Leaping into 2018 feet first with Berghaus First Foot

3rd January 2018 1 Comment

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ‘first foot’ tradition goes back centuries throughout Scotland and northern Britain. Originally, it was claimed that a tall, dark haired stranger entering your house after the first stroke of midnight on January 1st (usually armed with coal, a coin, bread, salt, and a drink of some description) would bring you and your household luck for the year ahead. 

This year, Berghaus decided to add an adventurous twist to this and perhaps start a new tradition in the process! Instead of giving the title to the first person entering your home, they decided that in 2018, we should make our first-foot the person we first GetOutside with.

I love a new year’s day walk. It’s a chance to clear the cobwebs from Christmas and start a new year on the right foot, as it were.

And so, along with my mum and stepdad, I headed down to Portland Bill in Dorset for a walk along the coast path!

I love Portland, and if you’ve not been then it should definitely be on your list. The last time I was close to the Bill, I was sailing past, so it was great to get out for another walk, and we aimed for around 5 miles. You only get one ‘first foot’ a year so it had to count towards the annual mileage!

The lighthouse is your typical red and white striped one, the one we all drew as children! There have been lighthouses on Portland since the Roman times, due to the shallow reef and the tidal race, which was super choppy on the day we were there thanks to the inbound Storm Eleanor.

 

 

My first feet for 2018 – My Stepdad and Mum

 

Pulpit Rock is an artificial stack, left here in the 1870s after a natural arch was cut away by quarrymen and it was left as a quarrying relic. The large slab leaning against the main stack depicted an open bible leaning on a pulpit.
When we arrived it was pouring with rain, and as we got back to the car at the end of the walk it started again. For the time in between? We were blessed with blue skies and sunshine, but it was blowing an absolute hoolie.  I was thankful for my new Ridgemaster jacket which Berghaus kindly sent over. It’s designed for mountain walking, but thankfully with storm-level waterproof protection it stood up to the coastal rain and sea spray well also!

I’ve been using and wearing Berghaus kit since I was about 16/17 and my previous jacket is still as good as new. It’s been everywhere with me, from Snowdon to Mt Kilimanjaro. I find it to be great, solid and reliable kit and it’s never once let me down.In fact, my stepdad still ski’s in a Berghaus jacket he got a long, long time ago and that’s going strong too, so

I’m looking forward to taking my new Ridgemaster jacket out and about on some more outdoor adventures in 2018!

If you haven’t already, then get sharing your New Year’s Day walk photos using #BerghausFirstFoot

I definitely feel that I got the year off to a good start as I have so many outdoor adventures lined up!
​I think I’ve found a new tradition…

Who was your first foot in 2018? What adventures do you have planned?
​Let me know in the comments below!
* I was kindly sent this jacket by Berghaus but, as ever, all opinions are 100% honest!