How to plan a sunset walk (and other sunset adventures)

Are you a sunrise or a sunset person? I’m definitely a sunset person. And recently I ventured on my first solo sunset walk.

I’ve hit the hills at dusk before but always with others for company. Planning to tackle this adventure myself needed a little more planning. How long would it take me to reach the summit? When exactly was sunset and what time did I need to aim for? What do I need with me? Should I eat before or after?

I asked myself all the questions under the sun(set), packed my bags and had the most enchanting evening!

Sunset walk: A view from a hill summit with the sun setting on the right hand side beyond mountains and a river.

I’ll talk about my sunset hike throughout this post, so for reference, the adventure took about 2 hours total, was fairly local to my area and I walked it on a sunny mid-April evening.

Wanting to head out on a sunset walk too? I’ve put together this guide to help you plan for a safe and fun evening, with a few tips for other sunset adventures at the end.

Find out when sunset is + where you could watch it from

Naturally, for a sunset walk, the first thing you’ll need to find out is what time sunset is at. For my adventure, sunset was 20:28.

The next thought is where the best viewpoint would be. There’s not much point heading off on a hike that only has East-facing views when sunset is on the West. A summit will often be a winner as you’re more likely to have uninterrupted views than a lower level area.

Once you’ve picked the spot you want to witness sunset at, you can plan your route and when you need to leave. Give yourself plenty of time – you don’t want to arrive bang on sunset time. You want to get there earlier so you can watch the colours progress and actually have a chance to enjoy it! I’d recommend 30 minutes beforehand. But this will also depend on weather and temperature, and how long you’re willing to hang about.

What to wear on your sunset walk

Wear what you deem appropriate for the weather. For my sunset walk, I wore my usual spring/summer hiking getup: sports leggings, base layer top, light sport hoodie + hiking boots and socks.

It was sunny when I set off, so I wore my cap and sunglasses to start. But once the light dropped and the wind picked up at the summit, I was chilly. So the sunshine gear was swapped for a beanie and down jacket!

Be prepared for the temperature to change quickly, particularly around spring or autumn.

NB: A little shoutout to a couple small businesses that I bought my headwear from. I have no affiliation with either of these companies, but I like to shout about wonderful small businesses when I find them!

– Cap is from Yugen Explore, a travel company with a huge emphasis on community meetups
– Beanie is from Slab, a small Scottish surf brand who donate 10% of profits to The Wave Project Scotland

Safety + what to pack for your sunset walk

Your kit will likely consist of standard day hike items, from water to waterproofs, snacks to layers. But given the nature of a sunset walk, you’ll also want to prepare for cold spells and darkness, as well as plan for any time spent standing or sitting watching the sunset itself.

Here’s what I packed for my sunset walk:

Head torch (with full charge or full batteries!)
Warm jacket
Warm hat
Sunglasses
Sunhat
Warm Beanie
Down jacket
Navigational equipment (as I was local and on a well-marked hike I didn’t use much navigation, but I had both WalkHighlands directions and Komoot GPS route with me just in case. Use your own knowledge and judgement to determine the navigation tools needed for your walk)
Hydration bladder
First aid kit
Emergency blanket
A few snacks
Hot chocolate (pre-made at home in a thermal bottle)
A camping mug
Camera (I used my phone for most photos, then my GoPro for a timelapse)

Play it wise with the weather too. If the weather suggests rain is a potential or you’re headed up a fairly high hill where the weather is more eratic (such as a munro rather than a local small hill), take your waterproofs.

Safety is paramount, particularly when the light is fading. Vision can differ as twilight descends and there will be less fellow walkers on the trail. You never know when you could sprain an ankle. So make sure you have your first aid kit, emergency gear and extra snacks. And ideally tell a friend or family member where you’re headed.

Other sunset adventures

Maybe you don’t fancy a sunset walk or you’re don’t live somewhere that a sunset walk would be suitable. That’s okay – there are plenty of other sunset adventures you can experience! Some ideas are:

Sunset paddleboarding (a sunset SUP on a loch would be blissful)
Sunset beach walk (remember: West-facing if possible!)
Sunset kayaking
Sunset surfing
Sunset park picnic (e.g. in the local forest or park)
Sunset beach barbecue
Sunset cycle (e.g. along a beach boardwalk or city park)

Remember to choose adventures you’re comfortable with for your first sunset approach and make sure you have all the safety gear needed, particularly for watersports.

Final words: Enjoy your sunset walk (or sunset adventure)!

Take your time when you’re out on your sunset walk, breathe deep and enjoy the moment! Sunsets are stunning scenes of natural beauty. I always like to remember that all around the world people view sunsets. It’s one of the those natural phenomenons that can connect us to the rest of the world.

I’d love to see photos of your sunset walk, so connect with me on Instagram! And if you found this guide helpful and enjoy my blog, please let me know. I do this all for the joy of it, but if you wanted to contribute, I always appreciate a cup of coffee to fuel my writing 🙂