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The mountains are calling
and I must go.
John Muir
Why is Mountain Hiking the Greatest?
Fabulous question. By far my favourite type of hike, mountains are challenging yet astonishingly rewarding terrain. I’ve hiked in fair weather, mist and full-blown raging storms (now there’s a fun tale).
Heading to the high hills is to feel the true force of freedom. It’s easy to believe the sentiment that the British Isles are being covered head to toe in concrete and tarmac, but there are still places to be found where wildness rules. My favourite of these places is Wales.
From the reward of conquering that steep ascent, to the vast open space and views atop a peak, every second of a mountain hike is precious to me. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than tackling a peak… or resting after having conquered it!
I always used to struggle keeping up with my family on the steep inclines that signal the true start of mountainous terrain. That’s why I tend to enjoy making my own way and setting my own pace. Unfortunately, due to lack of car, it’s trickier for me to make my own way to the middle of nowhere, but these days I’m thinking of hiring a car to get me there!
Where there is challenge, there are humans. Where there is challenge, there is also ineptitude, hubris and ego. Put simply, you shouldn’t climb mountains to prove something to anyone other than yourself. To do anything else is to lose enjoyment of the process, to disconnect from nature and to put yourself in mortal danger.
What is Different About Hiking Mountains?
For starters, a lot. This isn’t your average walk in the park. There’s a lot going on, most of which I tend to take for granted now, since I’m so used to it. Allow me to guide you through the process of learning to hike mountains successfully and safely.
Let’s start with an exception: I wouldn’t necessarily recommend hiking solo up mountains, as anything can happen and it is generally more enjoyable with company. That being said, it can be done solo, but only with experience. By no means should you traverse a mountain range alone for the first time. Opt, preferably, for someone who has a little more experience than you. Whatever you decide is your best option, make sure you are ready for the challenges ahead.
Peak Planning – What to bear in mind
First and foremost, planning is essential. You need to know exactly what the weather forecast says, as at these altitudes weather systems move quickly and can be dangerous at high altitude. Sure, there are the hardcore hikers who eschew fair-weather hikers, but when the mountains come into play, there’s no time for games or arrogance.
Secondly, the right gear can make or break your trip. Historically, people have achieved incredible feats with minimal gear, and even in floor-length Victorian gowns! Nowadays, there’s no need to make do with hand-me-down boots (though if that’s your thing, then go for it! It’s worked for me.). There are a myriad of stores and countless options. Truth be told, you don’t need to break the bank and you certainly don’t need the newest Arcteryx jacket to get started. You probably don’t actually need anymore than you already have. I don’t tend to hike with poles, but they might work for you – to save your knees if nothing else. What would be great for new beginners to take is an emergency tin or bag, just in case, but that’s up to your discretion.
Third – know what you’re up against. Start small and on well trodden trails to begin with. No matter your level of fitness, if you’ve never hiked a mountain before then you won’t know what you’re up against. Gym fitness is not the same as hiking fitness, where stamina is Queen. You can do 100 crunches at once? Great! But that won’t help you up a near vertical trail to a peak.
Fourth – know your limits. Hiking on the flat, or amongst the hills of southwest England is gorgeous and you might feel like you’re on top of the world and ready for more. Mountain euphoria is so much more than that, but peaks can catch a lot of people out. You won’t be able to know your limits unless you really test them, and you will always find you can hike for longer and harder than you thought possible, but please don’t start with something insane. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone.
Fifth – If a weather front is rolling in, or if you aren’t sure about the changeable conditions that peaks provide, then DON’T DO IT. Hiking should be for enjoyment, not for pride, and certainly not for competition above safety. Change it to another day or forego it altogether. At the end of the day, it’s your life that’s at stake. Although southwest England is generally safe and sound, mountains can kill and hypothermia is no joke.
If you take all these points into account, and your previous experience of hiking (please don’t start out with a mountain trek, get some flatter trails under your belt first!), then you’ll be good to go.
A note on snacks – You’ll surprise yourself with how little sustenance you actually need on your trip, but don’t underestimate the power of food in these high and hard to reach places. This is no place to diet – you’ll likely be burning more calories than you consume anyway – and you can always use this as an excuse to celebrate in a local pub afterwards, whether with a pint, a pie, or both! My advice to you is to pack a little more than you’ll think you need, just in case you need an extra boost before the summit, or to get you back the last 100 metres to the car. Never, ever underestimate the life-giving power of a Twix.
