Clothing etc.

3. Layering.

It's better to have several light layers of clothing than one great thick one. Why? Well, if you have a huge thick jacket that will turn a fire hose or stop an anti-tank shell, great - until you get too hot. Then it's off with the jacket, under which you have a thin t-shirt. Oh, dear, then you're cold. I think you'll get the picture. The point to layering is that you can decide how warm you wish to be and adjust your outer wear accordingly.

A good start would be:- light shirt, then fleece jacket, then an outer shell jacket that's waterproof. For most days these will fulfil all the needs you have in terms of protection from the elements. Trousers are best made of lightweight, quick-drying material that's not too thick. Personally I don't like overtrousers much, as they tend to make you feel 'cluttered', although there are some on the market now that are waterproof without being too restrictive.

Really it's a matter of making yourself comfortable as much of the time as possible. During summer I generally have a light fleece jacket with a waterproof shell pullover-style coat which I can pull on quickly in case of a shower - and take off just as quickly when the sun returns. Winter calls for something more substantial, so I add a breathable overjacket to the outfit.

Breatheability? Ah, yes. If you have one of the types of waterproof that is basically vinyl, or vinyl-backed nylon, you will probably end up as wet with perspiration as you would from the rain. Why? Well, vinyl is impervious to moisture, which is great for keeping water out - ideal if you're stood still watching the football match, for example. However, walking involves physical exertion, which in turns makes you perspire.

If the perspiration can't evaporate, it will end up soaking you through and believe me this can be dismally uncomfortable. So try to get hold of one of the modern 'breathable' fabric jackets for your waterproof outer - there are plenty on the market to suit everyone's taste and pocket, in all the colours you could wish.

A few words about colour. It may well be a good idea to have a very brightly coloured jacket but - and this is just my opinion - a jacket in 'earthier' colours - green, brown etc. - just seems to fit in better with your surroundings. Anyway, the choice of course is yours.

Equipment and Clothing

This page is for those of you new to country walking who would like to know a bit more about the items you'll need in order to stay warm and dry on days out in the open. It is by no means exhaustive and I would strongly recommend you visit a knowledgeable supplier before parting with your hard earned cash! Below, though, are some ideas which I hope you find helpful. We'll start with.......

1. Footwear.

This is the one item that I would advise you to choose very, very carefully, and to buy the best you can afford. Walking along your local High Street is one thing - it's flat, hard and (fairly) smooth and level. Not so the Great Outdoors! Get even slightly off well-made tourist paths such as found on the Malvern Hills and it all goes remarkably lumpy/sticky/uneven/all three and more besides - including slippery.

Have no fear! Modern walking footwear is well up to the task of keeping your feet - and don't forget they're the bits taking the pounding - warm, dry and comfortable. 'But which sort should I buy? ' you ask, 'there are so many to choose from!' As I've said, get the best you can afford - but which are best? Well, that depends largely on two main factors - when and where you'll be walking and personal choice as to style and construction.

Let's look at where and when first:

If you'll only be going on short, fairly flat and even walks through the summer months you could well get away with a decent pair of trainers, although personally I wouldn't advise it. Trainers are perfect for running on tracks, hard court sports or general leisure wear but for country walking, except at the absolute basic level I've just mentioned, they simply don't give the kind of support or grip necessary.

Yes, I know they're great on the squash court, but just try climbing a wet grass slope in them ( I speak from painful personal experience!). Go instead for a lightweight pair of fabric or leather boots - ask for two-season boots at the store - and if they know what they're about (and some simply don't!) they'll know what you mean. If they don't - go elsewhere.

Two-season boots, as you've probably guessed, are suitable for general country walking in Summer and Autumn, probably the most popular time for most people. Three-season boots can be used generally all year round for country walking unless you're off to mountainous areas in winter when four-season boots are a must.

If you're going to be doing this you probably won't need my advice anyway (if you do, you shouldn't be going!). As to fit, boots must be wide enough so as not to feel tight, especially around the base of the toes. Also, when the boot is laced correctly, the toes should not press into the front of the boot when the foot is pushed forward, as it is when going downhill, or believe me, you will suffer!

Other than this, the choice depends on your own taste as to style. Leather boots are probably more durable than fabric, although heavier, and good fabric boots are reinforced anyway. Mine have Kevlar reinforcement and in my own opinion are every bit as good - if not better - than leather.

The many styles, cuts and weights available mean that you can be virtually guaranteed getting the right pair for you. Cost? Boots start at about £50.00 for two-season lightweights and go up to about £150.00 for three-season boots suitable for high fell and mountain walking. After this you're into highly technical footwear that, for the purposes of country walking, you can happily forget about. In concluding, don't be tempted by price in either direction - fit and comfort are more important - take time over this and you'll be rewarded by being able to forget about your feet and enjoy what's around you!

Oh, and don't forget socks! Again, many are available and the choice is largely a personal one. I would recommend a pair of lining socks next to the skin. These are thin with flat seams and very comfortable. Then a good bet is loop pile socks over the top of these - they will cushion the feet and are supremely comfortable. Also, don't forget to wear them when trying boots on - it may seem obvious, but the obvious is sometimes overlooked!

2. Jackets and Coats

The choice here is so vast as to be bewildering. Not only can you obtain jackets from recognised outdoor specialists but the high street stores have jumped squarely on the bandwagon, as many people have discovered this kind of wear to be practical and comfortable for everyday use.

So, rather than saying you should choose whatever -tex or what make of fleece, here are some basic ground rules that should help you make the right choice as to what kind of jacket or coat to wear. Bear in mind that a jacket should be:

1. Light. Why carry more weight than you need?

2. Windproof. In some ways this is more important than having a jacket that will keep out a tropical rainstorm. Unless you are walking in hard, heavy rain, a 'windcheater' type of fleece jacket , which will keep out showers to some extent anyway, will prevent the wind from chilling you through - and even on an afternoon's walk in autumn, being wet and cold can have serious consequences. You won't get frostbite but the onset of exposure can certainly be a real prospect.

3. Warm. If you get too hot, take your jacket off! If you don't have one, you can get cold pretty quickly on a dull, windy day at any time of year.

Putting on and removing jackets brings us on to the next principle of outdoor wear, which is:-

So, what else is there? A light 'day-sack' type backpack is advisable for your bits and pieces, maps, waterproofs and so on. These can be had for very reasonable money and about a twenty-five to thirty-five litre capacity should be ample for daily walks.

Walking sticks or poles are available in many styles and can be a real help, as they take some weight of the knees and act as extra points of balance - handy when descending slippery slopes!

Hats and gloves are available to suit all tastes in a huge variety of styles, hats in particular being very useful on cold days - a lot of heat is lost through the head due to the copious blood supply to the brain and scalp. A compass is useful but useless if you don't know how to use one. See my primer on map and compass work by clicking here.

A good site for that essential piece of equipment - the walking stick. Choose from over 200 different walking sticks for the everyday and occasional walking stick user. Pay them a visit by clicking here.

In concluding, I do hope that this page doesn't put you off walking by making you think it's too technical or that you need mountains of gear. When I started walking I used an old post office cagoule (in vinyl-backed nylon,yes?), an ex-army rucksack that weighed a ton and trainers.

I learned the hard way - but I still enjoyed it! And that's what it's all about. So, get yourself some boots and don't worry too much about spendings wads of cash on posh outdoor gear - go in summer when all you'll need is a t-shirt and shorts and the sun on your face (now there speaks the eternal optimist....................)!