Walking Forum
Main Boards => General Walking Discussion => Topic started by: BuzyG on 01:21:03, 01/01/19
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So where are you headed for your first walk of the new year. Looks like the weather is good, here in the SW. Happy New Year all. I'm looking forward to the morning? O0
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I did a 6 mile circuit of the local tracks and bye-ways yesterday to 'finish the year' and plan to do the same (in reverse) today to start the new year.
Happy new year, and may you get all you deserve, and more than you expect in 2019
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Made it to the summit of Snowdon last night, and even though it was fairly mild for the time of year, visibility beyond Clogwyn Station was to within a few feet.
A couple from outside London, had made a special journey to climb the mountain, but had been put off by the dense fog and cloud, and they refused to accept my offer of assistance to make it to the top
Had it not been for the railway line to the top, i would have turned around as well, but following the lines all the way to the cafe, i made it at 11.21pm.
I can now see how walkers get into difficulties, as i tried to navigate from the cafe, to the main trig point on top.
I could follow the steps, but got totally lost, even though i roughly knew where i was, but thankfully i knew the direction to take to find the railway lines back down to safety once again.
It was pretty busy, with four very hardy groups camping at the summit.
They were having a wail of a time, partying, and making a heck of a racket.
Without the railway tracks to follow, then i would have had no idea how i would have got down, but a successful start to 2019.
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I can now see how walkers get into difficulties, as i tried to navigate from the cafe, to the main trig point on top.
I could follow the steps, but got totally lost, even though i roughly knew where i was, but thankfully i knew the direction to take to find the railway lines back down to safety once again.
It was pretty busy, with four very hardy groups camping at the summit.
They were having a wail of a time, partying, and making a heck of a racket.
Without the railway tracks to follow, then i would have had no idea how i would have got down, but a successful start to 2019.
The racket was probably due to all that whaling. ;)
Sounds like you need to invest in a gps, folk have come to grief following the railway lines.
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It was the only safe way to the summit last night.
The cloud was so thick above the Clogwyn Station level,, that everyone was deciding to use the train tracks as a guide.
The real issue, was that the light from my Petzl headtorch, was almost useless in the gloom, you could see ghostly features, but if one had found oneself on the main plateau, opposite where the Pyg and Miners track join the main Llanberis path, navigation would have been far from easy, even with a GPS.
It was a real shame, as apart from the pea soup mist and cloud, temperatures were almost ideal for a New year summit attempt.
I can now see why the London couple decided to make a hasty retreat, even having driven such a huge distance, navigation in pitch darkness by headtorch in almost zero visibility, in very chilly temperatures, losing ones way, which i did at the summit, was not an option.
At least i made it to the summit, but had my headtorch packed in, i would have been in BIG trouble, but because i knew the route to the summit well, i took the chance, and it paid off.
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Not long back from a 5 mile walk with the dog - two beautiful Orkney beaches and a clifftop path, then back along unusually quiet roads. Just the thing to blow the cobwebs away whilst my family continued their slumbers....
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Sounds magnificent.
Has Maeshowe burial chamber been reopened to tourists.
It was closed for some reason two years ago, which was more than annoying, its on my bucket list of must see British ancient monuments.
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Just back from a short walk round the local country park. Not only nice to blow the cobwebs away but good to get out of a house full of my sons Uni friends.
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It was a real shame, as apart from the pea soup mist and cloud, temperatures were almost ideal for a New year summit attempt.
I can now see why the London couple decided to make a hasty retreat, even having driven such a huge distance, navigation in pitch darkness by headtorch in almost zero visibility, in very chilly temperatures, losing ones way, which i did at the summit, was not an option.
At least i made it to the summit, but had my headtorch packed in, i would have been in BIG trouble, but because i knew the route to the summit well, i took the chance, and it paid off.
Sounds like you could so very easily have been calling out the MRT. Sorry to say the obvious but someone with your 'apparent experience' should have turned around long ago, way too many red flags to have pressed on including your own admission that had your headtorch packed in you'd have been in big trouble.
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Sounds magnificent.
