Wear suitable clothes, and take some replacement clothes in case you get drenched. Don't wear jeans, as these do not dry very fast once they are wet. A waterproof jacket and overtrousers, headgear and gloves are essential, even if it looks like a sunny day in prospect.

Take your spare clothes and some provisions in a backpack. You might also want to take a torch, a first aid kit, and a whistle up there with you in your rucksack.

Ahead of your trek, plan your journey and work out how long it's going to take, and then check the forecast for the day's weather. If it's not looking good then it might be worth choosing a less high-altitude route.

Mobile phones can be extremely helpful in emergency situations, or when it comes to letting people know that you will be back later than expected. However, you should never rely on being able to use a mobile phone in the hills, and avoid doing anything that you wouldn't do if you didn't have the phone with you. If you have no phone reception or no mobile phone at all, the universally recognised distress signal is six blasts on a whistle or flashes of a light at one-minute intervals.

Never walk alone in the hills unless there are lots of walkers near you. Be careful about foot placement, as there are plenty of things to trip, slip, or twist your ankle on amidst the mixed terrain of the hills. Take extra care on steep descents and around streams and rivers.

Let a friend or relative know where you are going and what time you will be back, and if you are not likely to see them, phone them to let them know that you got home safely.

Consider joining a hillwalking club which provides training for its members or attend a course in mountain skills. It will greatly improve your ability to enjoy hillwalking in relative safety.

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