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Main Boards => General Walking Discussion => Topic started by: pauldawes on 08:05:53, 11/02/19

Title: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: pauldawes on 08:05:53, 11/02/19
For first time for many years am thinking about going out of UK to do some walking trips.


Thinking of making first one a short break to Eire...close, English speaking, but gets me used to using passport again, navigating through airport, check I've not become allergic to planes, etc.


Any really basic tips. welcome on best way to organise foreign solo walking holidays??


And one specific question to start with...do small rucksacks (say 20 to 35l) usually go through hand luggage??
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: buryman on 08:38:50, 11/02/19
 Small rucksacks fine in cabin but beware of leaving your favourite penknife in it. Walking poles not permitted.

Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: Owen on 09:04:16, 11/02/19
You don't need a passport for Eire.
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: pauldawes on 10:22:55, 11/02/19
Small rucksacks fine in cabin but beware of leaving your favourite penknife in it. Walking poles not permitted.


As it happens, both items I don't usually take on short walking breaks.


I was looking very quickly at acceptable items...and not even sure a disposable safety razor acceptable.
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: pauldawes on 10:30:06, 11/02/19
You don't need a passport for Eire.


Lol..laughing at myself.


I did go on a coach ferry trip to Eire with a mate about 6 years ago...and think we did take passports, and got a feeling we used them once or twice...but i guess just because they are acceptable photo id, and other stuff would have been acceptable
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: jimbob on 11:05:22, 11/02/19
I bought a cheap rucksack zip up holdall style cover bag, less than a tenner. My Exos and sticks went into that and I checked it in. No problems. It would have been too large for hand luggage and I advise that you keep all straps out of the reach of airport machinery and handlers.
There are many items on the forum about routes in Europe.
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: richardh1905 on 16:50:14, 11/02/19
You don't need a passport for Eire.



Might do after 29th March  :(
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: pauldawes on 17:16:20, 11/02/19

Might do after 29th March  :(


When I double checked potential phone roaming charges (really is a long time since I ventured) out of country...mobile phone company said same.


But will be back in England before 29th March...


Though was thinking of going to a Greek island maybe in May, to get back into swing of travel abroad.
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: harland on 17:33:43, 11/02/19
The following Which article is very informative:-

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/mobile-phone-providers/article/eu-roaming-and-international-calls-explained
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: gunwharfman on 18:49:59, 11/02/19
I've hiked in a couple of countries in Europe, especially France, for a number of years. Never had a problem. I just ensure I have my back and forth tickets and of course my passport. My travel insurance is paid for by my monthly current account charge, I think a good deal, £10 a month for travel insurance abroad and AA car cover in UK.

I have an Osprey Exos 48. I pack everything inside the rucksack, including poles and when I take it to go in the hold I reverse the hip strap and pull it tight then tighten every other strap.

Being older helps me I think, I am always treated well by all of the nationalities I meet. I make use of buses if I need to, trains as well. Hitchhiking can be a bit hit and miss, not so good if the driver and I cannot communicate.

I only seem to have a problem when I need to cross Paris, I'm not so good at understanding their Metro layout.

So easy to follow a French long distance hiking route, just look for little horizontal red and white paint flashes on rocks, walls, lamposts, trees and so on. If you see a red and white cross along your router, don't go that way. Actual signs are used when two or more footpaths cross over each other, I find it hard to get lost with their system. One small thing, easy to make an error, if after a long days footpath walking, to forget that the traffic is on the other side of the road when you need to cross or walk along tarmac.

I camp and will tend to look for municipal sites first, they tend to be cheap, the more commercial sites designed for static caravan and tents tend to be fairly expensive. Apart from these few items hiking is the same as here.
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: happyhiker on 00:02:09, 12/02/19
I bought a proper rucksack but made sure it was within the measurements to count as hand luggage. All my walking gear, including poles, penknives etc go in my case in the hold. On the flight,the rucksack holds the electricals, usually the jumper I needed in UK and whatever for the flight.


