Mountain Safety Lecture by Roger Wild Clachaig Inn, Glencoe 8pm

7:30pm Union Chapel Islington, London

Lead and Speed, UIAA Open European Championship Lead, Busteni, Romania

Google is constantly seeking new information which it likes to share with the online world. One of the best examples of this is mapping. Satellite images are available for all to see on Google Earth. Google Maps not only features maps and aerial views, but for many parts of the world we can see what it looks like at street level with Google Street View. An immeasurable number of miles of roads in western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the USA have been photographed at road level. This is done using cars with 360 degree cameras mounted on the roof. The Google cars simply drive around filming our roads and streets.

Google Trike

In their quest for information Google are not satisfied with knowing what our highways look like. Recently they have made some off road excursions on Google Trike. With enough pedal power, the trike can get to many places inaccessible by car. Using Street View it is now possible to see around the grounds of a number of National Trust properties in the UK.

Google Sherpa-Cam

There are only so many places a three wheeled pedal cycle can get to. The next development for Google Street View will involve getting off the trike and moving onto mountain trails, which will require leg power alone. For this Google are developing the Sherpa-cam. Prototypes are currently being trialled in the Lake District and in the Nepalese Himalayas.

It is not clear whether Google will take images of the whole of the Lake District or just the routes up the most popular mountains, such as Scafell Pike, Helvellyn, The Old Man of Conniston and Blencartha. One of the main problems that the Google Sherpa-Cam team face is the weather.

We have to wait for days when there is a high cloud base. There is no point hiking up a mountain with a heavy camera when all that can be seen is grey cloud!

In the Himalayas Sherpa-Cam has been taken up as far as Everest Base camp. Upon leaving Base Camp and ascending the Khumbu Icefall conditions become much more treacherous. Also, the severe drop in temperature affects the electronics causing problems with the camera.

Eventually we hope to take Sherpa-cam right up to the summit of Everest. Most people are not able to climb the summit themselves and so we believe that there will be a huge demand to see the entire trail to summit. Only once we are sure that the technology is fully functioning will we make a bid for the summit. Sherpa-Cam is heavy and once we have entered the death zone above 7000 m the risk to human life is high. We do not want to take any chances and so we will need a very experienced mountaineering team to help with this project.

What do you think of Sherpa-Cam?

Of course, there are many spectacular mountain views in many parts of world, but is it really necessary to have a street view of mountain trails? Google think so, but what do you think? Like the government who want to microchip walkers, are Google going too far? Click on the comments below and let us know!

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The 1st Annual Pebble Wrestle at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, presented by Dynamic Earth Equipment will be held April 10, 2010. This will be a redpoint format counting your top ten scores. Classes will include Heavyweight (adv.), Crusierweight (int.), Middleweight (beg.), Welterweight (14-17), and Featherweight (13 and under) in both male and female divisions. Dinner and Entertainment will be provided. Gear and Schwag will be given as contest prizes and through a fund raising raffle. More details to follow. Please visit www.dynamicearth.net

Eden Court, INVERNESS

7:30pm Mitchell Library Theatre, Glasgow

We were recently contacted by Living Water International about a running event called “Running Water” which is due to take place this year. Runner Abe Clark is going to run a staggering 2,860 miles across the entire width of the USA. Abe is taking on this challenge in order to raise money for the charity which helps to provide clean water for people in developing countries. For many people in Africa obtaining water can be a laborious and time consuming task. According to the UK Department for International Development (DFID)…

Households in rural Africa spend an average of 26% of their time fetching water.

It is hard to imagine spending all that time and effort collecting clean water when all we have to do is turn on a tap…even if it means walking across a campsite! When we go hiking and wild camping we must take our on water with us, or use purification tablets or a water filter. But let’s face it we would not want to have to carry or find and purify our water all the time! We thought that we should learn more, so we asked Abe Clark to tell us about the water crisis and about his running challenge…

Abe Clark “Running Water” Interview

CheapTents.com: What inspired you to get into running?

Abe Clark: Running was a hobby always encouraged by my parents. In the summer of 4th grade they said they would give me $10 if I logged 100 miles that summer. It was easy money in my 10 year old mind. The next two years my mom would pick me up from the small Lutheran school I went to and drive me 15 miles to the public school where my older brother was on the new high school cross country team that retired Coach Bill Greiten had started. He had coached many years previously and was filled with running knowledge. I got my fill of inspiration jogging next to Coach Greiten after the varsity team left us in the dust.
My older brother, Ben, who is now in the Marine Corps, started running in junior high. He broke the Gillett Junior High School mile record and it became my goal to break his mark of 5:18. Four years later I ended up tying the record with my teammate, Jason Soper, setting the mark at 5:07.9. It only stood three years before my younger brother, Josh, smashed it by running a 4:56. What started as friendly brotherly competition became a life time hobby and I have been hooked ever since.

CheapTents.com: What is the furthest distance that you have covered in any running event to date?

Abe Clark: After cross-country season my freshman year at UW Green Bay I really started to run a lot. Part of it was that I had an hour between classes instead of going to my dorm room I would just go running. After a winter and spring of running 80 to 115 mile per week I entered my first marathon pretty much on a whim. Three days before the race, when I was considering it, I ran 20 miles just to make sure I could make it that far. At the age of 19 I ended up running a 2:36 marathon. Since then I have run numerous 20 to 30 mile training runs. I am currently logging at least three 20 milers a week and one 30 miler in my preparation for the 2850 mile run.

CheapTents.com: What is your biggest weakness?

Abe Clark: I always have to remind my self to live in the present. I am a dreamer or what I like to call a “realist dreamer” I am constantly planning and preparing myself for big future plans and often the little every day things of the present get ignored or neglected.
As far as running goes I never had a “kick” I am sure I will have many more weaknesses to report after the run across America.

CheapTents.com: What do you find most challenging about training?

