Hill walks

Getting started with walks that climb.

• Choosing your first hill walk

  How to pick a first hill walk you will enjoy by weighing distance, height gain, paths and shorter ways down, and how much time to allow.

• Finding your way with a paper map

  Basic map skills for hill walks: setting the map, reading contour lines, following walls and streams, and ticking off features as you go.

• Reading the weather on the hills

  Why hill weather differs from the valley, how cold, wind and cloud change with height, and the signs that it is time to head down.