How Ramblers Benefit by Joining a Rambling Club

I know that if you are out hiking I can fully see the joy that ramblers have. You will know how great it is to get outdoors, to challenge yourself to either height or distance and immerse yourself in the wonders of nature. Also of course it is a great way to exercise. Just ask other ramblers

That is whether you hike, are one of the ramblers or just walk often. You may be new to this and not confident to venture out. Or you may be on your own and want more company

However ramblers need to organise there hike. If you do this on your own you will need to work out where you want to go, what route you wish to take, where you wish to stay and who will go with you.

So a really simple solution to these type of problems is to join a Ramblers Club. There are many benefits. When you first join a Ramblers club they usually allow you to ramble with them to ensure you are happy with the club and they are happy with you before joining.

Fitness does come into it but you can ramble at the pace you need to. You must never or allow anyone else to hike or ramble at someone else pace unless you are ready for problems.. A Ramblers Club will take this into account. You will also be with very like minded people who love the great outdoors. Rambler Clubs are usually well organised, will have a list of great routes and do most of the preparation and organisation.

It is a personal choice to join a ramblers club. My personal choice is to hike with friends and family. However other people have different circumstances and a ramblers club might be the thing for them

Looking at the favourite search engines there are many clubs that ramblers use which are very localised to each area. Some Rambling Clubs consist of just a handful of members whilst others are greater in number and who meet regularly for walks, talks and socialising. These groups usually welcome new members as they share a common like for walking and rambling.

The way that clubs are organised is that they have different grades of hikes or walks and It is up to the individual which walk they wish to join. The decision here will of course very much depend on your level of fitness compared to the difficulty and length of the hike and your experience

You can be a rambler on your own and many people enjoy hiking in their own groups. This is what I usually do. After all hiking can be enjoyed however it is organised. If you do not have a like minded group of friends and want to join other Ramblers then a Rambling Club could be a great way to enjoy this excellent pastime.

Nepal Trekking, Prevention and Dealing With Altitude Sickness

Nepal Trekking is a famous and popular part of the world to trek, ramble and hike, however there are dangers:

The country of Nepal is situated quite high in South Asia. The giant mountains that are situated quite near to Nepal reach over 20,000 feet. In fact the top 8 highest mountains in the world (including of course Mount Everest) are positioned quite north of Nepal. So this ia quite a special place. In addition Nepal itself is situated over 15,000 feet above sea level.

Another fact is a medical one. Hikers and trekkers suffer from Altitude sickness at heights of over 8000ft. Taking a look at these height figures it should be no surprise then that people suffer with Altitude sickness a lot when they go Nepal Trekking. So when you go Nepal Trekking Altitude sickness is a real problem that needs to be dealt with and prevented.

The problem with Nepal Trekking is that you are climbing high and as you trek higher and higher the amount of oxygen remains the same but the air pressure falls preventing the right levels of oxygen to the body. This situation causes you to get altitude sickness which is mainly a feeling of being unstable, headaches, and also feeling very tired and sick. If this gets so bad the body can even fall into a coma (not good). So you really need to watch yourself when you are Nepal Trekking.
Here are the following actions you can take either to prevent or deal with altitude sickness

1. Be physically fit before you go Nepal Trekking. You know whether you are or not. With me I use to be but not any more so if I was to go back to Nepal and trek and would be in the gym a lot more.

2. Try and avoid this by taking acetazolamide before you go Nepal Trekking. However as usual you will need to consult a doctor to determine the amount to take and to ensure this is medically right for you.

3. Make sure you are fully hydrated before and during Nepal Trekking.

4. Ascend slowly to avoid these problems

5. Try and reduce your food intake if you start getting the symptoms

6. Painkillers will help

7. If you feel sick try and descend to lower levels of the mountain.

Of course if you do fall sick and need to exit the mountains – when you have recovered Nepal itself is a great place to be. Whilst Nepal is very spiritual (being the birthplace of Buddha) there are also things you can do. Try and visit one of the many festivals or take a flight over the mountains or enjoy a cycling trip.

So the rewards for Nepal Trekking can be out of this world, however so can the dangers of altitude sickness. So enjoy your trek but also be aware of the many dangers including altitude sickness when you go Nepal Trekking.

Some Really Lovely Ullswater Walks in the Lake District, UK

The Lake District in the UK really has some great walks. I go there quite regularly as it has some great views and super scenery. Lots of hikers and ramblers climb the highest mountains. However some people get just as much enjoyment from a nice leisurely walk in some more lowland areas. Some great lowland walks are Ullswater walks. These are nice walks which have the Ullswater Lake and the Helvellyn mountain range for super scenery

Now a bit about Ullswater to show why is offer great Ullswater walks. Ullswater Lake is the second largest lake in the Lake District with the first being of course Lake Windermere. Ullswater Lake and can offer some lovely lowland walks. So why not stay around Ullswater and I have provided 6 of the best Ullswater walks listed below.

1. Glenridding to Howtown.
In my view the top lowland Ullswater walk as its the most beautiful of the Ullswater walks with stunning views of the Ullswater Valley and Helvellyn range. It is 7 miles long and will take you about 3-4 hours to complete. This particular Ullswater walk has a wavy path and is a bit hilly but is a nice one to do. I would say the difficulty is moderate to easy. Have a go!

2. Aira force circular walk
This is a short walk and was actually developed in Victorian times. This walk quite woody and leads to a wonderful waterfall. This is the sort of place you can walk for a picnic at lunchtime. This is a walk to take your mum as its only 1 mile long and only takes an hour. Nice and easy.

3. Howtown to Pooley bridge Walk
This has great views across the Ullswater lake and is moderately easy but a longer 6 miles long and will take you 3 hours to complete – again taking it nice and easy. Some parts are a little more uphill and you need to watch out for boggy areas so take some good hiking or waterproof boots. One of the nicer Ullswater Walks

4. Lantys Tarn circular walk
This again is a nice short walk with great views of the Ullswater Valley. It is a 3 mile easy walk taking 1-2 hours. Also this one includes a boat trip which is an added extra in my book!

5. Hallin Fell Circular Walk
This one is very similar in format to Lantys Tarn. This one is a very nice rewarding walk with great Ullswater Lake views and is 3 miles long with a 2 hour timeline. This may take a little longer if you want to climb and visit the local churches.

6. Howtown to Glenridding
This is another lovely walk with great views of the Ullswater Valley and Helvellyn range. This is 7 miles taking roughly 4 hours in total. This walk has up and down hill stretches and some slightly rocky parts – again walking boots recommended on this one.

So some lovely gentle Ullswater walks. You can easily search them on the Internet for the finer details of parking and step by step routes etc. So why not travel to the Lake District, head over to Ullswater and enjoy some lovely Ullswater Walks.