A woman's guide to solo hiking

I've been solo hiking for around 7 years now and it honestly brings me so much joy. It's such a good way to reconnect with yourself, work through all those thoughts inside your head and fully experience the nature around you without distraction. 

I know how daunting it can be to get out on that first solo hike, we're told as women to never walk alone, so the anxiety we have around it makes total sense. It IS possible to get over that with the right tools, building up confidence through exposure and knowing how to keep yourself safe when you need to. 

So here are my 10 top tips on how to get out on your first solo hike:

1. Join a hiking group

It seems strange that this would be my first tip to get out SOLO, but bear with me. If you're new to hiking it's a safe way to work out where your fitness and energy levels lie, what kind of kit you may be missing and what kind of walks you enjoy the most. You can build up skills this way with people around you so that when you want to get out and do it alone you can feel confident that you know what you're doing and focus on the beauty of the nature around you. It's also great idea to re-use one of the hiking routes you do in the group to do on your own, this takes away the added pressure of having to navigate or find and plan anything. 

There are some great groups out there - The Adventure Girls Club hiking group will welcome you with open arms, as well as Outdoor Adventure Girls, Outdooraholics and AAA Outdoor & Hiking

2. Choose somewhere local 

To begin with, it's a good idea to stay local. It means you'll be familiar with the towns and areas around you so you feel a bit more confident and safe and have someone to call on should you need to. It also means you don't have the added stress of working out how to get there, especially if you're a nervous driver. 

3. Start small and gradually build up

Just do a short hike for an hour or two to begin with and get used to being on your own. Then as you get comfortable with those shorter hikes you can gradually increase the length. I still, to this day, only do hikes that are around 3-4 hours long as they're the hikes that I enjoy the most! 

4. Tell someone where you're going

It's good to get into the habit of telling someone where you're going when you go off on your own. Send a family member or friend your route, where you're parked and your expected time back at the car. Or you could even share your location with someone so they know where you are the whole time (this may drain battery though so make sure you take a battery pack). This is just a precaution in case anything did happen to you, at least after not hearing from you they could send help to find you on your route. 

5. Pack more than you think you'll need. 

Pack more water, more food, more layers, a head torch and a power bank. The chances are low, but if something did happen to you or you got lost, you know you have enough supplies to keep you safe. I also get a lot hungrier than I think I'll be (burning all that energy!) and the weather can change quickly so it's good to be prepared for that. 

6. Make friends with fear

Fear isn't the enemy, despite us always striving for 'fearlessness'. It is actually a really important emotion that keeps us safe. Fear tells us all the things that could go wrong, the trick is to listen to the things that may actually be happening (e.g the fog coming in, or unplanned steep rocky ground) and act accordingly OR if it's something that isn't actually happening right now, to thank it and dismiss it. Feeling the fear and doing it anyway is a huge part of getting out solo, and you wouldn't feel the sense of pride and accomplishment without it. 

7. Know when to turn back

If you feel out of your depth, the weather has come in, or the terrain is tricky don't let your ego get in the way. It's not a failure to bail out of a hike and head back to the car, I still do it now. Mother nature can be really brutal at times. Remember, the hike will always be there, so come back and tackle it another day. 

8. Leave your headphones at home

Use this opportunity to really be present and not distracted, listen to the nature around you instead. It may feel a bit uncomfortable and awkward at first but it's good for your mental health and it's safer to be aware of what's going on around you. 

9. Go at a slow and steady pace

It's not a race and no one is judging how fast you walk. This is for you and your enjoyment only, so take your time and enjoy it. It will mean your energy will last longer and it means you can fully take in your surroundings. 

10. Check the route before you go

Whether you're taking a paper map or using an app, check for landmarks and terrain before you start, so you know what to look out for on the way. This means you can spend less time looking down and more time looking at what's around you. And it means you're less likely to get lost!

If you want help with getting out on more solo adventures, you can either book a 1-1 with me or sign up to the membership for access to a whole masterclass on solo hiking.