Packing List
Go take a Hike
The cotswold way
THE COTSWOLD WAY PACKING LIST
As you may already know, the great British weather can be unpredictable which means that when planning this walk it is important to consider what you need to take with you. The right equipment will ensure that you are comfortable and make your Cotswold Walk much more enjoyable. The following list has been put together based on my own experience but I am sure that you will find other solutions will work equally well. It is important that you pack for you and no-one else.
Weight is obviously important. As a rough guideline, look at carrying no more than 10%-15% of your body weight. (not including food or water). Saying that I currently weigh 8st 9 (about 110 llbs) and my current base weight is around the 20 llb (9kg) mark!
For links to the products, click on the item name on the far left. (not affiliate links) – those marked with a * are core items to take
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Clothes
| Item Name | Price | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Hiking Shirt x 1 | £30-£80 | 181g | Craghoppers Nosilife Pro Women’s Long Sleeve Shirt (UPV protection and Insect Repellent) |
| Adventure Geek Technical T-Shirt x 1 | £12.00 | 0 | Adventure Geek Technical t-shirt |
| * Bra x 2 | 0 | Sports bras are not essential but will offer more support. | |
| * Runderwear (underwear) x 3 | c£15 | 2oz | I love this brand. Chafe-free, Breathable, moisture wicking, lightweight and durable. |
| * Walking Trousers x 2 | c£30 | 286g | I like the Craghoppers brand as they are excellent quality and reasonably priced (and the sunglasses wipe in the pocket is very handy!) |
| * Long Sleeve Base Layer x 1 | c£30 | 90.7g | Very important on TCW. I like the Under Armour gear for base layers. |
| * Windproof Jacket | £45.00 | 458g | This Craghoppers jacket is windproof, rain resistant and has the qualities of a down jacket but is super light and has its own stuff sack. |
| * Adventure Geek Women’s long sleeve ¼ zip top | £23.00 | 0 | An extra warm layer is essential on TCW. |
| * Gloves x 2 | 0 | Good quality gloves to keep those fingers warm on the escarpment. I have glove liners and a main pair of gloves | |
| * Buff | 0 | A buff has so many uses. I never leave home without mine! | |
| Adventure Geek Cap | £0.00 | 0 | A cap that has wicking features is essential. |
| * Beanie | 0 | ||
| * Liner Socks x 2 | £14.00 | 68g x 2 | After many liner sock experiments, I found that the Coolmax brand seems to work the best for me. |
| * Merino Wool Socks x 1 | £0.00 | 141g | Good quality hiking socks are expensive but so worth it! |
| * Waterproof Trousers | £6.00 | Inexpensive lightweight waterproof trousers. | |
Gear
| Item | Price | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Rucksack | £150.00 | 998g | Osprey are a highly recommended company for backpacks, however, I would always suggest getting your pack fitted properly by an outlet. |
| * Nordic Poles / Trekking Poles | £125.00 | 444g (pair) | Only get Nordic Poles if you have learned how to use them, otherwise consider trekking poles. Always get travel poles that can fold up inside your pack. |
| Sleep Sheet | £13.00 | 272g | I take my luxury sleep sheet (that was under £15) on all of my trips. They help prevent bed bugs which can appear even in the cleanest of hotels. |
| Starbucks Cup | £2.00 | 0 | Grab one of the recycled Starbucks cups from any Starbucks coffeehouse. They are super lightweight, have a lid and they are perfect for that early morning coffee. (As I am awake before most people!). |
| Trekking Umbrella | £45.00 | 295g | I love my lightweight trekking umbrella and it is another essential bit of gear for The Cotswold Way (or any trek where it may be very hot or very wet!). |
| Hydration Bladder | c£30 | 0 | Some form of water carrying system is essential. I use the Osprey Hydration bladder, but a simple water bottle is just as efficient. All water from the tap in the UK is clean, so no filter system is needed. |
| * Pack Rain Cover | £18.00 | 0 |
Please check to see if your rucksack comes with a rain cover already (mine was stored in the “brain” part of my pack). If you do not already have one, then most outdoor shops will supply. |
| Lightweight Gaiters | £20.00 | 2oz | I wear these gaiters on every single hike, even training hikes and parkruns on a Saturday morning. You simply wear them like socks. They are not waterproof, but they will keep debris from getting into your shoes. |
| Dry bags | from £10 | 0 | Dry bags are to keep your clothes and other items dry inside your pack. If you are intending on walking in England then be prepared for some wet weather! I use the Exped as they are good quality, but even large ziplock bags will do the job. |
| JetBoil | £100 | 399g | This small, compact cook system is extremely handy for my morning porridge, hot coffee and evening meals. It can be expensive if you are eating out every night. |
| £12.50 | 36g | A spoon, fork and spatula that have extra long handles so that you can reach the bottom of the pot easily. |
Tech
| Item | Price | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| * SmartPhone (iPhone 7) | 0 | I use my iphone as a Kindle, camera, navigation, and vlog recorder. (and much more!). | |
| Smooth Q Gimbal | £109 | 512g | Not essential for most people! I like to record good quality videos and the Smooth Q is a fabulous iPhone stabilizer which gives great looking videos. It also has power packck that lasts 12 hours and gives extra life for my iPhone. |
| * UK USB Plug | £15.00 | 191g | I like to use a plug that has at least four USB sockets, but that is due to having so many gadgets on the trail. For most people, a 2 plug USB socket adapter will be sufficient. |
| * Power Pack | £89.00 | 299g | The power pack also has a built-in charger for my Apple Watch and will charge my watch twelve times and my phone multiple times. You can’t go wrong with Belkin chargers. |
| * Charging Cable (long) | £13.00 | 50g | I always take a long cable with me as its nice to sit in bed and charge your phone whilst updating Facebook or your blog. (I have a 3m cable) |