Abe Clark: Living in Wisconsin it is definitely the cold winters. In the fall, the leaf covered trails and the weather beg you to come run. Then it turns freezing cold and you have to stick to the snowy roads. I think it takes three times the mental mind power to put on the running shoes. It is also challenging to keep a high level of motivation and consistency. Two to five hour runs is a bit long to fit in on the lunch hour.

CheapTents.com: What has been your worst injury from outdoor sports and how did it happen?

Abe Clark: I have been very blessed with a basically injury free running career, knock on wood. While living on a sailboat and cruising the great lakes this past summer I had my fair share of cuts and close calls but otherwise I have been quite healthy.

CheapTents.com: In February 2010 you will be running 2,860 miles across the United States. What has made you decide to take up this challenge?

Abe Clark: I am very drawn to adventure and the feeling of living in complete freedom. When the idea of running across America made its way into my mind four years ago. It seemed like everything was pushing me towards this moment. The two things that pushed me over the edge may sound a bit strange because they don’t have anything to do with running. 1) fixing up an old sailboat, living on it and sailing Lake Michigan all summer with no prior knowledge of sailing. This gave me a lot of confidence in my self and my dreams. A lot can be accomplished when you follow a dream 100%. The other major thing that inspired me to attempt the run was a speaker I heard at a Christian camp I worked at called Fort Wilderness. The message was on Gods will for your life and the speaker (Michael Lane) made it crystal clear. God works through your passions. This knowledge in combination with one of my favourite bible verses (Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.) made me an extremely motivated. I am so excited to use this strength that I have been empowered by. I plan to keep taking one step of faith at a time. There is an amazing comfort when you finally let go of your own life and agenda and just let God use you.

CheapTents.com: What is the Water Crisis?

Abe Clark: Here are a few of the facts that really stood out to me!
- 884 Million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world’s population. (WHO-UNICEF)
- 1.8 Million children die every year as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation. This amounts to around 5000 deaths a day. (UNDP) That is like blowing up an American pre-school classroom every 6 seconds.
Learn more facts at http://www.water.cc/living-water/resources/

CheapTents.com: How does Living Water International help to provide people with clean drinking water?

Abe Clark: Living Water International projects provide safe water and hygiene education at an average cost of $1= water for 1 person for 1 year; so $25 provides clean drinking water for someone for a generation. LWI’s approach is to train, equip, and consult nationals. This ensures that the energy and resources contributed by volunteers and donors result in sustainable, participatory water systems that meet the long-term needs of communities. Their priorities are appropriate technology, community involvement, maintenance and sustainability, and to be a Christian witness. LWI faith in Jesus is the reason they do what they do. Jesus tells us to think more highly of others than ourselves; he calls us to love those on society’s margins, and to see the image of God in the poorest of the poor.

CheapTents.com: How long will it take you to run 2,860 miles across the United States?

Abe Clark: The plan is 140 days long from February 15th to July 4th that averages out to 20.4 miles a day including the 14 days off. I will in speak in churches along the way spreading word of the need for clean water in underdeveloped countries.

View Larger Map

CheapTents.com: Why did you choose the particular route from Dana Point, California, to Atlantic City, New Jersey?

Abe Clark: The biggest reason for starting in Dana Point which is south of LA was because I wanted to be in the warmer climates for the first part of the run. I also have family I knew I could stay with the days before the run and to send me off. Once I get through New Mexico it will start to turn to spring and the route will take me on a north east direction. To be honest there is no real reason for ending in Atlantic City besides the name sounded like a fitting city to end in. I really wanted to run through Washington DC for the political possibilities then just get close to New York City.

CheapTents.com: What are your favourite bits of gear, and why?

Abe Clark: I have a Recon 3 sleeping bag that my parents gave me for Christmas a few years ago that is awesome! Other then that I keep it pretty much on the cheap side. Kohl’s running shoes and Wal-Mart tents. I think it would be great to get some good gear for the run since there will definitely be days and nights where there is no one around and I will need supplies to be able to survive.

CheapTents.com: Any thing else you would like to say?

Abe Clark: I think that a lot of people look at this as just a run but I think if I look at it as a run I will fail. This run is so long that it will become a life style not an event. The Water Crisis is unimaginable and when I think about running across America it is also inconceivable. The good news is that taking one step at a time can solve them both. Please join my site and follow me on my journey across America and the quest for clean water and adventure. You can also donate to LWI from my site, my goal is to raise $100,000 if we succeed we will literally change to lives of 10,000 people! If you would like to buy Running Water apparel where the proceeds will go to supporting the run its self, visit www.cafepress.com/runningwater. I will have frequent blog updates as well as a weekly video update posted to my web site www.runningwater.ning.com

Let the adventure begin!

Happy Running

Abe Clark

CheapTents.com:

Thank you Abe for taking the time to answer our questions. Good luck with the run!

If you enjoyed reading this interview, you will surely like our interviews with ultra-marathon runner Sam Thompson and world champion orienteer Graham Gristwood!

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7.30 pm, Lutterworth Community College, Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 4EW

Lutterworth Community College, Leicestershire @ 7.30pm.

Lead and Speed, Saas Fee, Switzerland

1pm to 5pm The Climbing Academy

The Arch Climbing Wall - 10am

Adam Smith Theatre, KIRKCALDY

Register early for your chance to win a First Come Prize Packet courtesy of our sponsors.

The first round of the competition will be run in a red point format. Each competitor will climb for a set period of time and tally their top five scores. Each of the eight groups (Men's and Women's: Recreational, Intermediate, Advanced, and Open) will then have a three problem on sight final that will result in the claiming of glory and prizes (prizes including crash pads, harnesses, shoes, backpacks, passes and classes at local gyms, and more).

On top of the competition, there will be a raffle/silent auction, food, drinks, and side games for everyone.