My walking abroad has been in Spain, Canaries, France, New Zealand Madeira and Azores. Never had any problems walking anywhere. France and Spain have well marked routes and the Canaries too. In France, the IGN maps are almost as good as OS. NZ has good maps.


As in UK, dogs can be an issue. Never been attacked yet although came close in Madeira when a huge beast came through the hedge round a house. Fortunately, the owner called it back!
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: richardh1905 on 08:14:48, 12/02/19

Can you give more details of what you are planning, Paul?


Roughly whereabouts in Ireland, will you hire a car, what sort of accommodation etc etc?
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: pauldawes on 15:40:57, 12/02/19
Can you give more details of what you are planning, Paul?


Roughly whereabouts in Ireland, will you hire a car, what sort of accommodation etc etc?


Of course. (Happy to give more details.)


The only reason I haven't so far is that by standards of our forum, my plan is fairly staid...when I read Gunwharfman's contribution to this thread, for example, my thought was "I wish I had that much get up and go".


Anyway, basic plan is to get to Dublin late afternoon Sunday, book into hotel, maybe do a few miles alongside Liffey...eat a big meal then have an early night.


Monday, get up early...go to start of Dublin Mountains way, probably using bud...and just do a segment of it. Maybe 10/12 miles in day to just get a feel for area.


Tuesday, maybe same sort of mileage in total...but maybe just mainly city based walks.


Wednesday...back home.


So...nothing technical,...really just a trip to build up confidence with getting used to going through airports and flying again. I've been stuck in a rut, albeit a pleasurable one. Time for a few changes.


Any ideas welcome..of course. (Will spend a couple of hours in library tomorrow having a look at maps/,guides, etc..so if that leads to any concrete ideas, will post further.)
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: richardh1905 on 17:03:53, 12/02/19

I've just had a look on the official Dublin Mountains website, looks like a pleasant way to spend a couple of days.


I do recommend Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains - a bit further South though, and I'm not sure what the public transport is like for a day trip from Dublin.
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: pauldawes on 17:30:57, 12/02/19
I've just had a look on the official Dublin Mountains website, looks like a pleasant way to spend a couple of days.


I do recommend Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains - a bit further South though, and I'm not sure what the public transport is like for a day trip from Dublin.


Easy for me to look into now you've steered me in direction of an interesting area.
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: Pitboot on 09:55:15, 13/02/19

As it happens, both items I don't usually take on short walking breaks.


I was looking very quickly at acceptable items...and not even sure a disposable safety razor acceptable.


I always carry a plastic disposable safety razor in my carry on baggage, never had a problem flying to Hungary, Spain, Romania, Portugal, you should be ok going to Eire.
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: vizzavona on 15:48:13, 13/02/19
Travel with  a Frenchwoman who can also get by with Italian and Spanish....takes all the strain of fumbling around in a foreign language and does 'open doors' on many occasions.
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: pauldawes on 16:16:40, 13/02/19
Travel with  a Frenchwoman who can also get by with Italian and Spanish....takes all the strain of fumbling around in a foreign language and does 'open doors' on many occasions.


Lol.


That sounds like wonderful advice...if only I could follow it....
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: pauldawes on 16:17:58, 13/02/19

I always carry a plastic disposable safety razor in my carry on baggage, never had a problem flying to Hungary, Spain, Romania, Portugal, you should be ok going to Eire.


I’ll pack a couple then, no hardship if I have to bin them at airport.
Title: Re: Basic Tips for walking Abroad?
Post by: Maggot on 18:11:05, 18/02/19
If you are taking a rucksack that is going in the hold, get a biggish rubble sack from a builders merchant.  Pop it in, remembering to put another one in for the journey home, and gaffa tape it up.  Keeps everything under control and lessens the chance of the straps getting caught and damaged.