Walking several days in a row is very different from a day hike. You need a bed every night, you have to be able to buy food along the way, and at the end you want to get home again. With a good plan you can focus on the walking. Here's how.
1. Choose a route that suits you
Start with a well-known long-distance route, such as the Pieterpad in the Netherlands. These are well waymarked and have plenty of places to sleep and eat. Already have your own route, for example from Komoot or Strava? You can use it as a GPX file.
When choosing, think about:
- The length. How many days do you have? You don't have to walk a long route in one go: many people do a few days at a time.
- The landscape. Flat or hilly makes a big difference to how far you get each day.
- The season. In spring and autumn some campsites are closed; in summer it's busier.
2. Decide on your pace
How far you walk each day depends on your experience, your fitness and the terrain. For many hikers 15 to 25 kilometres a day is a comfortable distance, with time for breaks. New to multi-day hikes? Choose a few kilometres less: the second and third day are often harder than the first.
Count the climbing too. A day with a lot of ascent takes more time and energy than the same distance on flat ground.
3. Split the route around real places to stay
This is where it often goes wrong. You can split a route into neat equal stages, but then a day may end in the middle of a forest with no bed nearby. So start with the places to stay: where can you sleep, and which split fits your pace best?
Etaply does exactly that: choose your route and your pace, and the planner places the stages around real campsites, hostels, B&B's and hotels along the route.
4. Think about food and water
Check for each day where you can buy groceries. In the countryside supermarkets can be far apart, and small shops are often closed on Sundays. Know you have a long stretch without a shop? Bring food for the day. Also check whether there is a restaurant near your place to stay, or whether you need to cook yourself.
5. Book in time
In high season and at weekends, popular places along well-known routes fill up quickly. Book your nights a few weeks ahead. With small campsites and B&B's, check that they're open and that you're welcome for a single night.
6. Sort out getting there and back
On a multi-day trip you start and finish in different places. It's handy to start and end at a railway station. Coming by car? Park at the end point and take the train or bus to the start: when you arrive, your car is waiting. Or get dropped off and picked up.
7. Take your plan with you
Make sure you have your plan at hand along the way, even without signal. Put it on your phone or print it. And remember: a plan is a tool. Always follow the route's waymarks, and adjust your plan when the weather, your body or circumstances call for it.
Ready to plan?
Choose your route, set your pace and see in a few minutes where you can sleep each night. Plan your trip with Etaply, free and without an account.