Appropriate outdoor skills (as well as the right gear and clothes) are essential for enjoyable hiking and hill walking.
Whether you are hiking down in the valley, or hill walking at higher altitudes, there are a number of essential skills and items of gear. Learn more below, and for an intro to some of the best hiking in the world, check out the post Hiking in Scotland, an ancient land of challenge and stories.
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Essentials for hiking and hill walking
Hiking and hill walking in wild places needs a surprising range of abilities and personal gear. They include, walking skills, navigation, choosing and packing appropriate gear and clothing, survival and health and hygiene outdoors. Lets look at each in turn.
Walking skills
Although, for most people, walking is something we learn very early on in our lives, it is an extremely complex skill. As we challenge ourselves on different terrain, our walking abilites also improve. So, depending on the kind of hikes we want to do, we might have to deal with boulderfields, steep or exposed terrain and slippy surfaces, for example. In these situations, being able to edge our boots, find grip and maintain balance are all essential skills, whether hiking or hillwalking. Advanced-level hikers probably have first-hand experience of fording rivers, scrambling or winter mountaineering, for example.
Following ‘Leave No Trace’ principles when hiking reduces trail erosion. But it also reduces wildlife disturbance and health problems.
Essential navigation skills for hiking
Navigation is an absolutely fundamental hiking and hillwalking skill, and essential if you find yourself in bad weather, or complex or featureless terrain. At the very least, basic mapreading skills will help you work out how long your route will take and where to park the car. At the other extreme, good navigation can save your life by avoiding dangerous terrain or weather. Beginner hikers simply need basic mapreading skills, allowing them to identify the right trail and work out roughly how long it will take. More advanced skills include interpreting contour lines, taking bearings, pacing and night navigation.
Essential hiking equipment
Essential hiking equipment varies depending on the route, goals and location. However, the basics include:
- Footwear suitable for the terrain
- Appropriate clothing layers to match the weather
- Spare clothing as needed
- First aid kit
- Emergency and survival gear
- Map and compass
- Communications equipment
- Rucksack, including food and drink
Along with all this comes the skill of choosing what to pack for hiking and knowing how to pack a rucksack.
Survival and general outdoor skills
There are survival skills which are essential for both low-level hiking AND hillwalking, for instance finding shelter from the wind or sun. In an emergency, things become much more serious, so deciding priorities, together with basic first aid and calling/signalling for help are all vital. In addition, you could also include understanding weather forecasts (MWIS is a great resource in the Scottish Highlands). Intermediate-level hikers have gained a good bit of experience in different situations, helping them deal with emergencies more effectively.
⚠️ Travel and medical insurance may be an essential when hiking in some countries. That’s not the case in Scotland, however, where mountain rescue (medevac) is free.
Outdoor health
When hiking, and especially when camping, there are a number of essential health-related issues we need to manage. These can easily catch out novice hikers. For example staying hydrated, going to the toilet outdoors, treating blisters and managing biting insects. Outdoor health issues vary a lot depending on where you are, but they are important for protecting both yourself and the environment. Of course, your own medical history has a big part to play here, too, not to mention what you wear for hiking.
So you can see that hiking might need quite a variety of essential skills when you go hiking or hill walking. However, it is useful to know that many of these skills are also essential in other outdoor activities. That’s a good reason to build good experience and learn the right techniques!
Discover Cairngorms high points and more
If you want to summit a munro, you will need to be able to walk uphill at a steady pace for up to 3 hours, carrying a small rucksack. You will also need the stamina to walk back down again! Scottish hills don’t require acclimatisation, but do often need more advanced hiking skills.