Author Topic: Cocked up my trip!  (Read 1661 times)

NeilC

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Cocked up my trip!
« on: 13:50:12, 02/09/18 »
I did what was supposed to be a solo overnighter this weekend - decided on the Black Mountains. But problems with my kids meant I didn't leave until after lunch, with a longish drive ahead. Then I hit a massive jam on the M4 and got further delayed.


So didn't get to the car parking spot until about 4. Wasted another 30 mins driving around thinking about a new route but eventually settled on doing one I'd done before so I could guarantee I'd get to a wild camping spot before it got dark. Sundown was due at 8pm.


Walked fine for a few hours with the stream where I'd camped before coming into view just at the right time. Or so I thought! I walked down to the head of the stream to ensure I wouldn't miss the few flat camping spots I knew about.


But then things started to go wrong. I couldn't find the spot. I'm thinking "Hmm well I don't normally start this high up the stream so maybe this is how it is this high up, I'll follow it downstream a bit". But the stream got faster, trees I didn't remember appeared and it was getting steeper and very hard follow with little waterfalls, slippy rocks, thorn bushes etc. By now it was getting pretty gloomy. I pushed on. Eventually I realised I'd messed up and now I'm not confident this is even the same stream at all!


But now the valley sides were really steep, very hard to climb and I stopped to plan. No daylight, no phone signal. Very tricky and slippy to get back upstream and even then nowhere to camp and a 3 hour odd walk to retrace. Walls of the valley steep, slippy and covered in heather/bracken. I went up one side, found it too hard, looked over the other side which looked better and tried that only to find it was't better. Did it again. Now I'm getting a tiny bit worried. Sweating buckets, heart pounding and legs hurting from effort, stung by nettles and covered in sheep poo. Checked the GPS and saw the start of a road 3 miles off and made a decision to aim for that. Climbed the slope once more only to slip several times but managing to haul myself up grabbing roots and bracken stems. Got a a hundred yards up it where it became walkable and then hiked across the slope with my headtorch on and managed to find the "road". Not a road. A broken path with water running down it but at least a path.


An hour or so later, trying to find my way across various fields and follow the path in the dark I found a proper road and then an hour or so walk back to the car. Called it night and drove back to Berks, tail between my legs.


As it turned out just a slight adventure I guess. Warm weather and no rain made it OK but just goes to show I think - could have been much worse in poorer weather or if I'd slipped. Really need to think about that "just push on" mentality which seems to happen when one is not sure what to do!




Ronin83

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #1 on: 15:07:53, 02/09/18 »
I'd say its that very mentality which got you back to your car.
Why didnt u just bed down next to the path tho?

richardh1905

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #2 on: 15:17:43, 02/09/18 »

Quote
[
Really need to think about that "just push on" mentality which seems to happen when one is not sure what to do!

Well, you got away with it, and you live and learn. Could have had more serious consequences in the middle of winter, I suppose. Or in wilder country.


If the worst comes to the worst, you could just pitch the tent the best you can, even on a very poor pitch (or just wrap yourself in it), get inside your sleeping bag, and tough it out until morning. Character building!






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NeilC

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #3 on: 15:26:25, 02/09/18 »
I'd say its that very mentality which got you back to your car.
Why didnt u just bed down next to the path tho?


The paths were on steep hills until much later on and by that point I just wanted to the the heck home.

phil1960

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #4 on: 15:33:36, 02/09/18 »
Big *ock up Neil but hey we’ve all been there, where exactly were you?
Touching from a distance, further all the time.

NeilC

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #5 on: 15:43:53, 02/09/18 »
Big *ock up Neil but hey we’ve all been there, where exactly were you?


Only in the Cwm Banw - not exactly the river in Deliverance!




phil1960

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #6 on: 15:46:03, 02/09/18 »

Only in the Cwm Banw - not exactly the river in Deliverance!
Lol no not quite maybe you were just a bit rushed  ;)
Touching from a distance, further all the time.

NeilC

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #7 on: 16:02:04, 02/09/18 »
Lol no not quite maybe you were just a bit rushed  ;)


Twas hard to tell as it was so dark. I think some of it is genuinely tricky to walk down but I could not see far enough to tell if it was gonna get better. I suspect in daylight, without a pack it'd be no problem whatsoever.


I must go back and check another day.


I'd forgotten how much darkness changes things when you're not on a path. You could spend 20 mins getting around a bog section that in daylight you would see from 100 yards off, avoid, and not even think about it.

jontea

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #8 on: 17:24:12, 02/09/18 »
Neil, it sounds like you were already on plan C before you even left your car, which is never a good start.


Sometimes we find ourselves squeezing “our time” in around family life at the expense of preparation?
 
That’s certainly happened to me, and I’ve then questioned what could I have done differently to avoid that situation?


At the end of the day, you made the decisions that got you out of a bad situation, whether they were the best, only you will know,
But well done for getting yourself safe.
I guess it all counts as experience gained
Hopefully next time you’re out, you’ll  just have only “Plan A”  O0
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April

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #9 on: 17:39:50, 02/09/18 »
I think most of us have had nightmare outings, one that springs to mind is when we wanted to pitch in the Kentmere area. The wind was so bad we dropped down to Haweswater to pitch. We needed to get back over the passes to get the bus from either Staveley or Troutbeck Church the next day but it was so windy we ended up having to walk to Eamont Bridge, 15 miles along the road.

You got back in one piece that is the main thing  O0
Hate will never win

ninthace

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #10 on: 18:04:59, 02/09/18 »
Solvitur Ambulando

NeilC

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #11 on: 22:08:45, 02/09/18 »
Looks like a tale for http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=36914.0


You're right. I must have missed that thread. Very entertaining.

clyoung

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #12 on: 00:18:41, 03/09/18 »
Sounds a right nightmare, glad you got back ok.

Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: Cocked up my trip!
« Reply #13 on: 12:03:17, 05/09/18 »
My biggest nightmare jaunt, was some years ago.
I am a fair weather chap, so decided on a full circuit of the Carneddau, parking in Cwm Eigiau.

Weather was superb, a bit cloudy, but high above the 3000ft plateau, so i was in for a great adventure.

On recollection I think i used the valley approaching Fynnon llyfnant below llewellyn, discovering fresh bits of plane wreckage on my way.

As i was walking up those very annoying stony bits towards Llewellyn's main plateau, a sea mist from the Gerlan direction washed in from the coast.

It was majestic to look at, but within minutes i was enveloped in the legendary Carneddau mist.

Taking a bearing on my compass was useless, as i could not see any known feature to navigate by.

As Neil discovered, i found myself traversing very treacherous ground.

A few weeks later, on a return visit, i had found the route towards Yr Ellen, and it was very steep and scary in the mist, it looked far more severe in poor visibility, and because i knew i was on tricky ground, i continued back the way i came, to continue going around in circles for close on to an hour.

The only route to safety i could eventually find, was towards the Ogwen valley, down the Fynnon Llygwy road, miles away from Eigiau.

A phone call to a friend , and several hours later, i got back to Eigiau, but it was an epic traverse of the Carneddau, well and truly spoilt.
« Last Edit: 12:11:15, 05/09/18 by Dyffryn Ardudwy »

 

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