I’m moving to the Lake District

Hi Santhosh,

Many thanks for your email. The UK is a great place to start hillwalking/trekking, with some great locations and opportunities. I started off in Scouts/Duke of Edinburgh many years ago, and haven’t looked back once, as it has taken me to some amazing places such as Norway, the Pyrenees, the Alps and the Himalaya to name but a few areas. In terms of starting off, you have a few options:

1) Hire a Mountain Leader/Instructor for a day or more: This isn’t the cheapest way to start off, as obviously you would need to pay the day rate/course fees for this (normally cheaper if there are two or more of you). The advantage of this option is that you’ll be taught best practise and get to learn from professionals, normally in a stunning location.

2) Join a local walking or mountaineering club: Most regions will have a local hillwalking or mountaineering club, consisting of members with a whole range of experiences. They will often run weekend meets/trips as well as have a social scene, and it can be a great way to meet like minded folk.

3) Go on a walking holiday: These holidays (can be in the UK or overseas) will largely focus on leading you (plus others normally) along various walks, again in fantastic places. You would be able to specify the type of walk you’d like and the difficulty/strenuousness. A good friend of mine runs a walking holiday company out in the Pyrenees, and my other half guides for him each summer. You will naturally pick up some tips and techniques for being safe and sufficient in the mountains, but it won’t necessarily be the main aim of the holiday. By doing these however, you’ll get a great insight into the regions that you’re walking in (it’s culture, the environment, history etc.)

I hope that helps a bit, and please feel free to ask any further questions.

Kind Regards,

Ken