taylor-made walks – kit list & pre-walk prep

Suggested kit list:

  • comfortable walking boots (or trail shoes in summer) with a good grip suitable for walking off-road. Your footwear should be familiar to you – ie. not brand new – so that you are confident that your feet will stay comfortable for the duration of the walk – sore feet are guaranteed to make a good walk miserable!
  • walking socks – there is a wide variety available so choose whatever you are most comfortable in but avoid socks that are not designed specifically for walking
  • comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely, with light layers that you can add or remove as needed during the walk. In colder weather you may want to include warmer base layers but remember that you will generate heat as you walk and sweaty clothes get cold quite quickly. NB comfortable, non-cotton underwear is a must! Nobody wants to experience chafing around their under-carriage…
  • waterproof jacket & trousers that can be carried easily in case they are needed. Make sure your waterproofs have taped seams – pac-a-mac type garments will not keep you dry. A waterproof jacket also offers wind protection so bring it with you even if you’re not expecting rain.
  • medication that you may need including inhalers, EpiPen, allergy relief, bite cream, blister plasters (if you tend to need them) & any other prescribed medications
  • items of warm clothing – eg. hat, gloves, buff, fleece, insulating jacket
  • items of sun protection – eg, peaked cap, sunglasses, sunscreen, long sleeved-top
  • enough water for the conditions and the length of time you will be out. In summer I tend to carry two litres of water; in winter I might carry slightly less water but include a flask of coffee as well.
  • food and snacks sufficient for the conditions and the length of time you will be out. You probably won’t want a heavy meal while walking, but bring something more substantial for an obvious meal time, along with a few snacks to eat along the way. It’s good to include some slow-release carbs – eg. sandwiches, cereal bars, nuts, fruit – along with some faster releasing carbs – eg. sweets, dried fruit, energy balls – to keep your energy balanced over the day. It’s amazing how good a fruit pastille is when you’re near the end of a long day!
  • a 15-20L daypack to hold all your food, water & clothing along with keys, phone, and any other sundry items. For your comfort make sure your backpack has a hip belt & preferably a chest strap as well
  • tissues for nature toilet breaks (and small bags to carry the used tissue in until you find a bin – dog poop bags are perfect!)
  • a headtorch – you never know when you might need it

Additional notes:

If you are just starting out, there’s no need to spend a lot of money on your kit but it’s sensible to invest in good footwear and find clothing that is designed to wick sweat away from your body. Cotton clothing is not suitable as it will hold sweat and cause chafing.

Some of these items are obviously weather & location dependent. In lowland areas you are probably ok to leave your warm jacket at home on a summer day, but still bring a waterproof jacket as it will act as a wind protector if needed. If you’re walking in the hills, take all the layers because the weather can change in an instant! In wet conditions I wear trousers which are made from a waterproof fabric so that I don’t have to carry extra layers.

To give you an idea of how much food you might need, this is what I take with me for a full-day hike:

  • 2 rounds of sandwiches (ie. 4 slices of bread, usually with almond butter),
  • mixed nuts,
  • 2 apples
  • something ‘nice’ like a pain au chocolat or an almond croissant
  • a chunk of brie!

Don’t rely on there being options to buy additional drinks on the walk as we may not come across any shops. I use a water reservoir in my backpack, with a drinking hose for easy access. Bottles work equally well. I will make sure we have plenty of drink stops while we’re walking.

Remember that whatever you carry in on your walk must also be carried out including food waste, litter & empty water bottles. We want to enjoy the outdoor spaces and leave no trace.

Pre-walk preparation:

Regardless of your walking experience & fitness level, you may benefit from adding a few stretches & exercises to your daily routine in the build-up to your walk.

Leg & foot strength & mobility is key when walking so I’ve created a few short videos focusing on helping your feet and legs to move well.

If you are trying these, please work within your comfortable range of movement, starting gently and gradually increasing your effort as you feel more confident. These moves may be useful for recovery post-walk too!

If these moves are not hitting the spot for you, I have lots of others so please let me know how I can help and I will happily make some other suggestions.

Did I miss anything?

If you have any questions at all about kit or food or preparation for our walk, please email me.