I can’t begin to imagine how my mate must be feeling but he’s in my thoughts. Take care matey.

Hopefully my first attempts at embedding video don’t let me down.

Getting the sizing right
Good stick care begins the day you purchase your stick. Wander in to any store selling walking sticks and you’ll find a range mostly the same sort of size (generally around 35 – 36 inches). Now step back and look at the people in the store, not an average size amongst them I’ll bet. So the first thing to do is get a stick that suits your size, this reduces the risk of doing yourself some damage by using a stick that is too long or short and uncomfortable to carry, and you also run the risk of reducing the life of the stick.

A suitable ferrule
For those with a quizzical expression, a ferrule is the generic name for the ‘thing’ you use to cover and protect the end of your walking stick. The best, and most suitable ferrule, for you will be determined by the intended use of your stick. A rubber ferrule is by far the most common seen out and about and provides the best safety for those relying on their sticks to offer a high degree of support and stability. These will provide the best (and safest) grip on concrete and stone but will, from time to time, need replacing as they do wear down.

A metal ferrule (be that brass or even silver) provides the best degree of protection for the stick itself but obviously when pressure is applied on a wet surface has a greater tendency to slip. In my humble opinion the metal ferrule is the hardest wearing and most attractive finish to a stick, but isn’t always the most practical.

For the rugged outdoors person, why not finish your walking stick with an alpine spike, perfect for garnering greater purchase on soft ground while rambling out in the countryside, but practically useless in the city.

Caring for your walking stick
A well made stick should require only the minimum of effort to remain at its best. Simple soap and water will refresh the look of your cane after a hard days work, while an occasional coat of linseed oil will not only restore the gleam of your stick, but will provide a little extra coat of protection for a stick that has been long in service.

Repairing your stick
If your stick should become damaged it isn’t always necessary to replace the whole stick. A skilled stickmaker can often rescue the handle of a favoured stick and attach a new shaft, giving a new lease of life to a long treasured stick that is well past its best.

No matter how old or physically fit you are, whether you’re a walker, a rambler or a fully fledged hiker, the must have piece of equipment these days is a good hiking stick. Whenever you are out walking you’ll see all manner of people carrying all manner of sticks. This is because the hiking stick is very useful in all manner of situations. The stick can be a godsend when hiking hills or climbing as it provides that extra point of contact with the ground and offers a further degree of leverage as you work your way upwards. And once at the summit or the end of a good walk your stick provides a welcome rest and support for tired limbs and sore backs.

So you can see that the advantages to owning a hiking stick are clear, but just what stick to by? It seems the popular trend at the moment is towards the cheap, mass manufactured skiing poles, simple aluminium pipes with plastic handles. As a cheap and easy option this is certainly the way to go, and there is no doubt that they do an adequate job, but if I may state a personal opinion, in this arena (as in many others) I think traditional is best.

A simple carved or patterned wooden hiking stick can be not only functional but extremely attractive. Praise unlikely to be heaped upon your skiing pole. Opportunities abound to personalise your stick in all manner of ways while at the same maintaining a closer relationship to the land and environment your stick is aiding you to enjoy. Wooden sticks can provide just as much support as their man made counterparts and with the addition of an alpine spike to the end can be just as useful to the hill climber and adventurer. A wooden hiking stick, handmade by a craftsman, is a unique item that with a little care and attention will last a lifetime, and what’s more will provide a talking point for your friends and fellow walkers.

I’ve had my wooden hiking stick with me for a lot of years and as the seasons and terrains have changed my stick has changed with me. It may be looking a little weathered and beaten now, but then so am I.

I’ll also try and find a moment or two to recap the last 3 months although not a grat deal of anything happened. Does it ever?

In an effort to try my hand at some DIY SEO I’ve also published one or two articles at Ezine which I will republish on the blog as well. They are all stick related and pretty dry and really little more than an attempt to drive up my Google placement. Didn’t work!!