Register early for your chance to win a First Come Prize Packet courtesy of our sponsors.

The first round of the competition will be run in a red point format. Each competitor will climb for a set period of time and tally their top five scores. Each of the eight groups (Men's and Women's: Recreational, Intermediate, Advanced, and Open) will then have a three problem on sight final that will result in the claiming of glory and prizes (prizes including crash pads, harnesses, shoes, backpacks, passes and classes at local gyms, and more).

On top of the competition, there will be a raffle/silent auction, food, drinks, and side games for everyone.

In August last year we wrote about Birdfair and Birdlife International and their conservations campaigns, including the Save the Albatross Campaign. The Adventure Blog has reported that in February 2010 New Zealander Hayley Shephard will attempt to sea kayak solo around South Georgia Island in order to raise awareness of the threat which the Albatross is currently facing.

South Georgia is home to a number of Albatross species and to attempt a solo sea kayak journey for the Plight of the Albatross can only capture a fascinated audience to encourage protection of one of the worlds most precious of seabirds.

South Georgia: Rough Seas for Kayaking!

The island of South Georgia is situated between the Scotia Sea and South Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 860 miles east of the Falkland Islands. It is about 105 miles long and 25 miles across at its widest point. South Georgia experiences fierce prevailing winds and ice cold waters which flow up from Antarctica!

Sea kayaking the 375 miles around the island will be a tough challenge for Hayley Shephard. It will be cold and the sea will be extremely rough. There are many small islands, rocky outcrops, cliffs and glacial edges around the island. These will make it difficult for Hayley to land in order to camp out at night. She is not sure how long the circumnavigation will take, so she will strive to paddle for as long as she can each day. Government regulations require that she must be accompanied by a support vessel, however Hayley will be the first person to solo sea kayak around South Georgia. Hayley will be setting off from Grytviken, which is located in the middle of island on the north east side. She will paddle anti-clockwise around South Georgia, the hardest part being the south west section of the western side of the island, since the sea is particularly bad there. Hayley Shephard’s progress will be reported on her Oceanmaid Ventures blog.

Stunningly beautiful and rugged, this island wildlife sanctuary, once visited, is not easily forgotten. Its snow covered peaks, blue glacier ice and emerald green bays, are breathtaking sights. It is a real “oasis” in the stormy southern oceans and is home to sea and land birds, seals and reindeer.

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands website.

Albatross’ Killed by Long-line Fishing

South Georgia is home to many Albatross. These birds can live up to 60 years, but are slow breeding since they only lay 1 egg every other year. On her website Hayley Shephard states that:

I am extremely privileged and honoured to have had the opportunity to observe the majestic Albatross that glides effortlessly on the up drafts of ocean winds, spending most of its life at sea, circumnavigating the entire globe frequently. They touch land only at an annual nesting site where they will reunite with their lifetime mate and begin the most elegant courtship behaviour you could only imagine. Their 12 foot wings are stretched gracefully, the tail feathers are charmingly erect and their stylish heads are poised in the most seductive stance and together they begin to dance.

Unfortunately Albatross are easily ensnared by long-line fishing lines, and are drowned. Research has shown that there are simple measures that can be taken to minimise Albatross fatalities. However persuading the fishing industry to adopt them takes time, effort and enforcement of regulations.

Albatross fatalities can be reduced by:

• Setting the lines at night when fewer birds are feeding
• Weighting lines to make baited hooks sink more quickly
• Colouring the bait with harmless blue dye to put off the keen-eyed birds
• Towing a brightly coloured bird-scaring line alongside the baited line
• Employ rules and monitor controlled fishing
• Place conservation officers on board vessels

The South Georgia Patagonian toothfish fishery has been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, in recognition for using sustainable fishing practices which also ensure minimal impact on other species, such as the albatross. Buying fish which has been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) will help to conserve the albatross and encourage sustainable fishing practices.

Hayley Shephard’s Previous Kayaking Adventures

Hayley is an experienced kayaker and sailor. She guides tours in the Canadian High Arctic and in the remote, northern inlets of the Pacific Northwest. She has also undertaken two island solo kayak circumnavigation expeditions in the past. The most recent was around Haida Gwaii. This group of islands are located on the west coast of Canada, north of Vancouver and south east of Alaska. With the Pacific Ocean on the east the sea can be rough with strong currents circulating around the islands. To the east of the islands is the Hecate Strait, which has been classified as the 4th worst body of water to cross in the world. Hayley Shephard has also kayaked around Vancouver Island, again off the west coast of Canada. This journey was about 750 miles and took 67 days.

For more information visit the Kayaking to Save the Albatross website.

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The 2010 Mourne Way Marathon is set to take place on Saturday 12 June 2010. After the sucess of last years event it is once again set to attract runners from Ireland, the UK and Europe to compete in what is fast becoming the most talked about off road marathon in Ireland.

In an added twist to this years event there will be the “Mourne Way Ultra Marathon” – a back to back marathon event which will see runners run off road across 52 miles (84km) of the best scenery that Northern Ireland has to offer in an “out and back” format.

There will also be a marathon, half marathon, 10k and 26 mile challenge walk events on the day.

The main event will see competitors race the 26 miles of the Mourne Way from Newcastle to Rostrevor, Co Down. This route is a linear route, almost entirely off road, traversing the foothills of the Mourne Mountains passing Tollymore Forest, Fofanny Dam, Spelga Dam, Leitrim Lodge and Yellow Water before arriving at the finish in Kilbroney Park in Rostrevor.

All routes will be fully waymarked – therefore navigation skills will not be a requirement for this event.

View Larger Map

Kit List for the Mourne Way Marathon

• Running shoes (trail runners or ordinary runners) or Walking Boots

The items listed below are OPTIONAL items for the 10K Run / Walk

• Hydration pack or bottle (to hold at least 1 litre)
• Energy snacks
• Windproof top
• Hat or Buff®

Remember if you are planning on taking part it is essential that you undertake a training programme beforehand to ensure the day is as memorable as possible and not a nightmare if you’re having a hard time keeping motivated have a look here for Mountain marathon training tips.

