INDEX

OBJECTIVES
Whenever you want to do something which at the first attempt seems to be beyond your grasp requires a plan. Such a plan requires you to break the problem down into its component parts and see which of the parts it is possible to realistically achieve.
The first problem we face as a group is getting up and safely down very steep hills.
The second problem is doing it in a reasonable time.
Most groups starts off, as not as a team, but a motley crew of individuals with different skill levels and varying degrees of fitness.
The fitter people find it difficult to restrain their enthusiasm and slow down while the old crocks like me find it equally difficult to keep up. On the good side is that when we get to know each others limitations we begin to blend together into a co-operative. This is the beginning of esprit de corps ( the spirit of a group that makes the members want the group to succeed ) and is the beginning of team building so essential to success.
Providing we start training early, as we have done, and work together, as we are doing, there is no reason to doubt that we will achieve any reasonable objective we set ourselves. We need to believe in ourselves and in each other. Each member must be self reliant and at the same time watch each other giving words of encouragement. I have yet to hear anyone being discouraging towards anyone else, and that is the second rule of creating a good team.

Let me state quite categorically, I have no doubt that we will walk to the top of Ben Nevis even though we are not yet fully a team at this stage.
I would even go so far as to say that if we maintain the progress we have made thus far Ben Nevis will not be a problem. Then we are faced with the problem of finding other challenging objectives to achieve.
Take it little by little and as you grow physically stronger gradually extending the range and endurance of what you can achieve. Do not try to accomplish everything all at once, build up gradually and methodically. As the group becomes a team the mutual respect and encouragement between one another will inspire you to higher things. There is still plenty of time to recruit new beginners starting from scratch. This is a good group which is beginning to work well together and we are beginning to achieve much but there is still work to do. In the meantime our strength, endurance and team spirit will grow stronger with every passing training session. There is no reason for anyone a member of the group to be discouraged, I know, I'm the crock, and I know I will succeed, ... providing I don't bust something.

For an example of good team building you don't need to look too far. The local Archery Club called Lough Cuan Bowmen went to the World Archery Tournament in 2002 with a team of six and returned home with 8 World and European Gold Medals and two Bronze. Not bad for a small backwater club. Take a look at Comber Rifle Club, Olympic Gold, International Gold, and a massive collection of Silverware. Now! I wonder just who has to polish it?

INDEX

MAP READING

To give a grid reference to the nearest 100 metres using the Irish Grid System.
This example is to the ( triangulation ) Trig pillar on Slieve Donard.
Give the letter identifying the map. The Mourne map is "J"	J
First quote the EASTINGS. Locate the vertical grid line to the LEFT of the point and read the LARGE figures labelling the line either in the top or bottom margin of the line itself. ALONG THE HALL		35
Estimate in TENTHS from this grid line to the point.			8
Next quote the NORTHINGS. Locate the HORIZONTAL grid line BELOW the point and read the LARGE figures labelling the line either in the left or right margins. UP THE STAIRS				27
Estimate in TENTHS from this grid line to the point.					7
The full 100 metre reference to the triangulation pillar on Donard is:--	J358277
Where is, J328:305 ? To the nearest word or number located there.
Where is, J283:269 ?
Where is, J372:188 ?
Where is, J334:145 ?   Answers by E-Mail to Adrian.
My Apologies I gave a reference of J04 which of course dose not exist in this map.

Map reading is not rocket science and all hill walkers should have some knowledge of it before setting out. It is not a bad idea to study the map and plan a route, then leave a written message with someone so that they know where you are going. To give a grid reference you need to find your position on the map.
Turn the map so that it's orientation is correct, Ordnance Survey maps are always printed so that North is at the top of the sheet, use your compass to do this. Use the physical features you can see in the landscape about your location and determine where you are on the map. Then translate this into a grid reference.

FIRST Give the EASTINGS by working from left to right "Along the hall". This will be the vertical line to the left of the square that you think you are in. In this example 35. Then divide this square into tenths and estimate how many tenths from left to right to give your best estimate, which is 8. Note this down as 358.

SECONDLY give the NORTHINGS which are read by the horizontal lines from bottom to top "Up the stairs" we are in 27 and our best guess is 7 when we divide this square by 10. Note this down as 277.
The entire position should now read J358277. " J" refers to the map we are using. The two groups of coordinates can be devided with a colon to make it less confusing Eg J358:277.
For this explanation I have used the triangulation pillar on Slieve Donard, so you can check my work for errors.

Each of the large squares on the map represents 1 Kilometre and the squares you visualise roughly 100 metres which brings you within shouting distance. This is really kid stuff and to prove it there is a very good lesson to be had at:-
http://mapzone.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/mapzone/PagesHomeworkHelp/docs/easypeasy.pdf
This will give you everything you need to know plus a lot extra.

Modern maps specify height in metres to convert a height to feet 1 meter = 3.2808399 feet   Use your computers calculator to do the work then
Ctrl + C to copy the answer and paste the result using Ctrl + V.
Therefore 200 meters times 3.2808399 = 656.16798 feet

MAP MEASURER
This little device shown on the left is to measure the distance on a map. There is no doubt that you can estimate the distance to a reasonable extent without the device but for much improved accuracy use the thing. Its called a map measurer or you could say its an opisometer or a meilograph, you won't get your wrist smacked for knot knowing this. The instrument is set to zero and then you can run over the planned route on your map and read off the distance, ..... Ah, I see,.. you pushed it in the wrong direction, turn it round and start again. You can follow the twists and turns of the path providing it is shown on the map and get a good result. Do it a couple of times until you get the hang of it. The cost of this kit is about £3 yes it's only three quid, but when you produce it everyone will think you are an expert.
My Dad taught me to use this device about 55 years ago and I remember he used the Mourne Mountains map in his office to practice on.
It is easier to use the zero to zero method by running it over the route then reverse the direction on the scale on the map and count the miles.
I have had this other type of gadget for years and it works very well and is easier to read than the device above and is just as accurate. The cost is the same £3. Bothy instruments need to be cared for, no sudden drops off the map table. The black area of the scale indicates the distance traced on the map.
All planning work should be done well before hand so that nothing is left to the last minute. A drawing of your route should be made with all your way points marked clearly and the altitude for the various points along the route. The direction of travel and your estimated start and finish times. This should be copied and the copy left with a responsible person so that if you fail to return then they have an idea where to look for you. The most modern and professional type of measurer is shown above and has just about everything you could possibly need. It is equipped with a magnifying glass and has an inbuilt calculator. The digital scale is clear and unambiguous making calculations very easy.

SUNBURN & SUNSTROKE.
This is not the place to start reading if you want the perfect suntan.
Britain and Ireland is probably the most dangerous place in the world for sunstroke and sunburn. The BBC weather forecasts give warnings about sunburn and we simply ignore them and dash outside to catch a fleeting glimpse of the sun before it vanishes behind the clouds. "Mad dog's an Englishman, goes out in the midday sun." We don't get enough sun to fully appreciate its dangers and get caught all to frequently through carelessness.
When you are walking in the mountains in glorious sunshine we are very vulnerable indeed. The breeze keeps us relatively cool and we do not feel the dangerous burning effects until it is too late. The last time I got sunburned was way back during 1965 and I really suffered. It taught me a lesson I will never forget. Ten days after my big burn I went to the Middle East and I was ready for anything the heavens could throw at me.
The first thing I bought was a shemagh and to hold it in place I also bought a kufiya which is a small cap to hold it in place. The shemagh will protect your head neck and shoulders and prevent you from getting sunburn. Rather than wear a kufiya the shemagh can be held in place with a Velcro loop which can be used to tie it together before packing into your backpack.
Try if possible to wear long sleeved tops to keep the sun off your arms and long trousers to protect your legs. The secondary benefit of long trousers is that they prevent insect bites and prevent you from gorse prickles and nettles.
Rugby shirts are excellent as they allow your skin to breathe and the acrylic fibre wicks the sweat away very fast. Rugby shirts are designed to be worn in rough conditions so they will take a lot of abuse. Any exposed skin should be rubbed with sun lotion. On the mountains there is no shade and you will be exposed all day so take precautions.
You must also avoid dehydration so drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol and make sure that your skin does not become dry. Eye protection is another essential, the glare of the sun on a hot day is relentless.

Be aware of sunstroke, heat stroke and dehydration you must assist your body to maintain a relatively normal temperature. If you get too warm even by a few degrees your body's metabolism will go into hyper drive and you may begin to exhibit some of the following symptoms:- You may begin to feel tired and a little dizzy with a headache. These are the early signs of sunstroke and you must take urgent steps to regain control of your body. If there is shade get into it and rest. Drink something and pour some water on your head and if you have a small towel wet it with the water and sponge yourself. Hopefully the evaporating water will begin to cool you down and you start to feel normal again quite quickly. If you persist in forging on then you may stop sweating and your pulse will become rapid your temperature will shoot up your mind will begin to falter and you may in an extreme case pass out. Eventually your organs will begin to fail unless you can bring the temperature down very serious consequences will be the result.
My advice is get off the mountain or get the casualty off the mountain and if necessary get them to hospital. If the condition progressively gets worse then medical attention should be urgently sought. Heat-stroke is a self inflicted injury and everyone should be mindful as to just how dangerous this condition can be.

INDEX

GEOCACHING This is the modern version of STASH(ing) To hide supplies in a secret cache for future use. Var BASING
This is a new sport for Walkers and Runners. They hide small waterproof containers somewhere in the mountains and log it's GPS position with a central database such as www.geocaching.com. You search for these containers using your GPS. The container contains a log book to record your visit and a collection of small items such as sweets and other low value items. The rule is that you record your visit, and replace whatever you take with something of equal or better value then replace the container exactly where you found it..
Many years ago as a member of the Military we had many such STASHES hidden all over the various training areas to tuck into when things got tough. Naturally the authorities knew nothing of these stashes as they would not have approved. This modern version called Geocaching sounds like a great idea. The problem is that there is so much junk hidden away in the hills you will be lucky to find what you are looking for. At the end of the season all of these containers should be brought home together with all the other junk you find.
There are 842 such Geocaches hidden round Ireland. 07/08/07 .... The good thing is that these people also help to remove junk from the mountains.

May I dare suggest that the last Saturday every October be reserved for picking up all the junk that walkers and other mountain users have left on the mountains during the season. If every walker who volunteers carried a large strong bin bag or rubble sack and filled it with everything they can find it would leave the mountain in a more pristine condition than when we found it. The mountains and the other wild places are the most important thing we have remaining to pass on to subsequent generations. I believe it is our duty to leave these places in a better state than when we inherited them.

COMMEDAGH'S FALSE PEAK
Commedagh is not a big mountain only 767 M but it is a heartbreaker for the inexperienced walker. The walk up to the Mourne Wall from Donard car park at Newcastle is not too difficult even for a beginner if they take their time and act sensibly. Just three months ago I would have said it was a tough walk but I have been up to the wall three or four times in the last few weeks without too much difficulty as I am getting fitter with each passing walk I do in the mountains.
The first time I climbed Commedagh was in virtual white out conditions in thick mist and could not see where I was going, just as well, and got to the top with a little struggle. The second time I walked to the top of Commedagh was in sunny weather and saw exactly where I was going. From the saddle between Donard and Commedagh it looks very easy and inviting, but don't be deceived. You can only see about half of the lower part of Commedagh from the saddle and even less when you are on the lower slope. You can only see in a straight line and the upper part of the mountain is quite invisible as it is obscured from view because of Commedagh's bulbous shape.
Most people set off from the saddle full of enthusiasm confident that the summit is within easy reach and they struggle valiantly onwards and upwards. Disappointment quickly follows as when they reach what they thought was the summit only to discover that they have to do the same distance all over again as they are only half way up. Many people give up at this point as they have not got the energy to go any further yet they are less than 200 yards from the top.
As I have said many times before, take things easy, save your energy, and you will go a lot further. Getting to the top of Commedagh is not difficult even for a beginner if you take your time like Waldorf and Statler the old chaps that I told you about in Dander on Donard. There are walkers in this club who can crest Commedagh in a little over an hour and that's impressive. I am not one of them, I will get to the top of Commedagh whenever I happen to arrive, somewhere between two to three hours. I don't force myself, why should I.? I am out to enjoy the walk and the craic with my Club Mates and get a little fitter in the process.

  INDEX

THE BUS TIMETABLE for the Mourne Rambler. Service 405, Ulsterbus.

  THE PLAN
Leave the cars somewhere.
Take the bus round the mountains.
Walk back to cars.

  KEY SATURDAY SERVICE
ULB Ulsterbus
M-F Monday-Friday
S Saturday
Su Sunday
A Operates July and August only
Where 'N' precedes the holiday name or number, it denotes that the journey does NOT run on the dates indicated. U after a time means stops to pick up only. D after a time means stops to set down only.

Table valid from: 02/07/07
Table valid until: 02/09/07

 

 

INDEX

JUNK INFORMATION sort this out yourselves........
The obsolete Military, Police, and Scouting signals (commands) for whistle, torch and hand.

