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Main Boards => General Walking Discussion => Topic started by: Lee in Doncaster on 09:02:31, 14/09/17

Title: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: Lee in Doncaster on 09:02:31, 14/09/17
My personal checklist - I'm sure people will be able to add plenty more.


http://peakwalking.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/preparing-for-walk.html
Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: Dyffryn Ardudwy on 19:04:39, 14/09/17
I usually check the weather forecast, and travel with the bare minimum.
Light weight waterproofs, Buffalo windshirt, gloves, maybe my favourite hat, and my Camelbak full of water, and a small amount of nosh, but nothing too heavy.

That kit i find is sufficient for most of the summer and early autumn months.

Its ever so easy to over pack for your walk, taking items of clothing that 99% of the time that will remain in your sac.

When the temperature is anything above 15C, your body can cope with most of the inclement weather on offer in the Uk, as long as you remain dry.

From late September onwards, when the temperatures get much cooler, that's when i include a light weight fleece jacket, and possibly my Helly Hansen thermal.

We are all different i know, but i dislike carrying too much weight on my back, knowing that most of the kit i could include, never gets used.

Stay warm, and dry, and throughout the summer months, i can do that with the minimal amount of quality kit.
Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: BuzyG on 22:03:39, 14/09/17
Of course it depends upon the walk.

For a five mile summer evening romp around a reservoir with MrsG.  It's walking shoes on.  Grab a drinks bottle and my camera and off you go.  T shirt is usually fine.

For a walk in to Fur Tor alone mid winter. 

Few days before.

Check the weather forecast.
Check my boots are dry and re wax.
Choose a start point and route.

Night before.

Check the Weather forecast.
Pack my small Rucksack.
Emergency box. Whistle, pain killers,  plasters, pen Knife, foil bag loo roll.
Chock box. Selection of chocky bars that seldom get eaten, but I like to know they are there.
Lunch box. Usually make up a few cheese and Ham sandwiches.
Dry bag. Spare T shirt & socks, inner fleece, outer fleece.
Water proof Jacket , trousers & Gaiters.
Paper map.  Compass
Seat mat.  Brilliant things.
Charge my mobile & re check the Dartmoor OS map is loaded.
Charge my head torch, always carried.
Check batteries on my hand torch, only carry my hand torch if I expect it to be dark during the walk.
Fill my drinks bottles.
Check the car has petrol in it.

Morning of walk.

Check the weather forecast.
Make up a small flask of Tea.
Head off to the start point.

Discover all the previous weather reports were pointless, as the weather on Dartmoor has decided to do something different today.   -14 wind chill last time I tried it.

Start walking.  :)

Hope no one fell asleep reading that lot.  O0
Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: jontea on 07:24:42, 24/09/17
Of course it depends upon the walk.

For a five mile summer evening romp around a reservoir with MrsG.  It's walking shoes on.  Grab a drinks bottle and my camera and off you go.  T shirt is usually fine.

For a walk in to Fur Tor alone mid winter. 

Few days before.

Check the weather forecast.
Check my boots are dry and re wax.
Choose a start point and route.

Night before.

Check the Weather forecast.
Pack my small Rucksack.
Emergency box. Whistle, pain killers,  plasters, pen Knife, foil bag loo roll.
Chock box. Selection of chocky bars that seldom get eaten, but I like to know they are there.
Lunch box. Usually make up a few cheese and Ham sandwiches.
Dry bag. Spare T shirt & socks, inner fleece, outer fleece.
Water proof Jacket , trousers & Gaiters.
Paper map.  Compass
Seat mat.  Brilliant things.
Charge my mobile & re check the Dartmoor OS map is loaded.
Charge my head torch, always carried.
Check batteries on my hand torch, only carry my hand torch if I expect it to be dark during the walk.
Fill my drinks bottles.
Check the car has petrol in it.

Morning of walk.

Check the weather forecast.
Make up a small flask of Tea.
Head off to the start point.

Discover all the previous weather reports were pointless, as the weather on Dartmoor has decided to do something different today.   -14 wind chill last time I tried it.

Start walking.  :)

Hope no one fell asleep reading that lot.  O0


And I thought it was just me that did all that  ;)
Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: Jac on 17:43:17, 24/09/17
ZZZZZZ....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......zzzzzzzzzzzz ;)
Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: walkingthedog on 20:10:25, 26/09/17
The walks I do are about 1.5 hrs long on bridleways, even though I find this length of time enough and worth while I still prepare before setting out.
Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: April on 19:37:27, 27/09/17
Few days before.

Check the weather forecast.

Night before.

Check the Weather forecast.

Morning of walk.

Check the weather forecast.

