You don’t need expensive equipment to join in on the weekend trips and day walks that we organise. However, there are some things to bear in mind...
Clothing
For the walks it’s best to dress in layers – t-shirts, fleece, jacket. This will help you regulate your temperature, warming you up and cooling you down as necessary. Jeans are certainly not recommended; lightweight trousers are more suitable. Gloves and hats are always a good idea - and not just in winter. Even in summer it can get pretty cold when you're high up on a mountain! Also remember to bring some comfortable clothes to change into in the evening.
Footwear
It is advisable to wear boots or strong shoes on walks. These don’t have to be hiking boots, though some kind of ankle support is always recommended. Trainers can be worn on less challenging walks. Remember to bring bring a 2nd pair of non-walking shoes on weekend trips to wear in the evening, or in case your shoes get particularly wet on a walk.
Sleeping Bag or Duvet
Some weekend accommodation will supply full bedding; others supply just a mattress and pillow. We advise you bring your own sleeping bag or duvet on weekend trips, but the committee will try and find out what bedding is already there. If you are unable to bring bedding, talk to one of the committee members, and we will see what we can to to help! Remember to ask for details when signing up for trips, or check for notices on the website.
Bottle of Water
This is one of the most important items to bring on a walk - and one of the most overlooked. It is vital you bring at least a 1 litre plastic bottle of water on every walk. Failure to do so could lead to dehydration or sunstroke.
Extra Kit
Other useful things to bring on weekend trips include a flask for hot drinks on the walks, a first aid kit, toiletries and a towel, games or CD's if you wish, a torch (flashlight) with good batteries, plastic bags to put wet things in, earplugs (for a good night's sleep!) and of course, munchies for the minibus journey!
We generally use the bunkhouse as a base so you can leave all your non-walking gear behind, but make sure you bring a small rucksack to carry your gear on the walk (extra layers, water, lunch etc).
