I have an emergency distress routine when in the wilderness. Drop your trousers to have a pee! Before you know it, a party of ramblers will appear from nowhere!
Thanks, Jim. Conditions were terrible up there. The following day a young lad the from London went up and didn't return alive. I learnt then to always return to safety if I feel out of my depth.
Really wish I had watched this video before embarking on my first ever long-distance hike! I planned to hike The Ridgeway, which is 139km/87 miles long, having never been out on a long-distance hike before. I watched some videos of hikers saying they regularly cover 25-30 miles in a day and I assumed this was the usual/expected distance to cover, so I planned to complete the hike in 3.5 days (with the option of an additional 'buffer' day as I wanted to reach the end in daylight then get the train home). My first day I arrived at the start of the trail in the early afternoon and set off, covering 18 miles with a 15kg backpack. I was feeling a little sore that night but I just assumed this was the norm and to be expected. The next day I set off however I was really feeling the effects of the previous day's hike and it was more of a slog than an enjoyable hike. The final 3 hours on the trail that day were brutal as I had the hot evening sun on my back the entire time on a particularly exposed section of the trail and I had not packed sunscreen as the weather forecast was cloudy! Needless to say my calves and neck were burnt to a crisp. I finally made it to the next town after 25 miles on the trail that day, albeit in agonising pain and barely being able to stand. My shoulders, knees, hips and the soles of my feet all felt like they were on fire and I was not enjoying myself, to say the least. Unfortunately I knew I would have to give up then as there was no way I could carry on. I got the train home and limped back with my tail between my legs. One day I will go back and pick the trail up where I left off, but this time with a more realistic mileage estimate! Thanks for your videos, I find them inspiring and very informative!
Great video! I've got a good and embarrassingly a recent one! Just before Xmas I headed over to the Elan Valley in Wales with friends and we planned a "10" mile walk bothy to bothy. One of the guys I was with had checked the route so I assumed it was all good and enjoyed taking no responsibility for navigating... 7 Miles into the hike with just an "over the hill" left to go, we stopped for a break and reviewed the maps together. At this point we realised there was a further 10 miles to the second bothy! Although there was about 2 hours of light left we decided to get head torches on and push ahead regardless (Always looking for more type 2 fun and an opportunity to make it a real adventure!). We were following what was marked as a bridal way but as dark descended, and we started a long ascent which would last the remaining miles, the bridal way quickly deteriorated into a knee (and at times thigh) deep bog. This was compounded by a thick fog which limited visibility to below 5-6 meters. We targeted terrain where we thought the bog would dry out but alas, it stretched endlessly into our future. After an hour of wading we agreed that it would probably dry out in the next 20 mins of so and we could press on the last of the distance quickly. After 2 hours we agreed that we must be so close to the other side of the bog we couldn't possibly go back as we were just so so close now..... After 6 hours of repeating these arguments and realising that we couldn't even sleep until we found dry ground, we finally made it to the other side! The fog still thick and all of us soaked to the waist in below freezing temperatures, we decided the best course of action would be to smash the remaining 4-5 miles, get to the bothy and pray someone had already chopped wood and got a fire going. At 1am and all absolutely shattered we rolled into the bothy and received the most awesome hospitality I have ever experienced! A roaring fire, already burning dried us out and canned curry (Thanks Aldi!) was enjoyed by all! The following day was a 20 mile C shaped route to avoid the bog and by the time we made it to the cars we were ready to drop! A highlight was the look of astonishment by the walkers in the bothy who A) couldn't believe we had waded through a bog, locally known to be impassible through winter and B) that one of the lesser experienced friends had succeed the route in denim jeans, retro Nike Airmax trainers and a hoody! Lesson learnt; always take responsibility for your own navigation and never trust a Welsh "bridal way"!
I've only just discovered your channel. So informative and so humble! Very refreshing. Solo hiking is a long-time passion that I've only just recently started taking seriously with a view of over-nighting. Videos like yours are fantastic guidance and motivation!
Snowdon has been the place I have gone to a few times more with a gentle stroll in mind rather than “hiking” and have made quite a few mistakes in the beginning . The stupid ones like little water, full pack of camera gear including tripod which just killed me as barely got half way as stopped lots to take pictures. The one that I learnt from most was when I actually did the walk to the top with no dramas but had failed to let anyone know I was going so family were worried sick as “missing” for hours. Now I make sure I set a time when I am likely to be back for family and stick to that as best as possibly and decide on route and stick to it. Even when I went up miners track with my then 9 year old we turned back as time was getting near to arrival set with wife which was a shame as daughter would have made it no problem but decided to stick to plan as that mountain is not going anywhere. Just let people know your planned route and times so if you go past these then family can start to consider a rescue call and they will have an idea where to look.
I'm perplexed that most Hiking/Backpacking videos seem to stress "Weight" as the number 1 most important consideration.....When its always been "Safety". I'm not familiar with the statistical numbers, but it's been reported that a record number of people had to be physically rescued off the Appalachian Trail this year due to being under prepared for the weather conditions along the trail. "Gram counting" is fine...And trying to emulate your favorite lightweight Backpacker on You Tube is cool, but it doesn't replace "Personal Responsibility" and "Common Sense"...
My first mistake ever was to bring 27kg's on my first solo hike. That sucked so hard that i quit after 2 weeks (planned on 3-4) second biggest mistake was to attempt to climb a peak off the trail that didn't seem too far/high. Estimated 2 hours and brought 1 snickers bar and a bit of water, didn't even put on a jacket because it seemed so close. It ended up costing me 6 hours and i practically ran off the peak after taking a few quick pictures because it was so cold
Thomas van der Beek oh wow sounds like a tough haul! But fair play for giving it a go and really it doesn’t matter how we start, just start safely. Thanks for watching as always.
