Backpacks & Blisters (Second Edition)

About this board game

Backpacks & Blisters (Second Edition) is a Lakeland walking game for 1–6 players, designed for a 60-minute outing from the market town of Keswick.

Each rambler sets off in the morning with a pound in their pocket and four cards in hand. The day’s journey is made on foot, travelling uphill and down dale while managing the challenges that can slow a walk through the Lakeland landscape.

Money gives you options along the way. You can spend it on chocolate or refreshments, or pay for bus rides and ferry trips. These choices support the central challenge of getting around while keeping enough resources and cards to deal with the day.

• Begin in Keswick with one pound and four cards.
• Use money for refreshments, chocolate, bus rides, or ferry trips.
• Deal with blisters and a heavy rucksack that can hinder walking.
• Return to Keswick before six pm—or call mountain rescue.

Lunch and tea-time bring an additional pressure: the number of cards in hand is reduced. Blisters and the heavy rucksack can also hinder progress, making the timing of your return an important part of the walk.

The Second Edition adds Equipment Cards to the gameplay compared with the original 1993 game. It also includes a thick, full-colour gameboard, while a cloth map was offered as an extra Kickstarter reward.

With its market-town start, walking route, transport choices, changing hand size, and firm six-o’clock deadline, Backpacks & Blisters (Second Edition) presents a compact simulation of a day in the hills—ideal for the armchair rambler.