SIGNAL	MEANING	MORSE EQUIVALENT	VISUAL ALTERNATIVE	ICON
	Help.	None	Both arms above head.
	Look at me.	S	One arm on head.
	Turn Left	U	Right hand on head, left arm pointing.
	Turn right	D	Left hand on head, right arm pointing.
	Gather round / Recall.	None   ≈ V with extended Daa	Both hands on head.
	YES / GO	E	Circular motion from shoulder to waist.
	NO / STOP / DONT	I	Flat hand drawn (cutting) across throat.
S.O.S.		This is the international distress signal which most people know. Just keep repeating it ......

SILT	MUD	CLAY	SAND	GRIT	MORAINE	GRAVEL	STONES	SCREE	COBBLES	BOULDERS	ROCKS
VERY FINE			FINE to MEDIUM		COARSE		VERY COARSE		ROUGH	VERY ROUGH

ROCKS   Feldspar porphyry, Andesite, Dolerite, Felsite, Leidleite Porphyry, Quartz porphyry, Tholeiite, Granophyre, Basalt, and 5 types of granite are all found within the Mourne Mountains.
PROPHYRY= Any igneous rock with crystals embedded in a finer mass of minerals.

INDEX

DICTIONARY
A dictionary or nomenclature of mountain descriptive terms. When walking in different parts of the world they refer to the same thing using different words and the result is total confusion. Here is a first attempt of getting a small dictionary assembled together. If you know any mountain words not mentioned here then send them to me with a simple definition. Please correct my mistakes ....Every little helps.

ACROPHOBIA	Fear of heights
AGORAPHOBIA	Fear of open spaces 
THAASOPHOBIA	Fear of boredom or sitting at home, and doing nothing.
ALTITUDE	The height above sea level 
Arabis Rectissima  	Rector's Rock Cress 
ARD		Height or high 			
ASCENT		The act of climbing or walking upwards.	
ATH 		A ford 
BALLAGH	A road. Var  Balach	
BASE		Base camp or the lowest point of a walk.		
BASIN		A natural depression usually containing water. 
BASING		To hide supplies in a secret cache for future use. Same as STASH and GEOCACHING
BEACON	A prominent hill used for signalling.
BEG		Small, Var Beag.
BEAUFORT	A measure of wind speed  0-1 Calm,   12 =  Hurricane 
BEINN		Mountain, Var; Ben,                        		
BIVOUAC	Shelter, a type of tent 		
BLUFF		Flat land on top of cliff.
BOREEN		Irish country lane or 'bótharín' a small road
BOTHY		A hut or shelter.		
BOULDER FIELD	An area covered with large rocks. 			
BOULDERS	Large rocks			
BRAE		A slope.
BURREN		Limestone region		
BUTTE		A flat-topped natural elevation.		
BUTTRESS	Large rock formation leaning backwards towards or resting against a cliff.			
CAIRN		A man-made heap of stones.  Var carn		
CALDERA	A very large depression many miles across caused by the collapse of a volcano 		
CANYON	A valley with very steep sides or cliffs. 	
CARRAIG 	A rock.  Var; Carrig, Carragh,	
CARABINER 	A "D" shaped all purpose snap connector used by climber's.
CAULDRON	A large cooking pot shaped depression.	
CAVE		Horizontal roofed aperture underground or in an inclined or vertical surface. 
CHASM		A large crevasse (ice) fissure (rock) 		
CHIMNEY	A fissure between two rock faces.			
CIRQUE		The head end of a valley. 		
CLEFT		A deep narrow fissure in a cliff 		
CLIFF		A steep or perpendicular slope. 		
CLIMB		The act of ascending a steep cliff.		
CLITTER		Loose rocks		
COL		A low place in a range of hills or mountains forming a pass.
COMPASS	A device for detecting the direction of the earths magnetic field.
COMPASS ROSE	A decorative card indicating the points of the compass.
COMPASS BEARING	The magnetic direction between two points.	
CONTOUR	The lines on a map to show height.
CONTOURING	Following along the contour lines as indicated on the map.			
COOMB		Small deep dry valley.    Combe var. of coomb.		
CORNER	A sudden change of direction of a rock ridge.
CORNICE	An overhanging edge of snow.
CORRIE		Slang for  a cirque or cwm.		
CRAG		A steep hill or rugged outcrop of rock.		
CRATER		A depression at the top of a volcanic mountain or meteorite impact hole.		
CREST		Looks like the top of a hill until you get there,... then there is more.
CRESTING	Arriving at the top of a crest or hill.		
CREVASSE	A chasm in ice.  
CREVICE	A chasm in rock, Eg Maggie's Leap
CROMLECH	Same as dolmen a prehistoric megalith made from large boulders.			
CUTESA		Ridges and dips of exposed rock running roughly parallel.
CWM		Welsh mountain / hillside (discuss)                                       	
DALE		Mooreland, Fens or other upland place.	
DANDER	To walk at a comfortable pace.	
DEFILE		Narrow pass, gorge or ravine. Military term.		
DEPRESSION	The same as basin			
DESCEND	To travel downwards.  			
DIKES		A volcanic intrusion into a fissure in softer eroded rock.
DOLMEN	Same as cromlech a prehistoric megalith made from large boulders.				
DRUMLIN	A hill made by glacial action.			
DUNE 		A feature composed of sand.
ERODED		The description of an object resulting from erosion. 		
ESCARPMENT 	A line of cliffs or steep slopes.			
FELL		An alternative word for hills and dales.		
FISSURE		A deep crack in the rock or earth.		
FOG		Airborne moisture forming a cloud.		
FOOTHILLS	Low hills at the base of a mountain.			
FORD  		A shallow part of a river we can safely cross.
FOYLE		A cliff, Var Faill		
GAP		A passage between hills. Hare's Gap 
GEOCACHING 	Geocaching is the modern term for stash.  Explanation given above.		
GLACIER	An accumulation of ice flowing downhill.
GLEN		Valley, Var Gleann		
GORGE		A deep sided valley. 
GRADIENT	A slope.		
GROWAN 	Sandy gravel.			
GULCH 		A steep and narrow dry valley.		
GULLY		A steep and narrow wet valley.		
HAAR		Fog mixed with driving rain.	
HAUGH		A water meadow.				
HEADLAND 	A high prominent area of land extending beyond the line cliffs.			
HEIGHTS	A descriptive term for hills or other high ground.		
HIGHLAND	A Scots term for the uplands.			
HILL		A hill is 300m or less
HIKING		A word to describe Trecking, Hillwalking and Rambling
HUMMOCK 	An upraised clump of grass in a boggy area. Hammock is a swinging bed.			
HUMP		A small hill		
INTERFLUVE	Land between two rivers that flow to the same drainage system. Point 4 on walk No 5 map.
ISSUES		A place where water rises to the surface.
KARST		A limestone area with caves and sink holes.
KNOB		A prominent mound.
KNOCK		A Hill.		
KNOLL		A small rounded hill.		
LEDGE		A flat topped ridge.
LEITIR		A wet hill.  Var Leitrim, The wet hill. 		
LEVEE 		A low bank bordering a river or stream.
LLYN		Welsh name for lake.
LOCHAN	Alternative local word for lake. 
LOUGH		Alternative word for loch. 
LOCH		A Lake.		
MASSIF		A small group of mountains forming a barrier.		
MESA		A flat topped hill of rock surrounded with cliffs		
MINE		A deep man made excavation. Not quarry. 		
MIST		Haar or fog but not smog.		
MONUMENT	A prominent feature standing on it's own.			
MORAINE	An accumulation of glacial debris "Drumlin"		
MOUND		A low isolated hill. 		
MOUNTAIN	A hill of 300m or more.
MOUNTAIN RESCUE	Equipe de sauvetage,  Bergwatcht,  Telephone 999 Mournes.
MUIR		A moor in a valley			
NUNATAK	An object such as rock or a mountain protruding through ice. 		
OUTCROP	An area of exposed rock. 			
OVERHANG	Where rock projects over the surface below.			
PAD		A pathway.		
PAN		A shallow depression.		
PASS		A passage through mountains.		
PAVED		A pathway which has been hardened to prevent erosion. 		
PEAK		The top of a hill or mountain.	
PEMMICAN	Fatty dried meat.	
PIKE		Another word for peak.		
PIN 		A pointed peak.
PITCH		A short section of climb. Where the tent is placed.		
PLAIN 		An extensive area of level or gently undulating land.		
PLATEAU	An elevated plain with steep drops all round.		
POINT		A pointed piece of land or place on a map.
POLLAPHUCA	The saddle between Meelmore and Bearnagh. The abode (pool / lake) of fairies and shape changers.
POT		 of Legawherry.   Pot of Pulgarve   No definition for POT 		
PRECIPICE	A dangerous cliff
PRECIPITATION	Rain or snow. Including:- Moisture normally invisible can condense to form cloud. 	
PROMONTORY 	A bluff or prominent hill.
QUARRY	An open man made excavation.			
RAMP		A slope leading to a higher level.		
RAMPART	A rock wall.			
RANGE		A group of mountains.   A row of mountains or hills.		
RAVINE		A dangerous steep sided very narrow valley.
RHINNS		A moor or upland, also a point of land.		
RIDGE		A narrow elevation with steep slopes on either side.
RIDING		Old name for open area  (ambiguous  Eg Peak District North Riding.)		
RIFT		A linear depression caused by geological or tectonic movement		
ROCKFALL 	A mass of stones and boulders at the bottom of a cliff or steep slope.			
ROCKS		Large boulders.		
SADDLE		A ridge between two hills.
SCRAMBLING	A rough place where hands may be used to assist walking.		
SCREE		Broken rock at the base of a cliff.		
SERAC		Block or column of ice		
SHAKEHOLE	Where ground has collapsed into underground cavity.
SHEUGH		A muddy stream.  Pronounced shuck			
SHOULDER	A deformation on the side of a mountain.			
SINKHOLE	A deep hole where water drains away.
SLAB		Flat exposed rock.
SLIABH		A moor.  or mountain.   There is confusion with the translation.			
SLIDE		An area where a landslide has occurred.
SLIEVE 		A mountain Var,  Sliabh, Sleeve. 
SLOG		Slang for "walk effort".		
SLOPE 		A sloping surface.	inclined	
SLURF		A swampy mixture of liquefied turf.		
SMOG		Haar or fog with the addition of dirt or contaminating particles.
SOGGY		Soft wet mud or earth. Or a saturated sphagnum bog. Var spagnum.		
SPINE		A narrow or sharp ridge connection between two places with a drop on either side.
SPOIL		Dumped material from mining. 		
SPUR 		A ridge or prominence on a hill or mountain 
STASH		To hide supplies in a secret cache for future use. #1	
STACK		Boulders naturally placed one on top of another.		
STAIRCASE	A series of steps placed to prevent erosion			
STEP		A small surface onto which feet are placed.		
SUMMIT		The top of a hill, mound or mountain.		
TABLE		A flattened summit or plateau.		
TALUS 		A steep slope made from rock fragments at the bottom of a cliff. 		
TARN		A small lake.		
TERRACE	A ridge or series of ridges running parallel to one another. 		
TOR		A high and distinctive rock.		
TOWER		Another word for stack.		
TRAIL		The path to or from somewhere. (Route)	
TRAIPSE		To take a walk.
TRAVERSE	To travel across or pass over.
TRANSVERSE	To move in a cross-wise direction.	
TRIANGULATION	"Trig point" a defined point from which measurements are made. 
TURLOUGH	Vanishing lake.  A lake which occasionally dries out.
TULACH		A small hill.  Var, Tulla			
UPLAND		Higher ground
UARAN		A spring. Var Ooran 		
VALLEY		A long depression between two hills or mountains.
VERTIGO	A medical condition of the ear causing dizziness. 
VOLCANO	A mountain which has erupted.		
WALK		The same meaning as trail.		
WALKWAYS	Trails.
WAYFARER	A person who walks.
WAYMARK	Sign indicating path.
WAYPOINT	GPS owners jargon for position.			
WOLD		Undulating landscape.
#***#		Strike, stub, crick, rick, or kirk ones toe, Painfully !!.
1 meter = 3.2808399 feet       1000 meter = 3280.839 Ft  3000 meter = 9842.519 Ft

Therefore 200 meters times 3.2808399 = 656.16798 feet

Modern maps specify height in metres to convert a height to feet 1 meter = 3.2808399 feet   Use your computers calculator to do the work then 
Ctrl + C to copy the answer and paste the result using Ctrl + V. 
Therefore 200 meters times 3.2808399 = 656.16798 feet 

	

