Author Topic: Take it or leave it?  (Read 1617 times)

Mel

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Take it or leave it?
« on: 21:31:16, 12/08/17 »
Given the couple of topics recently about finding and taking walking related items left on the hills it got me wondering, what is the right thing to do?

 

 
Personally, if it was walking related clobber, I would leave it because I wouldn't know whether it had been left there intentionally, awaiting it's owner's return.  If I was concerned it had been lost, I'd take a photograph of it and post a basic description of what the item/s are on various forums or facebook groups and give a rough location.  I'd maybe notify the Police in case they'd had enquiries about it.  


What would you do?  And why?


Discuss ...




Scrambledlegs

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Re: Take it or leave it?
« Reply #1 on: 08:23:45, 13/08/17 »
Depends where it is or what it is.


Stiles are places where items are quite likely to be dropped unnoticed and if it was a camera, electronic device, wallet etc I'd probably pick it up rather than leaving it to the elements or playing russian roulette with the integrity of the next people who come along. Most devices can be returned to their owners.


If it was small money that had been dropped with no way of tracing I'd likely just take it and think the person should have taken more care and deal with my guilt over a free pint.


I pass bags without people attached all the time. Usually in small piles at the foot of rakes or the start of a steep climb. I've never felt the need to look in them and their owners are usually within hearing distance. I think your spider senses would tell you if there was a situation going on nearby and if your involvement was needed or not.


If I found one in an unusual situation say, halfway down a slope with no obvious path leading to or from it and it was getting dark I'd be tempted to investigate a little further. Again if there were personal items that were likely to be damaged by weather I'd be a bit concerned and might remove anything non survival related so that I could use it to support a report at the nearest point I could raise the concern.


In general though I'd say if a bag has been found and has nothing inside that you think is of value to you, just leave it alone. It might be someone's lifeline.

Ridge

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Re: Take it or leave it?
« Reply #2 on: 08:54:16, 13/08/17 »
Good reply from Scrambledlegs. I think you have to judge it on how likely it would be for someone to loose. Camera, walking pole, gps = really easy to put down. Whole rucksack, large amount of kit probably less likely to be an accident

thomasdevon

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Re: Take it or leave it?
« Reply #3 on: 09:29:21, 13/08/17 »
Clearly valuable personal items - phone, wallet, camera, watch, credit cards, keys, expensive gear - take to police station when next practicable: leave a note at location meantime with contact details if poss.


For all the rest, I'd leave it where it is.

fernman

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Re: Take it or leave it?
« Reply #4 on: 10:25:05, 13/08/17 »
My experience was finding a soaking-wet rolled-up flysheet two years ago, from a 2-man tent I'd guess, judging by the bulk and weight of it. It was beside the path halfway up Moel Meirch in the Moelwyns and miles from anywhere.
There was nothing I could do but leave it there because I was already weighted down with my own gear and I expected to be out for another couple of days. I posted on here about it at the time but nothing happened.

Sarah Pitht

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Re: Take it or leave it?
« Reply #5 on: 17:29:46, 13/08/17 »
If it was a bag/rucksack, I'd probably leave it for the owner to return and retrieve it, whether they had left it by design or accident.


I speak from experience of having left a rucksack behind. It was in the car park at Grange, rather than out on the hills, but having returned to our Penrith accommodation, it was some time before I missed it. I dashed back and it was exactly where I had left it by the wall - untouched with my purse, keys etc still there. Not sure you'd get the same outcome elsewhere and I was mighty grateful that no one had tampered with it..

Peter

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Re: Take it or leave it?
« Reply #6 on: 15:35:29, 14/08/17 »
A couple of years ago I was ascending Blencathra in quite deep snow. Suddenly something started racing down from high above. Turned out to be a very high end mitt. Took it with me, and found the mitts owner. Who was surprised as hell..  :)
Peter
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bricam2096

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Re: Take it or leave it?
« Reply #7 on: 16:11:28, 14/08/17 »
A couple of years ago I was ascending Blencathra in quite deep snow. Suddenly something started racing down from high above. Turned out to be a very high end mitt. Took it with me, and found the mitts owner. Who was surprised as hell..  :)

Did he/she recognise it? was it glove at first sight?  :D
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Sarah Pitht

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Re: Take it or leave it?
« Reply #8 on: 17:18:40, 14/08/17 »
What a double act!!!  :D ;D

Slogger

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Re: Take it or leave it?
« Reply #9 on: 17:42:03, 14/08/17 »
In Scotland more than England and Wales I think. People baggin Munro's, Corbetts and the likes often leave their rucksacks at the Col, Pass or Bealach when on a return trip to a summit. We have done this on many occasions and never had our sacks touched, the same goes for mountain bikes, some cycle in to do a summit and leave their bikes by the trailside. Of course It would be foolhardy to follow this practice in places such as the Lake District.

Peter

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Re: Take it or leave it?
« Reply #10 on: 08:52:01, 15/08/17 »
I think most 'serious' walkers would leave things alone. Though it would be easier if perhaps a note was left to let others know that it is not lost.
Peter
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Jim Parkin

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Re: Take it or leave it?
« Reply #11 on: 18:45:12, 15/08/17 »
Someone posted on Outdoors magic about finding a camera and I shared it on a facebook group and managed to reunite the owner. The memorycard had been outside for a couple of years, but the photos were still there.

Slogger

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Re: Take it or leave it?
« Reply #12 on: 20:49:43, 15/08/17 »
Following on from my post above. Once whilst Munro baggin, we had done one and were heading for another. This was a long out and back. We took what we knew we would need plus emergency tracker, and secreted our rucksacks slightly off the path. When we returned to the spot we couldn't find out sacks. must have taken us ten minutes before we finally did, phew! After that we always left a discrete marker by the path.

 

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