HIKING WITH YOUR CHILDREN

Introduction

Walking with children is very, very different from walking with
experienced adults.

Many city children nowadays have extremely limited experience of the
countryside. It can be very difficult to appreciate their point of view. 

They relish the unrestrained freedom and you may get surprising
reactions like shouting and throwing things around

The following assumes your youngest children are in the 9 – 12 age
bracket.  These are the ones who will set
the pace.

Before the hike.

The most important thing is safety. Just because you didn’t attain any
summits or even complete the planned route doesn’t mean you failed.

To paraphrase an old adage, there are three important things about
hiking with kids: planning, planning and planning.

 

1. Route

Plan a route with plenty of variety, plenty of escape routes and make
sure it is safe. Keep to tracks and paths.

If you are an experienced walker, expect a painfully slow pace

 

 Try to select a route with varied
landscape, in other words streams, lakes, forest as well as open countryside. A
manageable summit adds a sense of achievement. 
All the better if there is some distraction like stepping stones or a
bridge over a river to play Pooh-sticks for aficionados of Winnie-the-Pooh.

Start with gentle strolls well within their capability and build up to
longer walks.

 

Explain that walk will go ahead even if it rains: we are not going to
let a few drops of water get in the way of our enjoyment.

 

2. Time

Estimating the duration of your hike is essential.  When you know how long you will be out for,
you can bring the right amount of food and arrange to return before dark.

Children who are unused to hiking may take about 3 times as long as an
average adult to complete a hike.  In
other words, when you have worked out the time using Naismith’s formula,
multiply it by 3.

 

3. What to bring

Encourage each child to carry something. 

Get them involved in preparation. Maybe they can make biscuits or cakes
for the lunch stop.

 

hat (important I winter as most heat lost through head and in summer as
provide shade.)

gloves

raincoat

packed lunch

plenty of drink, water and diluted drinks rather than fizzy drinks

map

compass

first aid kit, v important.

whistle

 

4. A (carefully chosen) friend of your child.  They like one another’s company, it distracts
them from the drudgery of the walk and it gives you a break.  Maybe even bring the friend’s parents and you
can have some adult company too.

If you can’t persuade the other child’s parents to come along, remember
to get a telephone number of parent or guardian who is contactable during the
hike.

Give them your mobile number but, warn them that mobiles are not always
within range.   Ask if the child has any
relevant medical conditions and

give them an estimate of what time you’ll be home.

 

5. Leave a change of clothes in the car. 
Children will almost certainly get muddy and wet.

 

 

6. Anything else?

 Photocopy a section of map which
covers the area of the walk, laminate it and give it to them.  Maybe even let them lead a section.

 

What not to bring

Leave the dog at home.  There are
plenty of temptations for a dog in the countryside: sheep, goats and deer.  Goats and deer just might be able to fight
back and hurt your dog.  It’s in a dog’s
nature to chase sheep and there is nothing you can do to change that.

 

During the Hike

1. I start every hike with two announcements:  First and foremost “we all stick together”.  That means staying within earshot of
everyone.  If they are falling behind or
if they need attention then they just need to shout and someone will be able to
look after them.

Secondly, no litter.  Most of them
know that they don’t throw wrappings on the ground, but they need to be told
that even apple cores should be taken home.

2. If the route is a bit monotonous, a distraction like a group shelter
should provide a bit of entertainment.

Another distraction could be provided by a stove used to fry up some
sausages.

3. Reward them with a treat, like some chocolate, when they have
attained a summit.

Expect to take frequent breaks for snacks. If they become particularly
slow, a promise of something like an ice cream after the walk can perk them up.

4. Keeping count of the numbers on the hike is essential. One child can
easily wander off or get left behind. So an adult will be needed as a back
leader in a larger group.

 

After the hike.

Finish up in a coffee shop or get ice cream in a local shop.  This of course contributes to the local
economy and children deserve a reward for their efforts.

After the hike the children will need somewhere to change. I usually
take mine to the bathroom in café or hotel, which means leaving them
unsupervised.

 

 

Things that can go wrong

 

Sunburn.

Getting too cold.

Ticks. Ticks are small, blood sucking parasites who live on deer, birds
and other wild animals. When the deer brush by bushes, the tick gets on the
bush and waits for another parasite to pass by.

They are very difficult to find when they first latch on.  After a day or two of sucking your blood,
they get quite bloated and are easier to spot. 
Remove them carefully with a tweezers, being careful to remove the
head.  Ticks are about the only dangerous
animal you will encounter in the Irish countryside.  Why are they so dangerous?  Because they may carry Lyme disease. Lyme disease
is a bacterial infection and so can be treated with an antibiotic. The tick
needs to feed for at least 48 hours before transmitting the disease, so you
have plenty of time to find and remove them. 
That said, in all my years hiking I have never, ever heard of anyone
getting Lyme disease. The risk is higher in late spring or summer.

 

Tips and Tricks 

Use the computer to print out certificates and present one to each child
at the end of the hike.