WHW preparation

[raykilhams]

Hi Neilwood , Some great advice from other walkers and I just love those pics from BorderRiever , brings happy memories flooding back ( sorry for the pun). But it is true walking is fun . Sound advice about footwear and don't forget midge repellant , they can be right little blighters getting in everywhere and the WHW has its fair share. We did the walk a couple of years ago in July and just had a few hours of light misty rain but you can never tell what weather you,ll get so be prepared. Enjoy the walk ( there,s nothing like a long distance walk ) and you'll get tremendous satisfaction and a feeling of accomplishment.

PS look forward to your report. Just several pics of our trip.

[xpfloyd]

We done it the first week of May 2011 over 6 days (rained pretty much every day) and my advice to you would be -

1 - Dont camp - 99% of the people we saw giving up were people that were camping and were sick of going to sleep wet and waking up and putting wet boots etc back on. We stayed in hostels and bunkhouses and they all had drying rooms and were cheap.
2 - Get your bag carried - Best £40 I spent that week (Until the last night when my bag went missing for 2 days but think thats just my bad luck!)
3 - Where approach shoes or walking trainers - I wore well broken in boots and my feet were killing me after day 2 from the constant pounding. If I were to do it again I would wear walking trainers. One of the guys I was with done it in a pair of nike air max!! He had boots in his bag but just stuck with the trainers and made it all the way without a single foot pain. Trainers were truly wrecked though

[xpfloyd]

3 - wear*

[clivegrif]

Getting your legs in shape for a long distance walk is a good idea.

When I was preparing for the Pennine Way years ago I followed a routine that did the trick.

Day 1 - 5 miles at a brisk pace
Day 2 - 2 miles slowly
Day 3 - 10 miles at your most comfortable pace
Day 4 - 2 miles slowly
Day 5 - 5 miles at a brisk pace

Rest 2 days.

Used this for 2 months leading up to it, and for the second month was lugging a rusksack around as well (as I was going to be carrying everything).

As you say I threw in a couple of longer hill walks as well.

It worked.

Good luck!

[Circles]

Amazing photos...if you did this for charity...would you do it for the Mountain Rescue or RNLI?

[Kevin29035]

Should point out I did 90% of the WHW in sandals. It doesn't always rain!!

[Buggiba]

Have done the WHW three times now. My recommendations to you are manyfold but relatively simple. Plan your accommodation around the hillier points of the walk so that you do the steepest bits whilst still fresh. Stay at Drymen before tackling Conic Hill, The Kingshouse Hotel before the Devil's Staircase and Kinlochleven prior to the Mamore Ridge ascent. Much more enjoyable after a good nights sleep .

Best advice of all, take and use walking poles. They take so much pressure off the knees and ankles, especially during the downhill stretches. Most importantly of all get out walking early! We try to be on our way at first light, which means we could be 9 miles down the road whilst others are still finishing breakfast . A late lunch, with all the walking done for the day, is much more preferable.

Take heed of all of the advice offered about good boots, walking socks, compeed and vaseline!!

[Circles]

Vasaline???

[Buggiba]

Vaseline is marvellous for lubricating all of your moving parts, except for the mouth, of course. Between the toes, under arms and the tops of legs and buttocks can prove invaluable, and it is waterproof. Don't leave home without it .