Entries for the event are now open and all details can be found at www.mournewaymarathon.com

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To coincide with International Mountain Day 2009, the UIAA International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation released their new code of Mountaineering and Climbing Ethics.

The UIAA’s bold summary encompasses the thinking behind the declaration:

Stretch Your Limits, Lift Your Spirits, Aim for the Top!

The mountaineering and climbing ethics code encompasses the following twelve points, which I have summarised below:

1. Individual Responsibility – Be responsible for yourself, for others and for the environment.
2. Team Spirit – Support and encourage your climbing team members.
3. Climbing and Mountaineering Community – Treat every person in the mountains with respect.
4. Visiting Foreign Countries – Respect your hosts, show consideration for their culture, their holy mountains and sacred places. Try to bring benefits to local people and their economy.
5. Responsibilities of Mountain Guides and Other Leaders – respect the freedom and rights of other groups and individuals.
6. Emergencies, Dying and Death – Understand the risks and hazards in the mountain environment. Have suitable knowledge, skills and equipment. Be prepared to help others in emergency situations, even if it means sacrificing your own goals.
7. Access and Conservation – Practice mountaineering and climbing with respect for the environment, be proactive in preserving nature. Freedom of access is a fundamental right but respect restrictions agreed with conservation organisations and authorities.
8. Style – Succeeding is not as important as creative problem solving and experience. Strive to leave no trace on the rock face or mountainside.
9. First Ascents – Should be completed in the style appropriate to the region, or better, and should be reported exactly.
10. Sponsorship, Advertising and Public Relations – Relationships between climbers or mountaineers and sponsors should be professional. The mountain sports’ community should educate the media and the public.
11. Use of Supplementary Oxygen in Mountaineering – Medical reasons for using oxygen at high altitude should outweigh other considerations. Ethical reasons for using or not using oxygen should be left up to individual climbers. Oxygen bottles must not be left on the mountain.
12. High Altitude Guided Commercial Expeditions – Commercial Operators should recognise the limitations of their clients in their care. Clients should be warned that their plans may be altered in order to assist others in mountain emergencies.

The declaration has taken a long time and a lot of effort to prepare. It has been endorsed by more than 40 mountaineering federations worldwide. Please try to adhere to its recommendations to help further the good name of climbing and mountaineering, ultimately it will also help to bring you a better experience in the mountains. The full text pdf file can be found on the UIAA website.

The UIAA is an international federation which represents climbers and mountaineers from across the globe. To find out more about the UIAA and what they do, why not read our exclusive interview with Judith Safford, Executive Director of the UIAA.

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The CCC will be having our Spring Meeting in Lake Lure, NC, near Rumbling Bald, on Saturday, February 27th. This meeting is open to the general public. So please save the date on your calendar. Heck, bring a neighbor. More details will be posted soon regarding a specific meeting time and place. Keep an eye on the CCC website for more details.

There will be an Adopt-a-Crag at Rumbling Bald on Saturday, January 23, 2010. Chris Dorrity is organizing this workday. We will be moving some of the downed trees in the boulderfield. The work will be divided into zones, and carpooling will be essential. Volunteers will meet at 9:00 AM at the Lake Lure community center. We will need to take as few cars as possible to Rumbling Bald in order to save parking. Trees are heavy. So please come help! For more info on this event, see the Events section of the CCC site.

Tom Stewart, the owner of Rock Over Climbing, has announced that a new bouldering centre is coming to Manchester!

ROCK OVER CLIMBING will be situated in the city centre (somewhere within a 3 minute walk from Victoria station) and will open early in 2010. It will be the largest dedicated bouldering centre this side of the Pennines, with over 250 routes set for all abilities. There will be something for everyone including kids, beginners, everyday climbers and the best climbers in the country.

There will also be:

• Competition wall
• Training wall and area
• Café
• Plenty of off-road parking
• Changing facilities
• Bike storage
• Chill out areas and fantastic atmosphere
• And much much more…….

In the meantime if you can’t wait to do some indoor bouldering or climbing have a look here to find your nearest indoor climbing wall.

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ROCK STEADY 5 -CLIMBING COMPETITION

Rock Steady 5, "Staying Alive", is Lakewood's fifth annual rock

climbing competition hosted at the Lakewood Link Recreation Center.

The youth competition, ages 6-14 is separate from the adult competition.

The youth competition will begin at 10am. The adult competition, ages 15 and up

will include Recreation (tope rope up to 5.9), Intermediate (tope rope up to 5.10+),

Advanced (tope rope up to 5.12-) and Open (5.11- up, lead climbing). Adult competition

will begin at 1:30pm. All youth that can climb 5.11 or up can enter adult advanced competition.



Ages: 6 and up

$20 Early registration, $30 Registration day of competition

FORMORE INFORMATION, 303.987.5430 or jeacam@lakewood.org

It was a chilly winters morning in December when I was at a loose end in Burnley, East Lancashire. I could have mooched around the town centre shops attempting to procure some Christmas presents. No thanks. A spot of walking in the bleak Pennine moors to the south east of the town was a much better prospect. So I headed up to the picturesque little village of Hurstwood on the edge of the moors, since the map showed that there was a car park.

The plan was to walk past Hurstwood reservoir and join the Pennine Bridleway, following it eastwards across Hameldon Moor up to Black Moor. Then I would make my way back to Hurstwood across Worsthorne Moor past Cant Clough reservoir. It pretty much went to plan.

