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Hiking provides millions of people with a great deal of pleasure and a sense of adventure each year and ninety-nine percent of the time it is anything but hazardous. This said, people do get lost and have accidents every once in a while and it can then become a hazardous activity very fast if you are not prepared.

Here we look at are just 4 simple safety tips to ensure that your hiking trips don’t get you into difficulty.

Safety Tip No1 - Take a partner of friend along.

There’s really no need to worry about setting off by yourself if you are going for a short hike in a nearby area on easy terrain, but, if you are heading out into heavily forested wilderness areas with winding trails and steep canyons then the possibility of getting lost or suffering an injury becomes very real and you should think carefully about whether it is sensible to head out alone.

Taking a partner along has many advantages, especially if that individual is a seasoned hiker. Obviously, ‘two heads are better than one’ and if you do become lost or run into difficulty you’re far less likely to panic if you have somebody with you to help solve the problem.

Safety Tip No 2 - Make sure that somebody knows where you are going.

If you are new to hiking then you should certainly stick to clearly marked and well traveled trails and should not start to stray from these trails to explore until you have some experience and have had an opportunity to learn and practice the basics of map reading and compass work. However, it will not take you too long before you’re ready to try some more adventurous routes and the likelihood of getting injured or lost will arise.

As a result, you should always let someone know where you’re going and when you plan to return so that they can dispatch a search party if you don’t return when expected.

Safety Tip No 3 - Take along some basic equipment.

It’s essential to carry a basic survival kit with you and your local hiking club will give you advice on the items which this should include. What we’re looking at here are things like a lighter and matches, a good knife, a first aid kit and a flashlight.

It is also a good idea to take a map and compass along and a fully charged cell phone.

Safety Tip No 4 - Take some basic provisions with you.

Water or other fluids like sports drinks are clearly essential as you can lose a great deal of fluid even over a short period of time on a hot day. You should remember however that water is bulky, so take along enough but not too much. Do not forget though that you must not drink from local streams as natural water sources might appear to be inviting but they are often loaded with bacteria and might make you sick very quickly.

Also do not forget to take along enough food to last you. There’s no pleasure in being hungry out on the trail but don’t forget that you can last a good deal longer without food than you can without water.