Author Topic: Hiking UK trails, including possibly Glyndwr's Way  (Read 3518 times)

Ge1ert

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9
Hi.
I'm new here and have just posted in the Welcome forum. I haven't done any serious longish distance hiking in the UK for many years, but now have the opportunity to, at last. I did hike and wildcamp alone in a fairly remote part of northern Norway for several weeks last year and now I really do have the 'bug'. I'd like to ask a couple of questions if that's okay.
1). What do you generally do these days in terms maps and guides? Do you buy detailed OS maps in advance or on route where possible and do you take guidebooks such as Cicerones or other trail-specific ones as well? Or do you mostly rely on electronic guiding, such as handheld gps and perhaps download detailed route files from certain (??), websites beforehand? Or ALL of the above?
I guess part of what I'm asking is How? do you prepare for established trail hikes in terms of route planning and navigation and are there particular 'Go To' resources you use online or as hard copy material?
2). I've looked at other posts here concerning Glyndwr's Way, a National Trail in mid-Wales. I'm hoping that someone reading this will have had first hand experience of it. It's one I'm thinking of walking perhaps this year. I'd like to wildcamp wherever possible and shops (supplies), are scarce I believe, so I'd carry a supply of dried food. But is there likely to be drinkable water readily available along this trail? I can filter if needed.
Any other general UK hiking advice or tips would be great, please. Or even anything specific to Glyndwr's Way would be great as well, thanks.
I realise I've written too much but, thanks anyway for your patience toward this forums newbie.
G.

vghikers

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2605
Re: Hiking UK trails, including possibly Glyndwr's Way
« Reply #1 on: 10:31:52, 02/06/20 »
We've backpacked and wild-camped a few sections of OGW as fragments of other self-designed routes in mid-Wales.

Collecting enough water is no problem on OGW (we never filter or boil).
Your main resupply points are Machynlleth and Llanidloes, but check carefully beforehand on opening times for any little shops in other places, if they still exist - we've been misled before.

I think most here use electronic navigation these days, but we use Memory-Map on a desktop to plot the route and print off map sheets to cover it, putting the sheets in an Ortlieb map case.

gunwharfman

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10255
Re: Hiking UK trails, including possibly Glyndwr's Way
« Reply #2 on: 10:56:14, 02/06/20 »
I use the app Backcountry, its easy and it uses OS maps. Others use different apps. I'm not sure how many people use paper maps anymore?

I've hiked the Glyndwr's Way, for me the loneliest of the National Trails I've walked, didn't see another hiker in 9 days. I started from Knighton, a very nice little place. For me it was like stepping back in time as well, the little towns and villages seemed to be living a lifestyle far removed from the one that I am used to. Its a really good walk though, lots of grassy trails to follow.

If I wanted to plan a really long walk I would personally start at the southern end of Offas Dyke, get to Knighton and then turn off on the Glyndwr's Way and when I walked into Welshpool, I would walk north on the Offas Dyke route again. Or as an alternative, I would hike from the south at the beginning of Offas Dyke, walk to Welshpool, then hike the Glyndwr's Way and when I arrived back at Knighton I would just catch the train and go home.

Islandplodder

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1117
Re: Hiking UK trails, including possibly Glyndwr's Way
« Reply #3 on: 11:30:12, 02/06/20 »
I tend to use a combination of guide books and OS maps.  When I did the Pennine way I cut the guide book up into chunks with each day's walk clipped together.  That way I had the route description for the day in my pocket and could refer to it quickly, and chucked it out at the end of the day, so I was never carrying more than I needed to.  I also took the two AZ map books for the route, handy if you are going off the route, either accidentally or on purpose, eg for overnights.

Owen

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1760
Re: Hiking UK trails, including possibly Glyndwr's Way
« Reply #4 on: 11:35:45, 02/06/20 »
I use a combination of memory map and paper maps for planning. I have a Garmin GPS and viewranger on my phone. I've found over time I've drifted away from electronic maps and have gone back to paper. I don't do "ways" or established footpaths. I much prefer to make up my own route. I find the limited view of the map on a phone screen very frustrating. On the other hand, how many times do you find your route going just off the edge of your map. But, on balance I still prefer paper.


Whereabouts in Norway did you walk?

richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12714
Re: Hiking UK trails, including possibly Glyndwr's Way
« Reply #5 on: 16:39:40, 02/06/20 »
Looks like a very off the beaten track sort of route. Can't help you with detailed advice on it though.


My one and only long distance walk was from Swansea to Conwy - a route of my own choosing, and we took maps - didn't think anything of it at the time as there was no alternative. Best day was Rhandirmwyn to Llanddewi Brevi via the wonderful Doethie valley - well off the beaten track!
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

Ge1ert

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9
Re: Hiking UK trails, including possibly Glyndwr's Way
« Reply #6 on: 17:35:09, 03/06/20 »
VGHikers and gunwharfman - I'll make a note of that, especially concerning Memory-Map and Backcountry. I've not used either of them as I've done very little longer distance hiking in the UK in recent years. That's something I could look into, gunwharfman, including Offa's Dyke at some time. Thanks both.


Islandplodder - That's a good idea and one I could have do with thinking previously. Far less fiddling.


*Owen - Yes, I have a Garmin 64ST that I'm using these days. Not 100% expert yet, but getting there. It's especially good for preplanned trails. As for Viewranger, not used that either, yet. I have used AllTrails, though. Also, in Norway, I used Wikiloc sometimes, but mainly OSM for Android; That was the best, along with Norgeskart.


richardh1905 - I used to work in Rhandirmwyn, the Doethie Valley and all around there (environmental work), and it was a really beautiful area to work in. I still venture up there from time to time, red kites and all.

 
* The part of Norway I was in is the region of Nordland, on the Lofoten Islands, an archipelago of seven islands just over 160km inside the Arctic Circle. It's a truly magical place and the landscape there is almost untouched by modern day ravages of man. If you appreciate and enjoy isolation in 'raw', spectacular nature, this is somewhere I'd recommend (keeping it a secret of course ;) ). I was trekking there alone for almost 6 weeks last year and returned to so-called civilization looking like Hagrid (apparently :p). A retirement near-wilderness adventure treat to myself. I will go back.

 
Thanks for your replies. I'm pretty much a newbie to trail hiking in the UK, so this all helps.
(BTW, If I don't reply quickly, it's only because I'm not online every day.)
« Last Edit: 17:44:39, 03/06/20 by Ge1ert »

astaman

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 166
Re: Hiking UK trails, including possibly Glyndwr's Way
« Reply #7 on: 08:21:51, 04/06/20 »
My preference is for map and compass and Viewranger on my phone with OS mapping. First time I walked the West Highland Way I took a strip map of the Way. They are available for other long distance paths as well. Maps are useful for orientating you in the wider landscape and identifying features that are not easily seen on a phone screen or outside of the range of a strip map.

Ge1ert

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9
Re: Hiking UK trails, including possibly Glyndwr's Way
« Reply #8 on: 16:06:01, 04/06/20 »

Hi astaman
Those strip maps look interesting. Are paper ones available? And, looking on the RouteBuddy.com website (Is that the right website for them?), which versions do you recommend? Harvey or OS? I've only taken a glance, but are they digital only?
Thanks
G

My preference is for map and compass and Viewranger on my phone with OS mapping. First time I walked the West Highland Way I took a strip map of the Way. They are available for other long distance paths as well. Maps are useful for orientating you in the wider landscape and identifying features that are not easily seen on a phone screen or outside of the range of a strip map.

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy