There is a particular kind of British mud. It is part peat, part clay, part leaf litter and — on the coast — part sand and salt. It clings to a boot in October and sets like terracotta by November. Left alone, it quietly works at the leather, drawing out the oils that keep it supple and grinding grit into every flex point. The good news is that leather is remarkably forgiving. Give it twenty minutes of attention after a muddy walk and it will keep looking after you for a decade or more.

Clean the Mud Off — But Not All at Once

There is a temptation to blast boots under the tap the moment you get home. Resist it. Soaking leather is worse than muddy leather, because water swells the fibres and pushes the natural oils around. Instead, work in stages.

• Let heavy mud dry for an hour or so in a cool, airy spot, then knock the worst off by tapping the soles together outside.
• Brush off what comes away easily with a stiff brush — a dedicated boot brush or an old nail brush for the awkward bits around the welt and the tongue gusset.
• Wipe the remainder with a barely damp cloth in lukewarm water. No washing-up liquid, no detergent, no fairy-liquid shortcuts. Detergents strip the oils that waterproofing depends on.
• Rinse the cloth often. You are lifting dirt away, not smearing it into the grain.

If mud has dried hard in the creases across the toe box, dampen it slightly and give it a few minutes to soften before brushing. Forcing it out of a dry crease is how you tear the leather surface.

Dry Them Slowly, Away from the Heat

This is the step most people get wrong, and it is the one that ruins boots fastest. Leather is skin. Blast it with heat and it shrinks, hardens and splits — usually at the flex point, right where you need it most.

Keep boots well away from radiators, woodburners, Agas, airing cupboards and heated boot dryers. Room temperature is plenty.

• Pull the insoles out and let them dry separately, flat.
• Stuff the boots with crumpled newspaper, loosely packed, so air can still move around inside. Change the paper when it feels damp — twice in the first few hours is normal after a soaking.
• Leave them on their sides so air circulates underneath, and undo the laces so the tongue and gusset can open up.
• Allow 24 to 48 hours. If the boots are still cold and clammy to the touch inside, they are not ready for the next walk, let alone a coat of wax.

Feed the Leather While It Is Still Slightly Damp

Once the mud is gone and the leather is back to a cool, dry-but-not-bone-dry feel, it is time to feed it. A little moisture in the leather helps a wax-based conditioner work into the grain rather than sitting on top of it.

Choose a wax-based product — a beeswax balm, a traditional dubbin, or a leather conditioner made for walking boots. Avoid anything that is mostly oil if your boots have a waterproof membrane, as too much oil over time can soften the leather and affect breathability.

• Warm the tin in your hands or stand it in warm water for a few minutes so it spreads easily.
• Use less than you think. A pea-sized amount per boot goes a long way. Two thin coats, worked in with a fingertip or a soft cloth, beat one thick layer every time.
• Pay attention to the seams, the flex creases and the welt — the places water gets in first.
• Leave overnight, then buff off any excess with a clean cloth.

Over-feeding is a real thing. If the leather feels tacky or clogged, you have used too much; wipe it back and leave it alone for a fortnight.

Seams, Laces and Small Repairs

While the boots are in front of you, do a two-minute inspection. Grit that gathers in the eyelets and around the stitching acts like sandpaper on the laces. Laces are cheap; a snapped lace halfway up a coastal path is not. Carry a spare pair.

Check the stitching along the welt and around the heel. If thread is fraying, a cobbler can usually re-stitch it for a modest sum — far cheaper than replacing boots that have another five winters in them. Scuffed toe caps can be touched in with a coloured wax if you care about appearance, though honest scuffs on a well-used boot are nothing to be ashamed of.

Coastal Salt, Pine Resin and Brambles

Woodland and coastal walking throw different problems at leather. Coastal spray leaves salt crystals that draw moisture into the leather and bloom as pale tide marks, so rinse boots in fresh water after every beach or estuary walk, then dry and feed as usual.

In the woods, pine resin and tree sap stick stubbornly to the grain. A dab of methylated spirits on a cloth will lift it — use it sparingly, then re-wax the area, as it will have stripped the finish. Bramble and gorse scratches are best left to wax: a good conditioner softens the edges of light scuffs and stops them drying into cracks.

A Seasonal Rhythm Worth Keeping

Little and often beats an annual rescue mission. Wipe and brush after every muddy walk, dry overnight away from heat, and feed your boots every few weeks through the wet months — more often if you are out daily. Come spring, give them a thorough clean, a proper coat of wax and a spell somewhere cool and dry, not a damp shed. Done this way, a pair of leather boots becomes a familiar companion: softening, darkening, moulding to your feet, and quietly getting better with every season.