How do you get ready for a multi-day walk?

A multi-day walk is one of the most satisfying holidays there is: a line across a map, a different bed each night, and the slow realisation that you walked from there to here. It also exposes every small problem, from a sock seam to an overpacked bag, because you meet it again every morning. Preparation is mostly about finding those problems at home.

Build up to back-to-back days

A single long walk tells you something. Two or three days in a row tell you much more.

• Start with what you already walk and lengthen it gradually over the weeks before the trip.
• Do at least one weekend of consecutive days, with a rest night in between, at roughly the distance and terrain you are planning.
• Include hills if your route has them. Going downhill for an hour is very different from going down the stairs at work.
• Carry the pack you will use, loaded as it will be.

Do not worry about matching the full trip in training. The point is to find out how your feet, shoulders and spirit feel on day two.

Pack light

Every extra item is carried every step. Lay everything out, then remove a third.

• Clothes: walking clothes you wash in the evening, one dry set for the evening, warm and waterproof layers. Choose things that dry overnight.
• Feet: your broken-in boots or shoes and a couple of pairs of good socks.
• Essentials: water, snacks, a map and a way to navigate, a small first-aid kit, sun protection, a head torch, phone and charger.
• Luggage transfer: on some popular routes, local services move bags between overnight stops. It turns a backpacking trip into a day-pack walk.

Our guide to carrying a heavy backpack comfortably covers fitting and packing.

Look after your feet

Feet decide multi-day walks. Small things become big things over several days.

• Walk in your boots or shoes before you go, so they are properly broken in.
• Stop at the first sign of a hot spot. A minute with a plaster saves days of misery.
• Keep feet dry: change socks at lunch if they are damp.
• Air your feet at breaks and in the evening.

Our page on avoiding blisters on a long walk goes into more detail.

Pacing

• Start slower than feels necessary. The first hour sets the tone for the day.
• Plan modest days, especially at the start. A day you can walk at an easy pace with long stops is a holiday; a day you have to race is a test.
• Build in breaks, including a long lunch, which on an Italian route should be a matter of principle.
• Plan a short day or a rest day on longer trips.
• Walk at the slowest person's pace if you are in a group.

Weather, route and safety

The UK's AdventureSmart campaign frames preparation as three questions: do you have the knowledge and skills for the day, do you know what the weather will do, and do you have the right kit to keep you warm and dry. It suggests picking routes within your ability and finding a guide or instructor if you want to go further.

In practice:

• Check the forecast each day and be ready to change or shorten your plans.
• Know your escape routes, such as roads, villages and bus stops along the way.
• Tell someone your plan and roughly when you expect to arrive.
• In the mountains, follow the advice of local guides, rifugio managers and park authorities, and check conditions before setting off. Our page on rifugi and hut-to-hut walks has more on walking in the Italian mountains.