry bag. Changing them at the halfway point feels like a small holiday for your feet.
Anyone who has walked in this country knows that you can meet four seasons between breakfast and lunch. The answer isn’t one heavy jacket but three light layers you can add and remove as the day shifts.
Add a pair of lightweight waterproof overtrousers, which many walkers forget and then regret on a wet, breezy moor. A hat and thin gloves weigh almost nothing and turn a cold, blustery afternoon into something genuinely enjoyable. Pack them even in summer.
Aim to drink little and often rather than gulping a pint at the top of a hill. On a moderate day walk, plan for around two litres of water per person, and more in warm weather or on steep ground. A flask of tea or soup is a wonderful thing in winter, and an insulated bottle keeps water cool in July.
Food should be easy to eat with cold hands and no cutlery. Sandwiches, pork pies, cheese, oatcakes, fruit, nuts, flapjack and a few squares of chocolate all work well. Bring more than you think you’ll need — hunger on a long walk creeps up quickly and saps both mood and judgement. Keep a small emergency ration sealed in your pack, something like a cereal bar or a handful of dried fruit, that stays there walk after walk.
Even on a well-marked path, carry a paper map of the area and a compass, and know how to use both. Phone batteries die, screens crack and signal vanishes in valleys. Learn to relate the map to the ground around you, and check your position at features you can identify rather than assuming you’ll notice a wrong turn.
Carry a fully charged mobile phone in a waterproof pouch, plus a small power bank for longer days. Let someone at home know your route, your expected finish time and who to contact if you’re overdue. That single message is one of the most effective safety measures available to any walker. A whistle attached to your rucksack strap costs nothing and carries far further than your voice when you need it.
You don’t need a hospital in a bag, but a small pouch of essentials is non-negotiable. It should include:
In summer, add sunscreen and insect repellent, and check yourself for ticks after walking through long grass or bracken. In winter, a spare hat and gloves live permanently in the pack. Check the pouch at the start of each season and replace anything used or out of date.
The final touches separate a tolerable walk from a memorable one. A lightweight sit mat means you can rest on wet ground without a second thought. Gaiters keep heather, mud and stones out of your boots. A trekking pole or two takes real strain off the knees on long descents and helps enormously on slippery, root-covered paths.
Pack a small rubbish bag and take everything home with you, including orange peel and apple cores. Add a compact camera or simply use your phone, and keep it accessible rather than buried. Finally, leave a little room in the pack. A quiet lane, a curious pony at a gate, a flask shared on a sunny stile — these are the reasons we go, and the best days are the ones where you’re comfortable enough to notice them.
Cedarcombe shares practical, down-to-earth guidance on rural countryside living and smallholding for readers across the UK.
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