15h February 2018 Thursday walk with Pete
In my Bannisdale walk a few days ago I mentioned discovering the Millers Way, a long distance path I had not previously heard of. It purportedly follows the route taken by Mr Carr of biscuit fame (he was a miller) when he moved his business from Kendal to Carlisle in 1831. The route interweaves with the A6 trunk road for much of the way. I have the notion to perhaps walk this in sections. Certainly from Kendal as far as Shap one could walk meaningful lengths, then hitch-hike back to the parked car down the A6. The starting point is at Kendal town hall, so just to tidy up the first urban section we parked the car at the retail park north of Kendal (Morrisons, PC World, Halfords etc) to obviate starting with paid car parks in Kendal. So, we walked to the town hall, then back to the car. We were under some time pressure and both of us walked more quickly than usual: the round trip - 2.5 miles - 2 hours - 2.5mph - not bad for a couple of 70+ and 80+ old timers.
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An article in the Guardian a few days caught my attention:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-43063365
It can be précised thus: there is a modern tendency for magnets to be used as closures on clothing. They can cause reverse polarity on a compass. A group of well equipped, experienced walkers in Scotland recently got into trouble walking west instead of east. Take care.
I always keep compass, phone and camera separated.
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Sir Hugh - I was amazed that outdoor clothing companies were using magnetic closures. No names were given in the piece I read online and I hope I’m right in thinking that none of the major brands were/are involved.
ReplyDeleteafoot - well, that's journalism for you.
ReplyDeleteI saw the piece in The Guardian at the time. But felt its implications would only affect those who went walking in suits of armour. Magnetism is a hard concept to grasp; perhaps the closure was entirely accidental.
ReplyDeleteI take it that "that's journalism for you" covers a complaint that you've been under-informed. But you wouldn't have been able to whinge if journalism hadn't partially informed you in the first place.
Imagine coverage of the recent Davos conference adjusted specially for walkers.
"World financial leaders foregathered in the Swiss resort to discuss the various crises throughout the world. Davos is famous for offering three dozen walks of varying length and severity, but of course most of these were unavailable to the financial specialists because they were covered in snow. Snow is a meteorological phenomenon which occurs at this time of the year and is an irritating hindrance to those who would normally be engaged in getting from A to B (Yes, the Swiss do use the same alphabet as Anglophones) while taking photographs. The Ramblers Association has pointed out that it would be better to hold the event in summer when all the paths are enhanced by adjacent begonias. However the Davos organisers have given the RA short shrift with the obviously spurious excuse that several problems discussed at the conference "couldn't wait til the summer."
"Meanwhile the vexing question of cross-country skiing continues to crop up. Pure walkers will know that this is a mere chimaera and that that is the proper, toffee-nosed way of spelling....
RR - I thought you would rise to that one. I am tempted to prattle on but 'nough said.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I took Mick on a walking holiday, I borrowed my father's compass. We'd been out on a couple of outings when, during a conversation about navigation in the pub, I pulled out the compass, looked at it and said "well, that's not north!" It turned out that my father had been storing his compass on top of the microwave and had reversed its polarity. What fortune that we hadn't needed to use it before we noticed.
ReplyDeleteThat compass had a lockable needle and employing both that and the microcwave oven, my father managed to correct it. It's possible that I inherited it* and have it knocking around somewhere, but I've certainly never used it again. (*the compass; not the microwave oven!)
Kendal to Carlisle over Shap - that would take you away from the more obvious touristy areas. Sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteGayle - your father fiddling with the compass brings to mind hilarious anecdotes in Nick Crane's Two Degrees West about his father who he nicknames "Hol" I think, can't remember why. Hol was prone to various eccentricities, often of the mad professor variety - the whole book is entertaining and worth a read if you haven' already done it, especially the Marks and Spencer underpants story.
ReplyDeletebeating the bounds - I have put so many "to do" things on my wish list, but I do think I will have a crack at this, or at least embark further on it, but would prefer to let the knee get a bit better so I can maximise the enjoyment.
ReplyDeleteI will always respond. But it's better to arouse me with an assertion that is at least half right. Feeble stuff is like shooting fish in a barrel.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if that magnetic tale explains your Buachaille meeting and mine with a guy on highest 'pinnacle' of the Crinkles, in thick cloud, who insisted that we were wrong and that the correct direction was 'that way' - indicating a direction that I warned him would take him into Oxenden rather more quickly than he might have intended: no, he insisted we were wrong and plunged off in his chosen direction. Never saw him again. Musing quietly, we dropped down the gentle slopes into upper Eskdale as 'planned'.
ReplyDeleteNothing in the papers or records of the Langdale MR - maybe he's still looking for the way down.
gimmer - I seem to remember the odd occasion when you have distrusted the compass! But in the case of it being re-orientated by 360 degrees one would except common sense to tell you something is wrong, but under cold conditions, perhaps spindrift entering all orifices, and the wind howling, it is not always possible to keep a grip on common sense.
ReplyDeleteso do i - but you were usually vindicated and the day (and a life) saved !
ReplyDeletegimmer - I have heard of magnetic rock formations affecting the compass, but hope I never find them. The more likely cause of disorientated wandering, which I have managed to achieve at least twice, is to take a compass bearing with the map upside down which has a similar effect to reverse polarity.
ReplyDelete