Before you Come

What to Take With You

From one hour to the next the weather on mountains can change so you must be prepared. Clothing should include warm, windproof and waterproof garments. Wear good walking boots as the ground may be rocky, wet or muddy. They should be well worn-in and not new. You may like to bring some blister packs just in case! A comfortable rucksack is a must and you should take a hat, gloves and a spare fleece as it is always colder on the tops of mountains even if it looks like being a fine day when you leave the car.

Food and Drink

Eat a good breakfast before you start the day, carbohydrates release energy slowly and constantly throughout the walk. The walk will be planned to allow time for mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks along the way as well as a longer stop for your picnic lunch. In addition to the usual sandwiches, energy food such as dried fruit, chocolate or glucose which restore energy quickly are useful to carry. Take plenty to drink as dehydration when the weather is hot or when the walk is long is a risk if you don't drink enough.

Safety

Safety is our concern and the route will be chosen to ensure that it is not too ambitious and that there is sufficient time to complete it. In addition there will be escape routes planned where possible in case of emergencies. The group will have Walkie Talkies so that the back-marker and leader are always in contact and nobody gets too far behind.

Fitness

You should ensure that you are fit by training beforehand if necessary as the length of walks may be up to 16 miles or so on some days although the average will be more like 12 miles. Some days may be quite strenuous although the route will be planned to give some less-strenuous days as well. For example on the Lleyn Peninsula Coastal Path in 2006 one day in the middle involved a boat trip to Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli) a place of pilgrimage since early Christian times.

Weather

Wales is green which means it rains sometimes! Also mountain weather can change rapidly so be prepared for anything. The MET office weather forecast for Wales is worth looking at before you come.

Advice

It's always a good idea to phone Rob before you decide to come on a walk and discuss the route and requirements.