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Mountains and hiking

Ragey Erasmus

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So a little bit of personal chest beating but I went up Snowdon the other day and now have the knees of someone twice my age. Just wondering if any other forum users have done much in the way of trekking up mountains or general outdoor hiking?
 
Which path did you take?

I do a bit of hillwalking with my wife, but not as often as we'd like to. We haven't done much at all for the last 2-3yrs.

Last summer did a circuit of the carneddau from Ogwen Valley. When we finished i had the biggest blister the world had ever seen, courtesy of my feet becoming baby soft during the lockdowns.
 
Which path did you take?

I do a bit of hillwalking with my wife, but not as often as we'd like to. We haven't done much at all for the last 2-3yrs.

Last summer did a circuit of the carneddau from Ogwen Valley. When we finished i had the biggest blister the world had ever seen, courtesy of my feet becoming baby soft during the lockdowns.
We went up the Pyg track and came down on the miners track.
 
Good on anyone that gives a hike a crack. I'll try to limit my post!

I'd suggest the Viewranger app to try and locate decent walks in your area. For Scotland the WalkHighlands website is excellent at flagging up decent walks and issues that might be out of your comfort zone.


If you have a bit more confidence, then buying an Ordinance Survey map of your surrounding area and taking a punt on routes that look interesting (e.g. varied scenery, or a walk into remote valley) can be enjoyable. The majority of my favourite walks are ones I've worked out for myself and that has the added bonus that they are quieter routes because people don't know them.

Also, going up and down mountains is hard on your body. I used to do a lot of that but honestly find views from valleys looking up at mountains just as impressive as views from up a mountain. Plus it's a lot less physical strain but will still have almost all the physical and mental health benefits. Hiking doesn't have to be about nearly killing yourself and if you've kids it can put them off walking forever if you start with something too ambitious.

Also, looking at weather forecasts (I suggest met office website) massively improves enjoyment. Why drive to a walk where there is a chance of rain when in the other direction there might be sunny spells?

If doing mountains is something you want to do then you can save yourself pain by doing exercises at home to build up muscles around the knees (lunges while holding weights gives me muscles that help me both with ascending and descending). Packing a basic knee support can also be a good idea (I often have one around my shin so that I can slip it up over the knee easily enough if I got to some testing ground or start to get a twinge).

And finally, if you've a dog keep it on a lead where there is any sign of livestock and consider avoiding cattle (which should be treated with respect and whose body language should be observed).

Apologies if I'm telling folk how to suck eggs. But yeah, walking is the business and everyone should try it at least five times in their life before giving up on it as 'not their thing'. Even at the smallest level, getting out for a daily lunchtime 10mins stride can be the key to keeping your sanity in a crap job.
 
Got really into hiking/ backpacking during lockdown. Had to give it up after my last shoulder injury. I can do okay with poles and a lighter pack but I can't push myself the way I use to it. I've gotten a bike I can bike pack with and as soon as I lose my injury weight I'll be getting a weekend adventure ride in.

I never did anything too incredible just some weekends in the Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia area. I don't know if I ever had fun during the hike but the sense of achievement afterwards was great.
 
I did a couple of hikes/small climbing trips when I was a child (with adults of course). Did a pretty difficult one to the Mashuk mountain (in the North Caucasus) and a very small in the foothills of Elbrus mountain (that one was super exciting before I fell under the snow there).
Also,had a small hike in Tatra mountains (Lomnický štít, from Slowakian side), it's usually incredibly beautiful there but I was there during winter and the weather was terrible (so wouldn't recommend to go there during winter months)
 
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I've done a lot of hiking in Latin America, hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu - 4 days, climbed villarica volcano in Chile and Pacaya volcano in Guatemala - both have since subsequently erupted and are now lower altitude. Hiked in Patagonia - Los Glaciares NP in Argentina, and Torres Del Paine in Chile, both several days and really good.

I've had my eye on the Kungsleden trail in Sweden for a few years now, but haven't had the chance to get around to doing it, and the season window to do it is very short. I'm also tempted by the Mont Blanc circuit which is a 10 day trek, but I haven't done anything as long as that before. For now I'm just happy to read the books

There are some excellent coastal walks here in Wales which I wanted to do this summer but the weather has been awful lately and now I have too much work to do in the garden and house so wont get them done this year.
The Gower peninsula is one of my favourite places for hiking, three cliffs bay and all round there.
 
Did some Guatemala adventures as a little kid on holidays. Mostly Mayan temples and some caves.

I've lived along the Appalachian trail my whole life, just different parts of it and I don't think it can be beat. I've got to hit some great spots on vacations but in terms of one geological feature there is just so much to explore.
 
I've done a lot of hiking in Latin America, hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu - 4 days, climbed villarica volcano in Chile and Pacaya volcano in Guatemala - both have since subsequently erupted and are now lower altitude. Hiked in Patagonia - Los Glaciares NP in Argentina, and Torres Del Paine in Chile, both several days and really good.

I've had my eye on the Kungsleden trail in Sweden for a few years now, but haven't had the chance to get around to doing it, and the season window to do it is very short. I'm also tempted by the Mont Blanc circuit which is a 10 day trek, but I haven't done anything as long as that before. For now I'm just happy to read the books

There are some excellent coastal walks here in Wales which I wanted to do this summer but the weather has been awful lately and now I have too much work to do in the garden and house so wont get them done this year.
The Gower peninsula is one of my favourite places for hiking, three cliffs bay and all round there.
I've been to Machu Picchu but didn't have the time to hike the Inca trail. I admire you for doing it. Great job! 👊 Did you eat roasted Guinea Pig? Not me. No way!
 

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