Whilst in the lake district last week I realised it was 10 years since my first walk up any kind of significant hill (that's ignoring the Brecon Beacons ofcourse which I went to a few times with school). So it seemed appropriate to repeat the same walk, up Helvellyn from the Swirls carpark, back down towards Wythburn Church and back through the woods. Interesting to note the changes in that time. Both paths have undergone serious construction, the car park is pay and display and Thirlmere looks far more attractive because it doesn't appear to be used as a reservoir with fluctuating levels anymore. Helvellyn itself seems to have shrunk significantly and the near vertical scree completely disappeared. The only thing remaining unchanged was the delightful path back through the woods.
As far myself, it's amusing to note that on that first walk in my inexperience I wore trainers and took no rucksack or map. Now after going through the boots, spare gear and navigation period I'm back to trainers, carrying nothing that won't fit in a pocket and navigation by previous knowledge and guesswork.
As far myself, it's amusing to note that on that first walk in my inexperience I wore trainers and took no rucksack or map. Now after going through the boots, spare gear and navigation period I'm back to trainers,
And what about the foot deep mud, deep puddles, bogs and swollen streams that you find in your way?
Or are you limiting yourself to "civilised" paths?
And what about the foot deep mud, deep puddles, bogs and swollen streams that you find in your way?
Or are you limiting yourself to "civilised" paths?
Well the path in question was pretty civilised until I decided that the waterfall a few hundred metres across the hillside was worth a closer inspection. I ended up with wet feet from the stream crossing certainly but since it was only a couple of miles back to a heated campervan I wasn't particularly bothered.
For short day walks I reckon the comfort of trainers wins out over the protection of boots but I have discovered on backpacking trips that my feet start to suffer painfully if they stay wet for three or more long days of bog squelching so I need to try something different for that. I was going to ask my nearest and dearest to get me a pair of Gore-Tex trainers for Xmas but my boots fell apart when I dug them out for a walk last week so I got a new pair of those in Ambleside instead for possible use with crampons if needed this winter.
Sandals were good for wading through bogs and streams on Dartmoor last time I went and I tried my new pair out around the Storr on Skye this week which isn't far but had enough rough terrain to test them out in that respect. They might well become my footwear of choice. But they still have their disadvantages, namely the odd stubbed or cut toe and leaving yourself open to attacks by ticks. Might still try a pair Gore-Tex trainers next birthday.
And what about the foot deep mud, deep puddles, bogs and swollen streams that you find in your way?
I take it you wear wellingtons then? My boots certainly don't help with foot deep puddles! They do however make sure that the water which gets in doesn't get out again :-)
My boots certainly don't help with foot deep puddles!
Who said anything about a foot deep? 6-7 inches deep, no problem with a typical high boot, which is all you need for the average stream and bog. You don't have to walk through the centre of puddles, but they are often annoyingly difficult to walk around, so walking through the edge will do.
For short day walks I reckon the comfort of trainers wins out over the protection of boots
Oh absolutely, I've been using trainers for a few years now in dry weather conditions.
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but I have discovered on backpacking trips that my feet start to suffer painfully if they stay wet for three or more long days of bog squelching so I need to try something different for that.
Yes, wet backpacking trips really need boots.
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Sandals were good for wading through bogs and streams on Dartmoor last time I went and I tried my new pair out around the Storr on Skye this week which isn't far but had enough rough terrain to test them out in that respect. They might well become my footwear of choice. But they still have their disadvantages, namely the odd stubbed or cut toe and leaving yourself open to attacks by ticks.
You're not going to convince me about sandals. I like warm dry feet.
My boots certainly don't help with foot deep puddles!
Who said anything about a foot deep?
er, you did :-) "And what about the foot deep mud, deep puddles, bogs and swollen streams that you find in your way?"
Ah! That's foot deep "mud", not puddles! The gaiters take care of the extra height of the mud... (Horrible memories of Offa's Dyke on the Black Mountains)
In article <[email hidden]>, AndyP <[email hidden]> writes
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Might still try a pair Gore-Tex trainers next birthday.
Hi Andy, I'm trying to work out how these Gore-Tex trainers are going to keep your knees dry in swollen streams :-) -- Bill Grey http://www.billboy.co.uk
Yeah jump across,! You might need to do it in two jumps though - then how will your knees fare?...:-)
If my girlfriend's with me I do sometimes act the gentleman and put rocks in suitable places for her. She can't jump so far as me and doesn't much like wet knees. Another tactic I tried when trout fishing small streams as a kid was to shin up a thin alder tree on one side of the stream and get it swaying to bend it over to the other side like a version of the pole vault before jumping off leaving me safe and dry on the other side. (No, ofcourse it didn't work).
In article <[email hidden]>, AndyP <[email hidden]> writes
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If my girlfriend's with me I do sometimes act the gentleman and put rocks in suitable places for her. She can't jump so far as me and doesn't much like wet knees. Another tactic I tried when trout fishing small streams as a kid was to shin up a thin alder tree on one side of the stream and get it swaying to bend it over to the other side like a version of the pole vault before jumping off leaving me safe and dry on the other side. (No, ofcourse it didn't work).
:-)
When I was working, my chainman needed to get across an old stream bed which was almost dry, but still boggy. He jumped across and grabbed an old tree - yes - it broke and he ended up on his back in the mud :-) -- Bill Grey http://www.billboy.co.uk
Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the wonderful person AndyP <[email hidden]> said
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"W. D. Grey" <[email hidden]> wrote
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Yeah jump across,! You might need to do it in two jumps though - then how will your knees fare?...:-)
If my girlfriend's with me I do sometimes act the gentleman and put rocks in suitable places for her. She can't jump so far as me and doesn't much like wet knees. Another tactic I tried when trout fishing small streams as a kid was to shin up a thin alder tree on one side of the stream and get it swaying to bend it over to the other side like a version of the pole vault before jumping off leaving me safe and dry on the other side. (No, ofcourse it didn't work).
You =can= pole vault a reasonable distance using one/two walking poles, but make sure they're properly locked before you start. 8>.
-- GSV Three Minds in a Can Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and indistinguishable from human typing.
Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the wonderful person Chris Malcolm <[email hidden]> said
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GSV Three Minds in a Can said:
You =can= pole vault a reasonable distance using one/two walking poles, but make sure they're properly locked before you start. 8>.
Leaving behind on the other bank a pole which has been firmly thrust into the ground?
Nah, you stick them in midstream, and vault over them .. with wrist straps on there's no way you're going to leave them behind. OK, so you can only do about 6-8 feet that way, but it still beats paddling.
I guess if you were really agile you could walk on the poles (sort of the 'walking on hands' equivalent of stilt walking?). I'm not quite up to that. I admit it .. today I built yet another flaky driftwood bridge. 8>.
-- GSV Three Minds in a Can Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and indistinguishable from human typing.
Nah, you stick them in midstream, and vault over them
Yep, the ones with the rounded cork handles are ideal for this.
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.. with wrist straps on there's no way you're going to leave them behind.
Ooh, I wouldn't risk that. Sometimes poles get jammed in rocks and if you're connected to them you'll end up in the river. I'd rather let go of the pole.
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OK, so you can only do about 6-8 feet that way, but it still beats paddling.
Good for descending steepish drops too, like descending from a wall (rather than jumping, if you know what I mean).
