What's on offer?

Tailor made walks

Choose an old favourite, or go somewhere different. Tell me about your party's experiene and I will be happy to advise. Walks can be arranged throughout the Lake District and the western Yorkshire Dales.

The walks I do most regularly are in the Coniston and Langdale areas and also Scafell Pike. If you are new to walking the higher fells I can thoroughly recommend the Coniston fells for relatively easy walking in rugged terrain and the stupendous panoramas from the main ridge. The legacy of mining and quarrying has also left various features of interest. The craggy fells around the head of Langdale have many popular walks, the Langdale Pikes in particular packing in a lot of variety in a relatively small area. Scafell Pike? Well, it has the highest and arguably the wildest terrain in England, though the popular short (but steep) direct approach from Wasdale doesn't do it justice. Personally, I would recommend starting from Seathwaite in Borrowdale, or even from Cockley Beck in the Duddon Valley. Please note though that whichever way you do it Scafell Pike is an arduous ascent involving some very rough terrain, and is unsuitable for small children.

Sample circular walks

• Coniston Old Man (2635 feet, 803m) and Swirl How (2637 feet, 804m) from Coniston, 7.5miles, 3200feet of ascent (ascent can be reduced to 2750 feet by driving to the Walna Scar fell gate).
• Langdale Pikes (highest point 2414 feet, 736 m) from New Dungeon Ghyll, 4.5 miles, 2,900feet of ascent.
• Bowfell (2963 feet, 903m) and Crinkle Crags (2820 feet, 860m) from Old Dungeon Ghyll, 7.9 miles, 3450 feet of ascent.
• Scafell Pike (3210 feet, 977m) from Seathwaite in Borrowdale, 8.6 miles, 3,400 feet of ascent.

Please note that I offer walks, not climbs or scrambles. Nevertheless even some popular walks do need use of the hands on short sections, e.g. Scafell Pike via the Corridor Route and up the final dome of Pike of Stickle in the Langdale Pikes.

Landscape interpretation

During walks I normally tell customers something about the formation, history, wildlife and current management of the landscape encountered as a matter of course. Tell me in advance there is a topic that particularly interests you or leave the choice entirely to me.

Navigation skills courses

Vital skills for walkers include:

• Using the map to plan and undertake routes, staying on safe ground.
• Staying in contact with the map (i.e. avoiding getting lost), including use of the compass.
• If lost, knowing how to get back in contact with the map (known as relocation).

I offer one day courses tailor-made to suit all levels of ability, from basic map reading skills and compass use to detailed contour interpretation and relocation skills. Maps and compasses provided if required (normally at no extra charge). Comprehensive reminder notes are supplied at the end of each course.

My preferred areas in which to hold courses are blocks of intricate low fell country in the southern Lake District - great for map to ground and ground to map interpretation and for navigating short legs without being able to see in advance how to reach your destination. Also you spend a lot less time simply flogging up hill than you would on the higher fells.

Potential topics

Maps

• Scales
• Grid references and their uses
• Map symbols and features, their reliability, uses and limitations
• Contour intervals and gradients
• Contour interpretation and landform visualisation from contours (part of map to ground interpretation)
• Landform interpretation and visualisation of contours (part of ground to map interpretation)

Route planning

• Naismith's Rule
• Planning legs
• Escape routes

Field navigation

• Orienting (setting) the map
• Relating map to ground and ground to map
• The 3 Ds, direction, distance and (ticking off) detail
• Use of catching features, handrails and attack points
• Aiming off
• Timing
• Pacing
• Fine and coarse navigation
• Common errors

The Compass

• Use of scales
• Magnetic variation from grid north (declination)
• Setting, taking and following bearings

Relocation strategies

• Ruling out and ruling in possible locations, reducing the options.
• Assessing the risk if you get it wrong, safety bearings.

GPS

• Uses and limitations.

Useful references

• Hillwalking - Steve Long/MLTUK
• Mountaincraft and Leadership - Eric Langmuir
• Mountain Navigation - P. Cliff
• Navigation for Walkers - Julian Tippett