Everything is at least three times farther away than it looks. You never go without being prepared for worst-case scenarios. So many day hikers die that way. You need a lightweight temporary shelter, warm clothing and shoes, gloves, hats, and a Garmin Inreach to notify friends and emergency personnel if you need them. You also need emergency food supplies and water. a tiny stove and cup or pot. Tell people where you are going and when you'll be back, don't go off trail, and use your common sense! Check the weather and don't go up if there is an incoming storm!! Duh!
My first backpacking trip was the Wonderland Trail in Washington State, US. I hadn't previously done any serious hiking, I just saw a video on TH-cam and thought "that looks cool, I'm gonna do it!". It's a 93 mile hike with 23000ft elevation gain over the distance. I packed way too much luxury gear. I had a DSLR, 3 lenses, a heavy aluminium tripod, a camp chair, a washbag with deodorant, shower gel and other unnecessary gear. I've no idea how heavy it was, but it was way too heavy. My first day was only 8 miles, but it was mostly uphill. I had a campsite about a mile off the trail and the next morning, hiking back up to the trail was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I got back to the trail and went right back to the car, I was never going to make it. Having got back to the car, I dumped a whole load of gear and rescheduled my campsites, having to do a lot more mileage than anticipated per day. I ended up having to complete the trail in 7 days instead of the 12 I had planned. It was hard going, but I completed the trail, which felt fantastic after my first failed attempt! I think the biggest tip I could take from this experience is to take a smaller pack so I can't stuff it so full of things I don't need.
I really liked this video, as it is based directly on experience, not supposition. I found myself grinning several times as you talked about the same mistakes I have made in the past. For instance, I started my Appalachian Trail hike with a Kindle. I never used in three weeks - too damned tired at the end of the day, so I sent it home.
Million percent the first one , I go walking in the mountains u have to be so carefull the weather can change in seconds, so anyone reading this please check the weather before going. It really can be fatal. Great video
Thx brother, i lived 2 years in switserland, beinga Belgian lifeguard on the beach, i was raised with rrespect to sea andcurrents....i very much adapted thatrespect to my new home: mountains + 3000m...i was humble on day 1, andstayed humble after lots ofwalks ans skijourneys....that isthe sprit: learn with small steps, and built confidence on yr own pace...i loved hikingever since, Bob Belgium
You can never have too much waterproofing, as I found out to my cost the first time the Army sent me onto the Brecon Beacons. Now I spray my rucksack and use a rucksack cover, I use a big dry bag as a pack liner, I have smaller dry bags for each of my ‘systems’ (which also helps with organisation) and I put individual items of spare clothing in their own plastic bag. The organisation also means I can minimise the amount of time my rucksack is open, and I always replace something as soon as I’ve finished using it. All learned the hard way in May 1981 when we had to swim a lake on the first day of a week in the hills… :(
South west coastal path is currently where I'm doing all my practice walks, mostly on the dorset sections! Leaving for my first solo hike away from home on the brecon beacons next month
Having worked in Mountain Rescue in the UK I am dumbfounded by some of the people that think walking in trainers and jeans in Winter/Springtime is a good idea, with no proper waterproofs, food ,compass or even maps. Everybody assumes that there are 'signposts showing the way everywhere' or other people to ask the way. My advice for anyone venturing out on their own is, apart from the obvious kit requirements, learn to use a compass and map, even if you have GPS. And if you get lost in poor weather, set up camp, stay put ,eat and drink plenty of hot food and wait until you can see where and what you are doing. Weather can change drastically very quickly and even weather forecasts can be wrong! Knowledge and practice is the key ...it will help you lose the fear and trepidation when confronted by such events.
I can totally relate to the being too ambitious one when I decided it would be a good idea to make the Everest base camp trek my first big hike 😂 didn't get very far
I totally relate to the being too ambitious mistake. A few years ago, with very little experience whatsoever, I travelled to Australia to attempt the AAWT, which runs from near Melbourne to Canberra - some 400 miles through near total wilderness. After 2 days I’d nearly fallen off a cliff, ripped my only full length trousers and was fed up with my 33Kg backpack and had to quit. I’m now doing day jokes and planning my first overnight, with ambitions to build up to attempt the AAWT again when I have the experience to do so.
Yep, I did the sock thing as well. I must have taken 12 pairs of socks for 6 days. Actually only used 4 pairs of them. I remember taking loads of useless junk with me. Lessons learned, and they have to be learned, not instructed! Only you know what you really need!
I did the same thing on the Carn Mor Dearag (Ben Nevis), didn't have much experience and hit a blizzard on the ridge and turned back to find the river i came over in spate, long walk back to Fort William .
you're the most expensive youtuber i've ever watched :D since finding your channel i've gone out and bought an Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 quilt, a Thermarest NeoAir Xlite and a sea to summit ultralight pillow!! i'm itching to get out on dartmoor with my new equipment :D I need to find more things to sell now!
Hahaha, I do have a few videos on cheaper gear! But I believe quality is important for this type of thing. Thanks again for watching, let me know how you get on with your quilt, I’m keen to try one of those out!
