Hillwalking
Hillwalking or
fellwalking is the recreational practice of walking or climbing in hilly or
mountainous terrain, generally with the intention of visiting the tops of hills and mountains.
The term
hillwalking is used in the
United Kingdom for activities which might be called
hiking or
mountaineering elsewhere, with the term
hills being understood to include mountains.
Fellwalking is particularly used to refer to hill or mountain walks in the
Lake District. Britain offers a wide variety of ascents, from gentle rolling lowland hills to some very exposed routes in the mountains. The term
climbing is used for the activity of tackling the more technically difficult ways of getting up hills involving
rock climbing while "hillwalking" refers to the easier routes, but some summits require climbing skills, and many hillwalkers become proficient in
scrambling. The term "mountaineering" tends to be reserved for expeditions abroad to ranges such as the
Alps, but can be used for hill walking in winter with additional equipment such as
ice axe and
crampons, or for routes requiring rock climbing skills such as the traverse of the
Cuillin ridge.
In the United Kingdom, popular locations for hillwalking include the
Lake District, the
Peak District, the
Yorkshire Dales,
Snowdonia and the
Scottish Highlands, including the
Cairngorms – the newest and largest national park. The mountains in Britain are modest in height, with
Ben Nevis at 4409 feet (1344 metres) forming the highest peak, but the unpredictably wide range of weather conditions and often difficult terrain makes walking in many hill areas challenging.
Peak bagging provides a focus for the activities of many hillwalkers. Among the many
lists compiled for this purpose, the
Munros – mountains in Scotland over 3,000 feet (914.4 m) – remains one of the most popular.
In England and Wales, access has in the past been confined to rights of way, but wider areas have been opened up to public access by the
Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. In Scotland the traditional presumption is of a right of access to the countryside provided no damage is done to crops, livestock and hunting activities including deer stalking. These rights and obligations are now codified in the
Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.
Navigation skills are essential, as conditions of poor visibility can arise unexpectedly at any time due to the extreme variability of British weather, and it is common for there to be no marked path to follow. One should never venture out into the hills without navigation skills, a map and a compass. In most areas proper boots are essential, and hillwalkers should always have good weatherproof clothing, including warm clothes and a survival bag in case an accident forces an overnight halt. Food and water should also be carried.
