Planning a hiking trip is no rocket science but if you are a beginner then it could become a matter of confusion for you on how to plan the route of your hiking trip. For experienced hikers, it is easy to figure out what they need during the trip and at what point do they need to stop or set the daily target according to their abilities and the type of terrain they are taking. This blog will help the beginner level hiker to plan the route of their hike and clear some common confusions that come up during this stage.

Choose the Right Place

There are too many hiking trails or walkways to explore in Europe. Make it clear in your mind what kind of hiking you want. Do you want to explore tough trails, walk on a simple trail or do you want to pursue climbing or scrambling along the way? Once you are sure about what do you want to do then you can choose an appropriate trail that can offer you the opportunity to do the desired activity. You should also think about the people you want to hike with before you pick up a spot as the trail may not suit their ability. Now, choose appropriate gears for your activity and safety gear according to the kind of terrain you want to hike. Once you have figured out the place to hike you can easily pick the gear to pack into your backpack. Pick a similar spot as your hiking trail and do a small trip on that spot with your group. This will help strengthen the group dynamics and give you a taste of what to expect during your main trip.

Decide the Mode of Transportation

Most of the hiking trails in Europe are accessible by public transport, so you won’t need your car to reach the starting point of the trip. Leave your car at the hotel, pick up your backpacks and find a local mode of transport to reach your starting point. You should check the time tables of public transport to be well informed about when and where you will get your ride.

Pick the Right Time and Length

After you have picked up an area and trail to walk on, the next step is to divide the length of your trail and choose the appropriate time to spend on each leg of your trail. You should do this by considering the individual ability of each participant in your group. You can also use Naismith’s Rule that states that you need to allocate 1 hour for every 600 metres of height gained and 1 hour for 3.1 miles of distance covered. This will give you a rough idea of how much time is required to complete the hike for each member of the team.

 

So these were the three basics for planning the route and timings of your hiking trip. If you are going on a long trek then keep a map and highlight the important sections or laces of the map like check points or places where you will rest. Keep people informed about these important places so you can have a backup in case of an emergency. Every member of the group should have a copy of this map for reference in case they get stranded or face any other emergency. If you have more info on how to plan your hiking trip then share it with us.