Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

General => General Chat => Topic started by: Mourneman on November 16, 2011

Title: navigation exercise
Post by: Mourneman on November 16, 2011
Back in the Western Mourne's again,brushing up on some navigational skills,Letrim lodge to Pierces castle then onto Castle bog over Eagle ,Shanlieve,along Batts wall over Tievedockaragh and Altataggart Mountain back along the forest line to Letrim lodge,good day out with plenty of map -work and g.p.s  for bearning.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6118/6350722795_e3588765d7_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6350722795/)
DSCN8555 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6350722795/) by surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/69203213@N03/), on Flickr
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6228/6350753435_088bcf11f4_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6350753435/)
DSCN8584 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6350753435/) by surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/69203213@N03/), on Flickr
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6219/6350717537_dc1f21bab5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6350717537/)
DSCN8554 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6350717537/) by surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/69203213@N03/), on Flickr
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6222/6351481478_b2c7a7893e_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6351481478/)
DSCN8593 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6351481478/) by surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/69203213@N03/), on Flickr
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6232/6350742631_eaefbe0bb6_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6350742631/)
DSCN8574 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6350742631/) by surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/69203213@N03/), on Flickr
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6109/6350727185_a99b6d019f_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6350727185/)
DSCN8558 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69203213@N03/6350727185/) by surginor (http://www.flickr.com/people/69203213@N03/), on Flickr
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: LandyLiam on November 17, 2011
Cheers John, good pics. I did a night nav on Meelbeg tonight, learned an awful lot, we went from happy valley car park to the summit (via right side of river) without using map or compass, took ended up going 90 deg off course and missed the saddle and ended up at the summit (which was were we wanted to go anyway fortunately) but it showed how easy it was to get it very wrong.

On the descent we used the ridge to get down, but we used map and compass this time (no gps, although i did have it on to track the route for viewing after) and we made some smaller mistakes which were easily corrected, here's a few tips i discovered

1. don't use the headtorch if very foggy, its like driving with main beam on, just hold a handtorch, stop a lot and scan the area

2. when your not using your headtorch you can't see your compass, BUT, if it has luminous markers, its actually much easier to follow at night

3. don't walk behind your partner, keep a distance to the side so if you come to an obstacle he might have a clear way round it, just a bit like walking in a search party

here's an estimate of my route (still haven't sussed out how to to overlay my garmin route ontop a map)

(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/meelbegrouteestimate.jpg)


(http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd496/landyliam/2011/P1100096gSmall.jpg)



this looks very similar to the wee handheld torch i used, a bargain for a couple of pounds
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-WATT-1AA-TORCH-SUPER-BRIGHT-LED-FLASHLIGHT-LAMP-LIGHT-/320700126897?_trksid=p3286.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D4247060116994006564
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: Mourneman on November 17, 2011
Forgot about that night navigation,sounds very interesting Liam,it was with Tollymore centre,have then another one coming up,good piece
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: LandyLiam on November 17, 2011
it was mountain rescue training, some fit people there, we had a bit of a race to the top, one of our team even threw up trying to keep the pace, he got faster after that  :o

just looking at your compass pics again, weren't you going the wrong way  ;D
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6222/6351481478_b2c7a7893e_z.jpg)
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: Mourneman on November 17, 2011
Just taking a photo of it,but well spotted
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: whoRya on November 17, 2011
it was mountain rescue training, some fit people there, we had a bit of a race to the top, one of our team even threw up trying to keep the pace, he got faster after that  :o
I hope he bagged it, leave no trace!!
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: LandyLiam on November 17, 2011
 ;D

but the way the rain was pelting down it was washed away very quickly!
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: Mourneman on November 17, 2011
what are we taking about,i did not poop at that bivi spot lol,here Liam that night nav sounded pretty tough going,it's hard to get you're bearing in the dark,i did some night nav with mountain goat a few months back ,but i need more confidence in this.
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: LandyLiam on November 17, 2011
hopefully in 2 weeks i'll be going for another evening dander and i'd be happy to have some company, just not sure if i want to pick a full moon night to make it easier, but knowing our weather it'll be cloudy anyway  :(  but as long as it not windy, nothing worse than losing your partner and they can't hear you shouting and the fog is too thick to see them, thats when the panic sets in  :o
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: Mourneman on November 17, 2011
Cheers Liam that sound's good,night nav is def something i want to learn more about
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: specimanYak on November 17, 2011
this looks very similar to the wee handheld torch i used, a bargain for a couple of pounds
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-WATT-1AA-TORCH-SUPER-BRIGHT-LED-FLASHLIGHT-LAMP-LIGHT-/320700126897?_trksid=p3286.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D4247060116994006564

Cheers Liam, just bought one of those.
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: mt goat russell on November 27, 2011
hopefully in 2 weeks i'll be going for another evening dander and i'd be happy to have some company, just not sure if i want to pick a full moon night to make it easier, but knowing our weather it'll be cloudy anyway  :(  but as long as it not windy, nothing worse than losing your partner and they can't hear you shouting and the fog is too thick to see them, thats when the panic sets in  :o


Should never be out off head tourch reach @ anytime so u dont loose each other or as then to stand were they r & hold there head tourch up walk bake to it... school boy 1 getting split in the dark  :P
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: LandyLiam on November 27, 2011
Quote
Should never be out off head tourch reach @ anytime so u dont loose each other or as then to stand were they r & hold there head tourch up walk bake to it... school boy 1 getting split in the dark

its amazing how quickly people go out of sight when walking away from you as the torch is pointing the other way, they look back and see you and assume you can see them too, if leading i like to use the hand torch for forward view, then put my headtorch on red mode and turn it to the back of my head so those following can see, the alpkit head torch (which is sold out every time i go to but it)  has a great feature where it has a flashing red led at the rear, very handy if walking on country roads too.
Title: Re: navigation exercise
Post by: LennyJ1 on November 27, 2011
Liam if you want to do that you could just get a petzl e lite. Watch my gear review site for a review on the petzl e lite.