Navigation training – Page 8

Mytholmroyd reccy 4th January 2015

Short walk as part of our drive for Map and Compass walks to start near train stations. A good cafe helps. I’m told Milly’s is good but have yet to try it. It’s veggie and vegan.
I went up from the Methodist church to Stake Lane then found barbed wire across the right of way. Next a sign pointing away from the right of way which went through someone’s garden. I corrected the sign and went through the garden. Got to the old quarry and soon found its Millennium Garden which was nice and peaceful although chilly. I had my hot chocolate there. Back via Miry Lane which wasn’t and Stake Lane which was miry and an old track. Not a long walk but will be a good one for our punters.
Some fabulous light on the way home.

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map and use a compass with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

Iceland November 2014

Intro

It all started with Addie, Chris and Geraldine planning to go to the Airwaves festival in Reykjavik. Then I added myself to the trip with a view not to go to the festival but to go hiking. Chris was unable to go because of her illness and Geraldine wasn’t able to go either. So Addie recruited Rosie and then there were 3.

Sun 2nd November

Stayed in the Radisson Blu at Manchester airport. I dropped the bags off, drove to the Meet and Greet parking to find I only had parking from Monday to Monday. The guy took pity on me and gave me a night for free! I walked the Skyway back to the hotel, settled in and met up with Addie and Rosie for a beer in the bar.

Someone said "red, white and blue" — Someone said “red, white and blue”

Mon 2nd November

My deal of park (limited) and sleep didn’t include breakfast so I walked into T2 but no shops there without setting off to the wrong location and particularly no M&S so thought I would get something in T1. Lovely surprise, Addie brought me a bread roll, an apple and a yoghurt! We walked the Skyway to T1, checked in, did security (thorough frisking for me even inside the top of my pants)! Shopping was a large bottle of whisky. Coffee, then onto the plane.

Smooth flight up through Scotland and along most of the southern coast of Iceland. Cool but sunny on arrival. Onto bus to cross a very flat lunar landscape. To Reykjavik and a quick switch to a minibus which took us to the Embassy Luxury Apartments see the link for photos of the flat. The Russian embassy is across the road from the flat. At first there was no answer to the intercom but we soon got in. Freya then rang us to check we were ok. Flat is v spacious and comfortable with 4 separate table areas – kitchen, dining room, vast leather sofa for watching TV and another relaxing set up in sitting room. Hot water is geothemically heated so smells of sulphur which we will get used to after a few weeks, we are only here for one week. Cold water comes off mountains and is delicious. We all got nice bedrooms. I went for the twin as small and cosy. Lots of books mostly in Icelandic and a large number of hideous and in two instances disturbing items of “art” on the walls. Settled in and unpacked then out to explore. Looked in supermarkets and food is expensive, in fact everything is. We went to Caruso to eat. I had quiche baked potato and salad which was good. Nice firm pastry and chunky veg.

Did some shopping in the 7:11 and then home via the city pond (Tjornin).

This one is loads better in a photo than on the wall, can actually make sense of it now.

Kiki didn't seem to like being open to guests. — Kiki didn’t seem to like being open to guests.

N and R were obscuring the name of the shop! — A and R were obscuring the name of the shop!

Tuesday 3rd November

Got up early for collection by David (an Englishman) of Iceland Horizon. Drove out of city. He gave us lots of info and quite a few opinions some of which were a bit old fashioned but he knew a lot and was good on geology and birds and culture. We stopped often and jumped out for the loo and coffees, then a waterfall to walk behind, a farm under Eyjafyallajokull (I can almost say this now) which had made a video of when the volcano went off, their house was covered in ash, they had to leave. The farm is pretty much self sustainable with its own hydro electricity since the 1920s and hot water and heat from geothermal sources. Then to the beach at Myrdal with basalt columns. Another cafe at Vik where we surreptitiously ate our sandwiches. On the return trip to a glacier with black ash from Eyjafyallajokull making it look very grubby, then another big waterfall at Skogafoss. Dark and snow on the way back. We tried valiantly to keep the condensation off the windows but it was a somewhat thankless task and had a certain bonkersness to it as we had to share just 2 water scrapers back and forth up and down the minibus. Back at the flat, A and R quickly produced leek and potato soup and pasta with veg and sauce. We stayed up late and drank whisky. David said there would be no buses at all to Mt Esja as no one lives there or has any need to travel there or even past there.

And another sneaky one, love the intense concentration in both.

Wednesday 5th November

We all got up late and walked to Harpa, the gleaming new media centre. Addie and Rosie got their wristbands for the Airwaves festival. I then went to the tourist information centre and got information on the non-existent buses to the places where people do live and even for journeys beyond. I wandered around the town, went to the church, a creperie – Eldur og Is and had a cheese and sun-dried tomato crêpe. Bought some beer and some Brennavin for Kate. Came home and just chilled. Had some soup for supper.

