Don't Forget Your Berghaus Vulcan
It's wintertime in the Northern Hemisphere. For some people that means staying indoors by a cosy fire, with a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea. But for others, it's the best time of the year to get outside and enjoy all that nature has to offer. For winter enthusiasts, this time of year offers amazing opportunities for trekking, skiing, mountain climbing, and all sorts of other activities. It's also a great time to travel to the mountains if you're a city dweller like me.
One of the best places in all of Great Britain to enjoy winter is the Scottish Highlands. The region attracts thousands of hikers and climbers every winter to marvel at the majestic mountains in all their snow-capped glory. If you're planning a winter trip to the Highlands, and you've never been before, just make sure you're prepared with all the right equipment. Scottish winters can be severe and you don't want get caught unprepared.
Assuming you'll be staying in a hotel and merely taking day trips to the mountains, you won't need any camping gear. But you will need some warm berghaus jackets, hat, gloves, and winter boots. You'll also want some heavy shirts and sweaters so that you can dress in layers. Dressing in layers is vitally important for trekking outdoors in the winter, because as your body perspires and puts off heat, you need to remove layers in order to prevent hypothermia.
You'll also want a rucksack to carry some extra clothing, food, and emergency medical supplies. Personally, I recommend the Berghaus Vulcan rucksack. It's a bit more expensive than some other models, but for my money it's worth it. It's a military-grade rucksack built on the Cyclops frame and made of textured nylon, with two side pockets ideal for my medical supplies.
For a day trip to the mountains you might be wondering, “Why the recommendation for the rucksack?” If that's the case, you've never visited the Highlands in the winter. The fact is, you never know when the weather will change; or perhaps you have accident, leaving you stranded in the middle of nowhere until someone realizes you're gone. Even if that's just a couple of hours, you'll need food and water, a way to stay warm, and who knows what else if you've sustained an injury. Never go trekking anywhere without rucksack filled with some essential supplies.
You'll also want snowshoes and ski poles for deep snow, as well as some Berghaus gaiters. Finally, you'll want a dark pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from snow blindness, which can occur after an extended amount of time looking at snow in the open wilderness. It can be debilitating, and it can happen even on a gloomy day.