8 discoveries I made on my first hike

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

So, you have chosen a route, found a good company and even bought tickets. Behind the study of tourist forums, running around the shops with equipment and advice from experienced tramps. Behind the uncertainty and fears, the expectation of a vacation and the hassle of getting ready. You are ready for your first real hike! Ready? Yeah, no matter how it is! Here are eight things that you definitely won't believe until you experience it first-hand.

Any mistake can have big consequences

Usually we go to nature in search of peace and serenity. We don't want to strain, think, and worry about all sorts of nonsense. But in fact, on a hike, any little thing matters, and you definitely won't be able to relax completely. I was too lazy to look at the map once again - I lost my way and made a detour a couple of tens of kilometers. Too lazy to take a heavy sleeping bag - now shake at night from the cold. No mistake goes unpunished, and every step has consequences, which are sometimes very difficult to correct.

Sunscreen isn't just for girls

Many people think that sun protection cream somehow does not harmonize with the image of a courageous conqueror of nature. And completely in vain. It is enough just a few hours to be under the sun's rays to get red and burning skin by the evening, which will not let you sleep peacefully for several days. The same goes for chapstick.

There are no waterproof things

No, I'm serious. No matter what material your clothes are, no matter how much money you pay for their super-waterproof properties, you will still get wet to the skin. How quickly this happens is determined only by the strength and duration of the precipitation. Nothing can be done about it, just accept and come to terms with it.

There is someone in the forest

When you make your way through the forest during the day, it may seem to you that it is completely empty. Well, except for the birds, of course. But as soon as you settle down for the night, the forest will be filled with sounds and rustles in the darkness that surrounds you. You will hear someone grunting, stomping, breathing, crawling right around your tent. Never mind, they just live here and won't do you any harm.

The locals don't know anything

Want to get lost for sure? Ask a local for directions!

Local residents, as a rule, are very little aware of even what is in the immediate vicinity of their vegetable garden, not to mention the more distant surroundings. They are firmly convinced that they live in the dimmest, nondescript and boring place on the planet, so they have little interest in the nature and sights of their native land. Therefore, always try to check the information obtained from the "language" two or even three times.

The moon and stars shine better than a flashlight

What a hike without a powerful flashlight? We, city dwellers, are firmly convinced that without a flashlight at night in a forest or in the mountains it is like having no hands. However, you will quickly find out that the flashlight is taken on a hike rather as a safety net. Firstly, in the dark you will usually snore peacefully in a tent. And secondly, in most cases, the light of the moon and stars is quite enough for movement in the dark. Moreover, this light is even better visible than in the narrow beam of the flashlight, so you yourself will turn it off as unnecessary.

Don't forget to put some empty space in your backpack

Usually tourists try to pack their luggage as tightly and compactly as possible. But there are often situations when you need to add a couple more things on the way, but there is nowhere to put them. This can be a loaf of bread from a roadside store, mushrooms picked, cheese bought from shepherds, and so on. In advance, provide some space in your luggage where you could place unplanned purchases.

The farther from people, the safer

Many people believe that the further you go into the wilderness, the more dangerous the hike becomes. Actually this is not true. The biggest troubles come from people and from cars, which, however, are also driven by people. Therefore, try to stay away from settlements and the shores of reservoirs, which are always teeming with fishermen. The fewer people there are, the more restful your sleep will be.

What interesting and useful knowledge did you gain on your first trip? Share with us!