From Hurstwood I followed the footpath to the north of the reservoir. The path was initially quite muddy and slippery but as I climbed the small elevation up past the wood, the ground firmed up due to the cold. The footpath was enclosed by pine trees to the right and a dry stone wall to the left. The dry stone wall had rocks sticking out of the side of it at regular intervals along its length, which I though was quite unusual. Looking over the wall to the north east, Pendle Hill could be seen across the valley, its summit enveloped in cloud.

Once past the wood the single track footpath wound its way along the hill side up to the Pennine Bridleway. Heading east along the bridle way was a bit of a dull trudge, particularly when the sun disappeared behind the clouds. Looking back towards Hurstwood reservoir were views of open space across the moors and lower level farmland. Looking straight ahead, the bridleway headed onwards and upwards, straight toward a cloudy grey sky. The Pennine Bridleway is a great track for mountain biking since, when going west it runs down hill, is not too technical and has rounded drainage humps that are good for getting a bit air!

At the boundary fence between Hameldon Moor and Black Moor the bridleway levels out and you can see the higher of the two Gorple Reservoirs. It was as this point that I could see that it was snowing, with the snow clouds advancing towards me. I quickly put my waterproof jacket, over trousers, Lowe Alpine Mountain Cap and Extremities gloves. There is something good about being warm and dry when in the midst of a windy snow storm! Thank goodness for modern outdoor gear. Thus equipped I proceeded eastwards to a point north of the Gorple reservoir dam, here I followed a slippery, muddy track to the dam. With the snow still falling, I walked past the rocky outcrops of Gorple Stones and down to the dam. Turning right I followed the footpath more-or-less back on myself. As I climbed towards the ruined building, a fell runner was rapidly advancing towards me. Despite my need for a full set of waterproofs when it is snowing, the happy fell runner was wearing shorts and lightweight waterproof top. Subsequently the snow stopped and I overheated!

Somewhere near the ruins I lost the path that heads across Worsthorne Moor towards Cant Clough reservoir, but since I was headed in roughly the right direction I assumed that I would chance upon it at some point. The lumpy peat is harder to walk across when you stumble away from the footpath, so I was glad when I finally found the path. After crossing a stile the path headed down towards one of the the streams that fill Cant Clough reservoir. The large amount of rainfall from the previous week was evident where the grass around the side of the stream had been completely flattened. Again I lost the path, so followed the stream down to the reservoir. From the back of the reservoir I walked along the service track to the dam.

From the dam at Cant Clough reservoir I headed past the slag heaps back up to the Hurstwood reservoir. This track afforded views right across the district of Burnley and to Pendle Hill. The road from the reservoir back into Hurstwood is lined with pine trees and provided a very pleasant stroll back to the village.

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Saas Grund, Switzerland.

Lead and Speed, Val Daone, Italy

8pm The Climbing Academy

5pm The Tower Climbing Centre Leicester

The Foundry Climbing Centre, Sheffield. From 5pm

Shropshire Climbing Centre, Newport 6pm onwards

The T-Town Pull-Down is the first competition of the season in the Southeast Region of the Collegiate Climbing Series. It is also open to any interested climber (not just collegiate members). The comp is sponsored by the University of Alabama Outdoor Recreation and will be held at the University of Alabama Climbing Wall at the Student Recreation Center in Tuscaloosa.

It is a redpoint bouldering competition with two rounds and a flash finals. The cost is $25 for pre-registration and $35 day-of. Registration forms can be downloaded at http://urec.sa.ua.edu/or_climbing_competition.cfm

A good pair of boots is probably one of the most important pieces of kit you can have, but with so many on offer it can be hard to make the right decision. So we’ve rounded up a selection of some of the best walking boots to make things a little bit easier for you. This post contains information about four specific models of hiking boot from Berghaus, Brasher, Salomon and Trezeta. Our advice page contains general information about walking boots, including choosing which type of walking boot is suitable for the type of walking that you will be doing.

Berghaus Explorer Ridge

Brasher Hillmaster GTX

The Brasher Hillmaster GTX is a classic walking boot with modern technology that’s designed to be comfortable straight out of the box.

The boot features a full grain brown leather upper and a Gore-Tex lining, making it waterproof and breathable. This winning combination not only keeps out the cold and the rain, but allows excess heat and moisture to escape for all day comfort and hopefully no blisters either.  The sole on the Brasher is good although doesn’t preform brilliantly on wet rock.

The Brasher Hillmaster GTX may not be a technologically advanced boot packed full with fancy features but it is a hardwearing, “classic” walking boot which offers good value for money.

Salomon Quest 4D

The Quest 4D is a lightweight 3 season boot from salomon.  The sole and chasis for the boot are based on salomons classic trail running shoes, which offers a good level of comfort and feels great over a mix of terrain. The upper is made from more traditional suede and a rubber rand around the toe offers reasonable protection from rocks. The Salomon Quest 4D do have quite a narrow fit and quite a high ankle making them snug with plenty of support but not necessarily to everyones taste. Overall Salomon combine of the modern chasis and traditional upper to create a great boot for adventure racing and lightweight walking.

Trezeta Snowdon

The Snowdon Mid Hiking Boots combine classic styling with the latest technology to make lightweight walking boot which is fashionable and practical. Made from full grain leather, the eVent membrane makes it waterproof and highly breathable. The boots are finished off with a classic vibram sole offering good grip in most conditions. My only minor quibble with this boot is that the ankle could be a little bit higher to offer some more support. Overall a great value for money boot.

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Just a quick post from all of us at CheapTents.com to say Happy Christmas!

We hope you all got lots of nice shiny new outdoor gear from Santa. Whilst you are enjoying your Christmas dinner and longing to get out into the countryside, spare a thought for poor Santa. Christmas is not plain sailing for Father Christmas, Rudolf and the team, having to deliver all your lovely pressies. After all, climbing down and back up millions of chimneys in one night can takes it out of you. The You Tube video below shows Santa doing a bit of training, abseiling down the aptly named Chimney Rock. Located at Chimney Rock State Park, North Carolina in the United States, Chimney rock is a little way from Santa’s Lapland home, but even when he is on holiday Father Christmas must keep up with his training!

