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Disclaimer: This hiking blog focuses on solo hiking for beginners and the experienced hiker. As with everything I recommend on this site, please stick to your abilities. If you’ve never done this before, it can be done alone, but be hyper-aware of what you’ll do if something goes wrong.
I’ve spent many years hiking in family and friend groups, and even with a guide on multi-day treks. I haven’t yet committed to a multi-day solo hike, though it’s high on my list. Depending on how keen you are to get going, there’s nothing to stop you, but bear in mind the tips and tricks in this article and on my site in general.
I’d also like to mention that if you never want to hike alone, that’s fine! It may not be for you, and there’s really no need to do something that steals joy instead of ignites it. Bring a friend or a family member along and discover the joys of bonding on the open road.
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Multi-day hiking in the southwest of England is a fabulous plan – don’t mind if I do! With the Cotswolds Way, Great Wessex Way, Ridgeway Walk, South West Coast Path, and many more, our counties down here are chock full of opportunities to commit to a multi-day adventure. Whether you choose to camp or opt for the comfort of a bed and breakfast (B&B), you will surely gain new perspectives of these gorgeous places and of your gorgeous self.
Hiking for multiple days allows you to go further off the beaten track and to see incredible vistas that most people may only ever come across on google. An indescribably beautiful view will never come out the same on camera, whether taken and edited with the latest gear or not. The best way to see these places is with your own two eyes.
And how can you deny yourself the feeling of accomplishment, when you’ve worked so hard to get to where you want to be? Sure, it’s hard work, but ultimately absolutely worth it.
There are only so many hours in a day and sometimes a day just doesn’t cut it. Maybe you want to go farther and discover those harder to reach places, maybe you want to slow down and enjoy the view. Whatever your reason, multi-day treks are possible to do solo, but require a little more knowledge and skill, in particular when it comes to camping.
Why Commit to a Multi-Day Hike?
Multi-day hikes are not for the faint of heart or spirit. A commitment that goes beyond a simple trek, a multi-day hike will see you either carrying all your own gear, or hiking between bases, such as a hostel, B&B, or a rented house. For me, I’m usually based somewhere (most likely camping) and head off each day on a new adventure.
I’ve long wanted to commit myself to a long hike of multiple days, and considering I have all the skills to do it, I’m just waiting for the time and money to do it! For someone who’s backpacked solo across South America, it seems ludicrous that I’ve not yet done it in a country where I can actually speak the language!
What You See on a Multi-Day Hike
With hiking, it’s a matter of what you see isn’t the only thing you’ll get. On a bog-standard, regular hike, you’ll enjoy nature, see parts of the country you never knew existed, and always finish feeling better for having done it. Even if I’ve finished a trek muddy, soaked to the skin and beyond all possible iterations of tiredness, I still gain something from it. Even if it’s only the satisfaction of having achieved something great. There’s a growing tribe who are graduating from ‘fair-weather’ hikers, and trust me, this puts you in the ‘hardcore’ pile.
For a multi-day expedition, you’ll really be immersing yourself in your surrounds. You’ll gain new perspectives, new skills and get to join up the missing pieces of the map in your head. There’s nothing like understanding an area and feeling safe in the knowledge that you can find your way around.
You can train from your own home, though this is obviously dependent on time. There’s nothing better than discovering new paths to freedom from your own home, and stay-cations are a rising trend, with environmental and monetary concerns being the main reasons for this. (Oh, and Covid!)
What You Gain from Multi-Day Hikes
Speaking as someone who has done both types of multi-day hikes – doing a different trek each day and also longer routes over a course of days – I know first-hand what you get.
My experience of continuous treks began with the Duke of Edinburgh Award, a notion pioneered by, you guessed it, the Duke of Edinburgh and carried out in schools throughout the UK and now, worldwide. This involves quite a logistical feat for young ragamuffins, as you not only have to carry all your gear and sustenance with you, you also have to plan your route. It was an incredible opportunity for helping me to hone my leadership skills, since I had the most experience in my team, but it also ignited my love of showing other people how it’s done.
I didn’t always lead – it was great to share the role – though I did always keep one eye on proceedings, because it’s easy to get it wrong! Given my lifetime experience of all aspects of hiking and learning through watching and doing, I have a good sense of direction, and my exposure to maps means that reading one is second nature. It takes time to pick up these skills, and I was aware of that, even at a young age!
Not only will you gain sound logistical skills, you’ll also become much more adept at the technical skills that go along with an expedition: map and compass reading, correcting a wrong turn. Soft skills you’ll gain are:
- leadership
- decisiveness (decision-making abilities)
- commitment (it takes a lot to motivate, plan and instigate a trip like this, even if it is just for a few days)
- increased self-confidence in your abilities and strength
- a reconnection with your true self and femininity
For those of you who have seen the fabulous and emotion-inducing ‘Be a Lady They Said‘ video by Claire Rothstein will know the pressures we women face in our day to day lives. Heck, even those of you who haven’t seen it yet will know! (Though I highly recommend giving it a watch because wow, somebody finally put it all into words and moving pictures.)
We’re constantly pushed into a very small box of femininity, that we may strive to conform to subconsciously. Freeing yourself from outside influences will bring you back to your true self. It will ground you in your own earthy, ethereal, mysterious or forthright femininity. None of these is wrong, and you need not be just one of these things.
If you don’t believe just how powerful and restorative hiking can be, then it’s high time you get out in the open elements.
Intro to Camping 101
If camping gets you foaming at the mouth and playing dead to avoid at all costs, hear me out. Being able to touch down anywhere on the planet and be able to survive is incredibly empowering. It also puts you high up on the survival list if/when the zombie apocalypse / global warming destroys humanity. Learn to lead and learn to succeed! (In everyday life and apocalypse scenarios – I mean 2020, anyone?).
