Good Weather at Last

Finally the Summer is here and my run of bad luck with weather is broken. A couple of walks to post on my return plus a couple of gear reviews.

Montane Medusa 32 Review

I have both a Talon 22 and a Talon 44. The 22 is great for summer walks and the 44 for winter, when more equipment is needed. But I decided that something between them would be good for longer summer walks, where I would be carrying more water. Also something with a slimmer profile for scrambles and getting through the annoying 'hook on to your bag any way they can' gates and stiles. Montane released a range of packs last year and decided I would have a look at the Medusa 32. I tried one out at the local outdoor retailer and decided it was worth a try. At 32 litres it fell nicely between the packs I already have.

 

Ultimate Survival's Wetfire Tinder Review

We don't have much in the way of real wild countryside left here in the UK anymore except in the north of Scotland. We are also limited on where it is permissible to have an open fire in the countryside. So the means to start a fire easily isn't exactly an everyday required skill. It doesn't mean that learning the relevant skills isn't fun. And it will come handy on those summer days when you decide on a barbeque. Or it may be just a man thing.

 

 

There are many materials and techniques that can be used to start a fire, but there are two primary factors that I've found can hinder a fire starting, wind and water. A fire needs air, but if it is too windy, initial ignition of the source will be difficult. Getting out of the wind is generally easy, as long as your environment permits. Any damp conditions may not be quite so easy. WetFire tinder from Ultimate Survival is supposed to address the water and wind issue.

 

 

Jetboil CrunchIt Review

Too regularly, convenience comes at a cost. Often, that cost is waste, both material waste and energy waste. One particular convenience I always find hard to know what to do with easily is gas cartridges, the Butane/Propane mix canisters many of us use with our stoves. There are ways to dispose of the canisters, but puncturing them easily, and safely is quite difficult. A hammer and screwdriver may well be one way, but how safe is hammer metal surfaces together near the possible remnants of what was in the canister? Well I've found my solution to the problem which also allows for the canister to be more easily recycled.

 

And the winner is......Win Hill!

Located in the Peak District, sitting like a guardian over Ladybower Reservoir, Win Hill, with a peak of 462m, isn't particularly high. But it does pose a challenge, and reveals some spectacular views. A walking buddy likes Win Hill a great deal and we went up there the other weekend.

 

A Snake, Snow and a Plane Wreck.

It will be brief, but I made a return to the Snake Woodland and the Snake path. I had a reason, an aircraft wreck. The wreck is of a B24 Consolidated Liberator, a heavy bomber used during the Second World War. There were more B24s built by America in WWII than any other plane with over 19,000 built.

Nighthawk Ultralight Preview

I got hold of one of these from survivaldepot.co.uk to give it a try. It has a claimed output of 20 lumens for a run time of around 48 hours. It can either be clipped to a hat or attached to a finger using the provided Velcro attachment. I'll be taking it camping in about six weeks and will do a full review of how useful it was and how effective it's output is in a practical situation.

 

 

Chrome Hill......it shines!

Chrome Hill, while not made of chrome, really does stand out. Parkhouse Hill next to it has even more character. They have the look of mountains with the dimensions of medium sized hills. And it's only due to the much appreciated good graces of local farmers that we have access.

 

The Monsal Trail.......short but sweet.

Heading West from the Derbyshire town of Bakewell and following the valley of the Wye River for approximately 8.5 miles, the Monsal Trail is a fairly new feature. The Trail was opened in May 2011, so it has only been in existence for a couple of years.

 

This outing was only going to be a quick visit. I'd gone with a walking buddy with plans for us to return in the Summer for a longer walk.

 

 

Pull up a Chair and Enjoy a Pyms.............The Goyt Valley

I was recommended a walk around the Goyt Valley by a work colleague. I will be returning for more walks around there. It's rich in history, steeped in character and full of views. Here is my first walk in this area.

The Goyt Valley was originally the location of a whole community including small industries and a railway. The word Goyt, according to the Goyt Valley website at http://www.goytvalley.co.uk/history.html possibly comes from the old English words gote or gota. Whether this is true, I cannot substantiate it, looking the words up on the Internet doesn't show any results, although I did only take a brief look. The valley is now the location of two reservoirs, Errwood Reservoir, and the larger, lower, Fernilee Reservoir.