How does Father Christmas climb up chimneys?
He uses a ladder in his stockings!

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When you fancy going for a hike or walk there are plenty of route planner websites on the internet that can provide help and inspiration. Whether you are going to a particular part of the country for the first time or looking for a hidden gem in your own backyard, there are plenty of on-line walks to chose from. But which is the best walking route planner to use? The amount of detail, advice and number of walks in a particular region vary from website to website. Here at CheapTents.com we have been examining the various walking route planner websites to find out which are worthy of being your walking guide and which you would not rely upon to give you directions to the house next door.

There are several criteria by which the walking guide websites have been judged, as follows:

• Route choice and searching within the walking website
• Grading of walk in terms of technical difficulty and fitness level required
• Quality of walk description
• Descriptions of points of interests
• Are there any maps showing the walk, or GPS waypoints
• Any inspiring photographs?
• Information about pubs and tea rooms along the route
• Amount of advertising

In order to get an idea about the quality of the descriptions, about 3 or 4 walking route descriptions have been viewed for each website. The quality of the walks themselves is much more subjective. Unless stated, each website has a variety of walks covering a range of terrains, distances and technical ability. Therefore it is up to you to make a judgement about whether you may or may not enjoy a particular walking route.

There are five walking routes planners reviewed in the first part of this article, these websites contain walks that cover most, if not all of the UK. In the second part of the article, to follow soon, walking route websites that cover specific regions, e.g. Scotland, The Lake District and Snowdonia will be reviewed.

The walking route planners featured in this article are:
www.go4awalk.com
www.walkingbritain.co.uk
www.walkingenglishman.com
www.countrywalkingroutes.co.uk / www.trailroutes.com
www.walking-routes.co.uk
For those of you who just can’t wait to get to the end:
Best Walking Route Planner Summary

www.go4awalk.com

General / Searching for a Walk

This site is very busy with lots of text on the home page. You can search using a simple search box at the top of the home page, or select from menu options at the top or from a long list down the left hand side of the page. This list includes a selection of pub walks. Using the search box pulls up a huge number of results in a list over several pages, especially if you search using a general term like “Peak District”. Of course this is not surprising, but there is no option to refine your search, which would be helpful. The top two search results when searching for walks in “Northern Ireland” were for walks in the Lake District!

You can also search using a mapping system based on Ordnance Survey maps, which is a useful feature. There is a map of England, Scotland and Wales on which you can click specific OS map areas. Each walk is then represented by a coloured circle, with a number showing the grade of the walk. Move your mouse over a dot and the walk route is indicated. Click on the dot to see summarised walk details appear on the top left of the page. The full walk details are downloaded as a pdf file, which are handy to print out and take with you on your walk. You can also download GPS waypoints from here, if available.

In order to download a walk you must buy credits. For £14.95 you can buy 50 credits. Each walk is worth 1 credit. Walks are updated and you can download the same walk in the future without losing another credit.

Why should you open an account with go4awalk.com? On the join4walks page it clearly states that…

Every go4awalk.com walk is hand-crafted by walking professionals who really know and understand what makes a walk – a good walk.

However, on the “Talk To Us” page, people are encouraged to submit walks and rambles which will be published on the site. So there seems to be a bit of contradiction there!

There are an enormous number of questions on the Q&A page. Although you can search the questions, they would benefit from being put into a directory style structure to make it easier to find the question you are asking.

Walk Descriptions

The walk descriptions are downloaded as pdf files. There is a summary of the route which includes distance, time, grade and ascent. The walking route descriptions provide a semi-detailed map, showing roads and paths that intersect the route and some features such as pubs and trig points. The map does not show any contours, however there is a diagram showing elevation along the length of the walk which I like. The actual description of the route is quite detailed but it is wholly factual with no information about points of interest. There are no photographs or anything to provide any inspiration. Around the map are lots of blocks of text about various features of the go4awalk.com website, which I find a bit annoying.

It is possible to view photographs of walks which have been uploaded by users of the go4awalk.com website. There is also a section where people are encouraged to share information about points of interest. Since this information does not come with the walk description it can easily be overlooked.

Summary – go4awalk.com

In summary, there are lots of walks featured on go4awalk.com, however I found the website very busy. It is not always easy to navigate the website and I spent a long time looking for information. In particular, trying to find information again that I had found previously was difficult. The descriptions of the walks are thorough but uninspiring. The ability to search by OS map is a the best feature. The pdf downloads are handy to print out to take on a walk, but they could do without so many plugs for the website.

www.walkingbritain.co.uk

General / Searching for a Walk

The presentation of Walking Britain is very clear and easy on the eye. Walking routes can be found using a directory structure focussing on National Parks, National Trails, Areas of Outstanding beauty and Counties & Areas.

There is also a search facility where you can search by National Parks or Areas by grade of walk, search for walks near a postcode or grid reference. For some regions, such as the Lake District you can also search by map.

There is some advertising but it is not too intrusive.

Walk Descriptions

Each walk has a summary including distance, grade and ascent.

The full description of the walk will depend upon which one you happen to chose and who the author is, which should perhaps be expected since anyone can submit a walk to www.walkingbritain.co.uk. Walk 3209 – Llanfrynach and Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, is a scanned image of a walking map produced by the Youth Hostel Association. However, most of the walks appear to offer personalised written descriptions.

Some of the walking routes have basic descriptions with little detail. For example, Walk 1182 – Kinder Downfall from Hayfield, the description is short and to the point with only a small amount of additional information. There is not much in terms of additional navigational notes or points of interest. There are photographs, which is always a plus in my opinion.

Other walking routes have more detailed and interesting descriptions, such as Walk 1601 – Bowcombe Down, Ashengrove and Upper Watchingwell from Carisbrooke. This description would benefit from having some headings to make it easier to find your place in the text whilst out walking. It does contain grid references throughout which are useful to relate the text to the map.

