When Laurie Lee walked out One Midsummer Morning he took sturdy boots, a walking stick and a violin, wound up in Spain, and didn’t return home for nearly three years.
Our walks are never that long, but we have our own, particular list of good things to take on a country walk, Rosemary and Pork Belly style.
Serious hikers know their stuff and will talk about layers, weatherproof clothing, detailed maps and emergency rations. We’re not that type of walker, we’re more country-ramble-to-see-something-interesting, but we still like to be prepared, to make the best of the day, especially with the uncertain UK weather!
Here are our 8 country walking essentials.
Sensible shoes
Don’t have to be hiking boots, but something sturdy, waterproof and with sufficient support for rough terrain is essential.
Even when the weather’s fine, a walk in the woods in Britain could have you squelching through mud, slipping on leaves or tripping over ruts.
If you’re strolling along a well-maintained path, like the lovely Cuckoo Trail in East Sussex, the comfier your feet are, the further you will go.
Nordic poles
Never actually used them, but always feel a little envious of groups we see striding out ahead, pushing on through the undergrowth with a swish and stick.
Are we missing something? Should we invest?
Maps and Apps
A reliable map
This is so important. Unless you know the area where you are walking like the back of your hand, a map is essential.
Google Maps (or equivalent) is great, and we usually take a look before heading off, BUT in the countryside signal is variable (disappears altogether in some rural areas) and then you’re stuffed. At the very least, download an offline version or, better still, use one of the many walking route maps that are available and print one off before you go.
The UK has some of the most accurate and comprehensive series of maps, courtesy of the Ordnance Survey, in a range of different scales. Recommended one for walking is the 1:25 000 scale Explorer series. They also have an app, but we prefer the paper version.
A plant app
I know the signal might fail you, but there’s nothing more irritating than seeing a tree or flower and not knowing or remembering what it is. I’ve stood for ages, sometimes with the name on the tip of my tongue. So frustrating. A kind passer-by might put you out of your misery, but with an app, you have the answer in your pocket.
We’re not wedded to any one in particular, and have come off some recently because of irritating ads, but they are useful.
Google Lens is a great alternative, just take a photo and search for similar images online.
A bird app
Now here we will make a recommendation – the Merlin app is free to use, no adverts and helps you identify birds by image and song. It adds a real thrill to the walk, when the birds are too shy to be seen, to be able to record and identify instantly what you can hear.
I was ridiculously excited to hear a nuthatch on a recent snowdrop walk in Norfolk, and am even beginning to sort out all the different tit calls!
Drinks and snacks
We usually start and/or end our walks in a café or pub, so never feel the need to take a lot. But a small bottle of water (refillable please, not plastic) is sensible, plus what Pooh Bear would call a ‘little smackerel’ of something sustaining.
Kendal mint cake – an accidental invention in the 19th century and beloved of explorers and hikers alike – is perfect for an energy boost if you’re keen on emulating Shackleton’s arctic adventure or Hillary and Norgay’s Himalayan trek.
As we’re not planning on scaling Everest any time soon, we’re much more low-key. Fruit and nuts for me, a choccy bar for Pork Belly, all stowed in a lightweight backpack.
Just in case.
A camera
This is Pork Belly’s domain, and before we set off there’s always much humming and hawing about what to take, which lenses, tripod – yes or no. He once carried 6 kilos of camera gear and two backpacks through the Thai jungle, but nowadays, he goes for the lightest option and often winds up using his phone camera!
That’s modern life.
A (well-behaved) dog
Actually, we don’t have a dog – well-behaved or otherwise – but it’s a real pleasure to stroll with others who do.
And it is undoubtedly a different experience – staying away from livestock, keeping to paths, intervening when they find something disgusting to roll in, and stopping to greet every other dog-walker you meet, or at least say hello to their four legged companion.
It’s compulsory, you know!
So, what are your essentials on a country walk?
Do you have a favourite route or are you always striking out somewhere new?
And if you know of a good app, tell us in the comments.
Where to next?
• Fullers Follies
• Get lost in the Cambridge crowds
• Rottingdean – mystery music and murder