Wading

If you walk along marked trails, there are most often bridges over the rivers and streams that would have otherwise required risky wading. If you walk outside the trails, it is sometimes necessary to wade over bodies of water. Wading always entails some risk.

You can yourself do quite a lot to reduce the risks and avoid unnecessary accidents:

• Look for a fordable place where the body of water is wide and shallow. The current is the weakest there.
• Do not wade into the water if it is moving quickly and reaches above the knee.
• Wade at an angle against the current.
• Never wade barefoot. You can slip on rocks or injure your feet. Use “wading shoes”, such as a pair of light gym shoes or teva sandals.
• Have the waste belt and chest strap of your backpack unfastened. If you fall in the water, you have to be able to quickly take off your backpack.
• A wading stick is a good support. Get one before you begin the outing.
• Wade one at a time. Do not walk closely together so that it gets crowded and causes waits in the water.