Hill walking in winter: do I need crampons?

At the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), we’re passionate about helping walkers, hikers, and mountaineers get the most out of their time in the great outdoors. Whether you’re setting off on a relaxed countryside ramble or tackling a challenging mountain route, having the right gear is essential for safety, comfort, and enjoyment.

WCS is back for 2025 with a jam-packed roster of creative coaching workshops, inspiring speakers and thought-provoking focus talks.

With the theme of this year's International Mountain Day, Wed 11 Dec, being “Mountain solutions for a sustainable future – innovation, adaptation and youth”, we share our 11 top tips for upping your winter game from the experts, speaking at three universities as part of the BMC Winter Lecture Series this year.

All the tips on how to move from indoor climbing to outdoor climbing

Scrambling in winter is a step up in every way: here are some tips from the pros for getting it right.

Here’s your heads-up to some of the most common winter walking mistakes and how to steer clear of them.

Now is the prime time to plan your winter adventures. To help you explore the British mountains over winter, we have chosen six stunning winter ridges to guarantee a grand day out.

A series of guides to some of the most popular scrambles in England, Scotland and Wales.

Here's what you need to think about when moving together for scrambling and climbing

The BMC Incident and Near Miss reporting system helps to promote reflection and effect behavioural change to reduce the potential for future incidents.

Robbie Blackhall-Miles, the Vascular Plants Officer for Wales at the wild plant and fungi conservation charity Plant Life, sat down with Tom Carrick, the BMC’s Welsh Access Officer, to discuss the significance of the BMC Winter Monitoring System.

It's no easy feat, but with a little advice, organisation, knowledge and determination, climbing the Wainwrights is doable for almost anyone. This beginner-friendly guide aims to teach you about the fells and how to plan for and complete them.

Chris Townsend's top tips on getting the most out of a long-distance adventure, plus three week-long route ideas for beginners, offering a mix of nature, history, solitude and challenge.

Here's a run down of the essentials of using micro gear when climbing

Snowdonia-based fell running guides Sarah and Ian Ridgway share their top 10 tips for beginner fell runners.

Are you a hill walker wanting to tackle steeper terrain, but nervous about heights? Don’t panic – there are steps you can take to fight the fear.

How to choose an ice axe for your next winter adventure

In this guide, we share tips to help you navigate your way back to safety in the event of a whiteout.

A common and false perception of abseiling is that it is an adventure activity that is completely safe. But accidents do occur even in controlled circumstances.

Here's how winter climbing grades work.

The health and well being benefits of physical activity are numerous. Apart from the obvious physical benefits, there are many mental health and social perks to hillwalking and climbing too.

Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor Rob Johnson explains the essentials of choosing and using your first ice axe and crampons for winter mountaineering.

Scrambling is sometimes described as the middle ground between walking and climbing - and for the higher grades in particular, you’ll need some basic climbing skills. Here's our guide to staying safe on the rock.

The mountains at night can be hazardous, but also wonderful. Here are a handful of helpful tips for exploring the dark side.

The best way to prepare yourself for the hills is to get out in the hills. But what if you can only get out once a month? Running guide Sarah Ridgway reveals her secrets to staying fast.

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

Here are a few of the most gruelling, exhausting, rewarding and brilliant challenge walks Britain has to offer.

Sarah Stirling lists five of the easiest Munros for beginner hikers to bag!

Friction blisters on the feet are a common and potentially serious complication of hiking or hillwalking and other outdoor activities. This guide explains how to prevent and treat blisters accordingly.

Are you brave enough for our top five hardest black ski runs in Europe? Ski on - if you dare.

We've totted up a few fun facts and some trail trivia about this iconic route, including some surprising statistics that are guaranteed to earn you points at the next pub quiz. Read on for everything you need to know about this pioneering path...

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.

Forget ghost stories and horror movies - a simple walk in the story-stuffed British wilds is the best way to get your skin crawling.

Do you carry a first aid kit in the mountains? We take a look at the essentials for any mountaineering first aid kit and how to use them.

From the serious to the seriously funny, Greg Boswell, Uisdean Hawthorn, Ross Hewitt and other experienced Scottish winter climbers offer their top advice - on what NOT to do.

Mountains have always meant more to humanity than just lumps of rock. We take a look at five summits with mysterious, magical or mythological significance.

Climb grade 5 outdoor sport routes, but want to progress? How do you start pushing your comfort zone, and what should you focus on?

Many people will have visited the summit of Great Gable in the Lake District and looked at the bronze plaque close to the summit commemorating FRCC members killed in World War One. This plaque was unveiled 100 years ago this year, on 8 June 1924, so this year, the FRCC held a commemorative meet with members staying at their huts in Wasdale, Borrowdale and Buttermere. This was attended by the BMC’s Hill Walking Rep Steve Charles and Lakes Area Rep Ron Kenyon, who sent this fascinating report of the day’s events and the history of the plaque.

It helps you cope at work, 'heals' your brain, makes you more creative and it could even be better for you than running. Here are six ways walking could be more powerful than you realise.

Diversity conversations in the outdoors can’t leave anyone out. At ESEA Outdoors UK we’re celebrating the fact that East and Southeast Asian people go outdoors too, in spite of historical erasure and lack of representation in outdoors media. Here’s what you need to know: