Why do I suddenly feel awful and foggy halfway through a long walk?

You've probably depleted your glycogen stores—the carbohydrate stored in your muscles and liver. This is called 'bonking' and happens after a couple of hours of sustained hill walking if you haven't been eating. The fix is to nibble on carb-based snacks regularly as you walk, rather than waiting until you're hungry.

Should I eat flapjacks or nuts when I'm walking uphill?

It depends on how hard you're working. For moderate to steep climbs where you're breathing harder, go for easily digestible carbs like flapjacks or dried fruit. During gentler stretches where you can chat comfortably, fatty foods like nuts work well and help preserve your glycogen stores for the harder bits.

Do I actually need protein while I'm out walking?

Not really for energy—protein's main job is repairing muscle damage after the walk. That said, including some protein in your snacks (cheese, nuts, jerky) helps you feel fuller for longer and gives your muscles what they need for recovery, especially on long or frequent walks.

Food for the Fells

Carbohydrate, Fat, Protein: What Each One Does on the Hill

Carbohydrate is the main fuel for working muscles during harder activity, fat is energy-dense and can contribute to longer-duration fuelling, and protein is principally important for repair and recovery. Higher-fat foods can be slower to digest and may cause discomfort for some people during activity, so timing and personal tolerance matter—and a practical hill-food choice balances energy, portability, palatability and the likelihood you'll actually eat it.

23 September 20269 min read