MOUNTAIN LOG HIKER EXTRAORDINAIRE 73 But don’t they get soaked on the bogs? “They can do; and if they do, I take them off and dry my socks. I use 1,000 Mile Anklet Socks – these dry out quickly – and I put on a fresh pair every day, so I won’t get blisters.” Does he bring a first-aid kit? “Yes, mostly for my feet, to prevent blisters. I use Compeed gel on my ankles and toes to reduce friction and prevent chafing. If I do get a blister or sore, I put on Compeed, plus a dressing. I’ve a Swiss army knife, a tiny one, the smallest available, for cutting plasters and dressings, for my feet mainly. I have tweezers too, for pulling thorns out of my feet. “Foot care is really important. When I stop for a coffee break in the morning, I find somewhere with water. I need to be efficient with my time, so I use this break to take my shoes and socks off and bathe my feet, to refresh them.” Does he ever take a dip in a lake beside a campsite? “No, I don’t have time for that. My focus is completely on the hike.” A TYPICAL DAY Aidan breaks camp early, setting the alarm clock on his phone for 5.30am. He has some breakfast bars, Belvita biscuits, and prepares a High 5 Sports Nutrition energy drink to take with him in a 500ml HydraPak SkyFlask water bottle. He often prepares it the night before. If taking water directly from a stream, he purifies it with a chlorine dioxide tablet. “I need to avoid catching a bug; it would put my entire hike at risk.” He is on his way by 6.00am and, after 20km, stops to brew a coffee, using a Nescafé sachet. He snacks all day on protein bars and chocolate bars. “I need a lot of carbs, I need 5,000 calories a day,” he explains. He has his main meal at the end of the day; usually a bowl of risotto rice with mushroom sauce, to which he adds a sachet of tuna. He boils it in a titanium pot – he hands it to me so I can feel how light it is – on an MSR Pictured this page: Aidan on the summit of Drung Hill (640m) in the Glenbeigh horseshoe, Iveragh Peninsula, Co Kerry, on June 16th, 2024. This photo was taken on day 45 of his Vandeleur-Lynam Mountains through-hike. Photo: Aidan Ennis
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