May aswell do Crib Gotch aswell for a Sunday stroll. Seriously and people wonder why there are so many deaths. Another thing that people get wrong is setting off with all their clothes on from the get go 🙄 they set off wearing fleece and water proof coat and thermals and shit, then when they get sweaty and start slowing down they get cold. Then they realise they have got nothing else to put on because they are already wearing it all. Glad you learned, but you could have been another statistic. Good video by the way. It's good to see someone guiding the young and stupid in the right direction. Learn from other people's mistakes 👍
I made a few on my first ever walk which was the South Downs way. Was completely over ambitious and thought I could comfortably go from Winchester to Petersfield, this was around 28-29 miles altogether. My second was having unbelievably unsuitable footwear. I decided to wear my recently bought barefoot vibrant fivefingers and also brought a pair of sandals too as it was summer. After about an hour of walking my feet were starting to really hurt and by lunchtime I was in agony with another 18 miles to go. Third mistake was not packing enough food or drink. I expected to finish late afternoon and be back home for dinner so all I brought was one litre bottle of water and some sandwiches. By about 3pm I had run out of water and walked for another 6 hours with nothing. I started walking at about 7am and finally finished at 9.45pm, I was almost crawling at times and kept thinking what the hell am I doing out here. My phone died around 7pm so had no contact with anyone. I'm really proud of how I pushed on through the pain and got to the end and I totally learnt my lesson. I now aim to do around 15 miles per day and certainly no more than 20 and that is perfect. That experience could've put me off long distance walking but It was start of a real passion.
Ahhh wow. That’s actually very good going considering all the set backs. Most would’ve given up I’m sure. And yes, a lesson learned. I built up over the course of a year before my SDW hike and crushed my first 30 on that trail. I wanted to find out what 30 miles was like and it’s a seriously long way on foot. I started at 4am 5 miles east of Amberly and finished at 8pm walking snail’s pace ending up in Southease. Woke up feeling surprisingly fine in my tent before smashing the rest to Eastbourne. I had a limp for a week haha. Thanks for your awesome story. Happy trails!
This is all good information for me, as I plan on hiking through the south downs trail in April but have very little hiking experience. I'm fairly fit and am used to walking 10_12 miles at a time but not with anything bigger than a small rucksack on my back and have only ever walked on flat ground, So nothing even remotely challenging. I plan on starting from winchester and finishing in newhaven which is about 75 miles Of the trail. I think 5 days is a realistic time frame to complete my journey, But have some reservations with regards to finding enough places to fill water bottles and finding enough places to eat on route or at least close to the trail so I don't suffer from burnout. If anybody else has experience in hiking across the south downs then any tips or pointers would be greatly appreciated...
Hi Tesla Tea Party. You’ve come to the right pace! Here’s my entire SDW playlist where you’ll find videos of my hike as well as gear and top tips. th-cam.com/play/PLg1tiUHN1j5kzbJizrNj_czVBO2PiO5lM.html thanks for watching and good luck!
@@thetrailhunter4469 wow thanks for your super speedy reply! I'm currently making my way through your vids and have learnt quite a lot already!.. guys like yourself are invaluable to people like me who have little experience in this area, as not only does it give the confidence to get out of our comfort zone and do it, but it also shows what to expect when we're there. Your time and and effort in making these vids is greatly appreciated many thanks... 👍❤
i never hiked before and then set out to do the Anglesey Coastal Path (140miles) in 6 days, first day i ended up doing 46km in 11 hours... my first day of walking/hiking anywhere! it absolutely bounced down with a storm on the way and everything was soaked. i should have got a better tent, with a better waterproof backpack cover and better boots!
done Ben Nevis many many years ago in April ...Italian sun tan at the base and first quarter of the climb. last quarter white out but kept on then the wind blew up and the vista was incredible till i saw i was on a thick overhang of snow. totally lost power to move for a few seconds moved back then deliberately fell flat on my back. absolutely no head for heights ever since.
Nice sounds like an amazing trip. Yeah Ben Nevis is a very changeable mountain for sure. Not one to be taken lightly. Thanks for watching. Got a new Ben Nevis video coming soon. 👍
Martin Castein thanks, Martin. It’s growing slowly but surely and people seem to be really enjoying my vids. Gotta keep em coming I guess! Thanks for watching.
Ahh thanks very much. Oh really? That’s awesome! I thank you for clicking on my thumbnail haha. That’s how TH-cam works. As more of my videos are getting more watch time, it’s showing up all over so it’s slowly snowballing. I’m glad people are enjoying watching as I’m enjoying making.
Did you ever hike the Kungsleden? I'd like to try my first hiking experience by hiking from Abisko to Nikkaluokta in early winter. I would like to do it with a friend and hike it in about 8 days, sleeping in a tent along the way. Any tips?
Nice one mate and good topic!! Hiking is definitely a big personal learning experience! Campfire question..... Wet socks and decided to dry them over the fire hobo style and didn't work out that way ha ha!! Peace
It definitely is man. I learn something new every day and every hike. Good for the mind, body and soul too. Haha, tried drying mine on a wood burner in Nepal, burnt my toes and stank out the place haha
My mistake was my backpack overweight.. So i grab a salomon out week 38+6..luckily the price as per my budget target as well.. 😁I do love your backpack 2400 yet it is over my budget on price.. 😁
As I know the weather in mountain region can change dramatically. It is silly to hike alone. It’s better safe than sorry. There’s no need to push oneself too hard or risk one’s life to prove to the others on the media who even don’t really know you. The people on social media can forget you really fast. Why are many young people still doing silly things on the social media?
I have to hike alone because I hike to live apart from artificial schedules, nevertheless, it is the mentality of conforming to a schedule (often driven by ego) that gets hikers in trouble. A deeply humble respect for wilderness conditions and the flexibility (based on being prepared) to adjust to weather is a far better safety measure than having others around. The latter contributes to over-confidence and lots of reckless behavior. It's much easier tl exercise prudence when going solo. As for the social media stuff, I agree with you very much. I encourage hikers to unplug in order to get a genuine wilderness experience. It scares them to death to even seriously consider unplugging. 20 miles from civilization, hikers are still attached like mind slaves to their GPS apps, music recordings, etc. Thinking their own independant thoughts is something that most young people have Never experienced in their lives, like humans confined in the power plant of The Matrix. I do however think there is hope. I think that deep down most hikers have a genuine hunger to experience somethinh real. An extended hiking adventure is a most excellent opportunity to do that, if they would just unplug.