Has Maeshowe burial chamber been reopened to tourists.
It was closed for some reason two years ago, which was more than annoying, its on my bucket list of must see British ancient monuments.
Maeshowe info here, Dyffryn - https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/maeshowe-chambered-cairn/ (https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/maeshowe-chambered-cairn/)
The Orkney coast is always magnificent, and no two days are the same. After last night's gale, the offshore wind had flattened the sea and was knocking the tops off the small but perfectly formed waves as they approached the beach.
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I totally agree, but had it not been for the relative safety of following a known feature of the railway line, then i would most certainly have gone home.
There was no ice or snow, and apart from very thick mist, it was almost ideal conditions for going to the summit.
Ive used the railway line numerous times, when the Mountain railway is out of season, and it is slippery in places, due to the oil, but if great caution is shown where you are placing your feet, then its pretty safe in the right conditions, and it takes you away from the openness of the main summit plateau.
It was that summit plateau that i knew would be very tricky to navigate, even with GPs or Compass, in such poor visibility.
I am experienced enough to see the potential dangers of traversing a very high mountain in total darkness, but the route i took was well known to me, i knew what to expect.
Saying that, i was still surprised how long it took three of us to reach the station platform, it goes to show how pitch darkness, shocking visibility and being over cautious where one places ones feet.
I was relived to get back to Clogwyn, as there was no mist or danger below the station tunnel, actually ive seen poorer weather in the hight of summer, compared to last night, it was cool, dry and very little wind.
In hindsight, i was a bit daft attempting the mountain in such poor visibility, but in this instance, i knew my planned route incredibly well, and due to the mild conditions thought it a risk worth taking.
Its the only time ive actually lost my total bearings directly opposite the trig point at the summit, and currently there's a lot of scaffolding around the cafe, due to maintenance work, which made ground conditions difficult in such poor visibility.
I knew where i was, but had lost all sense of direction and coordination, a hasty slow retreat back to the railway was called for.
It scared me a bit, and it was at this moment, that i realised i was a bit out of my comfort level, but i knew the Railway line was very close by SOMEWHERE and a safety measure back down the mountain.
Had i not known the route so well, then i would most certainly have joined the pair from London.
As walkers we learn by our errors and mistakes, in this instance, i knew i almost took too great a risk.
Had it been typical winter weather, freezing paths to the summit etc, then no way would i have ventured further up the mountain, but i t thankfully was a great start to a New Year.
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[deleted]
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Thanks Richard, have a great 2019, and hope for continued good health, to enjoy it.
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I always have 2 head torches in my pack if there is the remotest chance I might get benighted. In rough country, I have one on my head and one in my hand to better illuminate my footing, it is also less prone to reflected glare in foggy conditions. As a bonus, if you need to change batteries, you can see what you are doing. These days in poor visibility I would not dream of setting out without a gps and ideally a preplanned route. I have been out in fog so thick i had to use my gps to find the trig point on the top of Ingleborough from the top of the climb - OK it's not Snowdon but the principle is the same.
To return to the thread. I am still waiting to do my first proper walk of the New Year. We have been dog sitting. Mrs N has a filthy cold so I am stuck with dog walking until my daughter turns up to collect it later today. The dog although elderly enjoys a walk but runs out of steam after 3 to 4 miles so I can't do anything worthwhile.
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Thank you for that advice, i certainly saw the limitations of wearing just a headtorch in such gloomy conditions.
I recon i might purchase a high powered portable torch for such conditions, any advice on which model from users would be much appreciated.
As for dogs, my mothers friend owns a Newfoundland, which weighs 18Kg more than me, and in the buff i am around 72Kg in weight.
Ive seen smaller Grizzly bears on tv, but thankfully he is very laid back and docile, but according to my mum, smaller dogs are petrified of him.
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About 8 miles in the Ontario Canadian Shield bush yesterday on trails within Frontenac Provincial Park. Total silence. Didn't see a single person. A light dusting of snow made following fisher and coywolf tracks a delight. A great way to spend the last day of the year. Today: freezing rain. I'll be lucky to make it around the block.
