Back in the mists of time I wrote a few tips from various experts (professional and amateur that might help when you are out and about and thought it was about time you received a few more from your favourite hiking store. So read and enjoy

Layering at the start of a cold day: We all layer up at the start of a walk on a cold day so we are nice and warm don’t we? But how many of us then have to stop twenty minutes later to take off a layer or two because we are too warm? Yes me too. The best advice for cold morning s is just that, start cold, or at least a little chilly, as you have most likely come from a warm environment (car, house etc), but you have to resist that natural urge (ooh err missus) to put on every layer you have as once you start walking you are going to warm up. You have the option of putting an extra layer on if you do still feel cold or, heaven forbid conditions take a turn for the worst, but at least your kit will be dry when you put it on. If you have started with everything you don’t have this option and anything you take off is likely to be damp with sweat.

Naismith’s Rule: This is a basic way of working out how long a walk should take. The basic rule has certain assumptions – the walker is of reasonable fitness, typical terrain, and normal weather conditions. It doesn’t account for delays caused by extended breaks for sightseeing or for navigational obstacles or errors.

Alternatively, the rule can be used to determine the equivalent flat distance of a route. This is achieved by recognizing that Naismith's rule implies an equivalence between distance and climb in time terms: 3 miles (=15,840 feet) of distance is equivalent in time terms to 2000 feet of climb. That is, 7.92 (=15840/2000) units of distance are equivalent to 1 unit of climb. For convenience an 8 to 1 rule can be used. So, for example, if a route is 20 kilometres (12 mi) with 1600 metres of climb), the equivalent flat distance of this route is 20+1.6×8=32.8 kilometres (20.4 mi). Assuming an individual can maintain a speed on the flat of 5 km/h (walking pace); the route will take 6 hours and 34 minutes. The simplicity of this approach is that the time taken can be easily adjusted for an individual's own (chosen) speed on the flat; at 8 km/h (flat speed) the route will take 4 hours and 6 minutes.

Although many adjustments have been added over the years it is still basically sound, so try it out.

So a couple of tips for you from a hiking store you know you will find the latest quality products at the best prices, Outdoor Look.