I took a #AMOK hammock setup into the Canadian Rockies with a cheap tarp as they had no stock of the proper one!! BIG MISTAKE, was hit with a huge storm on first night, tarp became loose and foot box area of hammock proceeded to fill with water... At this point I like to dispel the idea that the #AEGISMAX down bag/quilt is waterproof. It's most definitely NOT. Had to quickly fill foot area with micro towel and then adjust hammock into the seated position to bring feet under the sagging tarp!! I now have correct tarp and UL bivvy for bag!
People really don't need to have the overpacking message beaten to death into them. It's 99% self-correcting. It's simply part of a beginner learning for themself. It becomes an issue when a hiker violates mistake #1 in a big way thinking they are ready to tackle really big adventures when they are still beginners. That dynamic is like cutting a switchback...bad idea on more than one level. Ironically, going too light is actually a big contributor to injuries which don't happen so much with traditional pack loads. The more traditional loads slow a hiker down. Fewer miles/Kms per day means fewer injuries. A hiker who does 1000 miles / 1600 Km in 100 days does not experience less than a hiker who does 2000 mi / 32000 Km in the same 100 days. Typically, the faster hiker sees little more than the trail, a strip of beaten earth which is nothing much to brag about.
He said on one of his videos that he could not finish hiking to the top of Kala Patthar because he felt his feet and toes were frozen. He should have learned from that experience that those soft fabric high top waterproof hiking shoes he loved were not good enough for rough terrains especially in severe icy cold weather. All the professional hiking leaders of well established trekking companies suggest leather, well constructed hiking boots to reinforce the protections around your ankles, toes and soles. It seems that he hasn’t learned enough from that experience. On another video after his EBC trek, he still recommended his hiking shoes to the viewers. He is not a professional after all. LISTEN TO THE PROFESSIONALS! He said he didn’t like stiff leather hiking boots because they were too heavy. When you think of those young soldiers who carry heavy loads of equipments on their backs and wear strong leather, heavy combat boots to trek in mountainous and forestry regions during wartime, then you know how those leather boots protect their feet during those challenging and dangerous times. He didn’t suggest trekking poles. Trekking poles are important for multiple days hiking. They reduce the pressures on your joints, hips and legs and help balance your body as well.
Were those the trendy popular style "trail runners" aka ninja slippers that so many new style "hikers" wear after falling for the hype and marketing? If so, I think the dirty secret is that such shoes are the common denominator with the majority of hikers who get hurt/killed/missing especially in mountanous snowy conditions. Using that kind of footwear is not much different than trying to drive your car offroad in snow with slick street racing tires - stuuupid.
In Scotland you can wild camp in most places. If you’re going to wild camp anywhere without permission of a land owner or anywhere for that matter, leave no trace, be considerate and bring a stove instead of lighting fires. When I was in Scotland in Kinlochleven we saw a huge forest fire probably caused by campers.
I was using my drone on the SDW along the 7 sisters, walked to my left with my eyes glued to the drone and almost walked off the edge. The drone would have had it all on film of my unfortunate and humorous death!
I have an emergency distress routine when in the wilderness. Drop your trousers to have a pee! Before you know it, a party of ramblers will appear from nowhere!
You may have been a bit unprepared but fair play for turning back, that’s a super smart decision that a lot of people won’t do!
Thanks, Jim. Conditions were terrible up there. The following day a young lad the from London went up and didn't return alive. I learnt then to always return to safety if I feel out of my depth.
Really wish I had watched this video before embarking on my first ever long-distance hike!
I planned to hike The Ridgeway, which is 139km/87 miles long, having never been out on a long-distance hike before. I watched some videos of hikers saying they regularly cover 25-30 miles in a day and I assumed this was the usual/expected distance to cover, so I planned to complete the hike in 3.5 days (with the option of an additional 'buffer' day as I wanted to reach the end in daylight then get the train home).
My first day I arrived at the start of the trail in the early afternoon and set off, covering 18 miles with a 15kg backpack. I was feeling a little sore that night but I just assumed this was the norm and to be expected. The next day I set off however I was really feeling the effects of the previous day's hike and it was more of a slog than an enjoyable hike. The final 3 hours on the trail that day were brutal as I had the hot evening sun on my back the entire time on a particularly exposed section of the trail and I had not packed sunscreen as the weather forecast was cloudy! Needless to say my calves and neck were burnt to a crisp. I finally made it to the next town after 25 miles on the trail that day, albeit in agonising pain and barely being able to stand. My shoulders, knees, hips and the soles of my feet all felt like they were on fire and I was not enjoying myself, to say the least.
Unfortunately I knew I would have to give up then as there was no way I could carry on. I got the train home and limped back with my tail between my legs. One day I will go back and pick the trail up where I left off, but this time with a more realistic mileage estimate!
Thanks for your videos, I find them inspiring and very informative!