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I recon i might purchase a high powered portable torch for such conditions, any advice on which model from users would be much appreciated.
I carry a LED Lenser P7 ... https://www.ledlenser.com/uk/products/handheld-torches/p-series/p7/ (https://www.ledlenser.com/uk/products/handheld-torches/p-series/p7/)
Ignore their price, can normally be found around £30 but beware as lots of fakes around
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Cheers, that's the kind of torch i might be interested in.
Ive just checked out their website, and blimey their range of torches, is impressive, certainly food for thought.
Very portable, they all look very high quality, and even though they are not at bargain prices, you most certainly get quality if your prepared to pay for it.
Its not often i find myself out in such nasty conditions, but at least i now have a potential torch manufacturer to put on my wish list.
There are so many torches on the market, its good to have someone recommend one that looks built to last, and performs well.
Happy New Year, and thank you for the suggestion, i may have a look at some of them.
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Main manufacturer of choice in our SAR team, although generally as a back up to a P14, but that would be overkill for walking :)
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I had a fancy LED Lenser headtorch some years ago - wasn't that impressed, to be honest. The battery compartment was fiddly to open, and the hinge to allow tilting broke after a year or so. Maybe their hand torches are better.
So now I have a Petzl Tikka+, a wonderful headtorch that I use pretty much on a daily basis during the winter months, in all conditions that Orkney can throw at it. Absolutely bombproof. As a spare, I would consider a second headtorch, Petzl Tikkina - less than £20 and only 85g. Edit - £13.95 on Amazon right now!
I'm quite a fan of Petzl, in case you hadn't guessed. For years and years I used one of the old Petzl Zoom headlamps, with a tungsten bulb and one of those strange 4.5V flatpack alkaline batteries that were not so easy to come by. So tough and reliable that I used it for caving!
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Im doing a 9 mile circular from the Gospel Pass car park tomorrow, taking in the Tarren yr Esgob ridge then Twmpa (Lord Herefords Knob) towards the end. Just inside Wales. I will drive from south Birmingham. Just planning & thinking about a route excites my old bones.
The forecast is good. Cold, dry & sunny, but will still have my waterproofs with me..Just the ticket. ;)
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I had a fancy LED Lenser headtorch some years ago - wasn't that impressed, to be honest. The battery compartment was fiddly to open, and the hinge to allow tilting broke after a year or so. Maybe their hand torches are better.
I too have a Lenser headtorch, had it for years and still working perfectly. Lenser will replace any faulty ones so maybe you were unlucky?
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A good start to the year today, 8 miles ish circular from Monmouth along the Wye valley path to Redbrook and a drink at The Boat Inn, which was doing a brisk trade. It was warm enough to comfortably sit outside too. We then returned following Offa's Dyke path via the naval temple on the Kymin and the view point across to Sugar Loaf and Skirrrid etc. Visibility was really clear but typically I'd forgotten my camera :-[
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Ah the Boat Inn, great little pub and only just off Offa's Dyke, been there quite a few times O0
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I went a walk on the rolling heathlands of Ashdown Forest in the High Weald today. Good views and some of the gorse is in flower. Fine and mild and not too muddy :)
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Enjoyed reading the thread thanks for all your replies. Interesting comments on the Snowdon walk. My own short walk today was totally off the cuff. I set off intending to head for minions. The pull of Dartmoor was too much though, as I left Tesco's after filling my car. So I headed up to Oakhampton and High Willhays.
Typical Dartmoor meant that between leaving Home and parking up the weather had gone from lovely sunny day to rapidly decending cloud. As I headed up it became obvious the cloud would beat me to it. On any other day I would have had my day sack with me. Today I just had my old camera bag with a bottle of juice and a biscuit in it. No map no compass and no head torch no bivi bag. My one essential was my phone. Knowing the area well I pushed on and enjoyed a good brisk little walk. The visibility was around 20 yards on the top ridge, happily there are two easily intersected and followed tracks between yes tor and High Willhays, with a number of distinctive minor tors along the ridge, so it's pretty hard to get lost if you know the area.
