This might sound silly, but I’m not someone who enjoys hiking in hot weather.

I know plenty of people who absolutely thrive in it. Give them a blue sky, a long ridge and a warm forecast and they are already looking for the biggest route they can squeeze into the day. Me? I am usually looking at the forecast and wondering where I can go that will be cooler.

That doesn’t mean I spend all summer indoors. It means I plan differently. I look for woodland, gorges, streams, places with a wild swim, and routes where there is a realistic chance of cooling down. I carry more water than I think I will need and will always leave plenty of room to change my mind.

If you are newer to hiking, it is really easy to see a sunny forecast and assume it will make a walk easier. But a hot day can be hard work. You are still walking uphill, carrying a bag, trying to navigate and moving for hours at a time. The aim is not to prove you can push through it. It’s to have a nice day out and get home feeling like you want to do it again.

So what do you actually need to think about?

Start with the route, not the summit

I think something a lot of people don’t really consider is that a temperature on an app does not tell you how a route will feel.

For example, 22 degrees on a woodland path with a stream nearby might be lovely. The same temperature on an open ridge, across dry moorland or on a long rocky climb with no breeze can be completely draining. You are still walking uphill. You are still carrying a pack. But if the ground has been warming up for hours and there is nowhere sensible to stop in the shade it’s a completely different undertaking.

In line with this, when I am choosing a warm-weather route, I do not start by asking which summit I fancy. I start by looking for shade, water and an easy way to make the day smaller if needed. 

That is not to say you cannot go higher or do a big route when it is warm. But have a proper look at what is involved first. Where will you be at the hottest part of the day? Is there shade anywhere? Is the biggest climb early on, or will you be slogging uphill at two in the afternoon? Is there an easy way to shorten the route if you are having a bad time?

If you are just starting out, I would keep the plan smaller than you think you need to. Leave yourself plenty of room to walk slower, stop more and enjoy it. You can always add a little bit on if you feel great as it’s much harder to make an exposed walk shorter once you are already tired and thirsty.

What to wear when the sun is out

You do not need loads of fancy summer hiking kit, but the clothes you choose make a massive difference.

Light-coloured, loose clothing is always a good starting point. Dark colours can feel so much hotter in direct sun, and tight clothes are more likely to trap the heat closer to your skin as you sweat. 

A lightweight sun hoodie is one of my favourite things to wear on warm days. It keeps the sun off your shoulders and arms without needing to constantly put more sunscreen on every exposed bit of skin. I would still put sunscreen on anything uncovered, especially your face, ears, neck, hands and legs. Do not forget that wind and clouds can make you feel less hot while you are still getting a lot of sun exposure.

Take a hat. Honestly, just take one. A cap is fine, but a wider brim gives your face, ears and neck a bit more protection. Sunglasses are worth having too, particularly if you are spending the day on open ground or around water.

And yes, you still need your spare layer, especially if you’re in the mountains. A hot start does not guarantee a warm finish, and a breeze or a shower can make you cold surprisingly quickly once you stop moving.

Water and food need more thought than usual

There is no magic water amount that works for everyone. It depends on the heat, how long you are out, how exposed the route is, how hard you are working and whether you can refill safely.

For a typical day hike, I would see two litres as a sensible starting point in warm weather, then carry more if the route is long, exposed or remote. If you know there is nowhere reliable to refill, you need to take everything you will need with you. Water is heavy, which is annoying, but it is one of those things that is always worth the weight.

Try not to wait until you are desperately thirsty. Take regular sips as you walk, and keep an eye on how you are feeling. Dark, strong-smelling urine or not needing the toilet very often can both be signs you need to drink more.

I also always make sure I have extra snacks on hot days. You can lose your appetite a bit when you are warm, but your body is still working hard. Easy things you will actually want to eat are best. Salty snacks, fruit, sandwiches, sweets, whatever works for you. If you are sweating a lot for a long time, an electrolyte drink or rehydration sachet can be useful as well, but it is not a replacement for carrying enough water.

When I’m working with groups, ensuring I can get them extra water is always a priority when it is hot. I’ll also slow people down, encourage more breaks and make sure everyone is eating and drinking. It is much easier to prevent somebody getting unwell than it is to try to rapidly cool them down outdoors.

Keep your usual emergency kit

Warm weather does not mean leaving the sensible things at home.

I still take a map and compass, a charged phone and a power bank, first aid kit, head torch, waterproofs and a spare layer. If anything goes wrong, the fact it is sunny does not make it easier to sort out.

This is especially important if you are newer to hiking. It is very easy to feel relaxed because the weather looks nice, then get delayed, take a wrong turn or realise the path is much slower than expected. You do not want to be relying on the weather staying perfect or your phone battery lasting all day.

Before you go, check the forecast properly, including wind and any heat alerts. Check the local land manager, national park and fire service updates too. A route that was fine last weekend can have a closure, a fire restriction or a problem on the ground that changes the plan completely.

Know when to stop and cool down

Heat exhaustion is not something you want to be trying to manage halfway up a hill, but it crops up more often than I would like on the hills in the summer.

If you think you or someone you’re hiking with might be in the territory for heat related illnesses, look out for tiredness that feels out of proportion, dizziness, headache, nausea, cramps, heavy sweating, feeling very thirsty or skin becoming pale and clammy. Do not brush it off just because you are close to the summit or because everyone else seems fine.

If someone is showing multiple of these signs make sure you stop and get into shade or the coolest place you can find, even making a temporary shelter holding a spare jacket over someone can make a difference. You should also get the person to take off unnecessary layers, drink plenty of water, cool their skin with water and fan them if you can. Give it time for them to recover, but it’s probably best to call it a day at that point and slowly head back to your car. 

If someone has a very high temperature, hot skin that is not sweating, confusion, a fast heartbeat or breathing, a seizure, loses consciousness, or is still unwell after 30 minutes of cooling and fluids, treat it as an emergency and call 999. If you are unsure, it is always better to get advice than try to push through.

What to do if you see a fire

Unfortunately across Europe wildfires are becoming more and more common as summers get hotter and rain fails to arrive. Dry grass, heathland and moorland can catch fire frighteningly quickly.

If you’re heading out on a hot sunny day it should go without saying that lighting fires in the countryside, using disposable barbecues, or leaving any litter behind are not good ideas. All of these things increase the chance of a wildfire starting. 

If you see smoke, flames or an unattended fire, get yourself to a safe place away from the fire and smoke. Call 999 straight away and ask for the fire service. Do not assume somebody else has already done it, and do not try to tackle a wildfire yourself. Give the emergency services as much information as you can about where you are, the size of the fire and which direction it seems to be moving. Your map, the OS Maps app or what3words can all help you give a useful location. Then follow the advice you are given and stay away from the area.

The outdoors is never more accessible than on hot summer days, and so many people take advantage of the good weather to get out for the first time, or the millionth time, and rightly so, there are plenty of brilliant summer days to be had in the hills. I just will be the one looking for the trees, the water, a big hat and the quickest route to a wild swim instead.