================================================== ==================
This posting expresses the personal view and opinions of the author.
Something which everyone on this planet should be able to do.
================================================== ==================

1510 GMT

Pulled back the bedroom curtains this morning to be greeted with dense fog and
50m visibility. A rising barometer and no rain. What the ***** happening I said
to myself :-) Glanced at the radar and it was clear that it was only delayed. So
the walk was on, but it took ages to drive to Two Bridges in the dense fog.
Walked all morning in dense fog to Devil Tor and Rough Tor with the wind rising.
Above 500m asl it was NE force 5-7 so not quite the stong to gale I expected. By
noon the light drizzle had turned to light sleet and we cut short the walk after
lunch when my portable thermometer was reading +1.5 deg C as nobody could see
anything and the ground underfoot was knee deep in water. The sleet got heavier
as we descended just keeping ahead of the falling snow level. Got back to Two
Bridges at 1415 (circa 350 m asl) and it was moderate sleet. Almost snow at
times driving back past Hay Tor at 400m asl and now at home it is:

Temp 3.2 deg C
Dewpoint 3 deg C
Continuous moderate sleet

Almost certainly snowing hard now above 450m asl. Summit of Hay Tor looked like
it might be beginning to settle.

Not an afternoon for inexperienced walkers to be on the high plateau, but the
morning wasn't too bad apart from the dense fog.

Will.
--

" Ah yet another day to enjoy "
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A COL BH site in East Dartmoor at Haytor, Devon 310m asl (1017 feet).

mailto:
www: http://www.lyneside.demon.co.uk/Hayt...antage_Pro.htm

DISCLAIMER - All views and opinions expressed by myself are personal
and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Will Hand wrote:
================================================== ==================
This posting expresses the personal view and opinions of the author.
Something which everyone on this planet should be able to do.
================================================== ==================

1510 GMT

Pulled back the bedroom curtains this morning to be greeted with dense fog and
50m visibility. A rising barometer and no rain. What the ***** happening I said
to myself :-) Glanced at the radar and it was clear that it was only delayed. So
the walk was on, but it took ages to drive to Two Bridges in the dense fog.
Walked all morning in dense fog to Devil Tor and Rough Tor with the wind rising.
Above 500m asl it was NE force 5-7 so not quite the stong to gale I expected. By
noon the light drizzle had turned to light sleet and we cut short the walk after
lunch when my portable thermometer was reading +1.5 deg C as nobody could see
anything and the ground underfoot was knee deep in water. The sleet got heavier
as we descended just keeping ahead of the falling snow level. Got back to Two
Bridges at 1415 (circa 350 m asl) and it was moderate sleet. Almost snow at
times driving back past Hay Tor at 400m asl and now at home it is:

Temp 3.2 deg C
Dewpoint 3 deg C
Continuous moderate sleet

Almost certainly snowing hard now above 450m asl. Summit of Hay Tor looked like
it might be beginning to settle.

Not an afternoon for inexperienced walkers to be on the high plateau, but the
morning wasn't too bad apart from the dense fog.

Will.
--

" Ah yet another day to enjoy "
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A COL BH site in East Dartmoor at Haytor, Devon 310m asl (1017 feet).

mailto:
www: http://www.lyneside.demon.co.uk/Hayt...antage_Pro.htm

DISCLAIMER - All views and opinions expressed by myself are personal
and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Thanks Will, you were exactly right about our training session at
Aylesbury today, no rain, but the wind picked up and the temperature
dropped, we've rain now though

Will Hand wrote:

Walked all morning in dense fog to Devil Tor and Rough Tor ....snip

Just curious Will. Are you an old style map-reading navigator or have
you fallen under the spell of GPS? (just as an aid of course - I
wouldn't dare to suggest that it is your primary method)

Jack

Jack Harrison wrote
Will Hand wrote:
Walked all morning in dense fog to Devil Tor and Rough Tor ....snip
Just curious Will. Are you an old style map-reading navigator or have
you fallen under the spell of GPS? (just as an aid of course - I
wouldn't dare to suggest that it is your primary method)
Jack

Hi Jack,
I personally do not own a GPS although my wife does. I wasn't leading today but
the leader used GPS with a compass as a check. I always have in my rucksack a
map and two compasses. So to answer your question I'm basically a map and
compass man, GPS is heavy on battery juice and knowing how to use a map and
compass is very re-assuring.

