7. Food: You need to formulate a good plan for getting food! Many people simply opt for leaving a cooker and some flasks with the driver so they have a supply of hot water, then eat instant meals, soups, tea, coffee, etc., supplemented with sandwishes, cold pasta, crisps, nuts, fruit, energy bars, etc. Others opt to make use of the chip shop, McDonnalds, motorway services, etc., en-route. You will need a lot of water, especially during the summer if the weather is warm, and we suggest around 5 litres per person. Supplies can be purchased from the Morrisons or Tesco Metro in Fort William.

6. Group Safety: Leave your driver with a list of contact details, and emergency contacts for each walker. They should know your intended routes and any summit ETA's, plus the time you should arrive back at the vehicle. Agree a plan of action should you not return by a certain time, and if no contact between the group/driver is possible. A mixture of mobile phones and VHF radios can help maintain contact - just remember that batteries do fail, signals are lost, and radios have lots of 'dead' spots. Any group should have enough first aid, safety and emergency equipment to remain 'comfortably' on the mountain for at least a few hours during night-time.

3. Get The Right Equipment: Our seasons now are only determined by the temperature of the rain! You need clothing and equipment for all weathers - just select what you need on the day. It is very possible to encounter sub-zero temperatures and near arctic conditions on Ben Nevis on Saturday, heavy rain and high winds during the night at Scafell Pike, then hot and dry conditions to finish with on Snowdon. Take plenty of fresh base layers, underwear and socks, and something comfortable to travel in. Walking boots are essential - don't even think about training shoes. You should always have a bivvy bag, some extra food, and a head torch with spare batteries in your rucksack, even if you expect to finish in daylight. A full kit list can be found here.