Walking Groups

[Chriso]

Hi, brand new to the forum so hi to all. I'm reasonably new to walking as a hobby. I'm 46 but fit. Im looking with my partner to do a tough/ really hard 2-3 day hike in Wales possibly in a group with overnight stays and need some direction. I've mtb for years, ran up and down Snowdon, legged it up knitch and cadair idris work as a tree surgeon. I/we really fancy a hard 3 day high up slog but I'm only as good with maps as my phone is. I think the upshot being that were both physically capable but lack navigational experience...so not too sure where to start other than load a hard route from viewranger and go for it. Any advice much appreciated.. thanks

[jontea]

It sounds to me like the only thing holding you both back is a lack of navigational experience rather than someone to guide you.
What about signing up for a navigational course? 

[sussamb]

Rather than load a hard route into viewranger I'd load an easy one and slowly work up!  As jontea says seems like you need to learn to navigate first so a nav course of some sort is probably a good idea.


I'd add that you shouldn't either be tempted to simply rely on your phone and viewranger, folks navigating simply with their phone are a constant source of unnecessary call outs for our hard pressed mountain rescue teams.


Good luck with your new hobby though, I started walking at 14 and some 50 years later I still thoroughly enjoy it 

[mow1701]

What about joining a local walking club. Usually various lengths to choose from and pick up navigational skills in a sociable environment.

[Dyffryn Ardudwy]

A leisurely strole of the Welsh 3000s would be a superb three day demanding route.
Accommodation for a walking group is never far away, and as the 3000s route takes in three separate mountain ranges, the Carneddau, Glyder plateau, and finally the Snowdon section, it would make a superb three day mountain adventure.
The distance per day, is not excessive, and the challenge of completing the 3000s is rewarding.

[barewirewalker]

Firstly I looked at your profile, to see roughly the locality you lived in, but as that does not provide any info I don't know if there is local suggestion to give. Jumping straight into say Snowdonia without map reading experience strikes me as risky even if for someone well read on the subject. There is an area close by which is complex in the way of terrain and yet has a safety feature rarely expressed here. Roads from which a taxi can be phoned up if the map reading goes horribly wrong.

This is the Welsh borderlands, transport hubs within a few hours distance, a great choice of hospitality suites, and intervening terrain which will test the most experienced to stay on an exact path, from complex field layouts to moorland which can hold mist or cloud for testing periods.

To follow a pre-structured route misses the first joy of map reading, which is choosing your own routes and the destinations you want to reach, the third phase after either success or failure is the de-brief/post walk. A part of map reading often disregarded, but useful when a comparison of the walk that was expected is reviewed alongside the route experienced.

[Dyffryn Ardudwy]

If you are unlucky with the weather, then both Carneddau and Glyder plateau will test your map reading skills to the max, especially the Carneddau, whose plateau does not fall below the 3000ft contour for nearly six miles, and any discussion and de-brief can be talked about at leisure, at where the group went horribly wrong this side of Foel Grach.
My suggestion of a three day Welsh 3000ft summits traverse, was for favourable weather conditions, and in fine settled weather, you can almost discount using a map for the entire outing.

I agree, using map reading skills can be enjoyable and make a walk more memorable, but its the walk itself, that is of utmost importance, and if the vistas and scenery on offer are superb, its often best to see them in fine settled weather.

There is little enjoyment to be had to trudge through heavy mist and rain, only to realise the path you should have taken is a significant distance behind you.

There are areas of Mid Wales, especially around the Rhyader and the Cwm Ystwyth area, where a three day tough hike is a possibility, yet accommodation, especially for a group of walkers is poor to say the least.


The Brecon Beacons also rate very high for demanding terrain, and walks that can take several days, but my suggestion of the Welsh 3000s has both accommodation, and depending on phone network, good mobile phone coverage if things go wrong.

Accommodation for a three day 3000 summits traverse is never a problem, and the route covers some of the very best mountain scenery in Northern Snowdonia.

As for my location, i live in the shadow of Moelfre in the Rhinogs, in the small community of Dyffryn Ardudwy.

There are a few really tough three day traverses in and around the Rhinogs, but that would test the stamina of just about any seasoned walker.

No, if you want a three day walk, totalling only 38miles in total, but covering some of the most diverse terrain in Wales, some of it quite demanding then  the Welsh 3000s taken at a leisurely pace, comes highly recommended.

[Mel]

The OP may have the fitness but doesn't have any map skills and is planning on following a route loaded onto a phone.  That, in itself, is fraught with complications - just read some recent posts on the "numpties" that have had to call mountain rescue to help due to their phones failing - don't encourage the OP to fall into that category....if he/she ever logs back on to acknowledge all those who have taken the time to reply (even if it's not what he/she wants to hear) 

[Dyffryn Ardudwy]

With respect to everyone here, if the 3000s route is made in fine settled weather, map reading skills are not really required, as the route is never really in doubt.


I ve traversed it numerous times, and my map reading skills are poor to say the least.

Poor weather, obviously is a different matter, but i would only suggest the route be taken in fine conditions.
The Welsh 3000s route is not difficult to follow, and i still stand by my comment, that its an ideal three day traverse in good weather, as the summits in question cannot be mistaken for anything other than 3000ft summits, and apart from its length of 27miles, its not technical in any way, challenging, it most certainly is.


The only challenging aspect really, is a traverse of Crib Goch, yet thousands of novice walkers, successfully traverse its ridge annually.


Day one, A traverse of the seven summits in the Carneddau, straight forward in fine settled weather, and possibly the easiest part of the route.


Day two, Tryfan to Nant Peris, taking in the Two Glyder summits along the way to Elidir Fawr, still straight forward for even a novice party when visibility is clear and not in doubt.


Day three, Crib Goch to Snowdon, undertaken by countless thousands of walkers.


None of the walk really needs the aid of map and compass in fine clear weather, as you simply follow the line of high ground, and for a fit party intent on a really hard three day challenge, it still ranks as one of the best outing anywhere in Wales.


You may need the aid of the map to find a suitable route on to the Glyders from the A5, but from Ogwen Cottage, the route is never in doubt.

[Mel]

Sounds great and of course, we all want to have a stonking good day out in the hills with great weather and visibility....


.. then the cloud comes down and it starts raining....


... and your phone dies ...


How does the OP deal with that?  Has he/she even considered that things change/go wrong?


It's all well and good saying do it in good weather and that it's easy in good weather but good weather is hard to come by and even harder to predict.


I personally think it is irresponsible to blithely say it's an easy route in terms of route-finding - even if it is in good weather, particularly when the OP says they have zero map reading skills and just want the challenge.  That challenge might be spending a night on a mountain in horizontal rain or sleet.  That challenge might be not realising they should have turned off "back there" and headed down the wrong side of a mountain, meaning they have to reascend, possibly completing their route in the dark.


ViewRanger and good weather does not make a novice walker infallible.

[rural roamer]

Why not make your first trip to Wales a navigation course as suggested earlier? There must be lots around Snowdon. You could probably find a group one for two or three days and that would meet your criteria. I’m sure there must be recognised bodies that have the relevant registration etc. Then you will be much better equipped to venture out on your own.

[bricam2096]

Yet another one post wonder 

[richardh1905]

With respect to everyone here, if the 3000s route is made in fine settled weather, map reading skills are not really required, as the route is never really in doubt.

With respect, I think that it is highly irresponsible to recommend the Welsh 3000s to a novice with no map reading experience.