Four easy ways to make outdoor gear last longer

This Sunday is National Hiking Day, celebrated on 17 November, encouraging people to get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of nature through hill walking. Use the BMC's hiking route ideas to inspire you and our mapping discounts and freebies to navigate your way.

For many hill walkers, the call of the wild is a lifelong passion. However, the demands placed on our bodies by these activities require thoughtful care, especially as we age.

The BMC volunteers have been super busy this summer, with the latest Get Stuck In project seeing 12 of them create a 50m length of stepping stone path to make a more sustainable way through the bog below Tryfan, Eryri (Snowdonia), North Wales.

Hill walking offers a wonderful way to connect with nature, challenge your body, and clear your mind. However, the physical demands of walking up and down steep terrain mean that optimal nutrition is essential to ensure you stay energised, strong, and focused. Whether you're setting off on a gentle stroll or tackling a more challenging route, here are the top nutrients you need to consider, along with some nutritious snack ideas to keep you fuelled on your adventure.

This August, 14 BMC volunteers spent two days on The Band in Langdale, Lake District, making repairs to a 100m stretch of footpath in the latest Get Stuck In event, funded by the Mend Our Mountains campaign from the BMC's Access & Conservation Trust.

With an ever increasing choice from manufacturers, the hardest part about buying a dynamic climbing rope can be deciphering what’s on offer, and understanding how it relates to your chosen activity. The days of simply choosing 9mm or 11mm are long gone, and from a light single to a heavy half, things can get very confusing.

Lowering off from a sport climb isn't always as easy as it is at the climbing wall. Knowing a few techniques can make the difference between an enjoyable day's climbing and a trip to A&E.

How to choose an ice axe for your next winter adventure

Everything you need to know about the various types of rope for climbing and mountaineering can be found in our handy, free guide.

How often do you check your trad gear for damage or wear and tear? Here's the 'how' and 'why' of keeping your cams in check.

When should you use crampons? Our guide explains the 'when', 'where' and 'how' of deploying your spiky winter gear.

Having a duvet day or a quiet night in? We've got you covered. There's nothing better than a day in the hills - but we think planning a day in the hills comes in pretty close second. If you're looking for inspiration for your next on-foot adventure, check out our lineup of ten of the best mountaineering, hiking and hillwalking films from the BMC TV YouTube channel.

If you’ve never climbed before or have only climbed indoors, the equipment used for tackling real rock can seem mysterious, exciting and expensive. We've put together a list of the essentials...

Climbers use quickdraws to attach their rope to pieces of protection when lead climbing. A quickdraw consists of two karabiners connected by a textile sling. Find out about the different types and some of the key issues in this article.

We take a look at the culture of tight climbing shoes. Just how tight is too tight - and are we creating problems for the future?

Each year there are reports of people who have been attacked, or even trampled to death, by cows whilst out walking or approaching crags. BMC member Simon Coldrick was badly injured after a cow attacked him as he led a fell race on the edge of Sheffield.

If you’re looking for an unforgettable, high altitude trekking holiday this year we’ve got some great ideas for you here in Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and India from climbing mountaineering expedition operator Jagged Globe. 

This article helps you decide what sort of crampons are suitable for your winter walk, or whether micro-spikes could be an option, as well as discussing the compatibility of crampons to walking boots.

A look at some of the benefits of poles and how to use them for hill walking.

Walking boots can be expensive and should last a long time, so this article looks at factors to consider before you buy. 

A look at types of small, lightweight stoves suitable for hill walking and backpacking trips.

What should you look for when choosing down products? Some factors to consider when investing in new down gear.

Clean out your kit cupboard and put a spring in your step knowing that you’re making greener choices throughout the lifecycle of your outdoor products.

Hill walking doesn’t require as much specialist equipment as many other outdoor activities, but is important to have the appropriate equipment for the route and activity you have chosen and the weather forecasted. In this article we outline the basic equipment every hill walker needs:

In this article we’ve listed the ideal range of hill walking items so you can head out with everything you might need.

We take a look at what clothing to wear when hill walking, and how to layer it to stay warm, dry and comfortable in cold and wet conditions.

A list of retailers and organisations who can help you re-use, repair or recycle your old or unwanted clothing and outdoor kit.

Boots are a big investment, look after them and they will look after your feet for years to come. Here are our tips to keep your boots in top condition.

Whilst emergencies are a rare occurrence in the hills, there are a few pieces of equipment that can make a massive difference if they do happen. 

As the world’s garment manufacturing industry moves to a more sustainable business model, what we’re wearing in the hills in three years time will be very different to today’s unsustainable, un-recyclable, polluting garments, predicts Mike Parsons from the Outdoor Gear Coach. But why is change needed? And what is going to happen? Mike explains in this article.

In National Walking month this May we’ve teamed up with BMC Official Retail Partner Cotswold Outdoor to bring you all the info and advice you need to care for and repair your favourite pair of walking boots. Not only does this save you money, it also saves the environment - the less we consume and throw away, the better. 

BMC member Madalin Cristea, known as Cris, from Romania, has become the first person to summit both Aconcagua and Kilimanjaro from sea level and back again. He is currently attempting to be the first person ever to climb up and down each of the world’s seven summits (the highest mountain on each continent) from sea level - climbing every metre of the mountains up and down.

BMC member Wayne Andrews from Bettws, South Wales has started a hill walking group for people who suffer with their mental health or an addiction, called Forever In The Hills.

This May is National Walking month, so to celebrate the power of a good old stomp around the UK’s countryside, nine of the BMC staff have shared their favourite hike. From fossil-hunting in the Peak District and airy Scottish scrambling to the Via Alpina in Switzerland, one of these is bound to tickle your fancy this spring or summer. Better still, with the BMC collaborations with Komoot and HotelPlanner, you can plan and navigate your route and find your accommodation for your trip for less!

Outdoor writer and photographer Chris Townsend presents this series of hill walking how-to films. In this episode Chris shows you how to use walking poles.

We interview one of the most popular takeovers of the BMC's Instagram, Amira the Wanderlust.

Why do we need groups like Black Girls Hike? London regional leader of the group Oge Ejizu explains her love of the outdoors and why she joined. Article from Summit Magazine Autumn 2020.

Read on to discover more about slings, and what you can do with them to help you climb more safely.