UKC

navigation practice Lake District

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 AdCo82 27 Oct 2013
Can anyone shed some light on good areas to practice some navigation, whether off path or on but where it is tricky.

Start points welcome and even better if the areas do include some summits.

I'll be doing this when vis is crappy and for night nav.

Cheers,

AT
In reply to An Triubhas:

Back O' Sprinkling Tarn.

Blawith Knott Start/park SD 256 878

Blea Rigg. Park anywhere around Chapel Stile and head up Meg's Ghyll.


There are loads of other spots but that'll get you started.

 jonoh 27 Oct 2013
In reply to An Triubhas:Mungrisdale common at the back of Blencathra is quite featureless I had some interesting micro navigation in low cloud one year . The Dodds coming off Clough head and the plateau off to Helvellyn is also good in cloud to practice .

If you want to practice walking on bearings in clear weather yoke , froswick etc would be good too
 chrisjacks 27 Oct 2013
Loughrigg is good.
 Batcloud 27 Oct 2013
In reply to An Triubhas:

Dunnerdale Fells/Stickle Pike area
 BnB 28 Oct 2013
In reply to An Triubhas: Top of Fairfield. That's a proper nav test with real consequences if you can't tell east from west.
In reply to BnB:
> (In reply to An Triubhas) Top of Fairfield. That's a proper nav test with real consequences if you can't tell east from west.

That's the only spot in the Lakes where I've got lost - twice!

To the OP:

the Bessyboot, Glaramara, Allen Crags ridge is a good area to test you out. Lots of outcrops and false summits etc.

The area to the south of the Walna Scar road is also a good area and a little less exposed at this time of year.

ALC

 sbc_10 28 Oct 2013
In reply to a lakeland climber:

Glaramara is a good call...still doesn't fit right when your looking at a GPS!

 sheep 28 Oct 2013
In reply to An Triubhas:

Seathwaite Fell.
 Mike Redmayne 28 Oct 2013
In reply to sbc_10:

Yes, agree on Glaramara. And I'm glad I'm not the only one to have got disoriented on Fairfield!
 threepeaks 03 Nov 2013
In reply to chrisjacks: I'd agree, Loughrigg is great for night nav - easy access and plenty of tricky points to find. I work mostly in the Dales, but I have used this when in the Lakes and find it ideal.
 DNS 03 Nov 2013
In reply to a lakeland climber:

Glaramara and Allen Crags seconded - it's where I did my ML. Not easy.
 Carolyn 03 Nov 2013
In reply to An Triubhas:

Another vote for Glaramara, and ridge north to Tarn at Leves.

Askam Fell, at the north end of the High Street Ridge, is another low level area - lots of definite features, possibly a good option for night?
 LucaC 03 Nov 2013
In reply to Carolyn: Another vote for Glaramara heading north, so many false rocky summits which obscure the actual ones from a distance.
 Foolow Mike 03 Nov 2013
In reply to An Triubhas:
Mungrisdale Common, north side of Blencathra. Plenty of features on the map to go for, sheepfolds, bield, cloven stone, etc. Used this a lot for night navigation practice, best park at the end of the road near the Blencathra Centre.
Suzanneinessex 06 Nov 2013
In reply to DNS: How long is the ML night nav - distance wise or time wise?
I am practising this weekend around Glaramara.
 Pritchard 06 Nov 2013
In reply to Suzanneinessex:

There isn't a set distance or time. It's up to the assessor to decide when you have demonstrated the required level of ability.

If there is more of you, you will likely be out longer to give each person a fair go. You may also be out longer if you are unable to meet the standard straight away as they will give you longer to show your ability.

Good luck

Craig
 GrahamD 06 Nov 2013
In reply to An Triubhas:

All on paths, but the area in the vicinity of Esk Hause in poor visibility causes no end of difficulty for people with plenty of scope for ending in completely the wrong valley !
 Wesley Orvis 06 Nov 2013
In reply to An Triubhas:

The bog at the back of the Langdale Pikes over to High Raise and Seargant Man, very featureless and where i do my nav practice.
Suzanneinessex 06 Nov 2013
In reply to Pritchard: so could be out all night! Thanks
All the Gear, No Idea 06 Nov 2013
In reply to An Triubhas: A good little hill area for poor viz/night nav is near St. Johns in the vale, cant remember hill names, but lots of feature and not to far from road, High Rigg I think
 Pritchard 07 Nov 2013
In reply to Suzanneinessex:

You could be, but unlikely. Everyone will only get so many chances before the assessor decides to defer people. You can probably bank on at least a couple hours and 3 or 4 lead legs a piece at a guess. You might be out 5 or 6 or more? Though above that I'm guessing is unlikely as well. In terms of times to bed it can depend on time of year as well.

I did my assessment in October, going dark at 5 or so, out from about 7-10/11. That was with two of us (the others dropped out before the exped). I had a mate do it in near mid summer, they were out until 4 or so in the morning to get the dark.

You may not even do night nav if the weather in the day is so bad, but I hear that's rare.

Again it all falls to the assessor. Others may have different experiences? Or if you have an idea of who your doing your assessment with you could ask for advice off people who have been with them (and not just about night nav too! Ropework is an assessor nightmare too, with them all having different opinions on what should be included etc).

Hope you and your chums have fun this weekend

Craig.

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...