Route Calculations
Naismith's Rule
The rule was devised in 1892 by W.W.Naismith a Scottish mountaineer as an aid to estimating the length of time it would take to walk a predefined walking route including ascents and descents
5km per hour plus 1/2 hour for every 300 metres of ascent
Corrections for short distances
going gently downhill - 10mins / 300m of descent
very steeply downhill + 10mins / 300m of descent
Please remember that if you are in a party the time should be calculated for the slowest person
If the total distance for a walk is 15km, the height climbed over the route is 250 m, and the decent over the route is 150 m
Time for distance travelled = 12 × 5 = 180 mins
Time for the accent = 250 ÷ 10 = 25 mins
Time for the decent = 150 ÷ 20 = 7.5 mins
Total time = 60 + 25 + 7.5 = 92.5mins = 3h 32.5 mins
Tranter's Corrections
Time taken to climb 300m in 800m | ||||||||||||||||
Individual fitness in minutes | Times taken in hours estimated using Naismith's Rule | |||||||||||||||
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | |
15 very fit | 1 | 1.5 | 2 | 2.25 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 6.75 | 7.75 | 10 | 12.5 | 14.5 | 17 | 19.5 | 22 | 24 |
20 | 1.25 | 2.25 | 3.25 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 7.75 | 8.75 | 10 | 12.5 | 15 | 17.5 | 20 | 23 | ||
25 | 1.5 | 3 | 4.25 | 5.5 | 7 | 8.5 | 10 | 11.5 | 13.25 | 15 | 17.5 | |||||
30 | 2 | 3.5 | 5 | 6.75 | 8.5 | 10.5 | 12.5 | 14.5 | Too much to be attempted | |||||||
40 | 2.75 | 4.25 | 5.75 | 7.5 | 9.5 | 11.5 | ||||||||||
50 unfit | 3.25 | 4.75 | 6.5 | 8.5 | ||||||||||||
Limit Line | ||||||||||||||||
The fitness level in the first column is the time it takes you to climb 300m in 800m and should be determined through a series of trials.
The following corrections to Tranter's Corrections should also be made for the following conditions
| 20kg load being carried | - drop one fitness level |
| Conditions underfoot | - drop one or more fitness levels according to conditions |
| Conditions overhead | - drop one level for journey at night or if wind is against you |