INDEX

WATER PROOFING
This is not rocket science and can be done quickly and easily at home. I was quoted £18 to have a single walking jacket professionally reproofed in a local dry cleaners. Needless to say this is an expensive way to go about things. The chap behind the counter made the excuse that he had to prepare a machine for the special chemicals used in the process..... balderdash and piffle. All you need is a bucket and a bottle of Polar Proof
If you have been washing your waterproof garments in detergent in the past you will have removed the DWR chemicals the manufacturer used to proof the material in the first place. The first thing that you must do now is to thoroughly wash all of your special garments in soap flakes to remove all traces of the harmful detergent. Rinse the clothes thoroughly in hand hot water until the water runs clear and no trace of detergent remains. It is not necessary to dry the clothes before proceeding to the reproofing stage. First you will need a supply of Polar Proof and costs a lot less than the price of professional reproofing. Polar Proof can be obtained locally.
Simply follow the manufacturers instructions and dilute the chemicals in hand hot water and mix thoroughly in a plastic bucket. Then simply put the clothes you wish to waterproof into the bucket and stir making sure everything is thoroughly wetted by the chemicals. The first time I tried this I waterproofed my hands so use a stick and a pair of Marigold gloves. Don't worry if you get it on your skin it won't do you any harm washing up liquid which is a detergent will remove it. It takes time for the chemical to migrate to the garments so stir every few minutes to ensure that the garment are thoroughly coated and that the chemicals have been absorbed into every fibre. Do this process thoroughly otherwise there may be untreated areas of the clothing where the proofing has not reached. At the end of the proofing the water should still be a little milky coloured indicating that you have used an adequate amount of proofing agent. If the water turns clear then you have used too little but don't worry there will probably be enough absorbed to do the trick if you followed the manufacturers instructions correctly.
If the water is still milky coloured this indicates that there is still some active ingredients remaining. You could proof some other less important bits of kit or store the remaining chemicals for future use so that nothing goes to waste. Don't pour the remaining dilute chemical into the original bottle as you need to keep your stock supply at full manufacturers strength. The larger the quantity of Polar Proof you buy the cheaper it gets so don't be starting off with a small bottle, think big. To finish the process simply hang the clothes out to dry or pop them into the tumble drier on a low setting. Check the labels on the garments to see if they are suitable for tumble drying.
Why do I bother you ask, simple I reply. You spend hundreds of pounds on top quality gear and the first time you wash them in detergent you render them virtually worthless for the mountains. They still look good after washing in detergents but all you have now is a high status fashion garment which is useless for practical mountain walking. Remember that the best mountaineering and walking clothes work best in low temperatures. If you get hot or the weather is warm the efficiency of these garments at repelling rain is reduced. It pays to take a little time and trouble with your walking kit. Remember that it is these clothes that form the first line of your protection and well-being in the hills. You may think you look stupid prancing about in a pair of the wife's Marigold gloves,... just don't let anyone see you.

INDEX

COMMUNICATIONS
Mobile phones do not have full coverage everywhere within both Ireland and the United Kingdom and are often useless as a local area network.
This is where PMR (Public Mobile Radio) PMR 446 can be of assistance in keeping everyone in contact over a range of 2 miles or so.
Before purchase of PMR equipment check that the following frequencies are covered.
Channel 1 = 446.00625
Channel 2 = 446.01875
Channel 3 = 446.03125
Channel 4 = 446.04375
Channel 5 = 446.05625
Channel 6 = 446.06875
Channel 7 = 446.08125
Channel 8 = 446.09375 and that the units have at least 30 CTCSS codes available.
Please note that four such PMR transceivers are available for use upon request to Adrian.
If you wish to purchase such equipment suitable transceivers are available in the local Supermarkets and should cost in the region of £20 or less for a pair of hand sets. Makes an ideal Christmas present for the person who has everything, always appreciated by gadget freaks.
Lidl sometimes has these for sale and maplins usually have a wide selection in stock. While this equipment may be considered unnecessary by some however they do provide peace of mind in the case of emergency or a change of plan. In this way everyone can be contacted immediately and informed of the situation.
Note that this equipment, like your mobile 'phone, must be kept dry and warm for maximum performance.

PLEASE NOTE
This is NOT the same equipment as PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) it works on 406 MHz not the same frequency as PMR. A PLB radiates a unique 15 digit code to a passing satellite and it is relayed to NOAA ( National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) in the United States. The personal UIN (Unique Identifying Number) is assigned to the user, so they know immediately the name of the person in trouble. Your account is sent through the post ..... if you survive.

I was sent this information in an E-Mail
EMERGENCY
The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked.

HIDDEN BATTERY POWER
Imagine your mobile battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370# Your mobile will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your mobile next time.
If this is true it could help save your life. It works on Sony Ericsson K510i.
It would be interesting to know what other make of 'phone it works on.

INDEX

MILES TO KILOMETRES

INDEX

WINTER WALKING  read in conjunction with WHITE OUTS
There is nothing more beautiful as the crispness of unbroken snow in the high mountain passes and valleys. The air is fresh with a bite of frost to invigorate the soul and liberate the mind. This is nature at its very best and the intrepid walker is filled with awe and wonder at the beauty of nature. There is a magnetism about these wild places that draws you on like the Sirens drew the ancient mariners. The wonders that you see hide the dangers which will entrap the unwary wanderer.
With the shorter winter days long walks are out of the question the prudent should return to base before nightfall. The ground conditions in winter in the Mourne Mountains are entirely different from the balmy days of summer. The pathways may well be frozen with a veneer of ice where no foot can be placed safely. Where mountain streams have crossed the paths there will be sheets of dangerous slippery ice. Never walk alone in the winter bring an experienced friend or better still go as a group.

One of the greatest dangers we face when walking in the winter is the dreaded cornice. This is an overhanging edge of snow on a ridge or the saddle between two mountains. The cornice is formed by the wind driving snow which begins to drift on the lee side. When viewed from a walking position the ridge looks wider than it really is and the unwary is fooled into thinking that he is on safe ground. Never ever walk on a ridge unless you can push your pole down to solid rock. A cornice will give under your weight and you will not stop until you reach the bottom of the hill. If you suspect you are on a cornice very gently retrace your steps and go home.
TIP If you think you are walking on a cornice unscrew the basket and the ferrule from your walking pole and use it to test for firm ground.
AVALANCHE
Whenever you are above the line of permanent ice it never thaws. Over the years it builds up as a layer of hard compressed snow and ice. There is nowhere for it to go but down. As the weight of snow increases gravity inexorably tries to pull it down. The only thing holding back the ice is the friction between it and the layers below. Eventually gravity wins and the downward slide begins. It moves slowly at first but soon accelerates. There is a vast amount of energy stored in an avalanche which is the weight of the material in motion multiplied by its velocity squared. E=mc2.
Ice is a very solid material and acts in exactly the same way as a boulder hurtling down the mountain except this descending material is spread over a wide area. Whereas a boulder may safely pass close to you an avalanche will sweep you away and either crush you to pulp or entomb you in a frozen grave. Ice can literally cut climbing ropes like a razor blade or deliver so much energy that the rope can snap like a piece of thread. At the very least it will apply so much energy that the pitons will be sheared from their purchases in the rock face.
Even the soft snow avalanches in the Alps can have devastating consequences for villages down in the valley, the unprotected walker or climber stands little chance. There is quite an industry of people checking on the possibility of avalanches in an attempt to ensure the safety of skiers and other mountain users.
As a group we will never be up any mountain in such dangerous conditions and nor should you as a recreational walker.

I would advise anyone attempting winter walking to take a course on navigation and survival. I am not qualified to take such a course as my experiences are at least 40 years out of date. The RAF and Military courses that I have done are now just a distant memory. Perhaps some of you may wish to take a Mountain Leadership course, there are plenty advertised, just look on the WWW. A weekend course of any description should not cost more than £200 and that includes B & full Board. This all depends on just how serious you are about Winter Walking and the risks you intend to take. Life gives you one bite at the cherry, don't abuse or gamble it away.
Such a course should include the use of crampons, ice axe stop techniques, navigation, techniques for crossing snow and ice, avalanche assessment, emergency shelter building. While these courses are designed of the young and adventuresome there is no reason why the odd old fogey should not tag along, providing you are reasonably fit.

Before starting out check the weather forecast and also check the calibration of your GPS with your known accurate position on the map.
It is true that in recent years we have not had the extreme cold conditions of years past. However there are times when nature can suddenly produce a violent storm and dangerous conditions within minutes.
Recently I was driving to Newtownbreda from Comber which is about ten miles away. The weather was fine when I left but before I arrived at Newtownbreda there was six inches of snow on the roads and drifts were forming across the roads between the hedges. The maximum height of the road is only about 400 feet but in those conditions the roads even at sea level were rendered almost impassable. Fortunately this snow thawed very quickly as there was no underlying frost and I was able to return home a few hours later. At altitude the snow will take longer to thaw and your progress will be slowed to cope with the conditions. That is why the walks must be shorter to give yourself time to return safely in daylight.

You may well come to a place that in summer a gently flowing stream trickles by but now you are confronted with a sheet of ice that only the stupid would attempt to cross. The temperatures are lower in winter and on the exposed mountain pathways severe chilling can be expected.
Naturally we are going to need extra clothing to ward off the cold. It is good to know that in cold conditions the DWR of your clothing will be more effective at keeping out the rain. As a result the insulation will also work better so you should feel warmer. The one thing to avoid is wearing too many clothes as this restricts your movements and your body temperature will rise to the point where you begin to sweat. Several layers of clothing are better than one thick coat as this enables you to adjust your temperature more effectively to suit the conditions.. Sweating in very cold conditions is to be avoided at all cost. If you fall and become unconscious the sweat will freeze and conduct heat away from your body and into the ground at the pressure points underneath you. Top coverage is not as vitally important as the uncompressed fibres in your clothing will be operating with reasonable efficiency. It is therefore vitally important to insulate any casualty from the ground, do not move casualty if fractures or back injuries are suspected.

Additional equipment should include a winter grade hat or balaclava and gloves are also very important. A survival bag, space blanket and a bivvy or bothy bag should also be in the winter backpack. The bothy bag is the newest idea and very practical. It is light in weight and large enough for two or three people to get into for mutual warmth. Some of them have a strengthened patch into which you can place a walking pole to give yourself a bit of headroom keeping you away from the cold walls. Years ago the military cape was large enough to throw over yourself and your meta cooking stove which warmed your food and made a brew of tea and the heat was glorious. These stoves were very small light in weight and packed away into nothing and smokeless. I doubt if the fuel available today but I sometimes see what looks like meta stoves in Army surplus shops. Meta (metaldehyde) has recently been used for killing slugs and this is the reason it is not available today as a camping fuel. I carry a large nylon poncho which is totally wind and waterproof. Whenever I get myself tucked up inside I am as warm as toast. (I do this whenever I am fishing and attempting to light my pipe.) In an emergency I will get myself tucked up against the leeward side of a wall or large boulder to cut down the wind or breeze.
TIP
Put your backpack on and turn your back to the wind, the backpack will give you air space between yourself and the poncho. Sit on top of surplus clothing to insulate yourself from the freezing ground. Every walker should carry an insulated pad to act as a seat. The pad is about 6 or 7 millimetres thick and made from a closed cell foam material which gives you protection from the frozen ground.
Wrap yourself in the reflective space blanket and if you can crawl into your survival bag it will give you added protection from the biting wind. With the poncho or cape in addition to this you should better protected. The danger is suffocation so always make sure that you have an air-way to breathe through. One danger is turning over in your sleep and blocking your air-way so be careful. If necessary stuff the cracks in the wall with hard packed snow to cut down the wind passing through the wall.
In the event of a heavy snow fall tie your walking poles together to form a mast. Stick one end firmly into the ground and tie a brightly coloured plastic bag which has been torn open to cut down wind resistance to the top to act as a flag to indicate where you are. (Or your body is to be found)
In a really serious emergency think about building a snow hole and get both the casualty and yourself into it. A snow hole is not difficult to construct and it could save your life. If there is a deep drift then carve your way into it or build a wall from snowballs compressed together. This type of emergency cover is for use in very desperate conditions which you should not have got yourself into in the first place. Remember to erect the emergency flag as it will be difficult to find you in white out or blizzard conditions.

If you are caught out during a blizzard and it is dangerous to continue then this last ditch method could save your life. If you can get into a wood make a nest out of green pine branches. There must be at least 4 inches of branches under your body to give good insulation from the cold wet ground. If you pile up sufficent branches to create an air gap over your body that will help to form protection from the wind. If you have a large groundsheet throw it over the top and tie it if possible at the corners to stop the wind lifting it. Crawl in and huddle in the foetal position to conserve heat. Don't forget to erect a flag using your walking pole, the reason for this, if it snows this arrangement will become invisible. The snow also helps to insulate you from the elements. Heather works very well and can be used with pine or on its own.

The contrast between Summer and Winter conditions is dramatic there could be as much as a 70 Degree temperature difference. Wind chill will drop your body temperature very rapidly if shelter is not found quickly. To complicate matters the temperature drops about 1°C for every 100 meters of altitude therefore if you are at Hare's Gap it will be a minimum of 5°C colder than down in the valley. The wind will be accelerated through the gap between the hills all of which mitigates against you by causing enhanced wind chill.
HANDWARMERS
One little luxury are handwarmers. These are a small tin case with a wad of fibreglass inside which holds a glowing stick of charcoal. They do provide comforting heat and if you can keep it burning will provide heat for about six hours. The problem is that the fuel sticks absorb moisture if kept in an unsuitable place. Whenever you get a new pack of fuel sticks put them in the hotpress next to the hot water tank for a few days. This drives out the moisture making the sticks burn more reliably. There is a new type of hand warmer which works by platinum catalysis, and runs on standard lighter fuel which causes no air pollution the price starts at about £20.

