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Hiking time estimator

A Naismith-style estimate in which both constants are your inputs rather than a Victorian assumption, so it can be calibrated against walks you have actually done.

The question this answers: “How long will this route take me — not an average walker, me?”

Add up every climb, not just the summit height.

Naismith assumed 5. Most people with a pack on rough ground are nearer 3.5–4.

Naismith's figure is 10. Raise it if you find hills hard or carry a heavy pack.

Result

Estimated total time
5h 30m
Including 45 minutes of stops.
Moving time
4h 45m
Time attributable to ascent
1h 15m
About 26% of the moving time.

Worth knowing about this answer

  • An estimate, and an optimistic one. Naismith-style rules assume reasonable ground and a walker who does not slow down. Wind, wet rock, deep heather, a heavy pack, a group, and the last two hours of a long day all cost more time than this accounts for.
  • Calibrate it. Time two or three walks you have actually done, adjust the flat speed and the ascent penalty until the estimate matches, and then trust it. Your own figures beat any published average.
Show the working
  1. Flat time14km ÷ 4km/h3h 30m
  2. Ascent time750m ÷ 100 × 10min1h 15m
  3. Plus stops285min + 45min5h 30m

Estimated total time: 5h 30m. Moving time: 4h 45m. Time attributable to ascent: 1h 15m

How it works

Distance divided by flat speed, plus a fixed penalty per 100m of ascent, plus stops. The structure is Naismith’s rule; the difference is that the two constants are supplied by the walker rather than assumed.

What it assumes

  • Reasonable ground and consistent effort. Naismith assumed a fit walker on decent terrain and no deterioration over the day.
  • Both constants are yours rather than ours. The tool asks for your flat speed and your ascent penalty precisely because a published average describes nobody, and the figures only become reliable once calibrated against walks you have actually done.

Where it stops being reliable

  • It takes no account of wind, wet rock, deep vegetation, snow, pack weight, group size or afternoon fatigue, all of which cost time.
  • It does not tell you whether a route is safe or within your capability. Time is one input to that judgement; conditions on the day are most of the rest.

Runs entirely in your browser — nothing you type is sent anywhere. Last reviewed 2026-08-14. More on Hiking.