You will probably find that you already possess some of the essential items to get started in backpacking – most aspiring backpackers have been active in the outdoors previously, and will usually own a pair of boots, a waterproof jacket and overtrousers set, and probably a compass, map case, torch and first aid kit.
To head out for a night in the hills you will need to add a good sleeping bag to this list. There are basically two types of bag – down filled and synthetic. Down is lighter in weight but useless if it gets wet, whereas synthetic is heavier but retains some of its warming properties when wet. Synthetic is also usually a good deal cheaper than a better-quality down-filled bag.
A good mat under your sleeping bag is essential to keep you insulated from the cold ground beneath. Foam mats are cheap, but better is a Thermarest, which is air filled, far more comfortable, but much more expensive.
Then you’ll need a tent to put over yourself. I have used a number of different makes and models over the years, but for most people the best advice is to get the lightest tent you can for the seasons you intend to use it, and to pay the most you can afford – this latter point will automatically scrub all the next-to-useless models of tent from your shopping list. Recently I have been using a Hilleberg Akto, which really is superb for all-season camping, even in the wildest of areas. It is the lightest tent I have ever backpacked with, easy to pitch, and it gives me the confidence to go anywhere at any time of year.
Next you’ll need a stove of some sort. Gas is a popular fuel, while meths-burning Trangias are very often used by youth groups. The Trangia is a very safe stove, with the additional benefit of having no working parts to break. It is easy to light and easy to use, but does take a lot longer to boil water than almost any other camping stove I have used. Personally, I would always go for a Coleman Duel Fuel model. They are very efficient, and with one of these beauties you will be drinking your soup before your mates have even raised a bubble in their pots with other stove models.
As well as your camping equipment it is also a good idea to have spare warm, dry clothing in your rucksack for anything more than a single day in the hills.
Obviously you will need a rucksack larger than a daysack to carry all this extra kit, and again there are countless makes and models on the market. Go to an outdoor shop and try them all on, aiming for something around 60–70 litres in size. Get the assistant to fill the rucksacks with tents and other heavy gear, then walk around the shop to see which feels best. Once you set off on your backpack, aim to get everything into your rucksack, rather than hanging things on the outside. Apart from looking better, this also helps to distribute the weight more evenly, and will make for a more enjoyable backpacking trip.
Food
Food must be nutritious and palatable, and you should plan to carry enough to satisfy your energy needs for the duration of the trip, plus some spare high-energy food in case of emergency.
Generally speaking most people burn between 3000–4000 calories a day when they are backpacking, and it is recommended that you replace this throughout the day – a backpacking trip is not the time to go on a diet! Try to balance your daily intake so that you have around 60–65% carbohydrates, 25–30% fats and 10–15% protein, and aim to spread your food intake out over the day, eating little and often throughout the walk, rather than stopping for a huge food-fest at lunchtime, and spending the rest of the day feeling like snoozing it off!
Backpackers in Knoydart (Walk 24)
Having a rest en route for Dun Caan on Raasay (Walk 28) (photo: Beryl Tudhope)
On a backpacking trip it is difficult to eat similar foods to those you would normally eat at home, and the best advice is to experiment over different trips – indeed, this can become a great part of the whole backpacking experience.
As for spare emergency food, most people throw a few chocolate bars, flapjacks or high-energy bars into the bottom of their rucksacks. I know there are people who always eat their ‘emergency rations’ long before the trip is over, which of course is not ideal, and others deliberately take things that they don’t actually like eating very much, which is rather a good way of avoiding temptation. I have also heard it recommended that emergency rations should be wrapped in sticky tape, making it difficult to get into them, which is fine until an emergency occurs, and you still can’t get into them!
It is also essential to take in plenty of fluid, partly to replace that lost through sweating, and partly to help you digest food more efficiently.
Access and the Backpacker
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act of 2003 establishes access rights for everyone to most land and inland waters, provided they exercise them responsibly. These rights and responsibilities are set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. For a copy of the code, call Scottish Natural Heritage on 01738 444177 or go to www.outdooraccess-scotland.com
Everyone has the right to be on most types of land to undertake outdoor activities such as walking, cycling and wild camping as long as they act responsibly. This means taking responsibility for your own actions in the outdoors, respecting the interests of other people using or working in the outdoors, and caring for the environment.
Red deer stags in the Fisherfield Forest (Walk 13)
Access rights don’t apply to any kind of motorised activity or to hunting, shooting or fishing. They also don’t apply everywhere, and exclude buildings and their immediate surroundings, houses and their gardens, and most land in which crops are growing.
Wild camping
Access rights extend to wild camping, which must be lightweight, done in small numbers, and only for two or three nights in any one place. Act responsibly by not camping in enclosed fields of crops or farm animals, and by keeping away from buildings, roads or historic structures. Take care to avoid disturbing deer stalking or grouse shooting activities. If you wish to camp close to a house or building, seek the owner’s permission. Leave no trace of your stay by removing all litter and any traces of your tent pitch or fire, and by not causing any pollution.
Stag-stalking season
This is usually from 1 July to 20 October, although most stalking takes place from August onwards (usually excluding Sundays). (The hind-stalking season is 21 October to 15 February.) During this period, you can help to minimise disturbance to stalking activities by finding out where stalking is talking place. Use the Hillphones service if available, www.snh.org.uk/hillphones, which gives recorded advice on where stalking is taking place, or pick up a Hillphones booklet in outdoor shops, hostels, tourist information centres or hotels. Although the code advises land managers to consider popular walking routes, paths and ridges when planning stalking you can also minimise disturbance to stalking by taking account of advice on alternative routes that may be posted on signs in the area. Deer control in forests and woods can take place all year round, often at dawn and dusk. Take extra care at these times and follow advice on signs and notices.
Flora and Fauna
The flora and fauna of the Highlands are fascinating aspects of this beautiful landscape, and worthy of whole volumes in their own right. However, I will summarise some of the more exciting species that the backpacker might, with a watchful eye and enough patience, come across during his or her wanderings in this area.
Fauna
Chief amongst mammals in the Highlands is the red deer, and put simply, there are far too many red deer wandering around in the hills. The lack of a natural predator is the problem – their numbers used to be kept down by wolves, but our ancestors managed to get rid of those. Too few deer are being