We've compiled a few tips on some things to bring with you if you're planning a holiday to Cornwall to do some walking.

Apart from the more obvious daysack, waterproofs, hat, sun cream and something to carry water, here are some of the perhaps less obvious things to consider:

Waterproof boots (even in summer)

The moors in Cornwall are like giant sponges and so springs run from them all year (hence all the holy wells). There are marshes in some places even during the hottest summers. Summer thunderstorms can also create puddles and well-trodden paths can get a bit muddy for a few days until the wind and sun dry them back out.

Wellies in winter and early spring

We have plenty of moo due to all that clotted cream, ice cream and cheese (Cathedral City cheddar is made here too). Once the ground softens after a couple of months of rain, the cows can churn up the surface of paths and create mud deeper than a walking boot. Normally by Easter the paths are starting to harden up again, though it varies a bit from year to year based on the amount of rain.

Secateurs in summer

A bramble can grow by 8cm in ONE DAY! Even with parish councils cutting some paths twice a year, the brambles will sneak back in between. Doing some snipping of vegetation as you go along will not only improve things for yourself but everyone that follows in your footsteps. It's a nice way of making a positive difference, leaving things slightly better than you found them, and proving that tourism can be a force for good.

Long trousers in summer

Nettles, thistles and brambles' peak growth is in June and July. Some will escape the parish council cutting so walking in shorts can be not-that-fun particularly in the more off-the-beaten track places where fewer other walkers will have trodden them down. Walking trousers with zip-off legs are a nifty "best of both worlds" but make sure the material is thick enough to fend off a nettle.

An external (USB) phone battery

You can pick one up from Amazon for around £20 that has getting on for 10 times the capacity of the phone's battery. Pop this in your rucksack and you'll never need worry about finding yourself in difficulty with a dead phone. You'll also have more than enough power to use your phone all day for walking maps, GPS etc.

The iWalk Cornwall app

At the risk of being a bit of a plug for our work, it's worth flagging this up as it's exclusive to Cornwall so unless it's been recommended by a local or you've used it on holiday in Cornwall before, you may not have come across it. If you're planning to do circular walks, it will remove a lot of the stress by keeping an eye on you during the walk, telling you when there is a direction to follow and warning you if you go off-route. You can find it by searching the App Store or Google Play for "iwalk cornwall" and you can read a few reviews there to get the gist. You can also use its built-in footpath issue reporting features as another way to make a positive difference during your holiday.

•  
•  
•  
•