Great video! I've got a good and embarrassingly a recent one! Just before Xmas I headed over to the Elan Valley in Wales with friends and we planned a "10" mile walk bothy to bothy. One of the guys I was with had checked the route so I assumed it was all good and enjoyed taking no responsibility for navigating... 7 Miles into the hike with just an "over the hill" left to go, we stopped for a break and reviewed the maps together. At this point we realised there was a further 10 miles to the second bothy! Although there was about 2 hours of light left we decided to get head torches on and push ahead regardless (Always looking for more type 2 fun and an opportunity to make it a real adventure!). We were following what was marked as a bridal way but as dark descended, and we started a long ascent which would last the remaining miles, the bridal way quickly deteriorated into a knee (and at times thigh) deep bog. This was compounded by a thick fog which limited visibility to below 5-6 meters. We targeted terrain where we thought the bog would dry out but alas, it stretched endlessly into our future. After an hour of wading we agreed that it would probably dry out in the next 20 mins of so and we could press on the last of the distance quickly. After 2 hours we agreed that we must be so close to the other side of the bog we couldn't possibly go back as we were just so so close now..... After 6 hours of repeating these arguments and realising that we couldn't even sleep until we found dry ground, we finally made it to the other side! The fog still thick and all of us soaked to the waist in below freezing temperatures, we decided the best course of action would be to smash the remaining 4-5 miles, get to the bothy and pray someone had already chopped wood and got a fire going. At 1am and all absolutely shattered we rolled into the bothy and received the most awesome hospitality I have ever experienced! A roaring fire, already burning dried us out and canned curry (Thanks Aldi!) was enjoyed by all! The following day was a 20 mile C shaped route to avoid the bog and by the time we made it to the cars we were ready to drop! A highlight was the look of astonishment by the walkers in the bothy who A) couldn't believe we had waded through a bog, locally known to be impassible through winter and B) that one of the lesser experienced friends had succeed the route in denim jeans, retro Nike Airmax trainers and a hoody! Lesson learnt; always take responsibility for your own navigation and never trust a Welsh "bridal way"!
I understood most of that! Great story, for some reason this makes me want to get out more.
I've only just discovered your channel. So informative and so humble! Very refreshing. Solo hiking is a long-time passion that I've only just recently started taking seriously with a view of over-nighting. Videos like yours are fantastic guidance and motivation!
Snowdon has been the place I have gone to a few times more with a gentle stroll in mind rather than “hiking” and have made quite a few mistakes in the beginning . The stupid ones like little water, full pack of camera gear including tripod which just killed me as barely got half way as stopped lots to take pictures. The one that I learnt from most was when I actually did the walk to the top with no dramas but had failed to let anyone know I was going so family were worried sick as “missing” for hours. Now I make sure I set a time when I am likely to be back for family and stick to that as best as possibly and decide on route and stick to it. Even when I went up miners track with my then 9 year old we turned back as time was getting near to arrival set with wife which was a shame as daughter would have made it no problem but decided to stick to plan as that mountain is not going anywhere. Just let people know your planned route and times so if you go past these then family can start to consider a rescue call and they will have an idea where to look.
I'm perplexed that most Hiking/Backpacking videos seem to stress "Weight" as the number 1 most important consideration.....When its always been "Safety".
I'm not familiar with the statistical numbers, but it's been reported that a record number of people had to be physically rescued off the Appalachian Trail this year due to being under prepared for the weather conditions along the trail.
"Gram counting" is fine...And trying to emulate your favorite lightweight Backpacker on You Tube is cool, but it doesn't replace "Personal Responsibility" and "Common Sense"...
My first mistake ever was to bring 27kg's on my first solo hike. That sucked so hard that i quit after 2 weeks (planned on 3-4)
second biggest mistake was to attempt to climb a peak off the trail that didn't seem too far/high. Estimated 2 hours and brought 1 snickers bar and a bit of water, didn't even put on a jacket because it seemed so close. It ended up costing me 6 hours and i practically ran off the peak after taking a few quick pictures because it was so cold
Thomas van der Beek oh wow sounds like a tough haul! But fair play for giving it a go and really it doesn’t matter how we start, just start safely. Thanks for watching as always.
@@thetrailhunter4469 Definitely not as scary as that white out of yours! Keep up the great vids!
Everything is at least three times farther away than it looks. You never go without being prepared for worst-case scenarios. So many day hikers die that way. You need a lightweight temporary shelter, warm clothing and shoes, gloves, hats, and a Garmin Inreach to notify friends and emergency personnel if you need them. You also need emergency food supplies and water. a tiny stove and cup or pot. Tell people where you are going and when you'll be back, don't go off trail, and use your common sense! Check the weather and don't go up if there is an incoming storm!! Duh!
My first backpacking trip was the Wonderland Trail in Washington State, US. I hadn't previously done any serious hiking, I just saw a video on TH-cam and thought "that looks cool, I'm gonna do it!". It's a 93 mile hike with 23000ft elevation gain over the distance. I packed way too much luxury gear. I had a DSLR, 3 lenses, a heavy aluminium tripod, a camp chair, a washbag with deodorant, shower gel and other unnecessary gear. I've no idea how heavy it was, but it was way too heavy. My first day was only 8 miles, but it was mostly uphill. I had a campsite about a mile off the trail and the next morning, hiking back up to the trail was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I got back to the trail and went right back to the car, I was never going to make it.
Having got back to the car, I dumped a whole load of gear and rescheduled my campsites, having to do a lot more mileage than anticipated per day. I ended up having to complete the trail in 7 days instead of the 12 I had planned. It was hard going, but I completed the trail, which felt fantastic after my first failed attempt!
I think the biggest tip I could take from this experience is to take a smaller pack so I can't stuff it so full of things I don't need.
I really liked this video, as it is based directly on experience, not supposition. I found myself grinning several times as you talked about the same mistakes I have made in the past. For instance, I started my Appalachian Trail hike with a Kindle. I never used in three weeks - too damned tired at the end of the day, so I sent it home.