In cold conditions the battery in your mobile telephone will not give maximum energy so the 'phone may not work. The same problem also exists with PMR equipment so you may be stuck with a seriously ill casualty and no means of contacting the outside world. Military radio equipment also suffers from the cold the range being cut dramatically as the battery cannot supply the power required. It is possible at times to shout to another group nearby but the radio will not cover the same distance. It is important to keep your radio and telephone equipment warm close to your body to give the battery a chance to yield it's maximum power. Often in the valleys the signal from your equipment is blocked because of the terrain so climbing to the top of a hill may help the signal to reach a repeater station enabling you to make contact. Often in the Mourne Mountains my mobile 'phone will make contact with a repeater in the Irish Republic before it can contact a local station. However going to the top of a hill in blizzard conditions to attempt contact may be the lesser of two evils if urgent help is required. Always think carefully and weigh up the odds before making any move in bad conditions.

Finding kindling for a fire is difficult (futile, except in a wood) and igniting it is also next to impossible. The fire in the unlikely event of you getting it started is to provide light to alert others of your position and to warm your radio equipment, any extra heat is just a bonus.

If you have a hexamine cooker and you should get one if you haven't got one already. They cost an amazing £3-00 and the fuel tablets cost an equally amazing £1-50. These devices save you carrying a heavy stainless steel vacuum flask up the mountain for a tepid drink. The basic stove can be readied in seconds and a hot brew follows a few minutes later. Cooking is not rocket science, dried potatoes (Smash), soup powder, and stock cubes form the basis of a stew or soup if you add too much water. Check out http://www.farsm.com/ for full details on this kit. While you are on this web site check out BRITISH TROOPS CHRISTMAS GIFT BOX page and donate generously. Details about the hexamine cooker can be found on the food page. For more details read this:- http://www.armedforces.co.uk/companies/raq453606ac0e0c1

If your equipment is fitted with Lithium batteries performance will be better as they work reasonably well in low temperatures. However your equipment must still be kept warm for optimum performance.

What can you do?
If you had left a detailed route and time of return with someone reliable they should be contacting the emergency services should you fail to make contact at the appointed time. It is essential to keep your contact informed immediately you come off the mountain. Failure to inform them could cause a search to be mounted to rescue you.
Nothing could be worse than a search and rescue party out looking for you and there're you are sitting in a warm pub.
Did you bring a whistle, if you did start blowing it. Not that anyone is going to hear it as you are probably too far away from civilisation for anyone to hear it and the sound will probably be lost in the noise from the wind.
There is one little gadget sold by Maplin's is a Mini Led Camping Lantern. It will flash for about 25 hours which just may attract someones attention providing they see it through the falling snow. The code for this gadget is A51FJ and it costs £4-99 with carbine size approx. 28 x 28 x 60mm, it could just save your life.

Another gadget "BodyGuard 2000" is a personal alarm manufactured by "BodyGuard" and sold by Maplin order code QN58 it has a loud 130dB alarm also a built-in torch (Get rid of the bulb as soon as possible) it is easy to operate with either a switch or pull cord. It is small enough to be used as a keyring and will fit easily into a pocket or handbag or attached by a carabiner to your rucksac. This device has two functions one as a personal attack alarn should anyone be attacked while walking and to provide a noise to attract other walkers attention should you have an accident. The unit should function for about 15 minutes on the 12 volt battery provided. The cost is £3-99p.

Winter walking in the mountains is really frowned upon by most organisations and the Mountain Rescue people in particular so don't do it unless you are properly trained and equipped.
Gaiters can give your legs a little extra protection from the biting wind they can be slit up over the knee to protect the knees rather an the lower leg. If you have a flask of hot tea add plenty of sugar to it to give yourself some internal heat and a little extra energy. Your muscles are liable to go into cramp in low temperature conditions so if you have packed some salted peanuts start munching. Even better if you happen to have an isotonic sports drink.
What about the casualty you need to think very carefully about giving them food of any description as this may interfere with subsequent medical treatment. Your best solution is to keep the casualty warm and frequently give optimistic re-assurance.
Even your map can be sacrificed to provide extra insulation by shredding it and stuffing it round your or the casualties body. If you have been keeping an accurate plot of where you are note down your position before destroying the map you may need these co-ordinates to inform the rescue party of your exact position.

It is also essential to pass your mobile 'phone number to the rescue service as they may wish to make contact with you during the rescue operation. It may be several hours before the rescue service can be called together and it will take time for them to climb to your position. This is why extreme care is required in winter on the mountains. The longer both you and the casualty have to wait the more risk of frost bite and hypothermia have of doing permanent damage. Not only are you putting yourself at risk you are also risking the lives of those that would rescue you.
The sooner you can get help and get the casualty to hospital the better, remember the golden hour of first aid gives the casualty a better chance of survival.

Hill walking in winter should be enjoyed but safety is of paramount importance at all times. As a walker you should read the entire contents of this page before attempting any walk on the hills. I have covered many points but not all so there are gaps in the knowledge. You may not agree with everything I have said and you may wish to comment on my omissions or make corrections. I will be happy to revise anything not fully or correctly covered so that the information contained here begins to represent the best and most useful information there is.
Forget about Ray Mears there is nothing in the mountains to survive on, unless you stashed it earlier in the year.
SEE THE SECTION ON FOOD & NUTRITION

EXTRA WINTER KIT Hexamine cooker and fuel Lithium batteries Handwarmers and fuel sticks Bothy Bag Survival bag Space blanket Mini Lantern A51FJ Body Guard Alarm QN58 Whistle Poncho Head Torch Storm Matches.

INDEX

WEATHER
The Shipping areas vital to us are called:-
Rockall,
Malin,
Shannon,
Irish Sea and Lundy.
Wind Northeast backing north 4 or 5, occasionally 6. This is given using the Beaufort Scale Veering (clockwise) or backing (anticlockwise).
Sea State Slight or moderate. or given in metres.
Weather Occasional rain. or Precipitation (Rain, snow)
Visibility Good, occasionally moderate or poor. Often expressed in miles
Ice warnings (light, severe).
Air Pressure Given in millibars, Rising or Falling

While the Shipping Forecast is not intended for Hillwalkers vital information can be gleaned which is not apparent in the normal televised weather forecasts. Get used to listening to the Shipping Forecast as the language used is a little cryptic. Download a copy of the sea areas map and look at in conjunction with the forecast.

INSHORE WATERS
The important regions are:-
Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough.
Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point.
Great Orms Head to Mull of Galloway.
Isle of Man.
To read the BBC Shipping forecast visit:-   To SHIPPING FORECAST
To hear the forecast then tune to Radio 4 at 0048, 0520, 1201 and 1754 (local time). All broadcasts are on LW on 1515m (198 kHz)
Approximately half way down this page on the right hand side you will find that you can listen to the latest Shipping Forecast and further down you can read what is being read. Become familiar with this language by surfing to this page on a regular basis.

Sometimes the weather forecast seems to bear little resemblance to what the forecasters foretold. This goes with the job as their offices are buried deep within the buildings of both the BBC and ITV. Occasionally a meteorologist is permitted to go up onto the roof, after the usual health and safety checks and appropriate risk assessments have been done, and take a look at what the weather is actually doing. Frank Mitchell has on rare occasions been permitted to give his forecast while actually standing on the roof of Havelock House, to the great consternation of Paul Clark. In my humble opinion it would be better for the forecasters if they actually had a window in their office to actually view the weather. I was once told that a window was quite unnecessary as everything they know is on the computer screen. I immediately understood the problem and suggested that it would be better to hang a computer out of the window to check on the weather.

WEIGHT WATCHING
There is nothing worse than to have the wrong image of your own body. Here is a composite picture of a person ranging from emaciated to obese. This image is not as flattering as you may think. ... ... Read on. BMI is Body Mass Index.

CLASS	BMI
EMACIATED	12-15
UNDERWEIGHT	15-20
NORMAL	20-33
OBESE	34-∞

Many of the effects are gravitational and the only way round this is diet and exercise. Now on the good side of all this is that what is medically classified as obese is a fraction over normal. Beyond this classification there is (may be) an underlying problem which must be corrected by seeking medical help. Just look about town and see just how many young people are way beyond the obese stage. The less weight your body has to carry the easier it is for your heart and lungs to function. However it is vital that you maintain your strength through exercise so that your power to weight ratio remains high. If you are overweight it is probably because you consume more calories than you expend. Most people have no idea how simple or difficult it is to limit food intake if they were never overweight. There is no point in talking about willpower, unless you have first hand experience of the difficulties. It's like a person who has never smoked telling a smoker just how easy it is to give up.
I made a point of adding extra weight to my back pack as I lost fat during training for Ben Nevis to avoid losing muscle strength. Very fast short distance runners have more muscle and body bulk because they need strength to travel fast. Long distance runners do not need or want this powerful body, they need endurance so every excessive ounce is lost to economise on energy expenditure. It should be noted that people with a very low BMI (even though they are fit and healthy) are generally unsuited to do heavy physical labour.
If you are a fit active person with a high BMI you will be more healthy than a fat person with the same BMI. If you exercise on a regular basis your health risk is improved even if you do not lose much weight. Sometimes you will be shedding fat for additional muscle bulk so don't give up whatever the bathroom scales say.
If you are thin you will feel the cold more than a person with bulk. Simply put on an extra layer of clothes, and the bulkier person can remove a layer. I go slow to keep the heat down during exercise and wear few clothes, the skinnies whiz on past dressed like Santa Claus. However when I stop on goes the extra clothes to keep me comfortable, it's all swings and roundabouts. Regardless of your BMI you must understand the limitations for your body shape and mass and design your energy output to match. During training close to home or your car you can push the body much harder than you would in the mountains. If you happen to pull a muscle close to home it is painful but not a problem. However high in the mountains and miles away from home and help always take things easy otherwise you are in for a very painful long distance walk.

  You have sensibly graded BMI of 20-33 as normal.   My previous life was spent in the NHS and I frequently met people concerned about BMI.   As you will know, the standard tables read 20-25 normal, 25-30 overweight , 30+ obese, 35+ very obese.   I was always reasonably willing to reassure many that a BMI of 25-30'ish was ok provided other items were satisfactory.
Just perhaps 30-33 is a wee bit OTT for normal but--ok -not to split hairs. I entirely agree with your thoughts on mountains--research evidence is increasingly pointing to moderate exercise, regularly taken, being most beneficial.   Unless very fit, mountain walking and climbing may, in fact, do more harm than good - especially long term.   So-Scrabo seems quite perfect for what is required--up and down the tarmac five times weekly, maybe a bit repetitive though.
RC
  Yes, it is repetitive just walking up and down the tarmac to Scrabo.
In one session walk about four times in under an hour without stopping and only two sessions a week should keep most average peoples walking fitness reasonably well up to the mark. It will take older people some time to achieve this level so aim for a single round trip in under 15 minutes to get started. AD

LONG DISTANCE WALKING
If you are thinking of going on a walking holiday and are not fit you are not going to enjoy it.
The first day will be easy enough, you may get a little out of breath but when you stop your body will go into housekeeping mode as soon as you stop. The next morning you may feel aches and pains and nothing wants to work properly. Perhaps things are not too bad and you bravely set out the following day and your body objects. It will be a few miles before you begin to feel normal again but you will not feel as good as the first day. During the second night housekeeping mode starts up again and starting the third day will be tougher than day two.

If you had conditioned your body before you went on this holiday into the Andes or the Alps you would now be enjoying the walk and the wonderful scenery which goes with it. But no, you didn't bother to train for a big walk like this and now you are suffering.

This is called "Back to Back" walking and is demanding on the fit person and sheer torture on remainder.
After your holiday, and your 35mm slides have come back you will be able to sit in your wheelchair and enjoy them. I won't bother to say I told you so. ....

FITNESS + 2
Fitness is impossible to define but what I can say is that when you start training every muscle in your body aches. The aches and pains may get worse for several days after making an effort to go up a hill. These will pass within a few days providing you haven't damaged something. You should rest until the pains have gone away before attempting another walk. Next time don't try and do so much, take things a little more easily, but having said that still put yourself under a little pressure. If you do this your recovery time will be shortened and you will have gained more fitness. By taking regular exercise thereafter you will begin to build on this fitness, so keep on training.

This is where we hit a snag. A friend comes along to one of your walks and soon after starting they begin to sweat, breath heavily and complains of pains in the side (a stitch). Just remember that a few weeks earlier you felt exactly the same way. It is hard for the more experienced walker to comprehend that they have become so much fitter than the new recruit in such a short period of time. You may also wonder how anyone could be so unfit, well they are a mirror image of yourself a short time ago.

