Should I pop a blister or leave it alone?

Leave it intact and cover it with a soft plaster, padded dressing or hydrocolloid blister dressing. Do not burst it yourself. If it has already burst, wash your hands, let the fluid drain, leave the remaining skin in place, gently clean it and cover it. Contact NHS 111 if it becomes hot, increasingly painful, red or filled with green or yellow pus.

How do I know if an ankle injury is serious enough to call for help?

Being able to hobble does not prove it is only a mild sprain. Inability to bear weight, deformity, severe or worsening pain, numbness, or blue or white toes needs urgent assessment. On remote ground, call for help if the person cannot continue safely rather than trying to walk the injury off.

What are the early signs of hypothermia I should watch for?

Signs include shivering, pale cold skin, slurred speech, slow breathing, tiredness and confusion. If you think someone has hypothermia, call 999. Move them into shelter, replace wet clothing, insulate them and give a warm non-alcoholic drink or sugary food only if they are fully awake and can swallow safely.

If Things Go Wrong

Basic Hill First Aid

Common hiking problems include blisters, ankle injuries, cuts and hypothermia—not just dramatic trauma. Knowing how to protect a blister, avoid walking on a potentially serious ankle injury, clean and cover wounds, and call 999 for suspected hypothermia addresses problems you may actually encounter.

9 August 20268 min read