Choose the style of trip
| Style | You carry | Good first step because |
|---|---|---|
| Hut-to-hut | Clothes, liner, toiletries, snacks | Light pack, meals often available, a roof every night |
| Inn or guesthouse walking | A day pack, sometimes with bag transfer | Comfortable, no camping gear |
| Campsite to campsite | Tent, sleeping kit, cooking kit | Facilities and water at each stop |
| Wild camping | Everything, including water treatment | Most freedom, but most to learn; check if it's allowed |
For a first trip, two days and one night on a well-marked route close to transport is plenty. Choose a route with options to shorten it.
Daily distances
Use the time calculator for each day, with a slower pace setting for a heavier pack. Plan shorter days than you would on a day hike: you'll be carrying more, starting stiff on the second morning, and you want time at camp or the hut. Keep the hardest section for a day when you're fresh and the forecast is best.
Booking and using huts
Mountain huts and refuges in popular ranges can fill months ahead in summer. Book early, keep your confirmation offline, and let the hut know if your plans change, because huts may raise the alarm when booked guests don't arrive.
Customs vary, so read the hut's own information. Common practices include:
- A sleeping bag liner is often required in dormitories.
- Boots stay in the boot room; hut shoes are often provided.
- Half board (dinner and breakfast) is common; ask about packed lunches.
- Some huts take cash only, and there may be no ATM for days.
- Earplugs help in shared rooms.
Pack weight
Weigh your loaded pack before you go. For most people, keeping it around a fifth of body weight or less makes the walking far more pleasant. The biggest savings are usually in the shelter, sleeping bag and pack itself, then in not carrying duplicates.
Food and water
- Plan meals for each day plus a spare day's emergency food.
- Choose calorie-dense foods: nuts, cheese, oats, dried fruit, wraps, dehydrated meals.
- Know where water is on each day and how reliable it is in that season. Treat water from streams and lakes by filtering, chemical treatment or boiling.
- Find out where you can buy food or resupply along the way, and when shops are open.
Share a day-by-day plan
Leave a written plan with someone at home: route for each day, where you'll sleep each night, check-in times and when to raise the alarm. Phone signal may be patchy, so agree what happens if a check-in is late.
Test everything first
- Pitch the tent and light the stove at home.
- Do a training walk with the full pack.
- Sleep in the sleeping bag at a similar temperature, even in a garden.
- Run through the overnight checklist the night before.