Hiking 101

This is our first official blog post; this blog is not an expert hiking guide this is for the more casual hiker who only wants to go on a couple of hours of bushwalking. So, this introductory post isn’t going to be about hardcore hiking, it’ll have basic but important tips for beginners. These tips may seem obvious but some of them could be overlooked; no harm in giving people a reminder.

·         Bring water

o   This is an obvious tip but I’d also like to tell you about plastic water pouches instead of using water bottles to minimise the space it takes up in your bag. Also, be wary of drinking too much as toilets may not be accessible where you are going.

·         Wear comfortable footwear

o   Most of what you’ll be doing is walking, make sure your shoes are appropriate for long periods of walking.

·         Be aware of how much you can walk

o   Hiking trails are harder and more complicated to walk through than urban settings, be mindful that 2km on the street will be different to 2km through a rocky, inclined trail.

·         Go hiking with others

o   Hiking can be more enjoyable with other people and it’s easier to motivate yourself to actually do the activity when you are with others.

A hiking trail at the municipal Castroville Regional Park — in Castroville, Medina County, Texas. - Photo Courtesy: Billy Hathorn

- Rachel