Leifur Eriksson found America first — Leifr Eriksson found America first

Concrete church, the Icelanders have been a bit too fond of concrete... — Concrete church, the Icelanders have been a bit too fond of concrete…

Thursday 6th November

Slow starting the day. Walked to Volcano House cinema via the old harbour. Watched a film about volcanic fissure on Heimaey Island in the Vestmannaeyjar Islands near Vik in 1973. Then another one about the Eyjafyallajokull eruption in 2010. Got a Reykjavik welcome card. Went to 871 + – 2 Settlement exhibition which is a Viking long hall. They’ve built the exhibition around the actual dig.

Lunch at Gio raw food. 3 salads for £4.50 with rye bread included. Very good. Located the Handknitting Association of Iceland. There were ladies knitting by hand in the back of the shop! Walked across to the national museum which gave me a comprehensive history of Iceland. I saw the actual axe and block used to behead Agnes Magnusdottir, I am reading her story in Burial Rites by Hannah Kent and recommended to me by Chris.

Bought veg so as to cook dinner for when the girls returned from the Blue Lagoon, all chilled out! Made noodles, veg, tofu and peanut sauce with toasted nuts. They seemed to like it.

Apparently Reykjavik is overrun by cats, I saw about 4.

Typical corrugated iron clad houses, but not rusty!

Lots of people very unhappy in the small population.

Friday 7th November

A and R went to the Blue Lagoon so I went to the local hot baths which were included in my 24 hour city pass. I thought I was mad walking across to the pool in my swimsuit in very chilly air temperature but then the relief of the warm water made it all ok. I swam myself warm in the first pool, then moved into the next one to get a bit warmer, and then the next one to get warmer still. There were hotter pools but I was quite happy at 38 degrees. The lifeguards appeared to be wearing snowmobile suits so I dread to think what they would do if someone needed them, maybe they strip off very quickly or perhaps they use a pole.

We all went into town and I set off to do a bit more shopping and then went down to the prom to take some photos of the stainless steel Viking boat. I was nearly blown away and it was icy cold in the wind. I went back up to Gardurinn Buddhist resto for a veggie curry which came quickly and was lovely.

It was bitingly cold wind chill that day requiring hot chocolate when I got back to the flat.

I then went out to the university cinema which doubles as a conference centre to see the first of a series of films to commemorate 25 years since the wall came down in Berlin. I was very interested to see all this as I’d kind of missed it all at the time because my dad was ill and dying. There was an introduction by an Icelandic chap to welcome us all (mostly a German audience). The first film was Zug in die Freiheit (The Train to Freedom). There was a panel at the end of Icelanders who were in Berlin at the time so they said their bits and asked for questions but none were forthcoming! Good film.

Saturday 8th November

Up early to the bus stop near the Radhus in the dark. No. 6 Bus didn’t come. 10 mins later as I walked away it did come very fast and wouldn’t stop so I think the driver overslept. All well as went home for loo, coffee and to pick up my phone which I’d left on charge.

The next bus did arrive and went through the burbs to Artun which is not very nice just a big bus stop on a busy road. The 57 bus came and dropped me off half an hour later at Esjuraetur Hiking Centre. This is a big name for a bus stop. There is a cafe which was shut and a portaloo and a hand drawn picture of routes up the mountain. I had given my details to Iceland 112 in advance. My map was limited by being 1:100,000 and my head would struggle to do the maths but the sky was clear and it was sunny so I could see my path went up the east side of the valley. They really do need to make some maps at a larger scale. It was also very very cold and very very windy. There were a few other hikers out. I was warm enough with all my gear but wished I’d remembered the balaclava. One girl was out in trainers and no socks. Not for long I bet. I went about half way up but stopped when the ice became too difficult without crampons. The path was clear but I drew the line when the wind blew shards of ice into my face. Went back down across a bridge. Chatted to woman taking photos. Back to the shut cafe having just missed a bus. Hung around in the sun and ate oatcakes and cheese. The woman met up with her husband and they offered me a lift to a bus stop somewhere but I said the view was probably nicer where I was and they agreed! Having seen the bus stops I was right!

The 57 Bus came and I went back to Artun, waited half an hour. The next bus didn’t go back to Radhus despite being a No. 6 but I got off at the top of the road and walked back home.

Out again to the university cinema to see 2 parts of Der Turm (The Tower) which was good but part 1 ended at 9.30 and part 2 was due to start at 10.00 however the person doing the mechanics couldn’t make the DVD player work so it started at 10.25. I got out at midnight only to find I’d missed a 5 min show of the Northern Lights. Buggeration!! I went to behind the Marina Hotel now the Icelandair Hotel but nothing doing (David had said this was the best place to see them). Addie took some photos of the event. A and R also managed to get a good home for the spare Airwaves ticket which is great as it went to a woman who wanted to see her son playing drums.