| Polaroid Zip & Paper | £109. | 200g | A real luxury item but I use it every day to print my “photo of the day” which gets added to my journal. This little mini printer is light and syncronises with my iPhone. |
| Micro USB cable | Charges the Smooth Q and my Powerpack. | ||
| iPhone Earbuds | For a quick microphone when recording videos, and for listening to music, podcasts and audiobooks whilst on the trail. | ||
| Smart Lav Rode Microphone | £48.95 | 113g | A fab little iPhone microphone which is lightweight and gives excellent quality audio. |
| USB Stick for iPhone | £26.00 | 9g | I always keep this little dinky USB stick with me as it is great to have a backup for my videos and photos. There is nothing worse than running out of space on your phone and not being able to record videos or take any more pictures. |
| Booklight | £6.00 | 0 | For writing in my journal in the morning when everyone else is still asleep. You can pick up cheap ones at the local garage or fuel station. |
| Apple Watch | My everyday watch which records my mileage and of course tells the time! |
Toiletries & First Aid Kit
| Item | Price | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lush Shampoo Bar | c£6.00 | Lush shampoo bars are great for backpackers. Wash your body, hair and clothes with one bar. Tip – get a round bar, but a square tin! | |
| Toothbrush | No need to buy a special travel toothbrush. | ||
| Toothpaste | £3.00 | But I would buy a travel sized tube of toothpaste (or get tooth powder) | |
| Mini Hairbrush | £2.95 | Any cheap fold away hairbrush from a chemist or supermarket will be fine. | |
| Ladies things | No explanation needed. | ||
| Floss Sticks | I take a few floss sticks with me. I feel grubby if I have not flossed my teeth! | ||
| Blister Kit | My blister kit comprises of x 2 packs of Compeed, sewing kit, and a roll of moleskin tape and a few plasters. | ||
| Sudafed & Zovirax | I suffer from sinus pain and cold sores, so these items are a staple in my first aid kit. | ||
| iBrobrufen | Essential on any backpacking trip | ||
| Melatonin | I use Melatonin when I am having trouble sleeping, so it is always handy to keep in my rucksack. Unlike the USA you can not purchase this off the shelf in the UK, but you can buy it from Amazon. | ||
| Sun Cream | If you are travelling TWC from June to September then I would recommend taking suncream. | ||
| Nail Clippers | £3.80 | 18g | Travel nail clippers are another staple for the toiletry bag – all walkers should keep their mails short when on a trail otherwise you tend to get black toes which is not nice. |
| Razor | A personal choice, but i’m not one for hairy armpits! | ||
| Lipsil | Another staple in my toiletry bag. If it is very cold, or very hot then lipsel always comes in handy. | ||
| Hand Sanitizer | I have a travel hand sanitizer which is attached to the outside of my pack. | ||
| Toilet Roll | Camping loo roll or just packets of handy toilet tissue is great for nose wiping and if you get caught short on the trail. Always have a ziplock bag with you so that you can pack your rubbish and leave no trace. |
Misc
| Item | Price | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journal | £45.00 | I love to journal my thoughts and record my adventures in good old fashioned pen and paper (as well as printing a photo of the day). I have used the Medori journalling system for years and I love it. | |
| * Headtorch | I have numerous head torches and there are so many to chose from. | ||
| Sea to Summit Day Pack | £28.00 | 81g | I love this little backpack. It holds 20l and is extremely light. |
| * Guidebook / Map | If you do not use technology (GPS/Phone) to help with navigation, then I would suggest using the Kevin Reynolds Guidebook as the maps are great. The route along the Cotswold Way is a National Trail and well maintained, so it is unlikely that you will feel the need to consult a map, but it is worth having for peace of mind. | ||
| Micro towel | £6.00 | 240g | A micro towel is very handy on any trek. If you are staying at B&B’s or Pub’s then you may not need one, but if you are staying at a hostel then you probably will. It is worth checking with your accommodation. |
| Penknife | £18.00 | 59g | I find that I use a penknife to cut cheese more than anything else. If you have one with a corkscrew then you will soon become very popular on any trail! |
| Pen x 2 | Personal choice of pen | ||
| Pack of cards | Everyone loves a game of cards | ||
| Laundry Bag | £2.00 | I purchased this mini laundry bag from Decathlon in Spain, but you can get them in the UK. It’s just a luxury to separate your dirty clothes from your clean clothes. |
Essentials
| Item | Price | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Wallet | |||
| * Cash | There are limited places to get cash out on The Cotswold Way. Most places will accept cards / contactless payments. | ||
| * Itinerary / Accommodation details | |||
| * Walking boots | I use Salomon walking boots or trail runners. Please make sure that you have not purchased boots from the internet. Visit a store and get yourself fitted properly otherwise you will regret the purchase. | ||
| * Spare lightweight shoes | Shoes such as Tom shoes or crocs are a nice break from your walking boots in the evening. |
The above list includes many personal items that are really not essential on The Cotswold Way, but they certainly make my life on the trail more enjoyable. Items such as my journal, Smooth Q Gimbal and the Polariod Zip Printer are items that I would not expect other people to take with them. Any hike should be YOUR hike and no-one else’s. Some of the ultra-light backpackers will cringe at this list! Simply work through the list and decide what is right for you.
You will see that I did not include any camping gear. If you decide to stealth camp on The Cotswold Way then you will also need a lightweight tent (see below video), a sleeping bag suitable for English weather and a good quality sleeping pad.
Cool gadget
PS – Check out the integrated lighting system with this tent, it’s wicked.
The Cotswold Way Checklist
Download your free copy of my checklist above to check against when packing for your own adventure.