Will.
--

" Ah yet another day to enjoy "
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A COL BH site in East Dartmoor at Haytor, Devon 310m asl (1017 feet).

mailto:
www: http://www.lyneside.demon.co.uk/Hayt...antage_Pro.htm

DISCLAIMER - All views and opinions expressed by myself are personal
and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In article .com,
writes:

Will Hand wrote:

Walked all morning in dense fog to Devil Tor and Rough Tor ....snip

Just curious Will. Are you an old style map-reading navigator or have
you fallen under the spell of GPS? (just as an aid of course - I
wouldn't dare to suggest that it is your primary method)

I suppose that the great advantage of GPS over map-reading occurs when
the visibility becomes too poor to see the landmarks shown on your map.
--
John Hall
"Honest criticism is hard to take,
particularly from a relative, a friend,
an acquaintance, or a stranger." Franklin P Jones

Will Hand wrote:
Jack Harrison wrote

Will Hand wrote:
Walked all morning in dense fog to Devil Tor and Rough Tor ....snip

Just curious Will. Are you an old style map-reading navigator or have
you fallen under the spell of GPS? (just as an aid of course - I
wouldn't dare to suggest that it is your primary method)
Jack


Hi Jack,
I personally do not own a GPS although my wife does. I wasn't leading today but
the leader used GPS with a compass as a check. I always have in my rucksack a
map and two compasses. So to answer your question I'm basically a map and
compass man, GPS is heavy on battery juice and knowing how to use a map and
compass is very re-assuring.

Will.
--

" Ah yet another day to enjoy "
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A COL BH site in East Dartmoor at Haytor, Devon 310m asl (1017 feet).

mailto:
www: http://www.lyneside.demon.co.uk/Hayt...antage_Pro.htm

DISCLAIMER - All views and opinions expressed by myself are personal
and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


if anyone is after a map, I have a load for sale on Ebay, just look at
OS Landranger maps £2.00 + £1.00 P&P, sorry for the shameless plug but I
want shot of them, others available.

In my training days in the Air Force (hmm, nearly 50 years ago) we had
to hike at night through the rain and fog in places like Snowdonia and
the Brecon Beacons. I was never athletic, even in my youth, so I
tended to hold everyone else up or get a blister on my foot (wimp I
hear you say). But I tell you, I was a damn good navigator and we
never had the slightest hiccup in virtually zero visibility in the
dark. So I was always in charge of the map. I must admit though,
today I would have a GPS - just as a back-up of course:-)

Jack

"John Hall" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
writes:

Will Hand wrote:

Walked all morning in dense fog to Devil Tor and Rough Tor ....snip

Just curious Will. Are you an old style map-reading navigator or have
you fallen under the spell of GPS? (just as an aid of course - I
wouldn't dare to suggest that it is your primary method)

I suppose that the great advantage of GPS over map-reading occurs when
the visibility becomes too poor to see the landmarks shown on your map.
--

Yes good point. We went from Tor to Tor today but you only saw the Tors as a
vague shape from 100m. But you can navigate with a compass, by taking a bearing
from your known position to where you want to go on the map and sticking to it
noting terrain on the way and if you swing off, try to work out what you can
see. Then there is pacing (counting steps) so you don't go too far. Basically in
fog you have to know what you are doing and have a certain amount of faith in
your own ability. Of course if you are cold and wet then the brain starts to
work more slowly and you are likely to make more errors, which in the extreme
could be fatal.

Will.
--

" Ah yet another day to enjoy "
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A COL BH site in East Dartmoor at Haytor, Devon 310m asl (1017 feet).

mailto:
www: http://www.lyneside.demon.co.uk/Hayt...antage_Pro.htm

DISCLAIMER - All views and opinions expressed by myself are personal
and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

wrote:
In my training days in the Air Force (hmm, nearly 50 years ago) we had
to hike at night through the rain and fog in places like Snowdonia and
the Brecon Beacons. I was never athletic, even in my youth, so I
tended to hold everyone else up or get a blister on my foot (wimp I
hear you say). But I tell you, I was a damn good navigator and we
never had the slightest hiccup in virtually zero visibility in the
dark. So I was always in charge of the map. I must admit though,
today I would have a GPS - just as a back-up of course:-)

Sounds like a pretty good way of ensuring that they never left you
behind. :-)

--
Howard Neil

Felly sgrifennodd John Hall :
I suppose that the great advantage of GPS over map-reading occurs when
the visibility becomes too poor to see the landmarks shown on your map.

I don't get it. I use a GPS and a map. Today, when a footpath through dense
woods petered out into nothing, I'd have been in some trouble without both,
being within an hour of sunset at the time. I used the GPS to find out
where I was on the map!

Weather for my walk was overcast, misty around the summits (just short of
600m) but relatively clear beneath.

Adrian (12 miles ESE Aberystwyth, 260m/860ft asl)
--
Adrian Shaw ais@
Adran Cyfrifiadureg, Prifysgol Cymru, aber.
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Cymru ac.
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ais uk