Sunday 9th November

We had a restful day at home packing and eating. I made a short foray to the shops.

Out to the cinema for Die Unberuhbare which was dire. Don’t even think about it.

We had just received a photo from Geraldine showing us a lovely bare table at home!

Monday 10th November

Up at 4 a.m. The minibus arrived on time. It then stopped for ages in the town whilst the driver got a coffee. Eventually back to the bus station and into the coaches. Got to the airport and quite a slow performance through security. I was invited to have my flight case opened but this was because I had a large lump of cheese in it! To be honest I was so sleepy I didn’t really care. I was allowed to keep it that’s the main thing.

The flight home was fine and fab to see the sun coming up. Little Ted was dancing on Addie’s head, honestly he’d spent the whole week drinking whisky and beer and set himself up with a Facebook page. That bear is irrepressible!

Little Ted thinking about jumping on Nola's head — Little Ted thinking about jumping on Addie’s head

And finally

Thank you to Chris, because it was all your idea! I’m so sorry you couldn’t be with us and I missed you every day but you will get to go there. I loved Iceland and would like to do the round trip.

Thanks also to my great companeros who bravely went to something like 25 bands over the course of 5 days! And why have just one hat when you can have 6?! Here’s one for you which may or may not have been sung by Anna Calvi! See, I was listening!

Bruce Springsteen – Fire

Man in a hat (Bruce at the Hammersmith Odeon back in 1975, singing Thunder Road – an absolutely epic performance, enough to make grown men cry….)

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map and use a compass with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

Small chunks of the Pennine Way

I drove for 10 minutes from our house on the road towards Oldham and parked up on the A640. I then walked the Pennine Way to the A62 and back. On the way I had a good view over the Castleshaw Reservoirs. When Carol was recovering from her brain haemorrhage we used to walk round the reservoirs and sometimes go up to the Roman fort. It’s quite a big fort and it’s good because not many people go there and it’s only got one notice board telling you what’s what.

I met a man who was training for the Spine Challenger (at first I wondered if this was a charity thing for people with back problems) which is a 108 mile race from Edale to Hawes to be done in 60 hours. He told me he does ultra marathons. I’ve looked this up, it seems to mean longer and harder. Anyway he was certainly going at quite a lick and was aiming for Hebden Bridge. I was therefore a bit surprised when he took off on the path to Oldham! I then spotted him coming across the bog on a diagonal to where I was (on the right path for Hebden), I was nice to him and he told me he had a map and had done a navigation course recently! I should have given him one of our leaflets….but he was off like a whippet.

The following week I started from the same spot and walked north instead. It wasn’t a very exciting walk! I got to the main road that goes from Ripponden to Oldham near the M62 and crossed it into a big refuse area next to a mobile phone mast. I cannot understand how people thought this was a nice place to sit in their cars and look at the view. Acres of crap, the mast and the motorway, lovely Sunday out! I went as far as the motorway and crossed it and then came back the same way. I had to pass some boys throwing stones at nothing in particular. Felt quite depressed after this walk.

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map and use a compass with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

Lakes late August 2014

Thursday

This was a short trip across to the Lakes. Carol went on the machine before we set off. We had planned to wild camp but the weather had been awful and the forecast was poor so instead we had 3 nights at Belle Green Farm Bed and Breakfast which we went to last year. But reckon we needed nice beds after the worrying time we’ve been having anyway. It’s a really nice B&B, highly recommended with wonderful beds! I meant to see what make the mattress was but forgot! And of course the weather didn’t do any of its forecast horrors.

When we arrived we just had a short stroll to Esthwaite Lake which is lovely. You could just sit there for hours and watch the swans and ducks. So peaceful and nobody else around.

We ate our own food in the B&B downstairs.

Friday

We drove to Dunnerdale and stopped in Broughton on Furness on the way. As usual we managed to get talking to an old geezer called Chris East in the Clocktower Gallery. Broughton is a very pretty village with a proper square and some stocks. Chris East does very arresting paintings and I wish I’d bought one, am now in email contact with him so will see what happens. He’s also in a band called Legend which rang a dim bell alongside Mickey Jupp which rang a louder one. They’re all Essex boys who’ve ended up in the Lakes.

We then went on to park for a short walk to Devoke Water so I could show Carol my projected wild camp site and she reckoned it would be ok too. But it is a big wind tunnel so I’m still thinking to look for somewhere else. It scores well as it’s easy to reach from the road and no hills to climb for C.

Back via Torver and a stop at a deli I’d spotted. Some nice grub in there but very expensive. A restaurant on the side called Wilson’s which we’ve earmarked for next time. Also considering Sawrey House Hotel in Near Sawrey.

