A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO WINTER WALKING, MOUNTAINEERING

Warm clothing is a must! And don’t think you can get by in your favourite faded denim jeans – they’ll get wet, you’ll get cold, and at best you’ll be uncomfortable and miserable.

Use an appropriate layering system for clothing. The classic package of a wicking base layer, insulating mid and weather-proof outer works well for most conditions in the UK. Read the BMC’s clothing layers guide for a more in-depth analysis, or check out Snow + Rock's HERE.

Light up the night! Winter days are extremely short, so the risk of benightment is even greater. It’s prudent to pack more than one torch or headtorch since the night comes on much faster, and don’t forget to bring spare batteries for both.

Second spares. It’s a good idea to bring double the spare socks, long-johns, thermal tops, and gloves. And something to protect your face is often useful, like a buff, balaclava or even goggles.

Remember to bring some form of shelter, even if you’re only out for the day. Instead of a single person bivvy bag, it can be better to take a group shelter – then you can share body warmth for extra comfort.

Not only do you need to have a handle of your specialist winter tools, you’ll also need the right skills for those wintery hills as conditions will be quite different. The combination of short days and changeable weather can present challenges to the unwary mountaineer, be sure to always pay attention to the terrain underfoot.

Mountain Safety Adviser Heather Morning said: “There are some excellent resources for mountain weather information. Check the Mountain Weather Information Service and the excellent new Met Office mountain pages.

“If there is snow on the ground, then check the sportscotland Avalanche Information Service (SAIS), which provides free daily reports on snow conditions and an avalanche forecast for six mountain areas of Scotland.”

What better way to ease into your first winter walk than to know it ends with a roaring fire and a glass of the good stuff? 

It’s easy to link a fabulously frosty frolic with a fine ale-stocked tavern in Scotland, but here’s one of our favourites. The spectacular 13km tramp up Buachaille Etive Mor, the vast triangular chunk of mountain which stands sentry at the eastern end of Glencoe, tempts walkers from afar with its lofty height and pleasing proportions.

On your way down, keep yourself warm with the thought of an open fire at the famous Clachaig Inn, a haven for knackered hikers just a short journey away, west along the valley from the descent. Boasting an impressive real ale selection and sumptuous meals, maybe you should book in and spend the night too!

If you’ve been to the Lakes, you’ve probably heard about the legendary Wasdale Head Inn, where the whitewashed walls are steeped in local history, as early rock climbers celebrated daring first ascents here and notable guests included the likes of Charles Dickens and Nicholas Monserrat.

A huge variety of walks can be travelled to and from the Wasdale Head, with a thrilling way taking in the snow-dusted fells of Great Gable before heading back to the pub. If that’s not enough, the route can be adopted to suit all levels; if you’re feeling brave try taking on the mighty 18km trek with around 5,300 feet of ascent, ticking off Great Gable, Kirk Fell, Pillar, Scoat Fell, Steeple and Red Pike. 

On a winding narrow road beneath Stickle Tarn, a mountain lake in Langdale, two welcoming walker’s bars can be found: The Old Dungeon Ghyll and the New Dungeon Ghyll hotels, both within a mile of each other. Fortunately, there’s no need to choose between the two, as a winter circuit of the Langdale Pikes links both.

The route starts at the Old Dungeon Ghyll, following the stream east, until branching off uphill to Stickle Tarn. Tackle the Pavey Ark peak from its eastern side to attain the fabulous viewpoint from its summit, before bagging Harrison Stickle and Pike of Stickle – turning this short walk into a superb classic – and descend via Loft Crag to the New Dungeon Ghyll.  

Start at the Pen y Gwyrd hotel to tackle the classic Pen y Pass summit circuit, crowded in summer but often tranquil under a light dusting of snow. The slate-roofed inn Pen y Gwyrd hotel was once the basecamp of Hillary and Tenzing during the depths of their training for the first successful ascent of Everest in 1953.

The ascent via the Pyg and Miner’s tracks is around 15km from the Pen y Gwryd hotel, and moral is kept high on the descent by the thought of returning to mouth-watering roast and pint of your favourite. 

Wildly beautiful in winter, the undulating moorland of Challacombe Down in Dartmoor gives a steady intro to hill walking in the cold months and is home to the highest pub in Southern England – the Warren House Inn, an isolated watering place that once served the local tin mining community.

Walks can be found criss-crossing the moors in all areas around the inn, but the most scenic is hands down the 8km circuit of Challacombe Down, winding downhill from the Warren House Inn before meandering up the slopes of Headland Warren from the south. Curve around the heather-covered sides of the Down before trekking back to bask in the warmth of the open fire and fill your boots with home-cooked food and ales. 

You might think that Mountain Rescue only get called out in extreme circumstances, but actually last year the number one cause for callouts were slips and trips! The second-most common cause was due to becoming lost and navigational errors.

Following on, it turns out that the vast majority of mountaineers rescued are actually uninjured! 

Saturday is actually the busiest day of the week for Mountain Rescue, followed closely by Sunday. No relaxed weekends for these volunteers! 

What might the most dangerous activity be? Surely it’d be ice climbing and rock climbing? Actually, the data shows that the number of Mountain Rescue call outs from hill walking and running incidents increased over the last three years, while climbing and scrambling incidents are actually decreasing. Don’t assume that your chosen activity is relatively risk-free and always be prepared

According to the latest statistics, nearly two thirds of incidents in the Scottish mountains were people deemed to be ‘experienced’, with the most at-risk group being ‘experienced males’ (almost half of all incidents).

Based on 2016 data from Mountain Rescue England and Wales, and Scottish Mountain Rescue.