6 Tips for a walking holiday

Northumberland is thought of as one of the best places for walking within the country. It is known for it's wide variety of footpaths, bridle paths and accommodations for both, the extensive network of footpaths criss-cross through open country, wooded areas, farmlands, towns and villages. There are not too many places you can't get to by walking in Northumberland.
If you are not used to doing a lot of walking, you will want to take the shorter, easier walks, ones that tend to be mostly flat lands and with the ability to stop someplace if the need arises. Taking longer paths can tire you out before you reach your destination, causing you to have to stop for a prolonged period of time in an unplanned area.
Bring a cell phone with you when you walk. You can never tell what might happen while you're out walking. Tripping and falling can be a big problem should you do it out of range of someone else's vision and you are not able to get up from your fall. A cell phone will ensure that you have communication in order to get help for yourself.
Wear comfortable shoes. That doesn't mean go out and buy a new pair of walking shoes. It means wear shoes that you already have broken in and your feet are comfortable and supported in. New shoes can feel wonderful for the first part of your walking trip and then begin to hurt your feet more and more as you become more tired. You don't want to get to the point where you're walking barefoot in the wilderness because your new shoes don't fit your feet quite as well as you thought they did when you started out.
If you are walking alone, let someone know where you are going and approximately when you expect to be there. With this precaution, someone will know that something has happened if you don't arrive by the specified time or within reason after the specified time. They will be able to retrace your path and find you should you be incapacitated in some way and unable to use your cell phone.
Dress reasonably for the amount of time you intend to be out. If you are taking a long walk and the day is warm but the nights are cold, you may want to dress for the warm but carry a sweater or coat in case it gets cold while you are still out walking.
Bring some water with you. Even if you believe you will be out for a very limited period of time, it is a good idea to bring water with you if you are going to be out of site of civilization for any period of time. This way, you won't suffer any level of dehydration.

This article was written by Tom Sangers on behalf of Northumberland Cottages who offer Holiday Cottages Northumbria