4 Important Safety Tips for Those New To Hiking

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4 Important Safety Tips for Those New To Hiking

Author: DonaldSaunders Total views: 9 Word Count: 528

Hiking provides millions of people with a great deal of pleasure and a sense of adventure each year and ninety-nine percent of the time it is anything but hazardous. This said, people do get lost and have accidents every once in a while and it can then become a hazardous activity very fast if you are not prepared.

Here we look at are just 4 basic safety tips to make sure that your hiking doesn't get you into trouble.

Safety Tip No1 - Consider taking a partner of friend along.

There's really no need to worry about setting off by yourself if you're taking a short hike in a nearby area on easy terrain, however, if you are hiking through heavily wooded wilderness areas with winding trails and steep canyons then the likelihood of getting lost or sustaining injury becomes very real and you should think carefully about whether or not it is sensible to head out alone.

Having a partner along can have many advantages, especially if that person is a seasoned hiker. Clearly, 'two heads are better than one' and if you do get lost or get into difficulty you're a lot less likely to panic if you have someone with you to help solve the problem.

Safety Tip No 2 - Make sure that somebody knows where you are going.

If you are new to hiking then you should certainly stick to clearly marked and well traveled trails and should not start to stray from these trails to explore until you have some experience and have had an opportunity to learn and practice the basics of map reading and compass work. However, it will not take you too long before you're ready to try some more adventurous routes and the likelihood of getting injured or lost will arise.

As a consequence, you should always tell somebody where you are going and when you plan to return so that they can dispatch a search party if you don't return when expected.

Safety Tip No 3 - Take along some basic equipment.

It's essential to carry a basic survival kit with you and your local hiking club will give you advice on the items which this should include. What we're looking at here are things like a lighter and matches, a good knife, a first aid kit and a flashlight.

In addition, it is a good idea to take a map and compass along and a fully charged cell phone.

Safety Tip No 4 - Ensure that you take some basic provisions with you.

Water or other fluids like sports drinks are clearly essential as you can lose a great deal of fluid even over a short period of time on a hot day. You should remember however that water is bulky, so take along enough but not too much. Do not forget though that you must not drink from local streams as natural water sources might appear to be inviting but they are often loaded with bacteria and might make you sick very quickly.

Also take enough food to last you. It is no fun to be hungry while you are out hiking but remember that you can last a good deal longer without food than without water.

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Visit The-Hiking-Club.com for advice on everything from finding a great pair of Asolo hiking boots to Grand Canyon hiking tips

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