Ahh thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it and yes, haha the kindle. Seemed like a good idea at the time. 👌 happy trails!
Million percent the first one , I go walking in the mountains u have to be so carefull the weather can change in seconds, so anyone reading this please check the weather before going. It really can be fatal. Great video
Thx brother, i lived 2 years in switserland, beinga Belgian lifeguard on the beach, i was raised with rrespect to sea andcurrents....i very much adapted thatrespect to my new home: mountains + 3000m...i was humble on day 1, andstayed humble after lots ofwalks ans skijourneys....that isthe sprit: learn with small steps, and built confidence on yr own pace...i loved hikingever since, Bob Belgium
You can never have too much waterproofing, as I found out to my cost the first time the Army sent me onto the Brecon Beacons.
Now I spray my rucksack and use a rucksack cover, I use a big dry bag as a pack liner, I have smaller dry bags for each of my ‘systems’ (which also helps with organisation) and I put individual items of spare clothing in their own plastic bag.
The organisation also means I can minimise the amount of time my rucksack is open, and I always replace something as soon as I’ve finished using it.
All learned the hard way in May 1981 when we had to swim a lake on the first day of a week in the hills… :(
South west coastal path is currently where I'm doing all my practice walks, mostly on the dorset sections! Leaving for my first solo hike away from home on the brecon beacons next month
Such a great channel! Great humble guy that is great at storytelling. My new favorite TH-cam channel along with Jupiter
Great topic ! I'm knew to hiking and very inexperienced , appreciate the tips👍
Thanks, Brad. Glad you enjoyed the video. Any questions, fire them over 👍
Having worked in Mountain Rescue in the UK I am dumbfounded by some of the people that think walking in trainers and jeans in Winter/Springtime is a good idea, with no proper waterproofs, food ,compass or even maps. Everybody assumes that there are 'signposts showing the way everywhere' or other people to ask the way. My advice for anyone venturing out on their own is, apart from the obvious kit requirements, learn to use a compass and map, even if you have GPS. And if you get lost in poor weather, set up camp, stay put ,eat and drink plenty of hot food and wait until you can see where and what you are doing. Weather can change drastically very quickly and even weather forecasts can be wrong! Knowledge and practice is the key ...it will help you lose the fear and trepidation when confronted by such events.
Agreed! The amount of people we met as we were coming off Scafell Pike in the clash with no map, trainers, T-shirt’s! Could not believe it.
I can totally relate to the being too ambitious one when I decided it would be a good idea to make the Everest base camp trek my first big hike 😂 didn't get very far
Ahh haha yeah my plans or a winter summit of Ben Nevis went “downhill” pretty quickly. Thanks for sharing and watching. 🤙
"I just wanted to climb this mountain, not do any mountaineering or anything!"
😂😂
Hope you bought those guys a drink.
I'm a bit of an overpacker too, practice makes perfect
Very sound advice - thank you
Didn't expect much, but I think you made your point pretty well! Glad you survived your ignorance (as I have as well)!
I totally relate to the being too ambitious mistake.
A few years ago, with very little experience whatsoever, I travelled to Australia to attempt the AAWT, which runs from near Melbourne to Canberra - some 400 miles through near total wilderness.
After 2 days I’d nearly fallen off a cliff, ripped my only full length trousers and was fed up with my 33Kg backpack and had to quit.
I’m now doing day jokes and planning my first overnight, with ambitions to build up to attempt the AAWT again when I have the experience to do so.
Yep, I did the sock thing as well. I must have taken 12 pairs of socks for 6 days. Actually only used 4 pairs of them. I remember taking loads of useless junk with me. Lessons learned, and they have to be learned, not instructed! Only you know what you really need!
I did the same thing on the Carn Mor Dearag (Ben Nevis), didn't have much experience and hit a blizzard on the ridge and turned back to find the river i came over in spate, long walk back to Fort William .
Great tips thanks 👍😁
you're the most expensive youtuber i've ever watched :D since finding your channel i've gone out and bought an Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 quilt, a Thermarest NeoAir Xlite and a sea to summit ultralight pillow!! i'm itching to get out on dartmoor with my new equipment :D I need to find more things to sell now!
Hahaha, I do have a few videos on cheaper gear! But I believe quality is important for this type of thing. Thanks again for watching, let me know how you get on with your quilt, I’m keen to try one of those out!
@@thetrailhunter4469 I'll let you know, but don't expect an unbiased review !
Haha nice one
I hope the people who gave you advice in the Fort William outdoor shop know that you made it back safely!
Haha yes they do. I had to bring back the boots, crampons and ice axe.
Thanks for this. This was really helpful!
May aswell do Crib Gotch aswell for a Sunday stroll.
Seriously and people wonder why there are so many deaths. Another thing that people get wrong is setting off with all their clothes on from the get go 🙄 they set off wearing fleece and water proof coat and thermals and shit, then when they get sweaty and start slowing down they get cold. Then they realise they have got nothing else to put on because they are already wearing it all. Glad you learned, but you could have been another statistic. Good video by the way. It's good to see someone guiding the young and stupid in the right direction. Learn from other people's mistakes 👍
7:00 I had to ask... how did you get them out?.... sho, sho!!!! 🤣
I made a few on my first ever walk which was the South Downs way. Was completely over ambitious and thought I could comfortably go from Winchester to Petersfield, this was around 28-29 miles altogether. My second was having unbelievably unsuitable footwear. I decided to wear my recently bought barefoot vibrant fivefingers and also brought a pair of sandals too as it was summer. After about an hour of walking my feet were starting to really hurt and by lunchtime I was in agony with another 18 miles to go. Third mistake was not packing enough food or drink. I expected to finish late afternoon and be back home for dinner so all I brought was one litre bottle of water and some sandwiches. By about 3pm I had run out of water and walked for another 6 hours with nothing. I started walking at about 7am and finally finished at 9.45pm, I was almost crawling at times and kept thinking what the hell am I doing out here. My phone died around 7pm so had no contact with anyone. I'm really proud of how I pushed on through the pain and got to the end and I totally learnt my lesson. I now aim to do around 15 miles per day and certainly no more than 20 and that is perfect. That experience could've put me off long distance walking but It was start of a real passion.
