England : West Yorkshire Forum WALK - Stoodley Pike from Hebden Bridge, now takes place Sun 7th Apr

[Cubist]

Before my bike smash I was big into hillwalking. If we were doing a week or more we'd plan for about 20-25 miles between hostels, nearer 20 if we were camping, and adjust depending on terrain. Adventure training we tended to have an established base camp and push out for daytrips, and a couple of overnighters. Above the snow line in the Highlands for example you needed to carry a lot of kit to camp, and progress not rapid in icy and snowy conditions.

 

[ColinJ]

Dog'll be fine in the car.

That's good.

The map was in the third drawer down in the dining room under the Christmas napkins and the bugle. it was proofed using map proofing fluid on 18.2.1997.

We used to cover them in Fablon when I was in the TA, and we'd mark up routes and boundaries with chinagraph pencil.

I hadn't thought of trying to DIY waterproof a paper map!

I was annoyed to lose the laminated map because it cost over double what the ordinary map did.

I know most of the standard walks around here, but there are some footpaths that I haven't done yet for which a map comes in handy. My cheapo GPS doesn't have maps built-in but it can give grid references to aid navigation over improvised routes. (If the routes are pre-planned then I can just follow a 'breadcrumb trail' on the GPS screen.)

If this walk were going to take place on a nice sunny day, and my legs (and potsy's!) were up to it, I'd make up a longer, more adventurous route to the Pike and back, but I'll stick to something a bit more obvious on Saturday. We can come back by a slightly different route to give some different views.

 

[Cubist]

Nikwax map proof is a water based fluid that you sponge onto the map, let it dry and there you have it. The maps are less bulky than laminated, but reasonably protected. I still use a map case or placcy bag depending on the fold of the map. I've just tested the one here under the tap, and after sixteen years the water still beads and runs off.

 

[potsy]

Did a few 4 to 5 mile walks last year in the lakes, since then nothing apart from a 4 mile round trip walk on bonfire night.

I'll be fine, hopefully you'll need a few sit downs and i will keep you company just to be sociable

 

[ColinJ]

Nikwax map proof is a water based fluid that you sponge onto the map, let it dry and there you have it. The maps are less bulky than laminated, but reasonably protected. I still use a map case or placcy bag depending on the fold of the map. I've just tested the one here under the tap, and after sixteen years the water still beads and runs off.

Yes, the laminated map was very bulky.

125 ml of Map Proof seems to cost £3.50-4.00. How many OS Landranger maps (for example) could you expect to treat with that? If it were 3+ then I'd say that it sounds like a great idea. I wouldn't fancy adding £2-4 to the price of every map.

Did a few 4 to 5 mile walks last year in the lakes, since then nothing apart from a 4 mile round trip walk on bonfire night.

I'll be fine, hopefully you'll need a few sit downs and i will keep you company just to be sociable

Ha - you had me thinking that your hike to the shops and back was you at your walking limits!

Sure enough, the forecast is getting pretty bad for Saturday but it should make the walk that bit more 'bracing' and offer up some interesting 'frozen member' photo-opportunities. I'll rephrase that - some 'frozen CycleChatter' photo-opportunities

It is easy for me since I don't have to travel in potentially iffy conditions to get to the start. I would understand if anybody wants to drop out at the last minute but please post below to let me know so we don't hang about waiting for you.

I'll check the thread one last time at 09:30 on Saturday.

I'll check the forecast again tomorrow afternoon and ask you all what you think about going ahead. If some of you would prefer to put it off until the weekend following Easter, that could be done but I would probably suggest a different walk if I have already done the Stoodley Pike one this weekend.

As long as anybody still wants to do the walk on Saturday, I will turn out.

 

[Cubist]

They reckon you'll do three or four maps with one bottle. I suppose it depends on the map. White peak outdoor leisure is one of the biggest I've ever seen, it seems to go on forever!

As long as the snow doesn't stop me driving to Hebbers I'll be there.

 

[potsy]

Having seen tonights weather forecast it's looking highly unlikely I'd fancy driving over them there hills tbh, fingers crossed they have got it badly wrong

 

[coffeejo]

Having seen tonights weather forecast it's looking highly unlikely I'd fancy driving over them there hills tbh, fingers crossed they have got it badly wrong

Did you have your fingers crossed as you typed that?

 

[potsy]

Did you have your fingers crossed as you typed that?

No

 

[Cubist]

Hmmmm, forecast isn't all that promising!

 

[ColinJ]

Hmmmm, forecast isn't all that promising!

True!

How would y'all feel if I put this walk back by 2 weeks and hope for better weather?

(Next weekend is Easter so that wouldn't be a good bet.)

Conditions are probably going to be freezing, with snow and ice on the ground. Also - visibility is forecast to be very poor so we wouldn't even get the views.

As I posted above - if anybody really wants to do this Saturday despite the conditions, I'll give it a go!

 

[potsy]

True!

How would y'all feel if I put this walk back by 2 weeks and hope for better weather?

 

[ColinJ]

I must confess that spending 25 minutes on the platform of Todmorden station in a bitter wind this afternoon did rather put me off being cold! (They cancelled the train I was going to catch ...)

 

[potsy]

My is more because of the fortnight delay, a 1 or 3 week and it would have fallen on my night shift week
Must admit I'm not exactly relishing th commute in the morning, snow and a 20mph headwind

 

[ColinJ]

My is more because of the fortnight delay, a 1 or 3 week and it would have fallen on my night shift week
Must admit I'm not exactly relishing th commute in the morning, snow and a 20mph headwind

It's only a proposed 2 week delay - some people on the Stoodley Strollers list may be desperate to have parts of their bodies frozen off!

I wouldn't fancy your commute either, but I am confident that you will do it!