Please consider your equipment

As we all know this country can have four seasons in one day. This can be a pain, but it also keeps things interesting. If you're wandering in the town it's not much of a problem, the worst that's likely to happen is you forget your umbrella and turn up for work looking like a snowman or drowned rat. If you're venturing into the great outdoors, things get a bit more serious.

It's a lovely sunny day and you feel fit and ready for anything. Getting to the summit of that hill seems like a great idea, and I can relate to that - I love getting out. The trouble is you set off with equipment designed for the lovely sunshine. If that weather comes down when you're up, a long way up you could be in trouble. It might just rain and the worst that happens that day is you get soaked. If the fog comes in though, you could be in trouble. I was once told a story of a small group who set of up a mountain. Fortunately they had the right gear with them when the fog came down. They decided to sit it out because vision was down to where you could barely see your hand. They did the right thing. When the fog lifted they found that the way they were heading was a drop of several hundred feet.

If you haven't go the gear you are risking things like hypothermia and the problem with that is you don't feel it happening. As your body goes hypothermic you'll stop shivering and actually feel warm. Then you'll get lethargic and want to sit down. This might be the last time you sit because your body will close down. Please wear or carry the right gear. Learn to use a compass and map because an electronic device like a gps might just go down. If you can get on a specialist outdoor evacuation first aid course because you never know.

I'm not meaning to preach but I've spent so long as a ranger and seen so many people head off into the hills in t-shirts and flip flops that I have to say something. But more than anything enjoy your outings in the knowledge that you know what you're doing!