Maybe people with slack thighs

“You don’t need sticks!” a British mountaineering friend announced

with a hint of scorn in his voice. We were reviewing pre-hike gear for a Lake District holiday. Able bodied adult hikers should wear stout boots, carry a small pack with food, water and gear for weather changes. And march upright with a stiff upper lip. Some veteran hikers view hiking poles as thin crutches. Maybe people with slack thighs, shakey ankles, weak knees or a creaky lower back should train in a gym first.