Backpacks and blisters - the walking thread

[Paul S]

I'm due to go down to Cornwall on the sleeper train Friday night to carry on walking the SWCP, but I'm considering cancelling it. I'll be walking from St Ives round Lands End to Penzance and then down to Lizard Point and I don't fancy doing that in 60mph winds.

[Sits]

I'd say that's a good call. Lands End / Lizard weather is always that bit more extreme at the best of times.

[treibeis]

I did one of those rambling things yesterday. Fourteen kilometres long, with 855 vertical metres (or whatever they're called) uphill and 735 downhill.

I was wearing unflattering clothes, which got fucking filthy, and I stank like a ferret at the end*. This makes me a proper rambler, doesn't it?

* That could also describe one of my typical work days in summer.

[Moonlight Shadow]

I did one of those rambling things yesterday. Fourteen kilometres long, with 855 vertical metres (or whatever they're called) uphill and 735 downhill.

I was wearing unflattering clothes, which got fucking filthy, and I stank like a ferret at the end*. This makes me a proper rambler, doesn't it?

* That could also describe one of my typical work days in summer.

Yep, welcome to the club...did you have a map and compass dangling from your neck, for added ramblitude...?

[Paul S]

I've put my walking holiday round the SWCP back by four weeks. It isn't just the wind around Lands End and Lizard I'm concerned about, it's the insane amounts of rainfall we've had in the last week or so and with Storm Dennis due to bring more, I'm going to leave the hills for another day.

[treibeis]

Yep, welcome to the club...did you have a map and compass dangling from your neck, for added ramblitude...?

No, but I attached a tin mug by its handle to the strap on the back of my rucksack, for absolutely no reason at all. That's what ramblers do, isn't it?

[delicatemoth]

Well played, Paul. If I'd done that I'd never have needed to bother MR that time.

[Moonlight Shadow]

No, but I attached a tin mug by its handle to the strap on the back of my rucksack, for absolutely no reason at all. That's what ramblers do, isn't it?

I do that when I hike in the Alps and I can drink from fountains and springs, a nice purple one from Asda, with a carabinier...

[treibeis]

While enjoying a post-ramble drink today, I was accosted by one of those Rambling Rambler types. I've encountered them before. Blokes who are very good at telling you how good they are and how shit I am.

As usual, I didn't really listen to what he said, but the 'exchange' went something like this.

"All right, mate. Been up Real Men's Mountain today, then?"

"No."

"You should have, though. I was up there yesterday. 35,000 metres uphill, 29,000 metres downhill. Completed it in ten minutes, all on Big Cocks Only Ridge. Three inches wide, sheer drop on both sides.

"No, I won't be doing that. I'm scared of heights."

"Scared of heights? Well, don't be. LIKE heights. Mind you, if you fall off Big Cocks Only Ridge, it takes six hours before you hit the bottom. Where did you go, then?"

"I was on Flaccid Dinkies Promenade."

"Flaccid Dinkies Promenade? Have your gran with you, did you? In her wheelchair?"

"Ooh, look at the time. My bus leaves in an hour and a half, don't want to miss it, goodbye."

[Moonlight Shadow]

Yeah, plenty of dickheads like that sadly...Mind, I do something a bit different, I drag people afraid of heights(wife, colleagues of her, her son...with their consent, after a speech about how this is risky but doable) up gnarly scrambling ridges. For a while they hate me but I encourage them, show them the right moves, help them in moments of doubt and by the time we are down, they can't stop talking as to how brilliant and scary it all was. I never mock those who can't or won't do this, hike your own hike and all that...

[treibeis]

I'll go UP most things without a second thought ("Mr. Butterfield! You've not been the same since that coach trip to Amsterdam!"), as I don't have to look down.

It's steep and narrow descents that have me wailing, dribbling and soiling myself (even more than usual).

[Moonlight Shadow]

I'll go UP most things without a second thought ("Mr. Butterfield! You've not been the same since that coach trip to Amsterdam!"), as I don't have to look down.

It's steep and narrow descents that have me wailing, dribbling and soiling myself (even more than usual).

Yeah, down-scrambling is not something I enjoy either. The height thing can be tamed after practice, my wife is a good example. She was afraid of a moderately steep grass hill at first and now has to be restrained to not take the hardest scrambling lines...and she was better at lead climbing(the kind where u take a real fall) a 20m wall than me.

[Paul S]

Well played, Paul. If I'd done that I'd never have needed to bother MR that time.

It's cost me a bit of money as although some B&B's are happy to put a booking back four weeks, some won't. I have had a problem with a pub in a village near Helston where I booked a night through a company called eviivo. They say I can cancel up to 48 hours beforehand and I am cancelling 7 days in advance. However, the website tells me to cancel through the pub and the pub claim they have never heard of them! I'm tempted to walk an extra 2.7 miles and stay in a premier inn on the edge of Helston instead.

[delicatemoth]

Yeah, plenty of dickheads like that sadly...Mind, I do something a bit different, I drag people afraid of heights(wife, colleagues of her, her son...with their consent, after a speech about how this is risky but doable) up gnarly scrambling ridges. For a while they hate me but I encourage them, show them the right moves, help them in moments of doubt and by the time we are down, they can't stop talking as to how brilliant and scary it all was. I never mock those who can't or won't do this, hike your own hike and all that...

