TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD AVOID WHEN HIKING

Manuel Andrack reports on his hiking no-goes

1. no-go: the wrong footwear

From my own experience, I have to say: blisters on the feet are a real plague. What causes blisters? Friction in the wrong place. Where do blisters form? On the ball of the foot, on the heel, between the toes. How do you avoid blisters? By wearing comfortable shoes - I recommend (who would have thought it) BÄR shoes. The freedom of the toes prevents friction when walking.

2. no-go: route too strenuous

Especially for beginners: less is more. Please don't start with a route over ten kilometers. Are you underchallenged with such a short route? No problem, then you can extend the stage or walk a second short circular route. It's better than getting into trouble with a route that is too long. And pay attention to the altitude difference. You have to add one kilometer for every 100 meters of elevation gain. A circular route of nine kilometers with 400 meters of altitude corresponds to 13 performance kilometers.

3. no-go: walking on boring paths

A wide, gravel forest path. Straight as a candle, on the horizon you can already see where you will be the day after tomorrow. A dense spruce forest to the left and right, like soldiers standing at attention. That is: boring! Premium trails (information at Deutsches Wanderinstitut e.V. – Wandern auf erstklassigen Wegen – Deutsches Wanderinstitut e.V. and Home - PremiumWanderwelten ) and quality trails (information at Wanderbares Deutschland ) were invented as an antidote to boring hiking.

4.no-go: leave garbage in the forest

Many novice hikers are surprised that there are no litter bins along the hiking trails, especially on premium trails. They are not missing, but this is the principle: anything you take into the forest should not be left in the forest. Not even in a litter bin, which often makes more rather than less mess.

5. no-go: too little water

Especially on sunny and hot days, you should carry at least one liter of water with you. You sweat when hiking and dehydrating your body is no fun. Water during the hike, wine or beer after the hike. Unless you stop for refreshments during the hike. Then wine or beer is fine in between.

6. no-go: hiking at the wrong time

In principle, hiking is great at any time. But walking on a popular hiking trail in the afternoon on a sunny public holiday in May is only recommended to a limited extent - it's as crowded as a Japanese subway. I therefore recommend hiking on Sundays and public holidays at off-peak times, early in the morning or late in the evening. Or, if possible, set off directly on a weekday.

7. no-go: hiking too fast

You are not on the run. Don't let yourself be rushed. Hiking is enjoyment, relaxation, recreation. You don't have to break any time records. I recommend planning half an hour's break for every hour you are on the move.

8. no-go: not wearing appropriate clothing

Freezing in winter. Getting soaked down to your underpants in a rain shower. Sweating in clothes that are too warm in midsummer. That doesn't have to be the case! Take a quick look at the weather app before your hike to see what kind of weather you can expect and choose your clothing accordingly. You can also find lots of helpful hiking accessories (not just shoes) in the BÄR store.

9. no-go: Don't stop off

There are still some hikers who detest stopping for refreshments during or after a hike and swear by rucksack food. I think this is a mistake. You miss out on the regional specialties in the inns. What's more, as a hiker who doesn't have to pay to use the trail, you should be promoting the economy in the truest sense of the word.

10. no-go: forget spare socks

Socks are a certain weak point when it comes to moisture. Even the best hiking socks - if they get wet during a shower - dry relatively slowly. And you can quickly end up with blisters from wet socks. I therefore recommend always taking spare socks with you on your hike.