10 beginner hiking mistakes and how to avoid them

The Pezoparea team · Updated 4 November 2026 · 6 min read

The most common beginner hiking mistakes are new boots, cotton clothes, too little water, picking an outing beyond your level and starting too fast. Most are fixed before you leave home: choose the right grade, check the weather, carry enough water and tell someone where you're going.

What are the 10 most common beginner mistakes?

1. Brand-new boots on your first outing. Blisters by lunchtime. Break them in on walks around town first, and put on a plaster at the first hot spot, not once the blister has burst.
2. Cotton clothes and no rain jacket. Wet cotton chills you at the first break. Wear synthetic layers and always carry a windproof shell.
3. The wrong difficulty grade. The Hellenic Rescue Team (EOD) advises against overestimating your abilities. Start with “Easy” and step up once you finish comfortably.
4. Not checking the weather. Mountain weather can change within minutes. Check the forecast for the mountain, not the city.
5. Too little water. Carry at least 1.5 L and sip regularly, before you feel thirsty. Take more in summer.
6. Starting too fast. An enthusiastic first 20–30 minutes uphill drains you for the rest of the day. Walk at a pace where you can still talk.
7. Not eating. Small snacks every hour or two keep your energy steady. Don't wait for the summit to eat.
8. A heavy or wrong backpack. A shoulder bag or city tote wears you out. Use a 20–30 L daypack with a hip belt and only the essentials.
9. Leaving the group. Don't overtake the leader or drop behind the sweeper at the back. If you need to stop, say so.
10. Nobody knows where you are. Tell someone who isn't coming your route and return time, keep your phone charged and remember that 112 is the emergency number in Greece.

How do I choose the right difficulty grade?

Check the numbers in the organizer's programme: distance, walking hours (ΩΠ) and elevation gain (ΥΔ), meaning how many metres you climb in total. Clubs also give a difficulty grade (ΒΔ) next to them. For a first outing, stay under 10 km, 500 m of ascent and 5 hours. Every Greek club uses its own grading scale, so Pezoparea maps them onto four levels.

How much water and food do I need?

For an easy day outing in spring or autumn, 1.5 L of water is the minimum. In summer, or with a lot of climbing, take 2–3 L plus something salty. Don't rely on springs: many dry up in the Greek summer. For food, nuts, bars, fruit and a sandwich do the job.

Pack your bag and charge your phone the night before. Coaches leave early, and whatever you forget, you forget at 6 a.m.

What do I do if I get lost or hurt?

On an organized outing, the leader and the sweeper take charge. If you end up alone, stay where you are: the more you move, the bigger the area rescuers have to search. Call 112 while you still have daylight and battery, and put on all your layers while you wait.