Discover all the previous weather reports were pointless, as the weather on Dartmoor has decided to do something different today.   -14 wind chill last time I tried it.
Start walking.  :)

 ;D Replace Dartmoor with almost anywhere else, it is nearly always a waste of time  :)
Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: Lee in Doncaster on 19:46:25, 27/09/17
;D Replace Dartmoor with almost anywhere else, it is nearly always a waste of time  :)


At least with Dartmoor you know you're in the South West. I walk in the Peak District and I never know whether we're getting the weather forecast for the North East, The Midlands or the North West.
Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: BuzyG on 21:09:48, 27/09/17

At least with Dartmoor you know you're in the South West. I walk in the Peak District and I never know whether we're getting the weather forecast for the North East, The Midlands or the North West.


I decided a long time ago that the Weather forcast we get here in the SW is meant for London.


Best local forcasts here in the SW are on the surf web sites.  O0
Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: Jac on 08:42:56, 28/09/17

I decided a long time ago that the Weather forcast we get here in the SW is meant for London.

Best local forcasts here in the SW are on the surf web sites.  O0

Funny when the Met Office is here - in Exeter  ???   but you're right  :(
Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: thomasdevon on 11:12:08, 13/10/17
If walking Dartmoor, worth checking Army live firing programme on gov.uk. Awkward detours necessary a couple of times when I have forgotten to do this.
Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: barewirewalker on 12:22:34, 13/10/17
My pre-walk preparation is more do with the route I intend to walk. A few creature comforts/refreshments added to the go-bag state of walking kit.


My motivation is directly linked to the curiosity an area or the terrain has sparked off. If there is likely to be hostile occupation and what the linkage between safe ground is likely to be. Does the reason for walking in a particular area create a 'good walk', what is the relationship between a good route and a good walk.


Usually a circular walk has to have a target, whereas a linear route will need a destination. This means finding features is important, are those features accessible and what are the possible impediments to reaching those features, as good features can improve the quality of way.


Old and recent OS maps can play a part, Google earth is now an extremely valuable tool and using the ground level views can be useful and very revealing. Using 3D view in memory map is also useful, it not only shows the slopes that form part of the walk, but more importantly dead ground.


Another reason for wanting alternative pathways is the position of the sun, this can make a great difference to quality of way, it all could add ammunition to the debate about where, when and how we should be allowed to access the countryside we should all be sharing.


Will the allowed access take you into danger, is there a safer way!! A point the 'occupiers' are not held to account on.

Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: Lee in Doncaster on 14:06:03, 13/10/17
My pre-walk preparation is more do with the route I intend to walk. A few creature comforts/refreshments added to the go-bag state of walking kit.


My motivation is directly linked to the curiosity an area or the terrain has sparked off. If there is likely to be hostile occupation and what the linkage between safe ground is likely to be. Does the reason for walking in a particular area create a 'good walk', what is the relationship between a good route and a good walk.


Usually a circular walk has to have a target, whereas a linear route will need a destination. This means finding features is important, are those features accessible and what are the possible impediments to reaching those features, as good features can improve the quality of way.





Another reason for wanting alternative pathways is the position of the sun, this can make a great difference to quality of way, it all could add ammunition to the debate about where, when and how we should be allowed to access the countryside we should all be sharing.


Yes...the position of the sun is very important when planning a route if you're interested in photography. Unfortunately it's a luxury not always available to me when using public transport.
Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: barewirewalker on 19:49:15, 13/10/17
Yes...the position of the sun is very important when planning a route if you're interested in photography. Unfortunately it's a luxury not always available to me when using public transport.



How is it that I am not surprised that you picked up on this and pigeon holed it as a photography item. The position of the sun will affect the properties of a route, relative to the time of day it is walked. This can have a significant affect on the ambiance of the walk, thus relating to the quality of way. Someone walking up the south side if an E2W valley before the sun has reached it's zenith may be subject to different conditions to a return trip tight under the the north side.


Now if the writers of routes in the walking press are subjected to critique, so that their pontifications on how route is walked and what direction, at what time of day so that it raises queries in relation the interpretation of a route?


Were there an alternative that is not served by PRoW then maybe the value of an alternative route via field margins or perhaps even a lostway might actually be flushed out into the open by public discussion.


AND for those dependent on public transport, the ability to use appropriate ways not included in the PRoW network to safely connect into the the network that is PRoW!!!!!!

Title: Re: Preparing For a Walk
Post by: BuzyG on 20:37:30, 13/10/17
When I was in the navy. We would pull in to various places around the globe.  First time ashore I would try and get around and find things I wanted to photo graph. Then when time permuted I would plan another walk and get back to them at the best time of day to get the light for Photos.  It was much more fun, in my eyes, than following my crew mates to the nearest pub.   ;)