Hiking provides millions of people with a great deal of pleasure and a sense of adventure each year and 99% of the time it is anything but hazardous. But, people do have accidents and get lost every now and a again and it can then become a very hazardous activity very fast if you are not prepared.

Below are just 4 basic hiking safety tips to ensure that your hiking trips don't get you into trouble.

Safety Tip No1 - Think about taking a partner of friend along with you.

You don't need to worry about setting off alone if you are taking a short hike in a local area on easy terrain, however, if you are hiking through heavily wooded wilderness areas with winding trails and steep canyons then the likelihood of becoming lost or sustaining injury becomes very real and you should think carefully about whether or not it is to head out on your own.

Having a partner or friend along can have many advantages, especially if that individual is an experienced hiker. After all, 'two heads are always better than one' and if you do get lost or get into trouble you're a lot less likely to panic if you have somebody with you to help solve the problem.

Safety Tip No 2 - Make sure that someone knows where you are going.

If you are a novice hiker then you should certainly stick to clearly marked and well traveled trails and ought not to stray from these trails to explore until you have gained some experience and have mastered map reading skills and know how to read a compass. However, it will not be too long before you are ready to try some more adventurous trails and the likelihood of getting injured or lost will arise.

Consequently, you should always tell somebody where you are going and when you plan to return so that a search party can be dispatched if you don't return when expected.

Safety Tip No 3 - Ensure that you take along some basic equipment.

In addition to as a sound pair of hiking boots and sensible clothing it's essential that you have a basic survival kit with you and the local hiking club will give you advice on the items that this should include, as well as giving you advice on basic emergency first aid steps. What we are talking about here are such things as a lighter and matches, a good knife, a first aid kit and a flashlight with fresh batteries.

It's also a good idea to take a map and compass with you together with a fully charged cell phone.

Safety Tip No 4 - Take some basic provisions along.

Water or other fluids like sports drinks are essential as you can lose fluid very fast even over a couple of hours on a hot day. You should note though that water is heavy, so take along enough but not too much. Remember though that you ought not to drink from local streams as natural water sources may appear to be inviting but they are often heavily loaded with bacteria and could make you sick very quickly.

Also do not forget to take sufficient food to last you. It is no fun to be hungry while you are out hiking but do not forget that you can last a good deal longer without food than without water.