Ahhh wow. That’s actually very good going considering all the set backs. Most would’ve given up I’m sure. And yes, a lesson learned. I built up over the course of a year before my SDW hike and crushed my first 30 on that trail. I wanted to find out what 30 miles was like and it’s a seriously long way on foot. I started at 4am 5 miles east of Amberly and finished at 8pm walking snail’s pace ending up in Southease. Woke up feeling surprisingly fine in my tent before smashing the rest to Eastbourne. I had a limp for a week haha. Thanks for your awesome story. Happy trails!
I have a few failed wildcamps due to being unsafe to do so . glad I didn't take the risk.
This is all good information for me, as I plan on hiking through the south downs trail in April but have very little hiking experience. I'm fairly fit and am used to walking 10_12 miles at a time but not with anything bigger than a small rucksack on my back and have only ever walked on flat ground, So nothing even remotely challenging. I plan on starting from winchester and finishing in newhaven which is about 75 miles Of the trail. I think 5 days is a realistic time frame to complete my journey, But have some reservations with regards to finding enough places to fill water bottles and finding enough places to eat on route or at least close to the trail so I don't suffer from burnout. If anybody else has experience in hiking across the south downs then any tips or pointers would be greatly appreciated...
Hi Tesla Tea Party. You’ve come to the right pace! Here’s my entire SDW playlist where you’ll find videos of my hike as well as gear and top tips. th-cam.com/play/PLg1tiUHN1j5kzbJizrNj_czVBO2PiO5lM.html thanks for watching and good luck!
@@thetrailhunter4469 wow thanks for your super speedy reply! I'm currently making my way through your vids and have learnt quite a lot already!.. guys like yourself are invaluable to people like me who have little experience in this area, as not only does it give the confidence to get out of our comfort zone and do it, but it also shows what to expect when we're there. Your time and and effort in making these vids is greatly appreciated many thanks... 👍❤
Tesla Tea Party thanks for the warm words. Any time. 👍 very kind.
i never hiked before and then set out to do the Anglesey Coastal Path (140miles) in 6 days, first day i ended up doing 46km in 11 hours... my first day of walking/hiking anywhere! it absolutely bounced down with a storm on the way and everything was soaked. i should have got a better tent, with a better waterproof backpack cover and better boots!
Love these stories. Do you train in between hikes?
done Ben Nevis many many years ago in April ...Italian sun tan at the base and first quarter of the climb.
last quarter white out but kept on then the wind blew up and the vista was incredible till i saw i was on a thick overhang of snow.
totally lost power to move for a few seconds moved back then deliberately fell flat on my back.
absolutely no head for heights ever since.
Nice sounds like an amazing trip. Yeah Ben Nevis is a very changeable mountain for sure. Not one to be taken lightly. Thanks for watching. Got a new Ben Nevis video coming soon. 👍
It’s beyond me why you don’t have more subs.
Martin Castein thanks, Martin. It’s growing slowly but surely and people seem to be really enjoying my vids. Gotta keep em coming I guess! Thanks for watching.
@@thetrailhunter4469 The video quality is there. It just needs to gain traction! TH-cam randomly put a video on my homepage so that's how i got here
Ahh thanks very much. Oh really? That’s awesome! I thank you for clicking on my thumbnail haha. That’s how TH-cam works. As more of my videos are getting more watch time, it’s showing up all over so it’s slowly snowballing. I’m glad people are enjoying watching as I’m enjoying making.
Did you ever hike the Kungsleden? I'd like to try my first hiking experience by hiking from Abisko to Nikkaluokta in early winter. I would like to do it with a friend and hike it in about 8 days, sleeping in a tent along the way. Any tips?
Nice one mate and good topic!! Hiking is definitely a big personal learning experience! Campfire question..... Wet socks and decided to dry them over the fire hobo style and didn't work out that way ha ha!! Peace
It definitely is man. I learn something new every day and every hike. Good for the mind, body and soul too. Haha, tried drying mine on a wood burner in Nepal, burnt my toes and stank out the place haha
In which month u travel EVBC
All very good advice.
Cheers! Happy trails!
My mistake was my backpack overweight.. So i grab a salomon out week 38+6..luckily the price as per my budget target as well.. 😁I do love your backpack 2400 yet it is over my budget on price.. 😁
Q: I have the
Phoxx EV 1 Backpacking 1 Person Tent - But want one with a bit more room so i can get back pack inside ect as well. Any suggestions?
I used a OEX Phoxx 2 out in Dartmoor and for one person it’s really roomy and not too much bulkier than the Phoxx 1. Thanks for watching dude. 👍
@@thetrailhunter4469 ill have a look see if go outdoors do it :P
Are you from England?
Good call on #1
There are old climbers, and there are bold climbers. But there are no old, bold climbers.
As I know the weather in mountain region can change dramatically. It is silly to hike alone. It’s better safe than sorry. There’s no need to push oneself too hard or risk one’s life to prove to the others on the media who even don’t really know you. The people on social media can forget you really fast. Why are many young people still doing silly things on the social media?
