Walking With A Carrier; Tips and Targets
- Nick Stone: Hill Skills
- Dec 17, 2021
- 5 min read
Don't let the fact that the little ones can't yet manage a mountain stop you. Strap them on your back and make like a donkey up hill and down dale! Ee-Oor's a few tips to make it easier on everyone, and a few routes to tackle too.
Why use a carrier?
Walking with kids is a constantly evolving thing. Judging how far to venture, and how well they'll cope is really tricky. The carrier should be seen as a tool for increasing your possibilities in the hills. It will obviously enable you to get out before they can walk at all, but it will also let you plan bigger walks when they're toddling, as you can throw them on your back and set off.
Practicalities
Its' bloody hard work climbing a mountain with a human on your back. If that human is a bit grumpy, fidgety, noisy, sneezy etc then its doubly hard! A few things can help with this;
Get a good fit; Fit the carrier to your back as you would a big rucksack. Make sure its the right size for you, and adjust everything to fine tune it. Some good sales advice on this is a great idea, so try a few on in good independent retailers with staff who know what they're on about. Remember, there are 2 of you to consider here, so make sure the seat part is adjusted to suit the child, and that the straps fit well. The side compression straps will stop the child moving back and forth too much which really can throw off your centre of gravity, so make sure these are snug - obviously not so tight that the passenger is squeezed. The stirrups found on some models offer added comfort to the child, but make sure they're not so short that they can actually stand up (and escape).
Loading up; Sliding nipper into the carrier is a 2 person job for sure. One of you needs to take the weight whilst the other guides the feet through the seat. This also helps to ensure that all those layers of clothing don't ride up and come untucked around the little one's back, as this will be uncomfortable and ineffective on a colder day. Top Tip; If loading up goes badly and the child gets pissed off, it can literally ruin the walk! Make this part quick, smooth and fun, and you'll be away. You should also then use the second person to assist in the lifting onto your back to avoid a heavy twisting disc-slipping disaster. You also need to watch the whole thing doesn't tip up before its lifted onto your back, a face plant into a puddle will mean it's game over before you've even started.
Customer Services; You're laying on the service, so it's your responsibility to make it a pleasant journey. Here are a few little things to help keep complaints to a minimum; a) Depending on the size of child, and how snotty they are, its a good idea to fold up a nice soft blanket and tuck it into the pack in front of their face. This stops any hard bits touching them, and also saves you having to jet-wash the carrier after every use. b) A compact make up mirror tucked away in the hip belt is really useful to keep an eye on them - flip it open and use like a rear-view mirror to see if they're in a good position, or check if they've nodded off. c) Let them out for a run at regular intervals, as this will keep them more comfortable and warm.
Get out there!
Here's a few of Lakeland's finest family hikes to consider if your still getting used to your new role as Packhorse!
1. Binsey
The thing about walking with a carrier, is that it dictates where you can go to a degree - it limits your list of potential conquests. But I say, turn this on it's head and use the time spent strapped to the front of another person to tick off a few less obvious objectives.
Binsey is not ever likely to be seen with a queue of mountaineers at its base, but on a sunny warm day, with a decent picnic and your new carrier to try out, it's a great place to be. Separated from the other fells, it offers a new perspective too, so give it a go. If things go a bit sideways with the carrier, you can always just pick up the unhappy free-loader and tuck them under your arm farmer-with-lamb style. No rock, no precipices, no stress.
Distance; 3.5km.
Height; 447M
Terrain; Farm tracks onto open fell, good paths all day.
Time; 3-4 hrs
Parking; Layby on A591 at grid ref NY207354.
Mapping; OS, OL4 or Harveys 1;40k
Extra info; Care needed initially crossing the busy road.
2. Lords Seat & Barf
Poking above the trees of the plantations, grand old Lords Seat holds a commanding position among the fells north of the Whinlatter pass. The pyramidal summit rises above the surrounding ground, and becks flow outward in all directions. Neighbouring Barf turns a broad, steep face of rock towards the world, challenging us walkers to dare set foot! The curious Bishop of Barf, faithfully maintained by the locals in his shimmering white apparel, invites us in from on high. This route avoids the Bishop, and heads into the woods where our long but gentle loop takes us from tree lined foresters track, out on to open fell, then back under canopy cover as we head for home.
An ideal walk when time is on your side and the cloud is low over the higher fells. With no steep bits and good paths throughout, this is also suitable for carriers.
Distance; 8.6km.
Height; 552M
Terrain; Forest tracks onto open fell, good paths all day.
Time; 4-5 hrs
Parking; Pay& display, whinlatter visitor centre, loads of space.
Mapping; OS, OL4 or Harveys 1;40k
Extra info; Toilet, cafe, shop, play area, Go-Ape, and loads more going on at the centre. Don't be tempted to take any shortcuts along the clearly marked mountain bike runs, those boys and girls do not hang around!
3. Walla Crag
Low elevation - big views, that's what this walk is all about. Easily accessible from Keswick, this route takes a stroll on the rough fellside heading south at first with the whole of Borrowdale in front of you, before turning at the beautiful Ashness bridge and heading uphill steadily to the top of the impressive crags. Lunch on top with big views of the Skiddaw massif, and Catbells reflecting on awesome Derwentwater.
Distance; 6.8km.
Height; 379M
Terrain; Typical mountain paths, muddy and stony, care needed with footing in places.
Time; 4-5 hrs
Parking; Great wood NTrust car park. Free for members.
Mapping; OS, OL4 or Harveys 1;40k
Final Thoughts
We used our carrier for both our children over a period of about 6 years. Although I wouldn't say I miss loading it into the car for every trip north, it was a great bit of kit, and one that opened up lots of small and medium hills to us as a family.
They do have their limitations, being heavy and cumbersome, so my main advice is to keep it simple and short with regards to route choice.
You need to also be careful with the weather (as always in the mountains) as stationary kids being carried will get cold quickly on anything but a warm day, and if the heavens open, the rain covers are of limited use.
Above we have looked at reaching actual Wainwright summits, but bear in mind, these things are also great for valley walks, beach walks, even pottering around Keswick! Worth the investment in my view, and very resalable - Bring on the Donkey work!
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