spinner

Hiking checklist

Find useful information that you can use for your next outing in Nidwalden.

Are you ready for the mountain?

Careful planning and preparation protects you from surprises. Pay attention to the following points when planning:

  • Date, getting there, coming back
  • Distance, altitude and elevation gain/loss - Plan tours (on smartphone or tablet)
  • Route category (lowland, mountain or alpine)
  • Start, end, stopovers, breaks
  • Food
  • Weather
  • Equipment
  • Local conditions (suckler cows, ticks)
  • Fellow hikers: mobile phone numbers, experience and fitness
  • Route conditions: closed/diverted sections

Optimal equipment and provisions

Equipment

  • Sturdy hiking boots with track soles
  • Sun and rain protection, warm clothing
  • Map
  • First aid kit
  • Mobile phone

Drinking and thirst quenchers

Rule of thumb: drink a quarter of a litre every half hour while walking, even if you’re not thirsty.

  • Tap water or still mineral water
  • Unsweetened fruit or herbal tea
  • Bouillon
  • Milk-based soft drinks, e.g. whey
  • Fruit juices, half diluted with water
  • Isotonic beverages

Food for strength and endurance

Foods rich in carbohydrates are highly recommended:

  • Oats or wholemeal bread for breakfast
  • Fruit, bananas and energy bars as a snack
  • Pasta dishes as a main meal
  • Cereals, pulses, poultry, cheese, egg or fish
  • Low-fat dairy products

Waymarking

Lowland footpaths

Yellow signposts, rhombuses and directional arrows.

Mountain footpaths

Yellow signposts with white-red-white tip, white-red-white markings.

Alpine trails

Blue signposts with white-blue-white tip, white-blue-white markings.

SwitzerlandMobility routes

Green signposts with a single digit (national route), two digits (regional route) or three digits / logo (local route).

Forest etiquette