A note on water – We all know that you can survive for longer without food than water, and hiking is no exception. While I don’t envisage you getting yourself into a life or death situation (if you’re sensible and follow the points above), you will likely need more water than you expect. You’ll have limited space as to what you can carry, so if in doubt, forgo the doughnut tub and whack in an extra bottle of water (or squash). Fizzy drinks are a no no, as your body really needs to stay hydrated and not be bombarded with sugar. Sugar does not equate to long-term energy, and you’ll be fighting a battle of stamina here. You’ll never be too far from a pub, restaurant or shop wherever you are in England, so extra snacks can wait for you there or in the car.
Peak Challenges: Functional Fitness
Mountain Hiking is a great way to build ‘functional fitness’, a notion I champion, and a term I first heard used by one of my personal heroines, Sophie Radcliffe, aka Challenge Sophie. Functional fitness is a way of viewing fitness in terms of what your body can do, not how it looks.
Now of course a lot of us want to look incredible, and that’s why we drag ourselves out for regular exercise. Hiking in general returns us to the notion of exercising for fun, with the exercise part being a sub-goal.
Hiking in the mountains takes functional fitness one step further, and then some. It’s all very well going to the gym 5 times a week, building muscle and toning up, but this type of ‘aesthetic fitness’ can’t very well keep you going for a full day’s trek up, over and down a mountain. Yes, these people are fit, but not in a way that can be sustained over time.
I pride myself on my strength and stamina, built up over many long years of being physically tested and pushing my limits. Strength is a by-product of hiking, both physically and mentally. In all disciplines, it’s mind over matter first and foremost. I personally find it much easier to persevere when I’m actually enjoying myself, when the scenery is stunning, and when I’m having an adventure.
The best way to get started is to get out and do it! Getting too bogged down in the hows and wheres will only serve to stifle you. These tips and tricks aren’t meant to scare you, they are here to ensure you are prepared. Don’t take the mountains for granted and you’ll soon appreciate the grandeur and beauty of these alien landscapes.
‘It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves’ – Edmund Hilary
My Favourite Mountain Moments
My favourite mountains aren’t necessarily the highest. These peaks keep me coming back, time and again. Their familiarity and my appreciation for treading my favourite treks again and again only grows.
I have a deep and primeval connection to Wales. I love this country above nearly all others, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will return time and again. The Brecon Beacons are closest to home for me and in reach of day trip. Pen Y Fan peaks at the top of my list. No matter where I’ve roamed, the mountains I’ve climbed and those I will climb, this multi-peaked mountain will most likely not budge from the top spot.
Why? It seems odd, doesn’t it? That such a small mountain, barely a mountain at all to those that inhabit the Alps, Andes or Himalayas, appeals so much to me. The key is in my familiarity with it: the way I connect and feel when I’m climbing it. Maybe it’s an ancestral tug, maybe it’s the wind blowing madness about my ears, clearing out the cobwebs of urban living, or maybe it’s simply the closest patch of true wilderness to me. Whatever the case, Wales is where I wish to be (even as I type this for you!)
The Pen Y Fan route I favour is not the straight up-down route favoured by many. I’ve only ever done that once, in the dark before dawn, as the culmination of my Welsh 3 Peaks Challenge. It was tipping it down and relentlessly UP. It was bloody hard work: after 2 previous mountains and sitting for the drives between, I had seized up and my pre-dawn self is never at it’s peak at the best of times!
My favourite route starts on the other side, with a sharp vertical ascent at the get-go. From there, you traverse a perilous ridge before reaching the summit. And then you have the option of conquering two extra peaks before the slope back to the finish. The SAS trials go this route… running with a full kit bag. They were doing it one time when the entire route was shrouded in heavy mist. It was surreal.
I’ve done that route in all weather and loved every second of it. There’s a spiritual calling to be in the mountains for me. It’s where I’m most at home: the anti-thesis to every notion of urban, tame and so-called ‘successful living’. It’s made me the wild woman I am today and has fed my desire to live life on my own terms. As John Muir said, ‘Wildness is a necessity’ . The same rings true for me.
A day, a week, or a lifetime spent in the mountains is never wasted. But be warned: it is addictive.
I’ll see you on the mountains. Send me your pics of your first, favourite, or latest peak conquered!
Until next time my tribe,
From me to you,
Jenni
👣