Martin Hesp suggests places to explore when the sun shines bright to help keep you cool

Over the two decades I was writing a regular weekly walks article here in the Westcountry I was asked countless questions by readers - the most common of which was: "What's your favourite hike?" Impossible to answer.

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This region has some of the best walking routes to be found anywhere in Europe, so picking just one would be like trying to name your favourite piece of music. Too many to choose from. An embarrassment of riches.

The second most regular query concerned the weather. Not exactly surprising, as any region which protrudes out into a giant ocean will see a lot of it.

The first thing you reach for when taking about meteorology and outdoor pursuits is the well-known phrase coined by author and fell walker Alfred Wainwright: "There is no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing..."

So true. With one exception. A heatwave. It could be that dear old Wainwright, who died in 1991, was not exactly aux-fait with heatwaves. There weren't quite so many Met Office heat warnings during his lifetime of hiking over those tall, cool northerly Lake District hills.

You can purchase amazing gear to keep warm in icy conditions and there's plenty of stuff which will keep the rain out, but... Although you can buy excellent lightweight clothing capable of wicking sweat off your body, you cannot really do anything to keep life and soul comfortable and cool on a really hot and humid day.

Walking in the countryside on a lovely sunny day is a big temptation, but if it's going to be really hot there is only one remedy... Choose the right kind of location. Some places by their nature remain cooler than others. In the South West these can be rounded up in to four basic types: there's the airy ridge ramble, the coastal ridge ramble, the coastal clamber with a potential for some shade, and the foray into deep, cool forests.

Airy Ridge Rambles