At a push, over 8 – 10 hours, I can manage 26 miles. That’s going a fair pace and for someone who has trained and knows the trials and tribulations that go along with longer hikes (hello blisters and SORE muscles). If you’re trekking a popular trail, or even a lesser known route, chances are you’ll want to slow down and enjoy the ride. With hiking, it’s all about the journey, indeed that’s the whole point of it!
Camping needn’t be a mystery, and it definitely doesn’t need to be despised. I think it gets a bad rep, and if people just give it a go, they’ll quickly see the benefits of getting back to basics. It’s actually pretty easy and readily accessible once you know your basics. You tend to learn as you go and you’ll definitely get quicker at putting up your tent the more times you try!
The greatest things about camping are:
- The people you meet – definitely a friendlier, more open bunch
- For most people, this is the closest they’ll come to being utterly self sufficient, which is ever so rewarding
- It’s getting back to basics – simple food, simple past times, simple pleasures
- It resets your circadian rhythm – finding it tricky to get up in the morning after a slew of late-night parties? A couple of days of camping and rising with the sun will get you back on track
You won’t ‘get it’ until you try it. There’s a magical quality about camping and all that comes with it, that you’ll never understand unless you’ve experienced it. Ready to give it a whirl? Here are my top tips on how to survive a camping trip:
Top Tips for Camping
- Get the gear
Depending on what sort of adventure you have in mind, there’s a tent for that. It can be overwhelming to tackle the sheer scale of tent types out there, especially if you’ve no clue how to tell your tent peg from your tent pitch. My advice to you is start with the type of trip you’re planning to take. Beginners should only need a simple 1 to 2-man tent, but the more specific your trip the more technical considerations are going to come into play. For example, there are tents out there that work well in extreme situations, such as high wind areas. You don’t want to be blown away in your sleep!
After that, you’re going to need a sleeping bag and probably a mat. You won’t be carrying a mattress with you anywhere, so a thin mat of foam is your best bet for a comfy nights sleep.
I’m busy writing a guide for you on all the kit you’ll need, and how to choose it, so stay tuned for updates!
- Learn the skills
From pitching a tent, to breaking camp, and even rolling up your sleeping bag, all these skills take time to accomplish. Don’t be disheartened, the key is to practice, practice, practice!
If you don’t have a garden, try a local campsite, where they’ll be a friendly face or family to help you out. You might even make some new friends in the process.
Oh, and as a side note, ALWAYS dry out and clean your tent. You don’t want to pitch up at a campsite with a tent stinking of mould and falling apart. Look after your gear and your gear will look after you.
- Build your confidence
Don’t just dally off into the back of beyond with fingers crossed. Think of camping is an art form – it takes practice to end up with a successful trip! You will forget things, that’s inevitable, but heading off to campsites will ensure that you still have everything you need. A lot of places, especially in the UK (location dependent!) will have a shop selling essentials and supplies.
Take things slowly, even if it means camping at your local campsite. No one there will know you’re a local and you’ll feel better knowing you’re in a familiar area if something goes wrong. You’ll most likely meet some cool people and can give them some info about the best local attractions – tell them you come here often!
- Accept that things will sometimes go wrong
It will rain, it will storm and you will pick yourself back up again. I remember a time when a family camping trip to Salcombe ended prematurely. The wind was so strong it was bending the poles of our 4-person tent, hitting us on the head! We packed it in, packed up and went home! There’s no harm in making that call!
- Back yourself up
Cover your bases – if you’re trekking alone in the middle of nowhere, you will have to carry extra kit. A tent repair kit, emergency rations and first aid kit will be crucial should the worst come to the worst. Bear in mind where you can fill up your water and get more food along the way, or if you’re carrying everything, make sure you’ve got enough.
- It’s all in the mind
Approach camping with an open mind. It will make you more flexible and much more adaptable. People who camp are generally friendly and if you are camping solo then you’re bound to make some great friends along the way!
You’ll get to see places that most people will never experience. A lot of my favourite memories are of camping, in the Gorge du Tarn in Southern France, to road tripping through Germany to get to Austria. Connecting with nature is indescribable and being able to fend for yourself is so empowering. Solo trips, here we come!
Conclusion
Hiking heals the soul and serves to nurture the broken parts of us. Clarity of mind, depth of thinking and an intrinsic understanding all play a part in this great carnival of life. Hiking helps you to realise your true place in the universe, and to minimise the problems that a moment ago seemed so threatening. It calms, and clarifies, heals and helps, tones and strengthens. The benefits are countless, the results immeasurable. Certainly, you’ll feel better for having hiked.
Put simply, hiking is a powerful tool for you to utilise. Solo hiking can change your life. Sometimes we get so stuck in our minds, that we forget how much freedom we truly have. Away from the demands of work, friends, family, partners, pets, we can truly work on ourselves and manifest our dreams. You’ll soon realise that there’s more to life than that crappy job you’re too scared to leave or the partner that’s too demanding or not demanding enough from their life.
Multi-day hikes and camping allows you longer to relax and re-set. Perhaps you don’t have as much money as your friends, who always seem to be jetting off to fabulous places. Maybe their holidays just aren’t exciting for you, and not your cup of tea. It could be that you just want to escape and live on your own terms for a bit. Whatever the reason, I can guarantee you’ll want to return for more.
Let me know what your favourite memories or biggest fears are about camping. I’m here to help!
If you’re ready for an adventure, but don’t have the gear to commit to camping or thru-hiking, check out my other blog post on starting your solo hiking journey. Why wait for other people to be ready? you could be missing out on the adventure of a lifetime!
From me to you, until next time tribe!
Jenni
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