National Geographic Traveller (UK)

HOW TO STAY SAFE IN THE UK’S MOUNTAINS AND HILLS

HIKING IS MORE POPULAR THAN EVER, BUT IT’S EASY FOR BEGINNERS TO GET CAUGHT OUT BY CHALLENGIN­G CONDITIONS. WORDS: SIMON INGRAM

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Trekking has never been cooler, more aspiration­al or more accessible. Be it striding up Scottish Munros or going off-grid on a wild hike, a whole new world of adventure opens up with a few skills and a bit of kit. But it’s important to know how to approach the highest, wildest places in Britain in a way that’s going to guarantee a lifetime of returntrip­s, rather than being scared off on day one.

WHERE SHOULD I GO TO GET STARTED?

Several national parks are packed with beginner-friendly peaks that offer both spectacle and accessibil­ity. Try Ambleside or Keswick in the Lake District, Dolgellau or Capel Curig in Snowdonia, Brecon or Crickhowel­l in South Wales, Hathersage or

Castleton in the Peak District and Crianlaric­h or Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands. Bear in mind that any hill can be dangerous in bad weather, so use judgement based on your own experience — and never climb up anything you may not be able to climb back down again.

AREN’T BRITISH MOUNTAINS EASY TO CLIMB?

Don’t be fooled. It’s true that all but a dozen or so mountains in the UK have at least one relatively easy route to the top, where you don’t need to use your hands or ropes, or handle ground that’s rocky, steep and requires care and caution. But as well as the mountains themselves, you need to consider things such as distance, time, your own fitness and the weather.

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