Never hike alone
There have been so many tragic stories of lone hikers disappearing on a trail, so no matter how experienced you are, you’re always safer in a group. Stick together and don’t leave anyone behind. Stop and have regular check-ins and always end the hike together.
If you’re on a day hike, tell family or friends about your plans and when you should be back. For more advanced hikers, share your trail the route you’re planning. General etiquette for hiking routes is that bike riders yield to hikers. However, for all people enjoying the trail – those travelling downhill should yield to those heading uphill.
Plan ahead
Research and get to know your route well ahead of time. Make sure you’ve looked at up-to-date maps and other important information regarding the specific route, as well as the terrain and weather conditions expected. Contact relevant trail guides and organisations to ensure your planned adventure is safe or to learn more about potential hazards. Use social media groups to read people’s experiences of the route, what hazards they came across and take note of their advice.
Get the right gear
Before you set off on your hiking adventure, bear in mind that different areas, terrains or seasons will affect what equipment you take with you. Rather be over-equipped so that you can handle any unforeseen events.
You need:
- Maps, tide tables, compasses, GPS units, fully charged cell phones and spare power banks. If you’re going for a few days, two-way radios are a great option.
- Sunblock (even in winter), a good hat and sunglasses.
- The right hiking shoes (worn in), jacket, waterproofing and the correct camping tents and sleeping bags for overnight getaways. •Always take a spare pair of socks!
- Fully charged headlamps and torches plus spare batteries.
- A first aid kit: make sure you know what’s inside and how to use the items correctly.
- Everyone in your group must have a signal whistle.
- Unfortunately, the crime threat is there so take pepper spray for any such situations.
- Invest in a durable water bottle and always take a spare with you. You should even include items like water purification straws or tablets in case you find yourself without a reliable water source.
- Food and snacks will depend on how long and far you plan to travel but have at least enough nutrition for one extra day. Try the delicious energy snack bar recipe below.
- If you’re overnighting, waterproof matches, lighters and flint-and-steel kits, but always have a fire-start source.
- A multipurpose tool for quick repairs on the go otherwise even a simple sewing kit.
- Emergency Blankets are essential in emergencies and are lightweight so easy to pack into your bag.
- Always take your ID and medical aid details.
Easy no-bake energy bars
(Makes 8)
You’ll need: 1 ½ cups instant oats; 1 cup almonds, finely chopped or pulsed; ½ cup dried cranberries; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 cup peanut or almond butter; ½ cup honey; 2 tbsp coconut oil
How to:
Mix the oats, almonds, cranberries and salt into a bowl.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the peanut or almond butter, honey and coconut oil.
Add the melted ingredients to the dry oat mixture and combine well.
Press the mixture into a baking dish and pop into the fridge for 2 – 3 hours or overnight.
Cut the bars into 8 pieces and enjoy.
Tips: Store the bars in the fridge for five days or wrap them individually to freeze.
You can add chocolate chips, desiccated coconut or other dried fruit should you wish.
Instant oats are a must as they are smaller and chewier than classic raw oats.
In an emergency
There’s never one way to respond to an emergency, but if something unfortunate does happen, don’t assume that you’ll be rescued straight away.
Remember the useful acronym: S.T.O.P (Stop, Think, Observe, Plan).
Don’t leave injured group members alone and try to contact emergency services first and stay on the line until the service has been dispatched.
Dial 112 in an emergency.
Dial 10111 for the police.
Dial 10177 for ambulance and fire.
Before your hike, check what the suggested emergency number is for that particular route.
For the most popular hiking routes in South Africa, you can refer to the below numbers according to which province you are in:
KZN: 031 307 7744
Western Cape: 021 948 9900
Gauteng: 074 125 1385 / 074 163 3952
For ocean related emergencies, contact the NSRI, 087 094 9774
For poison-related emergencies such as animal bites, call Red Cross (National): 021 689 5227
* Source: outdoorwarehouse.co.za; recipe courtesy of krollskorner.com
