bottom of the map to find out how many millimetres on your compass represent 100 metres on the ground, and using this information you should be able to measure any distance on the map with some degree of accuracy.
So far so good, but then you need to know how many double steps you take to walk 100 metres. This obviously varies according to the size of your legs, so it is something you will have to work out for yourself. Most people take between 55 and 80 double steps to walk 100 metres, but bear in mind that this is on the flat, on a good surface. Your pacing will differ if you head uphill or downhill, and will also be different over rough terrain such as deep heather or soft snow. You can practise all of this by either going out with someone who already knows how many paces they take to walk 100 metres, or by going on a navigation course.
Another way of measuring distances, and the preferred method over longer distances (you don’t want to spend all day counting paces!), is timing. The average walking speed is 5 kilometres an hour (km/h), so at this speed it will take 12 minutes to walk 1000 metres (1km) on flat ground. Most people add 1 minute to the overall time of a set leg of the journey for every 10 metre contour climbed during that leg. However, for timing to be really useful you do need to know your own walking speed. I personally prefer to walk at 6km/h, but others may walk at 4km/h or even slower. The other problem with timing is that it will differ according to how heavy your rucksack is, or how tired you are, or the type of terrain you are walking over. It is best to experiment with timing over known distances to get the hang of it.
Wild camping at the head of Strathconon (Walk 19)
The only really effective way to learn navigation is out on the hills, initially by going on a course or reading a book, then by regularly practising the techniques on your own. Several useful books are included in the bibliography (Appendix 2) for those who want to learn, or brush up on, navigation skills.
Equipment
This is a very subjective matter. A browse through any outdoor retailer’s shop will reveal a bewildering array of boots, jackets, tents, sleeping bags, stoves, maps, compasses, and those little pouches for keeping your mobile phone safe and sound. In short, there is no shortage of gear and gizmos you can buy for the hills. Some of it is essential, other bits and pieces less so.
You will probably find that you already possess some of the essential items to get started in backpacking – most aspiring backpackers have been active in the outdoors previously, and will usually own a pair of boots, a waterproof jacket and overtrousers set, and probably a compass, map case, torch and first aid kit.
To head out for a night in the hills you will need to add a good sleeping bag to this list. There are basically two types of bag – down filled and synthetic. Down is lighter in weight but useless if it gets wet, whereas synthetic is heavier but retains some of its warming properties when wet. Synthetic is also usually a good deal cheaper than a better-quality down-filled bag.
A good mat under your sleeping bag is essential to keep you insulated from the cold ground beneath. Foam mats are cheap, but better is a Thermarest, which is air filled, far more comfortable, but much more expensive.
Then you’ll need a tent to put over yourself. I have used a number of different makes and models over the years, but for most people the best advice is to get the lightest tent you can for the seasons you intend to use it, and to pay the most you can afford – this latter point will automatically scrub all the next-to-useless models of tent from your shopping list. Recently I have been using a Hilleberg Akto, which really is superb for all-season camping, even in the wildest of areas. It is the lightest tent I have ever backpacked with, easy to pitch, and it gives me the confidence to go anywhere at any time of year.
Next you’ll need a stove of some sort. Gas is a popular fuel, while meths-burning Trangias are very often used by youth groups. The Trangia is a very safe stove, with the additional benefit of having no working parts to break. It is easy to light and easy to use, but does take a lot longer to boil water than almost any other camping stove I have used. Personally, I would always go for a Coleman Duel Fuel model. They are very efficient, and with one of these beauties you will be drinking your soup before your mates have even raised a bubble in their pots with other stove models.
As well as your camping equipment it is also a good idea to have spare warm, dry clothing in your rucksack for anything more than a single day in the hills.
Obviously you will need a rucksack larger than a daysack to carry all this extra kit, and again there are countless makes and models on the market. Go to an outdoor shop and try them all on, aiming for something around 60–70 litres in size. Get the assistant to fill the rucksacks with tents and other heavy gear, then walk around the shop to see which feels best. Once you set off on your backpack, aim to get everything into your rucksack, rather than hanging things on the outside. Apart from looking better, this also helps to distribute the weight more evenly, and will make for a more enjoyable backpacking trip.
Food
Food must be nutritious and palatable, and you should plan to carry enough to satisfy your energy needs for the duration of the trip, plus some spare high-energy food in case of emergency.
Generally speaking most people burn between 3000–4000 calories a day when they are backpacking, and it is recommended that you replace this throughout the day – a backpacking trip is not the time to go on a diet! Try to balance your daily intake so that you have around 60–65% carbohydrates, 25–30% fats and 10–15% protein, and aim to spread your food intake out over the day, eating little and often throughout the walk, rather than stopping for a huge food-fest at lunchtime, and spending the rest of the day feeling like snoozing it off!
Backpackers in Knoydart (Walk 24)
Having a rest en route for Dun Caan on Raasay (Walk 28) (photo: Beryl Tudhope)
On a backpacking trip it is difficult to eat similar foods to those you would normally eat at home, and the best advice is to experiment over different trips – indeed, this can become a great part of the whole backpacking experience.
As for spare emergency food, most people throw a few chocolate bars, flapjacks or high-energy bars into the bottom of their rucksacks. I know there are people who always eat their ‘emergency rations’ long before the trip is over, which of course is not ideal, and others deliberately take things that they don’t actually like eating very much, which is rather a good way of avoiding temptation. I have also heard it recommended that emergency rations should be wrapped in sticky tape, making it difficult to get into them, which is fine until an emergency occurs, and you still can’t get into them!
It is also essential to take in plenty of fluid, partly to replace that lost through sweating, and partly to help you digest food more efficiently.
Access and the Backpacker
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act of 2003 establishes access rights for everyone to most land and inland waters, provided they exercise them responsibly. These rights and responsibilities are set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. For a copy of the code, call Scottish Natural Heritage on 01738 444177 or go to www.outdooraccess-scotland.com
Everyone has the right to be on most types of land to undertake outdoor activities such as walking, cycling and wild camping as long as they act responsibly. This means taking responsibility for your own actions in the outdoors,