It is at this time you must be merciful to the new walker and take things a lot more slowly so that you don't exhaust them or put them off walking altogether. In a large group it is worth considering splitting into two groups the experienced walkers and the novices. An experienced walker should always accompany the novices to act as guide and mentor during the initial training or conditioning phase. The experienced walker will still get exercise, perhaps not as much as they would like but they will still gain from the experience. The mentors can be rotated so that everyone gets a share of the walks with the beginners. Providing we can maintain the enthusiasm of the beginners, and don't kill them in the process, they will catch up very quickly on the group of old hands.

Louis has been very patient with us all and me in particular in shepherding us from scratch to what we have achieved thus far, this is much appreciated by us all. Louis is like a coiled spring restraining himself while we plod along behind. He is a mountain runner who's nature drives him to do things even the fittest of us would die in the attempt of emulating. I enjoy watching him nip up to the top of a mountain and back down again while we have plodded a few hundred yards at best towards the same place. That is the same difference between the walkers in this group and a new recruit on their first or second walk with us.

It would be too late now for beginners to train from scratch and hope to attempt Ben Nevis as there is exactly a month to go, but we should welcome new recruits to walk with us in the future. I have benefited greatly from these walks and with the guidance from Louis I am getting to know the Mourne Mountains almost as well as I know the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia. Secondly, I appreciate the beauty of our own Mourne Mountains something I neglected to do when I was younger. The Mournes are an incredible place to visit and regardless of the weather there is always something new to discover and an unknown beauty to behold round every mountain. This is a place I would love to share with others, the walks with St Mary's Transept Trekkers have given me the key. I believe that we should encourage others to take up the challenge in the future. The Mourne Mountains are indeed a Green Gymnasium for the body and a Spa for the soul.

  INDEX

 

DOWN 'n' DIRTY
Hill Walkers seem to pride themselves on the height achieved on any walk. Yes, it is satisfying to achieve height, but it is not the sole reason for the walk. Walking is to get you fit and secondly to get you to beautiful places away far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife. It is not possible to get into the mountains as often as you would like, it can be dangerous during the winter, or the mountains are just too far away.

To my way of thinking a mountain is not strictly necessary but it is handy to have one in the back yard. If you don't have a handy mountain then find a good hill close to your home. Scrabo Hill is ideal, and you don't need to walk on rough ground, the asphalt path to the tower will do just fine.

OK, OK...I admit that it is only about 250 feet in vertical height from the bottom entrance to the car park to the base of the tower. The distance is about quarter of a mile, not very long, I must admit. When you walk from this entrance to the tower you have gained 250 feet in altitude. If you were to go down to the start and do it again you have now gained 500 feet. Do it twice more and you have gained the equivalent a whopping 1,000 feet vertically which ± equals 304.79 metres, not bad in anybody's money. Another way of telling you how good this effort has been is,... To the end of the woods well beyond the ice house in the glen above Donard Car Park. Remember, you have achieved this while walking on asphalt and not the treacherous rocks, boulders and roots of Donard Forest.

This walk should take less than fifteen minutes without "bustin" (bursting) a gut so you should average 1,000 feet every hour. It is easily possible to do this in a lot less than 15 minutes a really good walker can get in six round trips in an hour, that's 1,500ft ± equals 457.199 Metres that's half way up the staircase in Donard Glen leading to the Mourne Wall. I have no intention of walking any faster than a vertical climb rate of 1,000 feet per hour and sometimes I will be walking slower than this at the steep places. On the flat my forward speed is about 4 kph but on an upward slope this drops dramatically. However on a downward slope it is wise to cut the speed because if you trip you will do yourself more damage. If you are daft (dedicated) enough 12 laps is more than a Donard and when you get fit this effort will take you about 3½ hours. Bear in mind that Donard is slightly steeper as you climb the staircase leading to the saddle and again from the saddle to the summit. You will obviously be slower on these two sections and if you reach the summit of Donard in under four hours you can smile with pleasure. Just about anyone can get to the top of Donard if they flog themselves almost onto death. You will get to the top with a good reserve of energy providing you have conditioned yourself first. I would venture to say that any person who strained to get to the top will be in pain for the next few days while you the trained walker will be fit enough to want to do Donard again the next day. Enough said .... I rest my case.

INDEX

A CONUNDRUM
Is it better to have long breaks than a lot of short ones.? If I take 15 short breaks of a minute each that adds up to 15 minutes. However if I take a 15 minute break I begin to cool down and find it difficult to get going again.

After a micro break I have got the breathing under control and the heart rate down and I'm ready to get going again even though my temperature may be a little high. This is not everyones idea of training for fitness but it works for me. After my many short breaks I usually have caught up on the main group while they are on a main break .

It is at this time where I take a short break for food and then push on again before I get cold. I have the largest body mass index of the entire group and it is important that I regulate my temperature in such a manner as not to sweat excessively nor cool down too much. I do a work load which keeps me at a happy medium and by spreading my efforts more gradually over a long distance I usually arrive at the destination with a good reserve of energy. Using the multi break method I find I can go a lot more efficiently than most as by the end of the day I am well up with the main pack.

This method is an anathema to the really fit and would be frowned upon by most mountain experts. ( Read the section on Hypoxia and Yomping. ) I am not really fit but I have motivation on my side and when others give up I'm still pottering along. If you can find motivation then you will succeed beyond your wildest dreams.

The only problem with my method is that I feel I am slowing the main group but they have no need to worry, barring accidents I will get there sometime. As long as I know the route the others have taken I am happy pottering along. Having said that I don't like to leave anyone behind. Ann knows this, she pretended to complain that I had left her behind. Ann is one of the fastest ladies on the mountain and if she had wanted she could have whizzed past me any time. On a descent such as Slievenamaddy which is reasonably safe (except for wet slippery grass ) providing everyone is within sight of each other there should be no problem. If anyone vanishes for a few minutes they are probably on a comfort break any longer than this then stop and wait until they come into sight again. If they don't appear after a reasonable time then start making your way back to where you last saw them. It is more than likely you will be told to go away again in no uncertain manner. To avoid this embarrassing situation the person going on a comfort break should tell someone of their own sex to stand guard and make the appropriate signals to the would be rescuer.

CONUNDRUM No 2
Ted and Bill are always arguing and never agree on anything without a lengthy and often heated discussion. The argument today is which route to the top of a steep hill is best. Ted wants to take the direct route marked in red but Bill thinks the blue path is better, which one is correct.?
The path to the top of the mountain up the red path takes 1,000 steps and the blue path requires 2,000 steps. Fortunately for our calculations both Bill and Ted weigh exactly the same at 150 Lbs. Therefore going by the red path Ted will expend a total energy of 150,000 Lbs and by the blue path Bill will also expend 150,000 Lbs. But they can't both expend the same energy, I hear you say.
Well let me explain ...Bill walks twice as far but expends less energy as he is rising only half of the height every step he takes. Therefore they both expend the same effort to rise the same distance. Ah! .... But that's not the whole of the story, Ted is very fit and the direct path appeals to him as he believes it will take less time, probably quite true. Bill is not so fit nor is he in any rush to the top. Bill is taking the wiser option and although he is less fit he will feel better when he arrives at the top having spread his energy output over a longer distance and time.
Making the most efficient use of your available energy is the secret to long distance walking, cut the speed and cut the energy output where possible by taking a better path. There is no way of avoiding E=MC²

AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW
Greetings Adrian,
I am forwarding this: it came from my energetic son. I thought that it may serve as a pleasant change in your training regime.
( By the way, having read parts of your Transept Trekkers:
the two guys climbing the mountain by straight & zig-zag routes.... work is done when a load is moved through a distance, so they, assuming equal weights and attaining the same height from the same origin, have done equal work. The energy expended has been converted into potential energy, having raised their masses (!).
When this potential energy has been re-converted by returning to base their nett distance moved is zero. No work has therefore been done..............)
JIM.

PHOTOGRAPHERS and PMR EQUIPMENT batteries for low temperatures.
For those of you who wish to bring camera equipment to high altitude and I'm talking a lot higher and colder than anything in the Mourne Mountains or Ben Nevis then get the following batteries listed below. I will tell you the name of the supplier if you contact me directly. The MAHA batteries are not kept in stock and must be ordered there is a 14 day turn round time on these products as they are so rarely used by the public.
The lithium batteries will last about seven times longer in a digital camera so they work out cheaper in the long run than standard batteries.

LOW TEMPERATURE BATTERIES
TYPE			SIZE	QUANTITY	CODE	COST
LITHIUM 		AA	4Pack		N21CT	£6-99p
LITHIUM		AAA	4Pack		N22CT	£6-99p

PROFESSIONAL ULTRA-HIGH CAPACITY RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES
MAHA			AA	4Pack		N64CY	£12-99p	2700mAh
MAHA			AAA	4Pack		N65CY	£5-99p	1100mAh

MAHA stands for, Maha Energy Corporation makers of battery chargers and cells. Very advanced stuff..

INDEX

FOOD RESERVES
OVERNIGHT STOPS or GETTING LOST or JUST BEING PLAIN CUSSED
There is no problem doing a 24 hour walk or longer providing you bring the correct equipment and ingredients.
Vacuum flasks are not worth the effort of lugging along so don't even bother. Ultra lightweight hexamine cooker and a packet of fuel is 100 times better than a flask. If you are planning a really long walk then why not go up into the hills and stash away some supplies for future use so that you don't have to carry a large load. Do not hide your goodies near a defined pathway someone will note the disturbance and dig it up, hide it at least 30 yards off the path near a prominent rock that you will easily locate next time you pass. In fact you should check that the stash is still in place every time you visit the area. If you lay three pebbles on the ground in a triangle or line you will know immediately if the stash is intact without uncovering it. If you are the group leader there is no need to tell the group that there is an emergency stash, as it is only going to be used if it is absolutely necessary. However all of the leaders should know where the stash is and the sign which marks it. Any more than three stones is obvious and will attract attention.
Everyone should be carrying enough food for the duration of the trip and something in reserve for emergencies. If you feel a stash would be a good idea a military ammunition box is ideal for this as it is equipped with a watertight gasket and the metal is galvanised to prevent rust. The disadvantage is that it weighs quite a bit and is bulky. Heavy duty rubble bags will last for years, use two of them one inside the other to double seal it against water ingress. Sealing is not easy as most tape will lose it's adhesive qualities when wet. It is better to fold the inner bag neck and bind very tightly the doubled material with nylon string. The outer bag should be folded the same way and tied just as securely. The double bag should have a life of about five years before it needs replacing.
Handy things to hide include an improved medical kit.

An assortment of Ingredients:-
FLAVOURING
Salt,   pepper,   sugar,   Oxo Cubes,   stock cubes,   Soup powder.   dried herbs,   dried onion.   tomato paste,

BULKING
powdered potatoes,   cous cous,   egg powder.     Fusillini or Orecchiette pasta. Use the smallest type for easy cooking.
Porridge Oats.

LUXURY
milk powder,   coffee powder,   tea leaves,   Horlicks.   Cocoa powder,   Sweets, Mars Bars or your favourite whatever.
Dried fruit   Biscuits   Christmas cake

USEFUL
Batteries
Storm Proof Matches
Olive oil for cooking and/or making light.

MEAT (safety)
Nobby's Cuts or beef jerkey. Must be in original package with oxygen absorber and/or freshness saver.
Desiccant Silica gel keeps meat dry. Oxygen absorber, iron particulate stops micro-organisms growing on food.
Some oxygen absorbers contains a light pink capsule, if it has turned blue the contents are unsafe. If you wish to preserve your own dried meat then use mylar bags and heat seal them with the desiccant and absorber inside.
The following to be stored away from food.
hexamine, meta, sterno, trioxane cooking fuel or methylated spirits.
A large aluminium cup which you use as both cooking pot and drinking vessel is a good investment, every long distance walker should have one.
Just be careful when you put the hot cup to your lips you could get a burn. A piece of gaffer tape should keep your lips safe from the hot metal.
Back in 1982 I was told that a group of walkers was overdue and asked to go and find them. ( In those days there were no mobile telephones and the radio equipment was too big to carry, the current transceiver then was the Pye Bantam, which weighed a ton and everyone refused to carry it. ) It did not take me more than a few hours to locate them. One of the men had a badly twisted ankle and holding up the entire party as they walked out. Because of this delay they had run out of food and were sucking coffee powder to ease the pangs of hunger. If there had been a food stash in the area they could have used it. I had brought enough food for an overnight stay and was able to share it with the group as we walked out. If there had been a stash in the area the leader could have resorted to it.
These stashes of food will not last forever and should be dug up and used before the contents perish. While they are still fresh and usable they will provide a hot tasty filling meal in the case of a delay or an imposed overnight stop on the hills.
I do not like pemmican (memories of the RAF) however there is no accounting for taste as many athletes eat it but for me it is "Polar Food". It is far too fatty for ordinary walkers to bother with but you can boil it up and throw in a dollop of curry powder if you want to experiment with it. All you need in addition is clean drinking water to make your food edible so carry plenty of it..
The contents of the stash as listed above are by no means exhaustive and you don't need them all, there are hundreds of other ingredients that can be hidden away. If any person reading this can't make a meal from the contents listed then take up reading adventure stories or get this book ISBN: 0563522917 "101 one pot dishes.". Just stash your favourite things. Boil the water first then add your bulking ingredient and cook until soft then add your flavouring and herb mixture to taste. The thick version can be called stew and if you have added too much water call it soup.
The soup can be thickened by slowly adding more bulking ingredients. Just make sure all is hydrated and cooked to get maximum taste and texture. When you have eaten your meal, don't wash out your cup just add more water a tea bag some milk powder and you have tea with bits in and nothing is wasted.
This is not GEOCACHING it is STASHING

INDEX

ENERGY DRINKS
 Source :- Daily Mail, Wednesday November 7th 2007.
Energy drinks may help you exercise but they also raise the heart rate and blood pressure, say researchers.
They contain chemicals including caffeine and taurine, an amino acid , that stoke up alertness but are potentially harmful to those with heart conditions. These drinks can even increase the heart rate while you are sitting still when you are in the normal resting state.
Just be careful .....

