American walking the C2C

[sussamb]

To avoid a very long days walking I made sure I had accommodation booked at the Lion Inn first then worked the rest of my accommodation from there.

Yes, Lion Inn is on my list!

[rural roamer]

Yes there are certain places you should think of booking up first. We couldn’t get into the
Lion Inn and ended up having to go to the Feversham Arms in Farndale. I think we didn’t book up until about March to walk in the September. Other places to bear in mind are Keld where there’s not much accommodation as you also have the Pennine Way crossing.  And if I remember rightly avoid Grasmere at a weekend as most places insisted on minimum 2 night bookings then.

[Steve922]

All this talk of having to book ultra-early makes me wonder about the cost of these places. According to the law of supply and demand, I'd imagine they're really expensive?

[sussamb]

Most are okay if you get in early and book the cheaper ones!  Some are expensive though.


I'm intending to book hostels where I can and cheapest b&b's where I can't 

[gunwharfman]

I had a memorable evening and overnight in the Lion inn. I arrived there, going towards the Lakes, in really thick fog and camped in the field next to the pub. Whilst I was having a meal and a pint, a male American commercial tomato grower, with a loud voice, was telling everyone around him about the trials and tribulations of the tomato industry in the USA. He was very entertaining, especially when he talked about how they choose which tomato type to use for ketchup. Everyone new about ketchup so we were all very attentive. I slept very well that night and in the morning it was still very foggy. I walked along the old railway route for miles and didn't see a thing or another person.

[gunwharfman]

I haven't used Google Earth for ages but did so again last night. The new version is so good! I spent over an hour just reminiscing over the routes, villages and towns that I've walked through, with a switch back and forth with Goggle Street maps for greater detail. It made my Sunday evening!

[Deolman]

I have used Mappx Qup for a number of years. It lets  you superimpose Google maps onto the OS map and follow your route.  The cursor on the map shows exactly where you are on your route. I have continued to use Quo despite downloading Base Camp as I find the mapping in Base Camp is not as clear as Quo.

[sussamb]

Mapping in BaseCamp depends on which maps you install, I have around 10 different map types installed on my PC ... some are clearer, more detailed than others.

[jimbob]

I wonder if it is about time to have a "Maps, GPS & Navigation" main board subject?

There is a huge amount of useful information coming into this forum which may be better suited in its very own main topic file.

Not a complaint or whinge, just an observation.

[Deolman]

Mapping in BaseCamp depends on which maps you install, I have around 10 different map types installed on my PC ... some are clearer, more detailed than others.

When I brought my Garmin GPS it was being sold with the full GB 1:50K OS mapping but I also purchased the full GB 1:25K mapping.  These are on an SD card installed in the GPS.  The maps in base camp give the appearance of being slightly out of focus unlike the sharp details of the mapping on QUO which are installed on my computer.

[KathyDahm]

If I could gently bring the discussion back to an "American walking the C2C", I'd like to ask what navigational guides I really will need to make the walk successfully. I'm not an experienced backpacker or hiker, although I've walked two Caminos, the Frances and the Portuguese from Porto, but they are both well way-marked and a guidebook was adequate. For the C2C, I'm a little worried about getting lost, in the Lake District especially. I hate to keep bringing up my advanced age (75 now, 76 in September when I plan to walk), but I confess to feeling a bit of trepidation thinking of walking in heavy fog or rain. All the discussion of GPS units and OS mapping leaves me feeling dizzy. Can I really do this?   

[sussamb]

Well you will need some navigational skills I'm afraid on most long distance walks, the C2C in particular as if I understand some reviews it's not that well way marked in places.

[sussamb]

When I brought my Garmin GPS it was being sold with the full GB 1:50K OS mapping but I also purchased the full GB 1:25K mapping.  These are on an SD card installed in the GPS.  The maps in base camp give the appearance of being slightly out of focus unlike the sharp details of the mapping on QUO which are installed on my computer.

The Garmin OS maps are raster maps, this means they are simply a copy of the paper map.  The further in you zoom they will blur, the 50K ones sooner than the 25K ones.  That's why I prefer to use free OSM mapping which is vector mapping, this stays sharp as you zoom in/out.

[harland]

I must admit to not being up with all the technical "stuff".  Whilst I have walked a number of the LDPs I rely on maps (copies of bits I need rather than the whole map) although I also have a SATMAP that usually sits in my rucksack in case of need.  To use Open Street Map (OSM) I know that I can use it on my computer at home but I presume this is something that can be used on other handheld devices.  As my phone doesn't even have an alarm clock on it I presume that "modern" phones with Internet access will, of course, work but are there any other devices that will e.g. can another GPS device be "programmed" to use OSM as well as the pre-programmed maps - I am sure that my SATMAP won't - or will it?

[rural roamer]

Sorry see next post, I accidentally clicked quote instead of modify. Must be too early in the morning for me! BTW can you actually delete a post?