Where to start
Plan a day hike
Choose a route that suits the group, time it, set a turnaround time and leave your plan with someone.
Packing checklist
The ten essentials and the rest, for a day hike or an overnight, with ticks your browser remembers.
Hiking time calculator
Distance and ascent in, a realistic walking time out, with breaks and your own pace.
Weather and mountain safety
Thunderstorms, heat, cold and wind, and the signs that it is time to turn around.
Three habits that prevent most problems
- Time the route, then add margin. A distance on a sign tells you little. Distance plus height gain gives a real estimate, and the calculator does the arithmetic.
- Start early. An early start gives you daylight in reserve, cooler walking and, in summer mountains, a better chance of being off high ground before afternoon storms build.
- Decide your turnaround time before you set off. If you haven't reached the top or your halfway point by then, you turn back. Deciding at home, rested, is easier than deciding on the hill.
Who these guides are for
Walkers moving from short local trails to longer days in hills and mountains, people planning their first night in a hut or tent, and anyone organising a hike for friends or family who wants a sensible plan rather than a guess.
The advice is general and works in most temperate hill and mountain areas. Local rules, seasons and hazards vary, so always check the land manager, park authority or local mountain forecast for the place you are going.
Also on Wandest
- Navigation basics: paper map, compass and phone, and how to keep the battery alive.
- Choosing boots and layers: footwear that fits and a clothing system that copes with changing weather.
- Leave No Trace: the seven principles in practical terms.
- Your first multi-day or hut trip: bookings, pack weight, daily distances and water.
In an emergency call 112 in Europe (it also works in many other countries) or 911 in the US and Canada. Know the number for the country you are hiking in before you go.