Take to the hills

As a child I was taken hill walking on a regular basis and as a teenager was completely put off the activity, but I am once more an avid fan and I think all those mountains I was coaxed up as a child, have ultimately provided me with a love of all things outdoor and of the wonder of the hills.

The beauty and exhilaration aside, however, hill walking is a wonderful form of exercise, as indeed is any kind of walking and the hills don’t need to be Munros; the terrain does not have to be difficult for you to enjoy some wonderful exercise in some of Scotland’s most beautiful of places.

The Pentland Hills, the Campsies, the Ochils and the Lomonds all provide great locations for short or long walks and you don’t need to be an expert to get started. You do however need to take precautions. Don’t just take a notion and throw on a jumper heading for your nearest hill. Safety is paramount and the weather can change at any moment. See the safety tips below.

Start by following well worn paths on well populated routes and don’t try anything too strenuous; you can build up gradually and if you do decide to head for a mountain, do go with an expert until you have learned all the ropes before trying a solo expedition.

Some people enjoy the solitude they can gain from hill walking but essentially it can be a sociable activity as well as good exercise and personally I enjoy company when I am doing any kind of walking. Perhaps the perfect way of taking up hill walking is to join a local group such as The Ramblers Association, or local hill walking club many of which you will find listed on www.outdoorscotland.co.uk.

Once you have tasted a little bit of Scotland’s hillside, you will undoubtedly be hooked on this fantastic way to keep fit and healthy.

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