Hi everyone. Having sorted my health out and lost 5 stone in weight, I walked up Snowdon via the Pyg Pass on my Birthday this week The weather was terrible but the experience and sense of achievement was fantastic. I've got the bug and fancy doing Scafell Pike, however, I think I need some gps/map experience before I go up there.
Any ideas for some relatively challenging yet fairly clear (paths/signs) alternatives before I do the likes of Scafell Pike.
hi paul welcome to the forum, it may be a good idea if you could join one of the meets that are organised on here, im sure there would be someone happy to help you out with some navigation tips and hints, you dont say where in the country you are but most meets are up north of say brum. failing that just get yourself out in the country side and practice map reading etc after getting a good book on the subject. hope that helps. cheers
Well done for losing so much weight and walking up Snowdon. Scafell is no more difficult to walk up so you should be fine. Snowdonia is full of interesting mountains to walk up, we're spoilt for choice really. Take a look at http://www.walkeryri.org.uk/ and http://www.trekkingbritain.com/.
Scafell Pike is probably no more challenging a climb, but is potentially more confusing in low visibility conditions. It also doesn't have the additional features of a cafe and a railway line for an escape route. I'd just get out doing plenty of walks, using a map, reading a decent navigation book. There really is no substitute for time in country with a map and compass. If you know someone who can share their experience that'd be great, but you have to make sure they let you do stuff, and that you don't just tag along while they do all the work.
If you head to the lakes there are no end of beautiful places to walk, and although you can almost certainly do things like Cat Bells without map and compass, just get using them, even when the path is obvious.
Once you have mastered the basics of grid references, orienting the map (having it pointing the same way you are walking so everything in front of you is the right place on the map), taking bearings (both from map to real life and the other way round), the most important thing is to be able to read contour lines properly so you can "see" the ground shapes just from the map.
I would get an OS map for the area nearest to you that you would like to go walking,and just get out and about, even if its simply using a compass to oriantate the map.There are loads of tips on line of how to take bearings to get you started.
You can pick up a gps off ebay for around £20, and a good way to familiarise your self with one is to have a go at geocaching, and you can also use a map and compass to find them too.
The weather was terrible but the experience and sense of achievement was fantastic. I've got the bug and fancy doing Scafell Pike, however, I think I need some gps/map experience before I go up there.