Back for a rest and then out again to Green’s Bistro in Grasmere. This wasn’t a great success although the food was fine. Just a bit noisy for us.

Back at Belle Green the fire had been lit and I drank whisky by it.

Saturday

Drove to Little Langdale. Decided to hold on Lingmoor Fell for now as quite a steep climb. Instead headed off to walk to Tilberthwaite. We got a good way but decided to return so that we still had time for shopping in Ambleside! Whilst there a fire engine and several ambulances raced through – this was for the terrible accident where 2 people died in a shed at a wedding reception when the fireworks blew up.

Back for another rest and then out to the Tower Bank Arms in the village for dinner. Pleasant restaurant room at the back of the pub.

Sunday

Set off straight after breakfast, home by midday so that C could get onto the machine.

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map and use a compass with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

Mountain Leader Assessment 2014

Day 1 Saturday May 3rd

Met up with Paul (assessor), Sue and Kev (fellow candidates) in Cafe Siabod. After a briefing we set off towards Moel Siabod and basically spent the day on micro nav on the lower reaches. I did some legs ok and some needed more attention. Quite an intense day of concentration.

Day 2 Sunday May 4th

Met up with all at Cafe Siabod. Paul introduced us to the assessor for the day who took us to Ogwen Cottage and we set off towards the lake and the same rocks I had been on the weekend before. It was hard for all of us to know when to bring the rope out as the rocks were all quite scoot up able. But we did and then we were asked to cross the scree and went back down to the path. We took another route up and did some more belaying. Also did confidence roping, abseil discussion. I had a difficult day and knew this would mean a deferral on the rope work.

Day 3 Friday May 16th

We met up at Cafe Siabod towards mid morning. After a briefing we set off in 2 vehicles and parked up at the start of the Watkin path. We walked the first part and then veered off to the right to commence our circuit of Snowdon. An early lunch and then on individual navigation legs. Towards late afternoon we arrived descended the Miners’ track to Llyn Llydaw and then went up to meet the PYG track which we crossed. We contoured round the start of Crib Goch and round to Llyn Glas which is a lovely lake nestled under Crib Goch. We set up camp, ate our boil in the bag meals and waited for the light to go. Sometime around 11pm, we set off for our night nav expedition. I really enjoyed this, so different from when I did this on the ML training. It was dry and clear and we pootled around quite near to the camp. To bed around 2am.

Day 4 Saturday May 17th

After such a long day we all slept very badly, except Paul. The sea birds who live on the island in the lake were awful noisy all night long it seemed. We had a quick look to see the start of the cycle race, it looked a bit scary as they have to race with the traffic trying to get past them. Breakfast and then up towards the Llanberis path. We were now on the 1:50,000 maps. Discussion of route choice. Discussion of first aid scenarios. We crossed the path and moved over towards the Snowdon Ranger path. I was given another chance to demonstrate my rope skills on the cliff but was very nervous about it and made some errors again. We went down the path a bit and crossed to the Rhyd Ddu path. We contoured round and ended up next to a lake where we camped. This night we all rested well. It had been a good long trek round the mountain.

Day 5 Sunday May 18th

It was a short step round to the Watkin path from our campsite. We stopped to discuss river crossings and use of GPS. On getting back to the vehicles, Paul’s battery was completely flat so we went back in Kev’s car to Cafe Siabod. Debriefing, the other 2 passed (congrats both!) and I got a deferral to work on my rope work. Everything else was fine, just the rope work needing more attention. This was no surprise and I came away feeling really pleased as I only need to do 4 more hours of assessment on the rope. I have to wait 3 months before re-assessment.

Day 6 Friday September 26th

I stayed the previous night at Pen-y-Gwryd hotel where I’m now a regular. I met Paul at Cafe Siabod and we set off smartly to park up at Ogwen Cottage and then went up and round to the lake.

I did 2 pitches of ascent and the rock was wet so slippery and greasy which was good because it made me concentrate. We then moved over to descend to the north and I lowered Paul to a ledge where there was a sheep who was in danger of falling off if we frightened it so we beat a retreat. Paul soon found me a pitch to descend by. I got all my anchors ok and could talk about the choices I made, my knots were fine and my belaying technique was fine, using both hands (because being a leftie, I wanted to do be able to as had learnt it for right hand).

That was it, I’m now a Mountain Leader. It’s taken me a while to achieve this and I am now immensely pleased that I’ve got the award. I’m hugely grateful to my family and friends for all their love and support, especially the practical bits dangling off ropes in the wet and dark! And also to the professionals who have shared their love and passion for our native mountains with me. What’s next? watch this space!

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map and use a compass with me and my navigation partner, Cath.