KEEP FIT BOOM FAILS TO STEM OBESITY
 Source :- Daily Mail, Wednesday November 7th 2007.
The booming fitness industry has done little to curb the obesity epedimic, say researchers.
While gyms and private health clinics have grown in popularity in recent years the nation's weight has grown too.

FASTING ONE DAY A MONTH CUTS THE RISK OF HEART ATTACK.
 Source :- Daily Mail, Wednesday November 7th 2007.
Skipping meals once a month could stave off heart attack, scientists say.
Fasting for at least 24 hours cuts the risk of coronary artery disease by up to 40% compared with those who eat every day, research shows.

COMMENTARY
It is strange that these three items should appear in the Daily Mail on the same day by three different authors. It has been long known that caffeine will affect the human neurological system and it is best avoided at all times in large quantities. In the RAF we were warned not to drink excessive amounts of coffee when on night duty as the body cannot stand up to being propped up artificially with drugs for prolonged periods.. Excessive drinking of coffee provokes delirium tremor the mild shaking which accompanies excessive use, caffeine also causes vasoconstriction which walkers should avoid.

Fasting for one day a month can't do us any real harm and if it works as well as the scientists say it does then give it a go. It has been known for many years that rats and mice kept on calorie controlled diets live much longer than if they were allowed to gorge themselves at their leisure. Moslems observe Ramadan which cuts down their food intake which should have a beneficial effect. The Indian, Yoga Gurus seen to thrive on a reduced food intake, and many other religions practice some form of dietry control for spiritual and health purposes. In this land of luxury we seem to have lost sight of a real diet and indulge ourselves whenever and with whatever we please. Man is not designed to live like this his body is constructed in such a manner that he needs to search and hunt for his food with the prospect of long gaps between meals.
Make no mistake, I love my food, I love it just too much for it to be good for me, but I am also a weak and helpless man that crumbles to temptation all too often.

It matters not one jot how often you visit the gym if you don't control your food intake you will not be able to burn the excess calories off. The keep fit industry is not there for your health but your money. Read the section on the green gymnasium and join the St Mary's Walking Group which costs nothing except your share of the petrol money.
Walking is a very pleasant way of getting fit but you will not lose any weight unless you check your food intake. I have slowly cut down on my food over the last few months as I don't want to feel hungry all of the time. The result is that I am now much fitter and have lost about 10 lbs without noticing or feeling uncomfortable. If I carry on doing things in moderation the effects are less severe on the system. Everything in moderation, but a little of what you fancy does you good.

INDEX

PS

Brian White, Louis Latimer and myself were discussing faster ways of descending Ben Nevis and we think this is the best method.  

 

 

 

On the 21st December I was listening to Radio 4 when I heard the following:-
"It is not necessary to drink vast quantities of water, this is a medical misconception,...", they said
I SAY... You must drink to satisfy your thirst and to maintain your correct fluid level. I will agree that you should not drink vast quantities of water, .. BUT you must drink sufficent.
I was carrying about 1.5 litres and drank about one third of it on the last walk even though it was quite a cool day. Louis had a flask of hot water and made himself a chocolate drink. I had on sufficent clothing to be warm enough to appreciate a cold drink. You will get sufficent fluid intake from any drink you carry with you, just make sure you have enough for the journey regardless of the weather.

INFORMATION
Donkey and Horse meat in food products.
Daily Mail, Saturday December 22nd 2007, page 3.
Check the labels of all Continental meat products as they could contain horse or donkey meat. Several supermarkets are to be prosecuted for selling horse and donkey meat products not correctly listing in the ingredients.
This was first reported in the News Letter (Belfast, Northern Ireland); 6/5/2003 and questions were raised with the Food Standards Agency 18th June 2003 in Column 278W as recorded in Hansard.
In a survey carried out ... Yorkshire which found horse meat in three of the 24 samples of salami tested.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
In my younger days was a keen athlete and avid recreational hill walker. My experiences mainly lie in The Hajar Mountains of the Northern Arabian Peninsula of the Trucial Oman States and the hills of Wales. This was in an effort to pick up RAF Pilots and other Air Crew who for some reason or other had decided to go walk-about instead of landing in the conventionally accepted way. This was in addition to my day job of working in the Signals Department of RAF Stations. I have thirty years experience at Field Archery which is a demanding sport involving hill walking and archery combined. The preparation for these tournaments must be done methodically in order to face any weather that could possibly happen. Winter field tournaments were frequently shot under sub zero conditions, high winds, falling snow or rain. The duration of some of these tournament in winter is always between six and eight hours because of the shorter days. However in summer during the longer days the tournaments can last between eight to ten hours in hot dry conditions at altitude. A methodical approach to getting ready is essential as archers must carry everything to sustain themselves both nutritionally and body temperature regulation for the duration of the tournament.

Practical experience of hill walking and how to sustain the body in relative comfort over long periods combined with skill at archery proved to be the key to success in my becoming World Compound Barebow Champion. The knowledge and experience gained is described within this web page for you to use and hopefully save you having to find out the hard way yourself.

My advice is never underestimate the mountains or the weather. The weather can change within minutes from warm summer sun to torrential rain. If you are in a warm sunlit valley a dark thunder cloud could be heading towards you from the other side of a hill and be emptying its contents on you without warning. Be prepared regardless what the forecast says. Be safe. Adrian.

Louis Latimer, the group leader is a very experienced hill walker and runner and I rely on him to guide me through the Mourne Mountains which is virtually his second home. He is a frequent visitor to the Alps and other mountainous areas and has a wealth of experience at high altitude. I am learning fast about the Mourne Mountains but Louis is the expert I rely upon to show me the ropes and give me the necessary guidance I need. The Mourne Mountains must be respected and you must be ready to face any weather you can think of in order to have a relaxed and comfortable day.

The Mournes practically on our back door step is a fantastic place full of beauty and hidden danger. I did not have the opportunity to explore these jewels until I retired, but now that I have I'm full of enthusiasm. I look forward to every walk with Louis and the others and get a feeling of satisfaction after a good days walk in the hills. Anyway it's doing me good.

INDEX

YING YANG

There is much balderdash and piffle talked about health matters which include reference to Ying Yang, Circadian rhythms and a host of housewives tales. The health food shops are full of mystery cures for everything if you can afford it. We even have the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son who can cure you of all ills with a simple charm. The Palmist can sit in her darkened tent and predict your future. Nostradamus made lots of predictions and some have apparently come true. Yes, things will come true if you make enough predictions. If you keep the prediction vague when you first mention it, then even more things apparently come true.

Ying and Yang gives a glib explanation that the universe is in balance, for every sensible thing that someone does someone else does something stupid. Evil is counterbalanced by Good. Darkness is opposed to light, and so it goes that everything is either opposed to or is in balance with something else.

Circadian Rhythms (= around a day) are supposed to be those things controlled by your body's internal clock. This clock should if it is working correctly operate in a twenty-four duty cycle. It will tell you when it is time for bed and when to get up in the morning. Unfortunately we are controlled by alarm clocks which have a more profound influence particularly in the morning. The circadian clock is not much use when waiting for a bus. The conflict between the biological clock and the real time clock is what causes us to be grumpy in the morning. If you burn the candle at both ends the grumpiness lasts longer in the morning. Here is an old wives Aphorism,. .. "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise".
If you are doing something silly with your body, then stop doing it.
There is no scientific proof that circadian rhythms actually exist but if you abuse your body over a long period of time it is more difficult to put it back into the correct daily synchronisation.

I'm not going to mention Ti che, or Yoga as both involve exercise which will keep the body and mind in a more relaxed and uniform state.

If you choose to do any of these things I have mentioned they will not do you any harm but if you want to succeed then start doing something which is proven to work. Exercise is important as you cannot diet sufficiently to lose weight on its own. The problem is that we eat more than we need and the body can't burn it off. Nor can exercise on its own really thin you down either. You must eat to live. Your body is burning energy even while you are sound asleep. It will burn more when you are moving about. Did you know that your brain uses roughly the same power as a 50 watt light bulb and it's running all the time. Your heart is also using energy and so is your breathing, so to keep these essential parts operating you must eat.
Why do we eat too much?. I don't know the answer to that, it probably stems from the ancient race memory built into our beings. We call this "Our Genes" and they tick away quietly in the background subtly guiding us for good or bad. However we have both intuition and intelligence to help stop us doing everything our geans would have us do. We also have a conscience which should prick us when we over indulge by eating too much. During Christmas and other festive times we eat much in excess of what we know we should on the pretext I can give something up later.. Bad gene naughty gene, naughty you for being tempted against your better judgement.

Getting thin and fit is up to us with a sensible combination of a moderate intake of food and a reasonable bit of exercise. Don't go mad and starve yourself and begin to do massive amounts of work, it won't do any good, and you will end up feeling both tired and starving. Moderation in everything is the key to success, keep the genes happy with an adequate supply of food keep the body happy by doing more and you will end up with a happy satisfied mind. Now don't be getting smug, and don't be telling everyone you are on a diet,.. If all is going well people will begin to ask "Have you lost weight?" or say "Golly you are looking good."

Most of us have an intuition that, although our genes provide advantages and constraints, we consciously retain great control over our lives.

INDEX

SUPER FOODS.
There is no such thing as a superfood. There is a lot of hype about the benefits of one food over another, the scientific (gobblydegook) is there to impress you but is it all true.? . The food producers will put forward all the benefits that their special superfood is supposed to be good at but never mention any of the drawbacks. Carrots are supposed to assist your night vision, ther products are claimed to reduce cholestrol and some even claim to cure cancer, where is the scientific proof of this.
The secret is to eat a wide variety of foods, take exercise and get enough sleep. In addition to this try and make your life simpler and reduce your stress. There are things in this life over which we have no control, so there is no point in worrying about them, so go with the flow. Time is a great healer and things always appear better in the morning. The mind cannot dwell forever on a single disappointment there will always be other happier things to think about, to fill your time.
Smoking and alcohol are not good for health and should be reduced or stopped altogether. There is no wonder cure in having a stiff drink and a heavy drag on a fag to make things better, it won't..
Organic food is no more healthy than normally farmed produce BUT organic will be safer to eat as they contain no harmful agrochemicals. What you need to decide is it worth the extra cost. To keep yourself regular foods containing fibre will help. Plenty of fresh fruit can do no harm as they contain many trace elements After taking pro-biotic for a period of six weeks I was forced to stop as it was not agreeing with me. I am not alone in reporting these negative effects, however there is no doubt that it may agree with some people but again are the benefits worth the extra cost.
Free Range Eggs and I mean hens which run in the fields to eat and peck at whatever they can find do produce harder shells and more yellow yolks, and the white is less watery. The standard supermarket egg yolk breaks as soon as it hits the pan looks pailer and the white is very wattery. However how do you decide which is the most nutritional egg and is the free range egg worth the extra dosh. The ethical production of these two eggs is a different as chalk and cheese and will your conscience or wallet dictate which eggs you will buy.?

INDEX

WHISTLES FOR SAFETY If you fall and hurt yourself even though you are not badly injured the pain can often leave you gasping for breath. A serious injury can often render you almost helpless and with a reduced capacity to breathe. Shouting then becomes a problem and in any event your vocal chords will not last too long with the effort. A whistle will give you a better chance of surviving as it can be heard over a greater distance than shouting and is easier on the lungs. When choosing a whistle be careful of your choice as it can make a difference. Most Walking shops have a selection of basic whistles on offer and any whistle is better than no whistle. In selecting a whistle there are some considerations you should take into account. Is it hard to blow? What pitch? How loud is it?
In general a high pitched whistle takes less effort to blow but a low pitched whistle takes a lot more air and more effort to blow. There is an aluminium tubular whistle available in a variety of colours and I have had one of these attached to my car keys for years in case of emergencies, it costs about £5. It is a loud whistle but it takes a good hard blow to make a loud sound. A whistle which I have now lost was much better it was made as a promotional whistle for the RNLI and cost me £1. It was a flattened oval shape and could be heard for miles, and was superb at sending Morse code. The most expensive whistle I ever owned was attached to my divers life jacket. It was a very loud two toned device which could be heard over a long distance, the disadvantage was that it took a lot of effort to get the maximum volume. If you are bobbing about on the surface gasping for air after an emergency ascent it is almost impossible to blow. The chances are you will also be coughing up water or wrenching to be sick, so try blowing such a whistle in those circumstances.

