Paul Besley And "1001 Walking Tips"
Posted by Jeremy Windsor on Apr 19, 2022
Having served for many years as a volunteer ranger for the Peak District National Park and member of Woodhead Mountain Rescue, Paul Besley has a wealth of outdoor experience to share. Thankfully, he's distilled this into a fantastic new book. "1001 Walking Tips" is designed to, "help you move from the garden to the mountaintop" and covers all you need to know about gear, clothing and navigation, as well as providing advice on the many challenges faced by walkers across a range of different environments. Whilst the book is pitched perfectly at those who are taking their first steps in the outdoors, it also offers experienced walkers plenty to consider. Paul will be sharing his experience at our “Hill Walking And Mental Health Day”. But ahead of that, I caught up with Paul to find out more about the book...
Thanks Paul for answering my questions. Can I start by asking you what was the impetus behind the book? Did you find keeping to the format - more than a 1000 short entries - a challenge?
The impetus for the book came from the first lockdown, when we were restricted in movement. Suddenly, everyone was finding local walks, finding that the beautiful countryside was on the other side of the front door, and not a car journey away. I posted something on social media about the joys of getting out locally, even exploring the streets around your own locale. Jon Barton asked me to write 1001 Walking Tips after the success of Andy Kirkpatrick's 1001 Climbing tips, it seemed a natural progression. It also seemed very timely. People who had never walked before, found they liked it and wanted to do more.
There was also some very negative things on social media about people not having the right gear, should not have been where they were, needed to stay away and leave the hills to more experienced people. And, that is something that I find incredibly unhelpful and just plain wrong. I think we need to be encouraging people, be much more inclusive, help educate people to see the joy of being outdoors and how to do that safely. The basic premise of the book was to let people see how they could go from their front door as a novice and reach the top of a mountain as an experienced walker.
Along with showing people what they could achieve by relating my own personal experience we have also being able to show how getting outdoors helps and improves both physical and mental health. These have taken a huge battering in the last two years and people are desperate for release and relief, and I hope this book helps them get that.
Paul Besley and Scout enjoying their work!
Keeping to the format of 1001 Tips was a little daunting at first, after all as one post on social media put it, 'place on foot in front of the other. The end.' Which of course it is, but it's much more than that. As in anything, the more you put in the more you get out. I once walked with someone who was terrified of having to walk up a big hill, could they do it, would they be scared, would people laugh, would they be condemned. We took our time, got to the top including a little scramble. The look on their face when they saw the view, realised what they had achieved was something I will never forget. Two years later they made it to the summit of Kilimanjaro. You cannot beat a story like that. They knew nothing when they started.
Breaking down skill, gear, techniques, knowledge, fitness, experience into 1001 tips became easy when I remembered how that person became a mountaineer.
Was it difficult to narrow it down to 1001? Were there any tips that narrowly missed the cut or, those that have come to you now that the book has been published?
There is always going to be something that gets left out. I tried to show a progression and that inevitably leads to things being put to one side. Technology also moves fast and that can make a book instantly out of date. So we tried to keep to basic principles as these tend not to move. I think gear was an area that we paired down, particularly camping, as that is a whole topic in itself. Of course recently, travel abroad has changed significantly with passes and long waits, and access changing all the time. So, we tried to steer a clear path through that particular section and keep very much to basics, you won't find any Covid details in there for instance.
I was out walking yesterday and a friend had a pack that stored the walking poles for easy access and this seemed like a great idea, so gear is the thing that is the biggest change agent.
All in all I think we did pretty well, there was nothing I think we should have had in that we didn't manage to include.
Tip 207 - Never ever use Google Earth or Google Maps or any such application to navigate in remote places with. It will not end well. Save these apps for going to the shops...
You write with a wonderful dry humour - rarely does a tip goes by without eliciting a smile or even a laugh out loud moment (rare in an instructional book!). Two of my particular favourites are, "The waterproof outer shell is essentially a piece of plastic designed to keep the rain from wetting you through. And therein lies the problem..." and when considering underwear, "Ditch the natural cheese cutters. Wear technical fabric underwear that has room and no seams". Did you set out to keep the book lighthearted?
I didn't want the book to be a technical manual that would put people off, particularly those new to walking. I have always believed that the more we can dispense with technical insider jargon the better it is for everyone. Keeping the book light hearted helped in this. But it also made it easier to absorb and let people see that even with years of experience this doesn't have to be a heavy subject, after all we just want to get out walking and enjoy ourselves. And it's also a way of getting over some of the more finer points, that may be a little hard to describe in a technical language.
Your book has lots to offer both beginners and experienced walkers alike. Was it difficult to write something for everyone?
No, it wasn't, because we want to take people on a journey from the sofa to the hilltop. The book builds empirically, so we don't start by scaling Ben Nevis, we start by saying what the most important things are, like telling someone where you are going and when you will be back, Tip1!
Tip 788 - Map cases around the neck aren't much use in strong winds - in fact, they can be a negative influence, with the case trying to strangle you and poke the eye of anyone who gets near. Having a map pocket in the leg of waterproof over-trousers, one that has a flap covering the closure, is a really good idea. Keeping the map in a waterproof clear bag will protect it from the rain...
You and your dog Scout are joining us in June for our Hill Walking and Mental Health Day. At one point in your book you recommend, "Say hello. Smile. It's good for you". Can you tell us why walking can play such an important part in maintaining good mental health?
Our lives today are full of things we cannot control, pressures from all quarters. It can be an overwhelming environment for everyone. Walking is low cost, easy to do, and available anytime. Even 15 minutes of walking in a lunch break can take people out of a work environment to recharge. I think our lives today have become heavily slanted against the individual and their needs so finding something that is just for us is such an important aspect of a healthy life. To be in an environment that has beauty and interest and where we can control how long we stay, where we go, at what pace we move at, these I think are incredibly important. I am of an age now where many of my contemporaries are reaching the ends of their working life, but many say to me, 'just a few more years, then I will have enough money to be able to retire and spend years doing what I want.' And, I always think, 'how do they know they will reach that point, and why not enjoy life now.' I think society places value on the wrong things, cars, houses, career. When it should be health and contentment.
In your introduction you say, "If you have an overwhelming desire to throw out some negativity go to TL3270823552". Have you been to Shout's Wood? How did you find it?
I used to work down in Stevenage for a few days a month and to escape during summer evenings I would explore the local countryside and found the wood by following a footpath. The name always stuck with me, I expected to find people in there shouting, but I never did!
Thanks Paul!
"1001 Walking Tips" is a beautifully designed and illustrated book with a wonderful collection of photos. Paul's text is insightful and often very funny - I would strongly recommend it! Copies can be bought here.
Paul will be taking part in our "Hill Walking and Mental Health Day" on Monday 13th June in Hathersage. Why not join us? Details can be found here.
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