So what is fastpacking?

We’re really excited to be putting together a couple of fastpacking journeys for our events diary next year.  But we know that not everyone has tried fastpacking before, or maybe you’ve not even heard of it!  So we wanted to help you decide whether fastpacking is for you.

What is fastpacking, in a nutshell?

The best way to describe fastpacking is like a cross between running and hiking.  It usually means a multi-day journey, undertaken on foot.  There aren’t any rules in fastpacking, so you can run, walk, or (most people) a mix of the two.  You can stay where you like, whether that’s hotels, B&Bs, bothies, campsites, or wild camping.  The idea is that by packing as light as possible you can move fast, covering more ground and seeing more fun stuff in a day than on a standard hiking trip.  For us, this will mean walking the uphills, and jogging the flats and the downs.  On all Into the Hills events we move at a comfortable pace for the slowest person in the group - you will never be left behind, or pressured to move faster than you are comfortable with.

What will the Into the Hills fastpacking trips involve?

We’re still pinning down the details, but we’re hoping to offer one two-day fastpack trip for beginners which will include a one-night stay, and a three- or four-day trip involving more nights.  All our trips will include indoors accommodation, which is likely to be a mixture of hostels, pubs and B&Bs, and we’ll journey through the central Lake District, starting and ending in places with public transport links and car parking options.  We’ll have the chance to eat breakfast and dinner at or close to our accommodation, so we’re carrying minimal weight on the hill.  Our trips will have an optional Zoom call beforehand, as a chance to meet the other participants, and find out more about our routes, accommodation and kit list.

Are there minimum requirements for fitness to join one of these trips?

We recommend that you’re comfortably running two days consecutively before joining a fastpack adventure.  These don’t need to be huge days, though - remember that our journey will involve plenty of hiking as well as running, and we’ll stop for food, chat and photos.  As a guide, we think that if you are running around 20-25 miles per week, and you could run (at an easy pace) for 2-3 hours two days in a row, you’ll be really comfortable on the beginner trip.  Bear in mind that doesn’t mean you need to be doing that regularly in your running - just that you could do it if you tried!  For the longer trips, you will need a bit more regular mileage, and perhaps to already know you are comfortable doing a single 5-6 hour journey in the hills.  For both of the trips, if you are a regular multi-day hiker who also runs, we think you’ll adapt perfectly to fastpacking.  Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re not sure - we’re always happy to have a chat about your personal experience and fitness, and advise on the event you’ll feel most comfortable on.

Do I need specific kit?

Not really!  A lot depends on how basic you are willing to go.  Jenny has done two-day fastpacking trips using just an 8-litre normal running vest.  For the longer trip, you might find you are more comfortable getting all the kit into a 20-30 litre pack.  There are great options from inov8, Montane, Ultimate Direction and OMM.  Some of these brands are more like running vests (stretchy, fit to the body) and others are a bit more like lightweight rucksacks - choose what you think will be most comfortable for you, although we recommend you try your pack on if you can. Here in the Lakes, we get our kit at Pete Bland, Kendal, The Climbers Shop, Ambleside, and Kong, Keswick.  Almost all the rest of the kit list is things you’ll already own.  Here’s Jenny’s packing list for a three-day adventure, staying in indoor accommodation.

• 30 litre UD FastpackHer pack

• La Sportiva Mutant shoes

• Running tights

• Running t-shirt

• Synthetic mid-layer e.g. thin fleece (we move slower fastpacking and need more layers)

• Running socks (one pair for the trip!)

• Running bra (one for the trip)

• Running pants (three pairs, one for each day)

• Waterproof running jacket and trousers

• Usual hill kit - emergency bivvy bag, first aid kit (including blister kit, paracetamol, dressings, tape, tick removal tool), whistle, gloves and hat or buff, headtorch (+other items depending on time of year and conditions)

• Enough running food for three days (personal preference, but things that won’t get squashed, broken or go bad work best)

• Water carrying capacity - 2 x 500ml bottles

• Water filter

• Mobile phone, running watch and battery pack

• Map and compass (Jenny always packs the physical items, but she might also use GPX files on her watch or on a handheld GPS unit)

• Pack liner and dry bags (freezer bags and carrier bags work too!)

• Clean running tights for evenings

• Clean t-shirt for evenings

• Clean socks for evenings (one pair)

• Synthetic mid-layer jacket or fleece (can be used during the day in emergencies and worn in the evenings)

• Two freezer bags (these go over your clean socks in your wet shoes in the evenings, so your feet stay dry!)

• Toothbrush and mini toothpaste

• Personal medication

• Contact lens solution and spare lenses

• Sanitary products if needed

• Weather dependent: sunglasses and mini suncream, midge repellent

• Phone and watch charging cables and 3-pin plug with two USB ports

• Books and TV/film downloaded onto phone

• Bank card, driving license and a bit of cash

You can see that this involves a bit of comfort with getting smelly!  Carrying a clean set of running kit for each day adds quite a lot of weight and size to your pack, and it doesn’t really make much difference once you’ve run in it again for a couple of hours, especially if everyone around you is in the same boat.  You’ll notice that Jenny’s kit also doesn’t include anything like shower gel or shampoo - she relies on places she is staying to have at least a bar of soap and a towel available, and hair washing can wait for three days.  This may sound a bit grubby, but we find it surprisingly liberating!

We hope the idea of fastpacking sounds fun - it's one of Jenny's favourite ways to move in the hills. Do drop us a line if you have any questions, and we look forward to journeying with you next year!