I have to hike alone because I hike to live apart from artificial schedules, nevertheless, it is the mentality of conforming to a schedule (often driven by ego) that gets hikers in trouble.
A deeply humble respect for wilderness conditions and the flexibility (based on being prepared) to adjust to weather is a far better safety measure than having others around. The latter contributes to over-confidence and lots of reckless behavior. It's much easier tl exercise prudence when going solo.
As for the social media stuff, I agree with you very much. I encourage hikers to unplug in order to get a genuine wilderness experience. It scares them to death to even seriously consider unplugging. 20 miles from civilization, hikers are still attached like mind slaves to their GPS apps, music recordings, etc. Thinking their own independant thoughts is something that most young people have Never experienced in their lives, like humans confined in the power plant of The Matrix.
I do however think there is hope. I think that deep down most hikers have a genuine hunger to experience somethinh real. An extended hiking adventure is a most excellent opportunity to do that, if they would just unplug.
Those guys should never have sold you the kit near Ben Nevis! They should have called the police and had you sent home.
hahah just did a 13.7 mile hike a couple days ago forgot to check elevation it was a gain of 2000 ft was hobbled for 3 days as well
Ahh man. Sounds like a knee killer! Where was that?
@@thetrailhunter4469 pine valley CA to Mtlaguna CA it was a mix of several trails and couple roadsides lol
Ambition does not require ego, and sesible humility does not mean that you can't still be abitious.
I took a #AMOK hammock setup into the Canadian Rockies with a cheap tarp as they had no stock of the proper one!! BIG MISTAKE, was hit with a huge storm on first night, tarp became loose and foot box area of hammock proceeded to fill with water... At this point I like to dispel the idea that the #AEGISMAX down bag/quilt is waterproof. It's most definitely NOT. Had to quickly fill foot area with micro towel and then adjust hammock into the seated position to bring feet under the sagging tarp!! I now have correct tarp and UL bivvy for bag!
Oh man that sounds crazy!! Glad you figured it all out though now instead of later. The things we go through to learn ay? Nice one.
@@thetrailhunter4469 just ordered new #Zpacks #Altaplex as a backup. Needed a tall boy option 😁
Good info!
People really don't need to have the overpacking message beaten to death into them. It's 99% self-correcting. It's simply part of a beginner learning for themself. It becomes an issue when a hiker violates mistake #1 in a big way thinking they are ready to tackle really big adventures when they are still beginners. That dynamic is like cutting a switchback...bad idea on more than one level.
Ironically, going too light is actually a big contributor to injuries which don't happen so much with traditional pack loads. The more traditional loads slow a hiker down. Fewer miles/Kms per day means fewer injuries. A hiker who does 1000 miles / 1600 Km in 100 days does not experience less than a hiker who does 2000 mi / 32000 Km in the same 100 days. Typically, the faster hiker sees little more than the trail, a strip of beaten earth which is nothing much to brag about.
It’s better to play safe. Be careful with your dear life.
He said on one of his videos that he could not finish hiking to the top of Kala Patthar because he felt his feet and toes were frozen. He should have learned from that experience that those soft fabric high top waterproof hiking shoes he loved were not good enough for rough terrains especially in severe icy cold weather. All the professional hiking leaders of well established trekking companies suggest leather, well constructed hiking boots to reinforce the protections around your ankles, toes and soles. It seems that he hasn’t learned enough from that experience. On another video after his EBC trek, he still recommended his hiking shoes to the viewers. He is not a professional after all. LISTEN TO THE PROFESSIONALS! He said he didn’t like stiff leather hiking boots because they were too heavy. When you think of those young soldiers who carry heavy loads of equipments on their backs and wear strong leather, heavy combat boots to trek in mountainous and forestry regions during wartime, then you know how those leather boots protect their feet during those challenging and dangerous times.
He didn’t suggest trekking poles. Trekking poles are important for multiple days hiking. They reduce the pressures on your joints, hips and legs and help balance your body as well.
Were those the trendy popular style "trail runners" aka ninja slippers that so many new style "hikers" wear after falling for the hype and marketing?
If so, I think the dirty secret is that such shoes are the common denominator with the majority of hikers who get hurt/killed/missing especially in mountanous snowy conditions. Using that kind of footwear is not much different than trying to drive your car offroad in snow with slick street racing tires - stuuupid.
where is good to go in north west uk
Lake District is epic. Scottish Highlands and Isle of Skye even more epic. 👍
@@thetrailhunter4469 can u set up a fire in lakes or no
This .gov site will answer all your questions. www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/where-to-stay/wild-camping
In Scotland you can wild camp in most places. If you’re going to wild camp anywhere without permission of a land owner or anywhere for that matter, leave no trace, be considerate and bring a stove instead of lighting fires. When I was in Scotland in Kinlochleven we saw a huge forest fire probably caused by campers.
Recommend Scafell Pike, great mountain to climb I think.
0:40.... exactly what I will do in 2 weeks time....
Haha 😂 just keep an eye on the weather. Check mwis and download the pdf report👌 a gps will also be a life saver if the visibility is poor.
Backpacking tips: don't be an idiot
My mistake: getting too close to the cliff edge on a rainy day. Ouch.
I was using my drone on the SDW along the 7 sisters, walked to my left with my eyes glued to the drone and almost walked off the edge. The drone would have had it all on film of my unfortunate and humorous death!
I see some hikers wash their underwear. I would throw them away and leave one on the last day to return home.
you weren't overly ambitious - you were irresponsibly unprepared
🍆
Crampons? For a hike up Ben Nevis? Lol!
This is Peter everybody and he’s falling down the gully this winter 😂😂😂