Walking Forum
Main Boards => General Walking Discussion => Topic started by: gunwharfman on 10:46:52, 30/03/21
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Although I take a few photos, my walk memories tend to be based on mini-moments of time and what happened in that time, that's what my mind tends to cling onto. So for me, I think if I worked on it I could come up with hundreds of mini-moments.
Like falling into a stream of cow slurry, pigs trying to get into my tent, being biffed by a cow, an outside meal on a glorious evening underneath some trees, bing drunk and looking for my tent in the dark, picking cherries for an old lady, being scared of really dense fog, so many small moments but ones that even today I can still laugh and feel good about.
And for me as well, using YouTube and other people's films to jog my memory, "I've been there," " I climbed that as well" etc, etc.
Do you have your own special way of remembering what your hikes?
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I don't have many memories of long hikes, except for one I did 30 years ago in the Pyrenees. One of the things I best remember is how heavy the rucksack was, nothing like now. We had to stop every now and then. We carried lots of heavy food supplies, clothes, etc. Then we were short of water for some time, and we were so thirsty... I also remember how a brick of tomato sauce exploded inside my rucksack. And many good memories too.
For my upcoming hikes am planning on bringing a diary, I enjoy writing (in Spanish) and I guess I'll have plenty of time for that after the sunset. I even started fantasising with what am going to write down :-D
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All my walks are recorded as gps files. Opening one on my computer generates the OS map of the walk. I also have a log of my walks which includes a short remarks entry for significant events/kit used/companions/weather and cross references it to the gps file. Fortunately, while I have the kind of memory that instantly forgets names and places, it never seems to forget geography. The map and the log combined brings the walk back to the point where i can write a set of directions for one that I did years ago.
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I also remember that we climbed a big mountain and when we were up there I became paralysed (am very afraid of heights), lying in the ground as long as I am, sweating and terrified of what was coming next. Not the typical summit experience :-D
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I keep journals. It's a big part of the pleasure for me. I don't record the walks in micro detail, but more the nature, buildings, and people. Plus a little sketching.
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When young, my camera was mugged off me in Italy; and since then I take no photos at all. Sometimes I like to retrace my steps, years later, on Google Earth, and zoom in on my old wild camp spots if possible. And then what I've forgotten comes back to me.
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I've been keeping a cycling and walking diary/journal since I retired in 2005. Includes outline of route, mileage, comments on weather, any companions etc. I don't read it that often but intend to do so when I have to limit or stop my outdoor activities due to age and/or infirmity.
Dave
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I still take plenty of photos on my walks, probably more now using my phone as well which all bring back memories. Nowadays these images are all georeferenced and can be easily correlated with the GPX track file I also record and the appropriate mapping. I find that photos are amazing memory triggers for me. The only list I have ever kept was in the mid-stages of doing the Munros (still one left thanks to Covid!) to keep track (pun intended ;D ) of my progress.
If I have just done a walk I really want to remember, I try and recall the details as I am trying to get to sleep - the problem is I never finish it!
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I started writing a walking diary when I joined my university mountaineering club in 1984 - it ran to 5 volumes before I ran out of steam with it; luckily my wife took up the reins and kept a diary on our walking holidays. Re-reading it has given me a lot of pleasure, and helps to fix the memories in my brain, as have photos - but all too often a photo without accompanying notes becomes meaningless.
More recently, I have started writing trip reports on this forum, and more recently still, I have started a blog on Wordpress, which I keep a backup of. Most of my forum trip reports are on it now, and I hope to add some of my earlier walking diary in the fullness of time. I am sure that I will enjoy reading it when I am older, when I am unable to head off into the wilds as I do now.
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- luckily my wife took up the reins and kept a diary on our walking holidays.
Mine does too and as Mrs E is also blessed with a prodigious memory, she can remember a lot of our adventures together. Especially the one where she fell into a crevasse up to her armpits (whilst roped up of course) as we were crossing a snow-slope in Austria described in the guidebook as being benign and crevasse-free!
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Mine does too and as Mrs E is also blessed with a prodigious memory, she can remember a lot of our adventures together. Especially the one where she fell into a crevasse up to her armpits (whilst roped up of course) as we were crossing a snow-slope in Austria described in the guidebook as being benign and crevasse-free!
A moment of high drama!
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I sued to keep a diary, but haven't done so for a couple of years - think I may go back to it.
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Scribblings in the guide book, if I have one for the days out, especially so for a multi day route then a transfer to a bit of a logbook at home.
The coming for me of the Phone with camera three years ago, I was a late user, has made it reasonable to keep on top the sequence of the days events with the time being made available for each image. :)
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I have kept an exercise log since the 1980's. Once a diary it's now a spread sheet, but the format hasn't really changed. Just the basic data.
Date, Brief description including significant way points, Distance, Total Assent, Total time including stops, weather conditions.
For significant events I'll plan them in great detail pre event then right up trip reports and include pictures. Those are usually accompanied by a GPS plot, post event from memory, in the OS app. I find doing it that way I remember the route far better next time I'm in the area. I plot every walk on the OS App, post event, to pull the stats off, but for the vast majority I then immediately delete the plot.
Specific memories are usually a result of lessons learned or significant targets archived. Such as falling into the east dart river, mid winter, alone when it was -9C. whist doing a reccy walk for the the Dartmoor 600s for our walking group. First time I ever had to think, whist out walking, am I in trouble, can I sort this myself, if so what do I do next. Happily my instincts and experience of winter surfing kicked in, sorted it and lessons were indeed learned.
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On multi-day walks (or any multi day travel), I write a diary. For the very long ones I write a travel report in which I also include photos. I regularly re-read my own reports to keep the wonderful memories alive.
On walks where I watch birds, I usually make a list what I see and this is kept in Scythebill (basically a database). Browsing this database also brings back memories of the walks.
Finally, when walks in Scotland involve a Munro, I keep a list of that too (just the date). But seeing the list and dates also revives my memory. These are always wonderful walks without exception.
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I track all my routes on ViewRanger, and take a fair few snaps on my phone. That’s enough to piece together memories of a walk. I suppose what it doesn’t record is “tricky” moments, like difficult scrambles, slipping over etc.
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I regularly re-read my own reports to keep the wonderful memories alive.
^ this.
For this reason alone I would recommend that all forum members keep a blog or journal.
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^ this.
For this reason alone I would recommend that all forum members keep a blog or journal.
There are quite a few I would prefer to forget and I wish I had never tried!
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I don't record a route but I retrace my actual walk with a track which I keep a record in a folder. I have a basic walk log and photos to fall back on.
The post walk study of the map is to my mind the most valuable of all the map reading I do.