SKILLS
HILL PLAN AHEAD
Forward planning goes a long way to reducing your impact. We’ve all seen nose-to-tail processions turning the most popular routes up Snowdon into conga lines; avoid popular places at peak times to avoid adding to the adverse impacts of crowds. Going to a bit of extra effort to use public transport wherever possible takes the strain off choked-up country roads. Think about making a bike ride to get to the hills a part of the experience. And are you planning a mountain challenge? Use a bit of creativity and don’t go for the obvious options. What’s the point in being the 7,633,906th person to do the Three Peaks?
CAMP CAREFULLY
Wild camping, while not technically permitted by right in England and Wales, is tolerated in many upland areas. In Scotland it is allowed as long as you follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. But wherever you are, the ‘leave no trace’ rules are the same. Pitch on well-drained ground that won’t be easily damaged. Choose
a discreet spot well away from roads. Camp in a single place for no more than one or two nights. Keep your group as small as possible. And above all, leave the site as you found it.
RESPECT THE PAST
The British countryside is layered with 1,000 years of history. Much of this built heritage is more fragile than we sometimes realise; dry stone walls might look formidable but are easily destabilised by people clambering over them. You can damage heritage without even realising it – by making a cairn on Ingleborough’s summit, for example, you may be disturbing the archaeology of an Iron Age hill fort. Tread softly and preserve the past for the future.
DISPOSE OF WASTE
Not dropping litter is the sort of basic lesson most people grasp by the age of six, but a glance at the summit of Snowdon after a busy weekend would seem to suggest that many adults still struggle to comprehend it. Don’t
be shy about educating others in the basic rule: if you can carry stuff in, you can carry it out!
THAT MEANS HUMAN WASTE TOO
We’ve all discovered the nasty secret that lurks under rocks or is simply deposited in plain view with breathtaking contempt for other human beings. Yep, what to do about your droppings is an issue that anyone who spends time in the outdoors will have to contend with, and some deal with it better than others. Be a shite saint and follow these rules when doing the deed: be at least 60 metres from running water and paths (more than two tennis pitches), dig a hole at least 6 to 8 inches deep, and cover and disguise it when finished.
DON’T BE A FIRESTARTER
In April 2003, a fire on Bleaklow caused half a million pounds
›HOW TO:
LEAVE NO TRACE
We might not have much in the way of pristine wilderness left to protect in Britain, but the principles of ‘leave no trace’ apply with just as much force to our people-packed hills. Here are a few tips to step more lightly.
74 | CLIMB. WALK. JOIN.
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