Walking in the Rain and the Snow - Things We Do For Love

Whilst 10cc may not be everyone's cup of tea when it comes to music, and indeed, that statement's only applicable if you can remember them, walking is certainly something that people do for love. And at this time of year, when rain, snow and icy winds can get the better of us, it's time to take some precautions to ensure that they don't.

There are a few vital things that walkers should do to ensure that they remain safe during the winter months and most of them are pure common sense, inexpensive and easy.

Perhaps one of the first things that walkers should do before encountering any significant hiking trip that involves walking in the rain and the snow is to tell someone your route, when you intend to tackle that route and a list of estimated times for arriving at certain checkpoints. That's not to say that you need to stick rigidly to everyone, or provide a step-by-step account of where you'll be at say, 3.37pm exactly. But, it does give some indication of where you should be and if your absence should be of cause for concern.

Clearly, the people you tell may know you and your abilities, and they can factor this into assessing any absence as serious. Factoring in the weather conditions and other knowledge of the area in which you intend to walk could give a more complete picture to the people you tell so that they can decide if there are any potentially serious problems.

It is also important to make sure when walking in the rain and the snow that you have the correct equipment, clothing and supplies. Without waterproofs, spare warm clothing, food (including emergency high energy foods and sweets), a compass, torch and map - you wouldn't even satisfy the basics that are recommended to almost all walkers attempting a significant hike.

And, if you're walking in the rain and the snow - the basics may not even be enough. No-one should be scared of attempting to walk in less than favourable weather, but without the correct equipment, the simplest of walks could turn into a nightmare. Most examples of walkers getting into trouble stem from them being unprepared and underestimating the conditions and the terrain. When walking in the rain and the snow, don't let yourself become part of the statistics. Further in depth practical walking information can be found on the Ramblers Association website.