Walking the moor in groups

Share navigation tips, discuss map-reading, compass use etc.

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Nik - KOTM
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Walking the moor in groups

Post by Nik - KOTM »

If you walk the moor in a group the more people you have in the group the slower it will go, especially if you are letterboxing.
Past experience for me is a maximum of 6 people for an optimum speed

Also please remember novices will travel slower and you can only go as fast as the slowest person.

Be patient and talk to others in the group, if they are lagging out of boredom get them involved again, if they are lagging from cold or over heating then get off the moor as fast as you can.
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Boo Boxers
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Post by Boo Boxers »

Please heed the common sense in this post.
www.4x4prejudice.com

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Nik - KOTM
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Post by Nik - KOTM »

Sadly common sense is becoming legislated out of existance.

A sensible question to ask yourself - Is what I am going to do safe?
Another question to ask is - Am I doing the right thing?

If either answer is anything but a 100% Yes then don't do it.
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Nik - KOTM
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Post by Nik - KOTM »

With the sad loss of life on the Moor this past weekend, there are a few more things I feel I should add to this thread.


The killers are the cold, heat and arrogance.
The latter meaning, you push yourself beyond the limits of your endurance.
The cold is caused by the obvious drop in temperature, but not so obviously by wind chill, and water - water in the form of rain!
With a combination of high wind and a lot of rain this is a formula for some serious side effects, your moral drops like a stone, your energy levels plummet. Visibilty drops also causing your moral to drop. Feet slip constantly on the sodden surface,yet another stab at moral.

Seriously if moral is getting down, then escape is seriously the only option.
Get out of the wind and rain. Try to get your self something hot to eat and drink, and get into some dry clothing.
If everything is waterlogged try to wring out as much as possible. And get off the Moor as soon as possible. Plan your route off and telephone somebody that this is your course from where you are leaving from and your destination, and possibly your estimated time of arrival at this point.
Do remember your speed is going to be seriously reduced. Get the members of your team to do cheery things like tell jokes sing songs or tell stories as you go along, it will lift moral no end.
Keep the high ground as much as possible but stay out of the wind as much as you can.

Any other comments about this subject would be greatly appreciated
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strevaskus
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Post by strevaskus »

Appropriate Clothing ,the right skills ,listen to the Weather forecast (although this is sometimes totally wrong as Dartmoor has its own micro climate) and plain common sense .Be able to recognise the symptoms of Hypothermia and overheating .It amazes me that so many boxers dont know where they are at any given moment in time ,know which way is North or South and dont carry a map .If they loose their GPS or if the batteries run out they are stuffed !.I once met two middle aged women walking uphill to Hangingstone Hill in the fading light and mist with a tesco carrier bag asking which way is Fernworthy Forest ,it was winter and light snow was falling so I insisted they come with me to OP15 and I will drive them there .They had no means of navigation and said "when we set out it was sunny" .It beggers belief ! .Four years ago I met a family walking from Nuns Cross to Gutter Tor on Stingers Hill ,apparently the grandfather was an "expert " on Dartmoor and had left them temporarily to find the main road down the Erme ! .It was a nice day so I was not too concerned once I had pointed them in the right direction over Erme Pits . I think that if you dont know an area well make sure you have all the aids to help you navigate out of trouble ,and those who dont will learn quickly that Dartmoor can be a dangerous and unpredictable place sometimes that will punish those who dont treat it with respect .
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moorland wizard
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Post by moorland wizard »

just make sure you have the right stuff in your rucksack as well, if you doing it for a long day then make sure you have items in your bag you may need (fingers crossed you wont)...

first aid kit
foil blanket
torch
warm clothing
hot flask of tea/coffee.
emergency chocolate - for sugar levels
And a fully charged mobile phone (if you can get a signal) even the £10 tesco one would do....
waterproofs.......

then over time you will add to the contence of you bag, and know what you need to take out with you on the moor.......
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foxy
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Post by foxy »

Crikey strevaskus, you sound like a one-person rescue service! No wonder on-moor call-outs for Dartmoor Rescue barely get into double figures every year...................... 8)
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moorland wizard
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Post by moorland wizard »

you would be surprised at what you find in a letterboxers bag, the moor experence letterboxer tends to have a larger bag than a rucksack unless they are 95% sure of the weather...

Think I have only ever come off the moor when it has been dark, but try to get on the top of the tor for the sun rise in the morning, best view ever...
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