Advice for New Hikers

The advice for new hikers that you will find here is of my personal opinion. I was once a new hiker too and now with over 25 years of hiking, trekking, backpacking and guiding experience, I believe I can contribute some good advice for new hikers.

The beauty of hiking is that it is very flexible and open-ended and so, there’s no right or wrong way of doing it.

There are so many types of shoes and boots, day hiking bags and apparel that can be used that provide different levels of comfort for different people, however I will say, don’t get too consumed with gear in the early days.

Hiking routes can greatly vary too. They can be short or long, walked at a slow or fast pace, and meander through forests, open spaces, valleys, hillsides, mountains, villages, towns and alternatively, you could choose to be deep in the wilderness with nothing around you for miles.

So, if you’re new to hiking, this advice will help you get started.

Feast for the Eyes

Sit back and think about what makes you tick. Write it down. Do you enjoy gentle strolls or challenging walks, very short distances or moderate length, hilly terrain or watersides, village life or remote locations, this will draw a picture and determine the kind of hiking that will make you happy.

Destination

In the early days of your hiking adventures, go local to get an understanding of how it feels and what it takes. Travelling miles away can create anxiety before you even begin and even worse, be daunting when you arrive at your destination especially if you’re hiking solo.

That’s not to say don’t challenge yourself, it just means, going local so that you can get a feel for your mental and physical capability and your gear.

Gear Options

You can absolutely start out hiking with nothing more than trainers and your daily clothes.

Not having the technical outdoor apparel or gear shouldn’t stop you from venturing out, but the right outdoor gear will certainly inspire and build confidence in you, especially, in weather conditions where it’s wet, damp, cold or even snow.

If you’re going to invest, invest your money into a good waterproof jacket, waterproof over-trouser and sturdy pair of hiking boots as they are essentials.

Preparation

Your first hiking trip is less about the stuff you will take and more about the spirit of adventure.

In order to keep the spirits high, planning and preparation is key; plan where you will park, where you will start and finish your walk, how long it should take, what the weather will be like and then prepare your gear and food/water supplies accordingly.

It’s also important to let somebody know where you are, what you’re doing and approximately what time you will return.

Set Goals – Most important Advice for New Hikers

My number one advice for new hikers is to set goals.

Goals are important as it is easy to never start as a new hiker. You can easily be consumed in excuses such as… I don’t know where to start, it’s too wet and cold, I will get lost, I don’t have the right gear, but here’s the thing, if you don’t start somewhere you will never know.

Set yourself a goal of hiking, solo or as a group, at least once a month and start local or at least in close proximity to where you live. Set a goal of hiking a couple of miles and then as your confidence grows, increase the length of the hike.

As your excitement and comfort level develops, go further afield or try new hiking locations. And finally, set a goal of repeating this regularly.

Mental Preparedness

My advice for new hikers would be to gradually remove any prejudged thoughts of how a hiking adventure might turn out. Don’t expect things to be perfect on the first few attempts. Just keep at it and watch your mental strength with experience, grow.

When things get tough or even bleak, remind yourself that the feeling won’t last, and once you have resolved, pieced together, completed whatever challenges that may come, you will be engulfed with a wonderful high.

This is the beauty of the outdoors and hiking adventures. It shifts you on to a different mental level.

In Summary – Advice for New Hikers

My best advice for new hikers is to simply get out there. There’s no better time to dive in as there will always be something in life that will serve up as an excuse. Plan ahead, be prepared and stay responsible, this is what will help you in having a successful hike.

If you still feel unsettled about hiking on your own or with an inexperienced group of friends, then find an experienced outdoor guide and embrace a guided hike. There’s no shame in it, in fact, a guided hiking experience will only enhance your thirst for the outdoors.

Connect on Social Media for more inspiration and ideas

Along with the content on this website, I regularly post outdoor information, videos, photographs and adventure advice on the various social media channels. You can connect with me below.

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I post new material and content on these channels regularly for the benefit of all my fans, followers and supporters. Not only is it a great way to interact and communicate with each other instantly, but also a way for you to be inspired by my daily and weekly micro-adventures and bigger adventures.