7 guides
The Ankle Twist Sequence: What Actually Happens in the Two Seconds Before You Fall
Most ankle injuries don't happen when you slip. They happen when your foot lands on uneven ground and your body decides to keep moving while your ankle stays put. Understanding the mechanical sequence helps you recognise the moment you can still save it.
Heat Exhaustion on the Hills
Heat exhaustion happens on British hills more often than most walkers expect—warm days, sustained climbs and inadequate water combine to cause nausea, dizziness and confusion that people mistake for tiredness. Recognising the difference between fatigue and genuine heat illness, cooling down effectively and knowing when someone needs evacuation prevents heatstroke.
Hypothermia: The Warning Signs
Hypothermia starts with shivering and poor decisions, progresses through confusion and coordination loss, and ends with collapse—but each stage looks different and your group needs to recognise them in sequence. Spotting the early signs in yourself or others and acting before someone becomes dangerously cold prevents most serious cases.
The Lightning Position Problem: What to Actually Do When Thunder Counts Down
Standing under a tree is dangerous. Lying flat is dangerous. Sheltering in a shallow cave is dangerous. The safest position involves squatting on insulation while minimising ground contact, and most people get it wrong because it feels absurd.
How Much Water to Carry on Summer Mountain Walks
Work out how much drink you need for exposed upland routes when it's warm. Heat and exertion matter more than you think—two litres isn't always enough.
Ticks and Lyme Disease
Ticks are tiny, their bites are often painless and most do not carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease—but the minority that do can transmit it, potentially causing long-term health problems if untreated. Knowing where ticks live, how to check after walking and what a possible Lyme rash may look like matters more than panic or avoidance.
Adders: Should You Be Worried?
Britain's only venomous snake is shy and normally retreats, with bites most often occurring when an adder is handled or accidentally disturbed. Bites are rare but can be serious and always need urgent medical help—the actual risk is far smaller than the instinctive fear suggests.