There is help at hand ,. ... Acme (Please don't laugh as this reminds me of Roadrunner & Coyote) Survival Whistle at £2.43. Yes,! ACME is a real company in Britain, who do indeed make whistles. The Acme Survival Whistle is probably the best all rounder at a reasonable price. This is a copy of the blurb on their web site ....

"{     Acme Survival Whistle,. In International orange. The perfect safety whistle S.O.L.A.S (Safety of Life at Sea International Regulation) approved. Blows at half normal lung pressure. So excellent for children, older people or anyone likely to have breathing problems. Shatterproof and unaffected by water or weather. Loud and far carrying this whistle is used by NATO Assault -Troops.     } "

Google them and get one for yourself.

INDEX

COTTON Vs POLYESTER
I will not burden you regarding the "Green Footprint" or ethos of either material but simply get down to the "nitty - Gritty" in determining which clothing material is best for walking and exercise.
When you work you sweat in an effort to keep your body cool and this saps your strength. Evaporation of moisture transfers heat from the surface of your body and releases it to the atmosphere. The more efficient the transpiration the better the garment is at keeping you cool.

Cotton is a great material if you are relatively inert and do not take a lot of exercise. It suffers from the problem that it is easily soiled and requires frequent washing. Cotton fabrics will lose their shape and quickly become un-wearable. There are cotton mixtures which contain other fabrics to give them a better shape holding ability and should be an improvement over 100% cotton. Cotton will hold moisture close to your skin making you feel colder even after you have stopped exercising. This can cause chilling of the body making you feel uncomfortable.
Removal of tight fitting wet cotton garments can be very difficult. Cotton will begin to smell of body odour and attract moths which will eat into your clothing if not washed soon after use. If stored damp then mildew will be a problem.

Polyester is much easier to wash than cotton and dries much more rapidly. It is this exceptional drying ability of polyester which makes it ideal for sports use. While you are active the polyester wicks the moisture away from your skin keeping you cool. However when you cease activity the rapid drying reduces the amount of skin chaffing. Cotton takes longer to dry and the moisture promotes chaffing.
Cotton can retain ten times more water than polyester fabrics. Not all polyester garments are the same some perform better than others. Look carefully at the labels on vests, sports bras, shirts, T-shirts, jerseys, underpants and socks to see if they are intended for sports use. Prices vary a great deal and "caveat emptor" must be your watch-word. The long established companies which specialise in fibre production invariably produce a better quality product. Good sports shops will almost certainly stock good quality products, but always check the labels before buying.

One very large cotton trader / manufacturer has partially switched production to polyester so they can cater for both the leisure and sporting industries. By keeping your body's core temperature cool and your skin dry you are able to perform better and feel better over a longer period of time.

INDEX

Emergency Communication Provided for the Community by Licensed Radio Amateurs
For many years RAYNET provided essential radio coverage of most major sporting events and helped communications for the Mountain Rescue Services, Fire, Police and Ambulance. They were a potential extra communications system in the event of a major disaster.
With the advent of the mobile telephone their services are not required as often. Many of the volunteers are now not fit enough to climb into the high Mournes with their Radio equipment and everything else they require for a days safety coverage. In years past they provided safety coverage for events such as The Mourne Seven Sevens Challenge Walk. I still have my transceiver, regulator and extra battery together with my special antenna. What I haven't got is the strength to carry everything to the top of Donard.

 

 

TRESPASS   A "pink" paper for discussion purposes It has recently been brought to my attention that walkers could be accused of trespass under certain circumstances, I don't intend to get involved in anything controversial on my walks into the hills and wild places of Ireland. If I stray into a place where a clearly defined and well worn path leads, I don't intend to make a fuss if someone confronts me and tells me I'm on private land. The following thoughts are a digression from the normal content of this page but they should make you think about the possibility of trespass. This is my own view and is not a legal statement. If you are walking on a defined path and are challenged by someone purporting to be the owner or representative of the owner (agent) of the land who demands your name and address. Where a person innocently strays onto land without "mens rea" 'Guilty Mind' in Criminal terms that person has no need to give his name or address, especially if the person making the accusation fails to identify himself.. Trespass is a civil matter, however if the walker deliberately cuts any wire or forces any gate to gain access then there is a possibility that an offence has been committed. Malicious damage. If a Police officer is called to the scene of the alleged trespass and has identified himself as such, the details requested by the Police Officer must be given. The Police are under no obligation to give the other party any of the walkers details. If several walkers group together this could be construed as an assembly and could give rise to apprehension by the landowner. It is better for the other walkers to remain some distance away to deflate the situation and only one person do the talking. Should the walker be arrested then he should willingly accompany the Police Officer to the Station and give what details the officer may require. He should obtain the Officers identity and under no circumstances admit trespass to either the police or the plaintiff and should remain co-operative and affable at all times. If you are within your rights then there is no trespass. However walkers straying across crops and causing damage could be causing an offence. Aggravated trespass was introduced under The Criminal Justice Act 1994 and must not be confused with ordinary civil trespass. Walkers using routes which have been used since time immemorial are not normally a cause for concern as they are marked as rites of way on large maps. Since the introduction of No win No fee Compensation Claims and the very litigious nature of some people it is no wonder farmers and landowners try to restrict people walking on what could be termed as unsafe places because they fear being sued. Any walker who uses a path which a landowner considers unsafe is probably causing the landowner anxiety. The landowner of a place where a walker has an accident after forcing his way onto the land has a good defence against a malicious claim for damages. Every walker is responsible for his own actions and should have no recourse against the landowner. It is unlikely that a landowner would resort to prosecution of a walker for simple trespass, because of the costs involved. However if the walker does something to aggravate the situation and it becomes a criminal matter involving the Police then he has only himself to blame. Barristers cost a minimum of £82 per hour so think about the cost. If you want a laugh at the English interpretation of the law of trespass then take a look at the following case.:- The State vs Arthur Pendragon http://www.lugodoc.demon.co.uk/Druids/1995%20Salisbury%20CJB.htm The trespass problem within the Mournes is exacerbated by many different authorities making up rules which may complement or repudiate one another. There needs to be joined up thinking by the NI Executive and clear laws passed.. Whilst confusion prevails we can slip in under the net. I doubt if any of the various estates and self-appointed authorities, or even Government Regulatory Authorities would dare to spend money taking out a trespass prosecution against a simple walker. In matters of civil dispute the loser pays and a simple walker would probably get legal aid to defend himself. Because of bad wall maintenance there are many gaps through which animals may stray. There is nothing more obnoxious as a dead animal putrefying the atmosphere and the ground water. I reported a dead sheep to the farmer who/which owned it and it took a week before it was removed. This dead animal was on the inside of the Mourne Wall in the water catchment area, need I say more. Humans which/who die on rare occasions high in the mountains are removed before they have a chance to cool down. So why should farmers be allowed to leave rotting carcasses on the mountains within the catchment area longer than a dead human.? Furthermore, what gives them the right to allow their animals to run free within the catchment area.? Is this not a form of trespass.?? I have said this many times before that every walker (Archer) is responsible and liable for their own actions. This extends to warning fellow walkers (Archers) that if an individuals actions are inappropriate they should be warned. Should that individual(s) continue with that action, the others should voice an opinion. Persistent offenders should be asked to leave the group, or excluded. If this situation occurs then each individual witnessing the incident should make a report in writing to his governing body stating the facts. Where an archery tournament is in progress we tried to exclude people from the area were we were shooting, we were required to post warning notices all round the area. Any person who chose to ignore these signs and was accidentally injured would find it more difficult to prove his claim against our insurance company. Governing bodies must act in a reasonable way to gain credibility and be seen to act in an appropriate manner, consistent with contemporary ecological thinking and not cause any problems to landowners. In all things moderation and respect for others. We must be careful not to act in a irresponsible manner, farmers and landowners should be equally magnanimous to us. I would ask the question. ... What possible harm could a walker do if he/she is keeping to well defined paths.? Any walker who forges on into a dangerous place has only himself to blame if he falls and injures himself. A farmer or other authority need only post a warning of the danger to walkers on an unlocked gate or stile placed there to prevent the escape of animals. Should a walker decide to ignore this warning then the consequences of ignoring the warning lies with the walker alone. I would never cross a field with an angry or frisky bull in it since I was chased by half a ton of snorting, rampaging beef burger. On that occasion I cleared a four foot high fence with a 60 LB pack on my back with the grace of an Angel with lead poisoning.

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PROPOSED MOURNE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK A blue discussion paper. I was reading a blog by Tom Perkins which appeared in the Belfast Telegraph during August 2007 on the subject of the proposed Mourne National Park. Someone has thrown the cat amongst the pigeons with this one and has inadvertently caused a division between the occupants of the land and those who would like to walk in this wonderful place. Because I am a walker the farmers will say that I am not neutral and would be incapable of expressing their point of view. Having established that fact I will further isolate the farmers by saying that animals should not be allowed to wander within the catchment area surrounded by the Mourne Wall. On the other hand I would ask that walkers bring back their rubbish and leave all gates either opened or closed depending how they find them. Walkers should keep to the defined paths and not stray on any land where crops have been planted. Walkers should also be careful not to disturb any animals they may be sharing the mountains with. Walkers should not walk across virgin heath for two reasons. 1.. It's too hard to walk across and 2 .. It damages the heath. Now the walkers think I have taken sides with the farmers. I will now upset the National Trust folks by saying that they introduce too many restrictive rules when they take over a piece of land. The upshot of all these different points of view is that everyone wants to protect their vested interests to the possible exclusion of everyone else. The Mourne Mountains will be here long after the various factions have finished arguing. In the meantime we should work together and make the mountains a place we walkers can enjoy and the farmers profit from. In the meantime we should all unite and ask that interested parties such as The National Trust should refrain from placing signs gratuitously all over the place. We walkers are trying to keep this place looking good. Not only do St Mary's Trekkers pick up other peoples rubbish, other groups are doing it as well. So don't stick spurious signs up all over the place. Actually the yellow sign above is to tell walkers that the foot bridge is dangerous but you need to be close enough to read the bottom line. In my opinion there are no grounds for a fight or anyone taking immovable and unshakeable opinions we can all work together. Providing walkers behave themselves and do not cause fires, leave litter or disturb animals there is no good reason to exclude them from the mountains. There should be a Mountain Council of all interested parties formed to thrash out the best way to manage the mountains so that everyone is happy. Some of these organisations may no longer exist and there may be others not mentioned on this list. The National Trust. Mourne Heritage Trust. Bats Estate. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Forestry University groups who assign places as ASSI's Those with fishing rights. The water Authority. Local Farmers Walking Group Representatives. Duke of Edinburgh, Representative. Climbing Groups, Sports Council for NI. and Uncle Tom Cobbley. We must not forget that the Mourne Mountains have since time immemorial been used for quarrying and some of the features are not natural, but age has weathered them down and they are now part of the landscape. In that the distant past beyond memory, record, or tradition men have toiled on their slopes resulting that there are fewer footpaths, rights of way and access points than there should be. There is no doubt that access to the mountains is an issue for walkers and tourists. Land Acts, introduced by William Gladstone in the 1880s were designed protect small tenant farmers who have concerns about unfair landlords. These small farmers have maintained the stone walls and other boundaries - who will be responsible for their maintenance now.? What can you do...... My main worry is the erosion caused my many feet tramping on the fragile vegetation. Up to 150,000 people walk through the Mourne Mountains every year. Some of the paths which exist are in a very bad state of repair and are dangerous to walk on. This results in walkers taking an apparently easier route alongside the main path and the erosion becomes ever wider. I believe that if money was set aside for the surfacing of paths this would confine the walkers to the proper paths. The result would be that the re-seeding of the damaged areas would then be effective as such areas would not now be damaged by walkers. Swampy and muddy places also cause walkers to search for a better track so ditches to drain off the water need to be cut. I have said before that at least one day each year should be a work day on the mountains. To pick up rubbish, do a little trench digging, lay a little paving, scatter a little seed and do a little planting. Some people will turn up their noses at this proposal others will willingly volunteer to help. Before we all rush up the mountain we should remember that this work must be done under the supervision of a Governing body with a proper plan of campaign. A list of priorities should be drawn up and worked through to make maximum use of the voluntary labour force. I would be one such volunteer, but I would need expert guidance on the appropriate plants for each place and a demonstration on how to lay a path correctly. What would I get out of it? ... The satisfaction that I was doing my bit for the environment and when I pass the place in years to come I will be proud to tell my friends, "I did that." Another big worry is that walkers would spread disease and it is imperative that access to the mountains be stopped immediately and for such time that DEFRA will decide. It is an obligation on all walkers that they strictly abide by the decisions of DEFRA, (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) There is no doubt that tourism will benefit from having an open mountain and easy access will attract walkers from many parts of the world, thereby putting money into the pockets of the traders. All of these problems can be thrashed out by the Mountain Council to the benefit of all interested parties. For a good example of co-existence between farmers and walkers take a look at Meelmore Lodge, where everyone benefits from good mountain access. You ask me why I dwell in the green mountain; I smile and make no reply for my heart is free of care. As the water flows down stream and is gone into the unknown, I have a world apart that is not among men ----------------------------------------------- All the birds have flown up and gone; A lonely cloud floats leisurely by. We never tire of looking at each other - Only the mountain and I. ----------------------------------------------- The birds have vanished down the sky. Now the last cloud drains away. We sit together, the mountain and me, until only the mountain remains ----------------------------------------------- Li Bai's poem, "The Beautiful"

