Basic Safety
In my own experience, hiking in and around the United Kingdom is pretty safe. We’re rather fortunate in that, unlike many other countries, we don’t really have much in the way of hostile wildlife to worry about, and we have a pretty fantastic network of marked public right-of-way paths, making it easy to find your way around most places.
Speaking more specifically as a woman, I’ve personally never had an issue with hiking solo either. I often hike before sunrise or after sunset on my own, and while of course it’s absolutely essential to always maintain a reasonable level of caution anywhere you go, and to let a partner, friend or family member know where you’re going, especially if you’re likely to go somewhere rural or with potential environmental hazards (like mountains!), I’d encourage any women feeling nervous about solo hiking to just jump in and try it out.
The most basic advice is simply this: always be prepared!
Firstly, dress sensibly. In the UK, it’s advisable to carry a waterproof jacket of sorts at any time when there’s a possibility of rain. The last thing you want is to get soaked and cold while you’re out somewhere. Also, wear sensible footwear. I’ve got dedicated articles on this site about clothing and footwear, so if you’ve got any doubts, have a gander.
Secondly, carry a mobile phone and make sure it’s charged. This means you have a means of getting help if, for whatever reason, you find yourself needing assistance. I carry a small charger with me at all times, just in case!
Thirdly, if you’re likely to be out and about for anything longer than an hour or so, always have water. Always. Trust me, dehydrating isn’t fun. A good leakproof water bottle is great, while a backpack water bladder is great for longer hikes.
Lastly, always know where you’re going. I know this may seem obvious, but it’s important to have a plan. Once you know an area well, it’s fun to add detours or even find shortcuts, but always have a map to make sure you know where you are. The more adventurous may like using paper maps, but there are plenty of mobile apps available these days that make it very easy to keep track of where we are at all times. I use OSMaps (£25.99 per year subscription), but there are numerous other apps, including free ones available. Find whatever works best for you. Most trail apps allow you to import routes in .gpx format; check out my trails on this site for downloadable routes of some of my favourite rambles!
The Countryside Code
Before we set out on our adventures we need to remember that we have a responsibility to respect our environment and look after it. In addition to exercising caution and maintaining common sense with regards to our own personal safety, there are a number of “rules” we should bear in mind at all times.
In the UK we The Countryside Code, which is basically a set of guidelines for our behaviour while we’re out and about.
It’s not rocket science.
- Enjoy the countryside and respect its life and work
- Guard against all risk of fire
- Leave all gates as you found them
- Keep your pets under close control
- Keep to public paths across farmland
- Use gates and stiles to cross fences, hedges and walls
- Leave livestock, crops and machinery alone
- Take your litter home
- Help to keep all water clean
- Protect wildlife, plants and trees
- Take special care on country roads
- Make no unnecessary noise
Scotland has its own guidelines, called The Scottish Outdoor Access Code, as the country has a broader right of land access compared to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. You can read the details here.