My favourite mountain is Liathach, which I traversed using the airy bypass route rather than the pinnacles; I would like to go back there and go up the pinnacles some time. I've backed out of Aonach Eagach too.

Another vote for descents being worse, partly it's due to being tired. When your legs start to shake it can be horrible.

[Sits]

No, but I attached a tin mug by its handle to the strap on the back of my rucksack, for absolutely no reason at all. That's what ramblers do, isn't it?

When I was seventeen, my mate and I attempted a Cornish Coast Path walk, which ended up not going so well. Anyway a day before we set off I was over-preparing with no idea what I was doing. Having concluded I couldn’t get a box of cornflakes and a loaf of sliced white in my rucksack, I remembered I wanted to take a frying pan. Pinching one of my Dad’s smaller ones, I padlocked it to the bottom corner of the rucksack frame.

Next lunchtime after the HST we set off from St. Austell station and walked to a campsite at Pentewan Sands. Time for supper! Calor gas stove out, fearlessly took only half an hour to brave the piercing of the cylinder. Went to get the frying pan. Couldn’t find the padlock key.

The entire fortnight’s peaceful country was walking was to the accompaniment of my frying pan clanking away against the frame.

[nmrfox]

Delighted to see that the Animal Sanctuary to which me and my wife do a lot of work for are again attempting the 3 Peaks Challenge. After the abortive attempt in 2018, hopefully those organising it will be a bit stricter on who they allow to take part, as it was painfully obvious last time that around 50% of the team had no idea how tough the challenge actually would be and were in no fit shape to complete. Once this godawful weather clears will be dusting down the boots and getting some practice in before the proposed May date.

[Paul S]

When I'm out in the Highlands walking I normally drink straight from the rivers and streams, but lower down you run the risk of drinking something nasty if you do that. For this end I have been looking into buying a water filtration bottle. The one I'm looking at is the Katadyn BeFree Water Filtration System which you can get in different sizes. it doesn't filter out chemicals, but I'm not sure what would and if you're in that sort of terrain than it's probably best to wait until you reach human habitation anyway. But what sort of systems do other people use and how do you find them?

[caja-dglh]

I am stuck between a Katadyn and a Steripen for this summer. It will probably be determined by the gear list for the event (typically they require a nalgene bottle which would push me in the direction of a Steripen).

[Moonlight Shadow]

I have a Sawyer filter. I used to have a Drinksafe filter that was also good for chemicals but debit was very slow. The Sawyer basic filter is cheap, easy to clean , very small/light and has an excellent flow.

[Balderdasha]

Delighted to see that the Animal Sanctuary to which me and my wife do a lot of work for are again attempting the 3 Peaks Challenge. After the abortive attempt in 2018, hopefully those organising it will be a bit stricter on who they allow to take part, as it was painfully obvious last time that around 50% of the team had no idea how tough the challenge actually would be and were in no fit shape to complete. Once this godawful weather clears will be dusting down the boots and getting some practice in before the proposed May date.

The three peaks challenge is surprisingly tough. It's not so much the actual climbing of the mountains, as the fact that you have to sit in a minibus for 6-8 hours in-between each climb, which means your muscles all seize up. I did it in 2011 (well, due to timings and other issues fleshed out on the strange nights thread, we climbed the whole of Ben Nevis and Snowdon, but only half of Scafell Pike in the middle) and it was weeks before I could walk without limping again. At the time I was a relatively regular hill / mountain walker. I doubt I could do it now without a lot of training.

[Paul S]

Nmrfox, I know that you mean well and want to raise money for charity, but honestly the three peaks challenge is causing so many problems you'd be better off finding alternatives. The walker and climber Cameron Mcneish has said that he would rather visit the three largest industrial estates in Britain than climb the three peaks in 24 hours. Yes it sounds like a great challenge, but the Lake District is being overloaded with people doing the challenge with over 80 minibuses being parked up in June and July with people attempting Scafell Pike. Then you have the lack of toilet facilities resulting in a pile of poo topped with tissue paper being found at regular intervals and you'll begin to see the problem.

Why not choose three other summits and do those instead? Try something local, pick the tops of three local counties and try those instead? As you well know Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon are fantastic mountains each deserving a fulls days walk and that means you can use other tracks to the summit. I have a first edition of the Guinness book of Records which lists the highest points of each county of Britain if you are interested!

[Moonlight Shadow]

Moonlight Shadow, I know that you mean well and want to raise money for charity, but honestly the three peaks challenge is causing so many problems you'd be better off finding alternatives. The walker and climber Cameron Mcneish has said that he would rather visit the three largest industrial estates in Britain than climb the three peaks in 24 hours. Yes it sounds like a great challenge, but the Lake District is being overloaded with people doing the challenge with over 80 minibuses being parked up in June and July with people attempting Scafell Pike. Then you have the lack of toilet facilities resulting in a pile of poo topped with tissue paper being found at regular intervals and you'll begin to see the problem.

Why not choose three other summits and do those instead? Try something local, pick the tops of three local counties and try those instead? As you well know Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon are fantastic mountains each deserving a fulls days walk and that means you can use other tracks to the summit. I have a first edition of the Guinness book of Records which lists the highest points of each county of Britain if you are interested!

Not me dude...but I agree with what you say...

[Paul S]

Thanks Moonlight Shadow, just corrected!

[Moonlight Shadow]

Thanks Moonlight Shadow, just corrected!

You can correct it again, it's not Balder who is about to do it...

[Sits]

It’s nmrfox.