After explaining the purpose and history of trig points, to a very grasious guy, at the summit of Yes tor, I headed over towards west mill tor. Once across the source of red a ven brook and onto west mill, I was grateful for the GPS on my phone to confirm I was heading the right way to the summit.
So did I take any risks today? Well I certainly had less kit with me than I would recommend any one to take into poor visibility on the moor. To counter that. I have walked that route dozens of times in the past few years, including in similar conditions. So clearly I was happy with the level of risk, as with the Snowdon post above, my progress was slower than I was expecting. That was mainly down to being very aware that I did not have enough kit if I sustained an injury, so treated the clitter with maximum respect on the decent and arrived safely back at the car just before dark.
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On a glorious warm day (remind me it is new years day) a lovely 24km taking in Pen y ghent, Plover Hill, Horton Moor to Old ing and back to Horton in Ribblesdale . It was my first ascent of Pen y ghent and glad I opted for a more circular route than the traditional paths as really enjoy the open moor walking
The only risk I had was from overheating!
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I was out early yesterday (avoiding the crowds) doing a recce walk, ready for a group walk I'm leading tomorrow.
Most of the route I knew like the back of my hand...but a couple of areas needed a bit of exploring to check they were suitable for a group. It's surprising what you come across hidden deep in the woods!
The route included Baslow Edge, Gardom's Edge & Birchen Edge...with some interesting bits in between! :D
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First walk this year will be this weekend, 7.5 miles (going to be cold, 0c), starting at Hooksway, Sussex and up and over the south downs to Treyford, Didling and back to Hooksway and lunch in The Royal Oak in front of a roaring log fire. :)
Jon.
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I walk 4 mile every day in the woods where I live as I have an energetic dog. Come rain or shine I do the walk. So today I did my first trip out walk to Roseberry topping not far from me. I must be out of sync as I pulled my hamstring :-\ . I've never seen so many people. The stone path was steep down full of mud and slippy hence the pulled hamstring. I've decent hiking boots but I really hate slippy stones on a decent. How do others overcome this. I can't use a pole as I have my dog on a leash.
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I walk 4 mile every day in the woods where I live as I have an energetic dog. Come rain or shine I do the walk. So today I did my first trip out walk to Roseberry topping not far from me. I must be out of sync as I pulled my hamstring :-\ . I've never seen so many people. The stone path was steep down full of mud and slippy hence the pulled hamstring. I've decent hiking boots but I really hate slippy stones on a decent. How do others overcome this. I can't use a pole as I have my dog on a leash.
Regarding dog leash is that not why you see some walkers with a body harness attached to dog collar which leaves both hands free.
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I walk 4 mile every day in the woods where I live as I have an energetic dog. Come rain or shine I do the walk. So today I did my first trip out walk to Roseberry topping not far from me. I must be out of sync as I pulled my hamstring :-\ . I've never seen so many people. The stone path was steep down full of mud and slippy hence the pulled hamstring. I've decent hiking boots but I really hate slippy stones on a decent. How do others overcome this. I can't use a pole as I have my dog on a leash.
Any idea what sort of sole is on your footwear.? Vibram is not the answer to all slippery surfaces but it is very good & also the type of tread on your soles of course, is so important.I used to wear Brasher boots and slipped many times. I now wear Anatom boots and they are golden.!
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Had to organise a few problems out of the way first, but I have now managed to book myself a trip to Gran Canaria for 8 days from the beginning of February. I felt quite pleased with myself, total return cost for me and rucksack was £115.73. My plan is to walk from the airport to the north of the island and then walk across the island to the south coast, should fill in my time very nicely I hope. If all goes well and I find that I can stay in the Canaries longer, depending on the extra flight costs, I plan to island hop to Tenerife. I'll decide if I can do that when I'm there.
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Any idea what sort of sole is on your footwear.? Vibram is not the answer to all slippery surfaces but it is very good & also the type of tread on your soles of course, is so important.I used to wear Brasher boots and slipped many times. I now wear Anatom boots and they are golden.!
I have a pair of gelerts I think they are a Cotswold they have decent lugs on them. It was wet mud on a stone path with a steep decent.