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LUNACY UNLIMITED
This little graph represents the heights of various mountains round the world. It puts things into proportion when you compare the Mourne Mountains, Helvellyn and Ben Nevis with mountains in other parts of the world. Eight trips up Ben Nevis approximately equals one Everest. Twelve Scrabos is roughly equal to one Donard so don't get carried away by your imagination as Donard is steeper than Scrabo in places.
Here is another silly way of looking at the comparison .... If you were to walk up and down Scrabo twelve times per day it would take you nine days to walk the equivalent height of Everest. Having said that, you don't need oxygen going up Scrabo and you don't need to carry rope, food, and a host of other kit that you need for survival in extreme cold. I'm not going to mention an ice axe, twenty or so pitons, crampons, .... Etc.
I have no doubt that some clampitt reading this will be making plans to have a bash at a stroll up Everest. Just remember when you are suffering from altitude sickness, frostbite, and half starved that it was me that told you just how seriously difficult this actually is. Incidentally Scrabo is the mark under the arrow. Take a look at the permanent ice region, .. as you travel towards the poles this comes down to a much lower level. In the tropical and temperate regions the permanent ice would be at a higher level. For many years Ben Nevis was covered with snow virtually all year round and often it would persist until the fresh falls of the following season.

Remember for every 100 metres that you ascend the temperature drops by approximately 1°C. If the temperature at the Meelmore Café, the start of your walk is 7°C when you arrive at the top of Slieve Bearnagh expect the temperature to be just about zero, as you have walked up to an altitude of about 730 metres. Now if the temperature at Meelmore Café is zero expect Bearnagh to be minus 7°C. This 1°C drop in temperature for every 100 metres is a generalisation so please don't E-Mail me and say "It was a lot colder than your bloomin' formula said".
Always carry sufficient gear to keep yourself warm and comfortable. The Mournes can give you a nasty surprise unless you are properly kitted out. On a really warm day on Everest expect to bask in temperatures between minus 15 to 20 °C. On a cold day expect a temperature range of minus 30°C to minus 60°C on a rotten day you are better off at home.

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MUSINGS & RAMBLINGS Legal Ramblings and other musings             Any group of people acting together must in law have each others safety and welfare constantly in mind. Whether you call yourself a club or just an ad hoc group makes no difference you are bound by common purpose. Given enough time even the most nebulous of gatherings begin to form a structure. Whether you elect someone or they are considered to be the leader simply by virtue of the fact that they were one of the founder members or any other reason is all the same in law. Southern Ireland is one of the most litigious countries on the earth's face and we are rapidly following after and as such the onus falls on this individual. I do not agree that any person should be singled out as the fall guy we all have a responsibility towards one another, and we must protect our leader in particular should anything untoward happen. There is also what is known as "collective responsibility" for a club or group. The ramifications of this are far too complicated for a short missive such as this. However it is worthy of mention and some thought that "Civil Law" would have us believe that the action of one person causes the responsibility to fall upon us all. If a person wants to do a particular sport, he or she should know and understand the risks involved in that sport, and accept the natural consequences which goes along with it. If you put yourself at risk against the advice of others then on your own head be it. You cannot attach blame to another for your own failure of judgement or your ill-considered actions "Every person is accountable for their own actions." That statement would appear to be the answer to all our problems, unfortunately it is not, that is an all to simplistic approach. If you see someone doing something that may be harmful to themselves or put others in the group at risk, it is your duty to advise them to stop. If they fail to comply with your advice and they continue to put themselves at risk, there is nothing else you can do, at the time. In isolated places, in fog mist or snow or on precipitous paths the group must remain close together under each others watchful care, it is your duty. It is the leader who gives the directions and it is up to every individual to give him their full support without reservation. The only time a leader may be usurped or questioned is in the case he is exhibiting doubtful judgement. Even then it can only be with a majority decision of the assembled group acting in consort. A risky sport is no place for headstrong individuals who constantly do not conform to the general wishes of the leader of the group or the combined wish of the group, they endanger the safety of everyone and should warned before exclusion. (Tough Words) When Louis is in charge his word to me is has the same meaning as a military command, I don't argue with him because I trust his leadership. When he says "jump", I get into the air before asking him, "How high, Sir." Brian, his No 2 is also a vastly experienced walker and if anything happens Louis, Brian takes charge and we follow his directions. A good leaders such as either Brian or Louis will consult frequently with the members to ensure that they are not taking them beyond their limits. Both are gentlemen and if their wishes are not expressed clearly enough or misunderstood my Military training will kick in. In the past I have been responsible for the safety of thousands of men in dangerous situations and places. A leader should not have to worry about his wishes / orders having to be given twice, once should be enough. If I don't understand the leader I ask him for clarification but immediately obey the order, providing it is lawful, as best I understand it until the danger is passed. Just because I write these web pages does not mean that am an expert on hill walking, I am not, I write this because I enjoy it, and wish to pass on the knowledge I have gained, that does not make me a walking leader. I am simply a chronicler these days and just love pottering along the mountain paths feeling safe and seeing new sights. Should we at some future date decide to join a recognised organising / governing body as a new club and seek insurance cover for our members then we will all need to strictly comply with the terms of membership that they decide. This may give some legal protection to us if there should be an accident. I have dealt with Perkins Slade an insurance broker in the UK who provides coverage for sports such as Archery and quite possibly for Hill Walking. The problem with a company such as Perkins Slade is that everyone taking part in the sport must be a member of the club they do not allow people who are not insured to be part of the group. However it may be possible for the insurance coverage to be extended for a short period to allow people trying the sport to participate similar to the arrangement for Archery. Not only will the individual members need to comply with the directives but the whole club must subscribe to them. (Written Constitution, Rules, Aims, Etc.,) Possibly in the future we may think of joining the Ulster Federation of Rambling Clubs the Governing body for Rambling and Hill-Walking Clubs in the North of Ireland but that is for the members to decide. Until we all decide the way forward I will follow exactly what Louis asks us to do, he will not lead us into any danger or put anyone at risk. However things can happen which are beyond the control of even the most experienced people regardless of how much care is taken. (An example being., 'A rock is dislodged by another walker further up the mountain which rolls down and crushes the foot of someone following., as a result is off work for several weeks.') Having said that he will lead us on in such a manner that he extends us physically to be stronger, fitter people. I appreciate what he has done for us thus far and hopefully long into the future. I have written this because I have concerns about something unexpected happening and to have some measure of protection by virtue of insurance may be a comfort.

UPDATE 23rd Sept 08   Adrian. Thank you. as ever, thoughtful and sincere. Two things..... The law accepts that a person who willingly enters land accepts any natural risks which he/she finds there and - if injured accidentally-has no case against the landowner. Legal precedent is based on a case in Preston where a young man dived into shallow water, suffered injury, sued Council -- case was dismissed, Judge saying -- ''you ought to have known better''. Perkins-Slade provides Civil Liability cover for most UFRC clubs and now recommends £5 million limitation. Important to note that, under this policy, newcomers are covered for TWO walks. Thereafter , they have to join club and pay club sub for inclusion in club cover. UFRC website gives details of Civil Liability, Travel and Personal Injury policies available. Best regards.   Thanks for the update, the "Dangerous Rabbit Hole" case caused Archers a big headache for a long time. I can only say that I am glad the original dubious decision has now been overturned and that sanity is slowly returning.

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POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
This is a commentary on the lunacy of diverse organisations and their approach to "Health and Safety" with a bit of "Risk Assessment" thrown in. I did not write this, ... wish I had ... but enjoy the sheer lunacy of modern culture.
Copyright of authors mentioned.
Extract stolen from:-
http://www.capitasymonds.co.uk/talkingpoint/article.asp?id=68
Admittedly, this paranoia is sometimes understandable as it’s a direct result of successful compensation claims by the public fuelled by over zealous legal eagles and a lack of risk management protocols. For example, the public have been successful in even the most bizarre claims for compensation - climbing over a perimeter fence and falling down a rabbit hole being one of my particular favourites!
Nevertheless, this cotton wool culture is seriously destroying the event industry’s spirit of adventure, fun, enjoyment, fulfilment and excitement. It’s time to put things into perspective and actually get to grips with certain issues.

We need a better understanding of the law and, in particular, risk assessments. Health & Safety legislation requires employers to ensure that work places/activities are safe - including events. Of course, risk assessment of the activities must be carried out to deal with significant hazards and appropriate control measures must be put in place. However, only reasonable foreseeable significant hazards are to be considered and reasonably practicable control measures put in place - based on potential likelihood and severity. It’s basically common-sense and recognises you cannot, or indeed be expected to, guarantee an event is 101% safe.

Extract stolen from:-
http://www.capc.co.uk/PC%20Gone%20Mad%20section%20of%20This%20Morning%20website%2005 0705.pdf


1) Rambling is too hazardous.    A 'risk assessment' of potential hazards such as rabbit holes, ploughed fields and overhanging branches needs to be carried out prior to any scheduled walk. (This is according to Leicestershire and Rutland Rural council) The members of the Wigston Civic Society were shocked to learn that in order to take part in their annual Two Steeples walk they had to fill out a two page risk assessment highlighting the possible dangers that they might face, dangers such as ploughed fields, high risk rabbit holes and slippery surfaces. They were then asked to grade these hazards in terms of their danger factor - high, medium or low. An organiser of the trip, Mary Essinger, said: 'In the 25 years I've been doing country walks I can't remember any accidents. I just wish people would realise everything you do has a bit of risk to it. You could just as easily fall over walking on the pavement but you don't need a risk assessment form for that."

2) Teddy Bears encourage gambling .    The new gambling act states that giant teddy bears are 'too cuddly' and should not be given away as prizes as they encourage gambling. It is thought that the bigger the teddy bear the bigger the chance that the child will want to win more, and will therefore resort to more gambling.

3) Pupils not allowed open windows .    A school in Gloucestershire has banned pupils from opening windows incase they fall out.

4) Park swings are too high.    Swings were removed from a park in Great Somerford after inspectors found that they were too high.

5) Planting flowers leads to sprained wrists..    Planting flowers under trees was deemed too much of a risk when Cheltenham residents were warned that they might sprain their wrists.

5a) Flowerpots on window ledges..    No comment.

6) Daily chains are too unhygienic .    Daisy chains have been banned at a primary school in London as they are too unhygienic and the school was afraid to be in breach of Health and Safety laws.

7) Conkers are dangerous .    If children want to play conkers they must wear the necessary protective clothing such as gloves and goggles. Last autumn head teacher Shaun Halfpenny ruled children at his Cumbrian school must wear goggles to play conkers. He said he did not want to risk upsetting health and safety inspectors. A few days later it was revealed another head teacher had banned conkers at her school over fears of nut allergies.

8) No More snowball fights .    Schools in Norwich have cut down snowball fights after teachers complained that they had to fill in too many health and safety forms. Norfolk County Council guidelines insisted snowballs should not be thrown at less than 65ft apart. This regulation was taken so seriously that earlier this year at Woodham Community College in County Durham three boys were excluded after ignoring a ban on snowball fights.

9) Flat Gravestones .    If they are upright, gravestones need to be made to lie down in case they topple over. Rector Please note.

10) Entertainment license needed for sing-alongs     A hotel in Morecambe has been advised to obtain an entertainment license if more than two people are performing during their sing-alongs.
   
For more reading please visit the following:-
Laura Midgley is co-founder of the campaign against political correctness www.capc.co.uk
Lawrence Waterm is the Director at the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health www.iosh.co.uk

Health and safety team in conker contest
Posted Fri, 26 Sep 2008
Health and safety officers will be taking part in the World Conker Championships, which is sponsored by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).

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PATH OF DESTINY Patience Strong You know that you are guided all the way, In the silence, voices seem to say, "This is the way, the only way for you, Trust it and take it, with the goal in view." This is your road, the path of destiny, Trust and believe and protected you will be, Deep in the darkness through the night you grope, Over the hills of promise and hope. Keep to the track,. Stray not to the left or right, Walk bravely on, and hold the end in sight. All will be well, with faith to point the way. There's glory ahead. Dawn ushers in the day. © "This England" Winter 2004/5

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