There are outline route maps on the website, however these are basic so would need to be used in conjunction with an Ordnance Survey map. There does not appear to be any support for GPS.

Summary – walkingbritain.co.uk

In summary, walkingbritain.co.uk is easy to navigate and not overburdened with text. It is easy to find walks in the area that you are looking at. The quality of the walking route descriptions is variable, some stick to details of the route only whilst other walk descriptions contain photographs, additional interesting points and comments about the walk. It would benefit from having an improved map based search and more detailed route maps.

www.walkingenglishman.com

General / Searching for a Walk

Mike Brockhurst’s Walking Englishman is a popular website which passes on his enthusiasm for walking. Mike has walked all of the routes himself and his descriptions reflect his personal experience. He states that it is…

my intention is to inspire you all to get out and enjoy the country as much as I do. Go on, you won’t regret it.

The site has a simple, straight forward design. The walks can be searched by region or long distance path name from a list down the left hand side of the page. Most of the walks are in Northern England: Yorkshire, The Lakes and the Peak District. There are also walks in Scotland, Snowdonia, Crete and Italy. The walks can be selected from a list within each category by the name, which is either the name of the walk, the place or the mountain, e.g. “The Mosedale Horseshoe”. There is also a one sentence summary of each walk.

The walks are graded into easy, moderate or hard which is denoted by a green, yellow or red circle respectively. There are also a few scrambles which are also denoted with a red circle.

All the walks are free and there is no advertising!

Walk Descriptions

The walking route descriptions start with a walk summary, including time, distance, ascent, hazards, parking and refreshments. There are OS maps onto which the route has been overlaid. Next there is an elevation profile followed by the Story of the Walk. There is not a huge amount of navigational detail about the walk. The story of the walk really is a story, describing the weather conditions, details about the terrain and the feelings and opinions of those on the walk, especially when faced with technically difficult parts of the walk or scramble. Featuring classic quotes such as…

I stuttered down like a geriatric for the rest of the walk vainly trying to keep up with the two goats ahead of me.

…in the Kinder Scout from Edale route, The Walking Englishman makes a compelling and inspiring read. The are also a number of photographs for each walk which help to visualise the story and the route. For some routes more photographs can be found as slide shows on The Walking Englishman You Tube channel.

GPS Waypoints and Memory Map files from the walk can be downloaded. For some walks a “Route Card” is also available. The route card contains waypoints and some observations.

Summary – walkingenglishman.com

The menu system makes it is easy to find good walking routes on the walkingenglishman.com website, although it is advantageous if you already have a knowledge of the area where you intend to walk. The route descriptions focus on telling the story of the walk, as opposed to describing the navigational aspects of the route. However they do contain interesting details and provide the inspiration for getting out and going walking. Whilst there are a lot of walks featured from the North of the UK there is only the Cornish Coast Path in the South of the country.

www.countrywalkingroutes.co.uk
www.trailroutes.com

General / Searching for a Walk

The walking routes on these websites are provided by Country Walking magazine and Trail magazine respectively, hence they are only available to people who have a subscription with the magazine.

It is possible to search for routes by name, location, post code or grid reference. There is also an interactive map, however this is very basic and only allows you to select from one of nine areas within the UK and Ireland. Once you have a long list of walks you can then refine your search, which is a useful feature. You can search within the results based upon distance from a particular location, walk length and difficulty levels of easy, moderate and hard. With Trail routes you can also search for routes with scrambles.

It is also possible to view walks using Microsoft virtual Earth. This enables you to zoom and pan the map, select to display aerial photography, see a descriptions and open route details. This is a feature that will be improved for the Country Walking and Trail routes website relaunch.

Walk Descriptions

The route summary for each walk contains a short written introduction and summarised details such as distance, time needed, difficulty and the magazine issue in which the walk appeared. There is a brief description of the terrain. In the case of Country Walking the number of stiles is given, whilst for Trail routes the total ascent is shown. From here it is possible to view the detailed description, a route map and an OS route map. You can also download a PDF route card, GPS waypoints and Memory Map data. Trail routes also have a elevation profile.

The walk descriptions are quite detailed, in particular pointing out turnings that may easily be missed. There are a limited number of comments about points of interest and the terrain.

Summary – countrywalkingroutes.co.uk and trailroutes.com

There are a good selection of walks across the country. The search facility works well when the refined search is used. The map based search is does not show the location of each walk, which it should do given that the websites support popular, well established walking magazines. This may well be improved upon with the forth coming relaunch of the sites.

The walk descriptions are thorough and of consistent quality, but could contain a bit more detail about interesting features of the walk.

www.walking-routes.co.uk

General / Searching for a Walk

Walking-routes.co.uk is a directory of links to many other websites that contain walking routes. Some of the external websites cover the whole of the UK but many are specific to small areas.

This website has a straight forward design that is quite clear and it is easy to see where everything is. You must like orange.

The home page is split into five main categories based on walk locations, i.e. Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and National Parks. Within each section there is a list of counties and cities or National Parks, with a number in parentheses indicating the number of walking websites in that sub-section. Click on the the sub-section and pop-up window appears containing a list of place names or website names. These are all links to external websites. Clinking one of these links opens the website in a new window. I would prefer for each sub-section not to open in a pop-up window. Also, the sub-section page would benefit from having a map of the area showing place names, since this would help people who are not familiar with the area to get their bearings.

“Walking-Routes” – 100’s of links to 1000’s of walks.

The links are to other websites containing walking route descriptions and not to the walks themselves. This means that there is no easy comparison between walks, in terms of exact location, length, time or grade.

You can search all the sites that walking-routes.co.uk links to using a customised Google search. This displays Google style search results within the walking-routes.co.uk website, providing links to the other websites and walking routes. When you click a link you leave the walking-routes.co.uk website.

