Hiking Time Calculator (Naismith's Rule)
How long a hill walk will take from its distance and total climb, using Naismith's rule, with your own pace if you know it.
Results
Walking time — hours
3
h
Walking time — minutes
44
min
Walking time in decimal hours
3.73
h
Equivalent distance on the flat
18.7
km
The dashed line marks the value you entered.
What this tool does
William Naismith's 1892 rule for Scottish hills is still the basis of most route planning: an hour for every 5 km of distance plus an hour for every 600 m of climbing. A route of 12 km with 800 m of ascent comes out at about 3 h 45 min of walking. It does not include stops, and it assumes a fit walker on reasonable paths; rough ground, heavy packs, groups and steep descents all take longer, so adjust the two speeds to your own experience and leave a margin for daylight and weather.
Formula
time = distance ÷ 5 km/h + climb ÷ 600 m/h (Naismith's rule)
Variables
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit |
|---|---|---|
dk | Distance | km |
ac | Total climb | m |
sp | Walking speed on the flat | km/h |
cr | Climb rate | m/h |
H | Walking time — hours | h |
M | Walking time — minutes | min |
HD | Walking time in decimal hours | h |
FE | Equivalent distance on the flat | km |
Worked example
- Distance12 km
- Total climb800 m
- Walking speed on the flat5 km/h
- Climb rate600 m/h
- Walking time — hours3 h
- Walking time — minutes44 min
- Walking time in decimal hours3.73 h
- Equivalent distance on the flat18.7 km
Limitations
- The result is an estimate based only on the values you type. Real situations often include factors this calculator does not know about.
- The default values are typical reference figures, not measurements of your situation. Replace them with your own data whenever you have it.