There is some advertising but it is not intrusive.

Walk Descriptions

Since walking-routes.co.uk links to lots of other different websites the descriptions of the walks are extremely variable. Its pot luck whether the site that you end up on has good, detailed walking route descriptions or not.

In some cases I found that the site that I clicked through to did not appear to have any walks and that I had to spend time trying to find the walks. In these cases walking-routes.co.uk would benefit from having a link direct to the walks page of the external website.

I did not find any walking routes that were compiled by walking-routes.co.uk themselves.

Summary – walking-routes.co.uk

Since there are links to so many external websites you are sure to be able to find a walk in any area of the UK using walking-routes.co.uk. The directory style search is reasonably straight forward, however, the external links could be improved upon in some cases by linking directly to the walks page of the external website.

Since the links are to external walking websites, rather than to specific walks within the websites, you still have a bit more searching once you are on the external website. Using the custom Google search it is possible get straight to walks in a specific location.

Which is the Best Walking Route Planner?

In order to create the best walking route website you need:

• an easy to use text search facility, including the ability to refine your search
• a simple directory style search facility
• a good map based search facility
• summaries of the walking routes, including distance, time and grade
• detailed descriptions, including grid references and information to help with navigation so that you do not go the wrong way
• information about coping with the terrain in different weather conditions
• quality mapping
• photographs and descriptions of points of interest to provide inspiration
• easy to print route cards
• downloadable GPS waypoints

A feature that could be useful is for people who have done the walk to give a review about it.

There is no definitive best walking route plannar out of the ones that have been reviewed here. If I already had a subscription to Country Walking magazine or Trail magazine then I would have a look at those websites first, but I would not get a subscription just for the walking routes since there are plenty of good walking routes available for free. The Walking Englishman has done lots of great walks and tells a good story, so is well worth looking at. The walk descriptions and pdf downloads on go4awalk.com are good, but I find the website is too busy and its not easy to search for walks, unless you use the OS map based search. The design of Walking Britain is easy on the eye and the search works well, however it could benefit from a better map based search and better maps of the routes. And finally, using walking-routes.co.uk you are certain to be able to find a walk in any part of the country, but you still have a lot of work to do trawling through the external websites that actually contain the walks.

Which ever walking routes planner you chose to find a walk we hope that you will find a walking route that enjoy!

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Mountain Safety lecture by Cameron McNeish at the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team Base, Fort William 8pm

Bike and Ski at the same time!

The winter sport of skibiking, or skibobbing as it is also known, has been around since the 1950’s. A skibike is quite literally a bike with skis instead of wheels. Most of the other normal features of a bike have also been removed, such as the pedals, chain and brakes. Skibikes tend to be ridden down hill only and let’s face it, only a wuss uses brakes! Skibikes do have suspension however!

The first skibike / skibob design was patented in 1892 by an American, Mr J. Stevens. It was not until the 1940’s, when a German and Austrian Engineers, Georg. Gfäller and Engelbert Brenter invented skibike type contraptions which were combined to form the basis for the modern skibike design.

Skibiking as a winter sport gained popularity during the 1950’s and 1960’s and it also became a common method of winter transport for people living in the Austrian and Swiss Alps.

A Skibike rider wears normal ski wear. There is a lot of snow spray when skibiking, much more than for normal skiing, so ski wear with a high level of waterproofing is best. A skibike rider also has a short pair of foot skis to assist with their balance.

Skibike Racing and Events

Many Skibiking events take place in Europe, such as the World Cup and the World Championship. The races are similar to normal Alpine ski events and include Slalom, Giant Slalom, Parallel Slalom, Super-G and Downhill.

The Elite World Championships will be held in Kichberg, Austria, from 25th to 29th of January 2010. Later in the year the Senior and Junior World Championships will be taking place. They will be from 24th to 28th February, in Gaal, Austria.

UK Skibiking Team

The sport of skibiking is not well known in the UK, because of the small numbers involved and a lack of continuity, support and sponsorship. Despite this UK skibikers have performed well in international skibiking events. Nic Platt is the current British skibiking champion. Other current skibikers in the British team include Tim Platt, Harry Dearden, India Muirhead, Nic Jones and Kenny Campbell.

Senior members of the British team include former British Champion Denis Osbaldeston, Richard Platt, Darren Walker, Alistair Platt, Kevin Rochfort and Tom Rogers.

Other famous UK skibikers include Anne White (1988 Senior World Champion 1988, World slalom Champion 1989) and Tony Marsh (European Champion 1982).

More Information about past and present British teams teams can be found at http://www.skibikeracing.co.uk.

Sit-Skiing for Rehabilitation

A variation of the skibike is the sit-ski. The sit has a chair mounted on main central ski. The skier is seated in the chair and then has hand held stabilising skis mounted on the end of poles. This is demonstrated in the YouTube video embedded below.

One charity support group which uses skibikes and sit-skis to help with rehabilitation of amputees is BLESMA, theBritish Limbless Ex Service Men’s Association.

[BLESMA] is the charity that directly supports all our service men and women who lose limbs, the use of limbs or eyes or the sight of an eye in the service of our country and we are with them all whenever we are needed for the rest of their lives.

BLESMA have helped to provide rehabilitation to service personnel through many different adventure activities. Ski Spectacular events are held in the at Breckenridge, Colorado, USA, by the Wounded Warrior Project and Disabled Sports USA. Members of BLESMA were given 6 days of tuition is given in snowboarding, mono skiing and three track skiing. Outdoor activities like sit-skiing help amputees to realise that there is life after amputation.

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Showroom Cinema, 20:30

Mountain Safety lecture by Ian Sherrington at the Mountain Cafe, Aviemore 7pm

10am and 1pm The Climbing Academy

Round 4 Wolf M'tn Wolverhampton