I've just tried to pre-walk the route I mapped out for a stroll for the upcoming ID weekend. All started jollily enough with well marked footpaths meandering through the Autumnal loveliness; a leaf-kicking, hymn-humming stomp that matched the map turn for turn.
But then the rain lashed in, the map started to dissolve and the marked paths became less clear. Kicking myself for not bringing a compass I bashed on trying to complete the circle but it became increasingly unclear in the woodland the bearing I needed to be taking.
Further to the inclement weather, the soluble map and the absent compass, I needed to be somewhere else by 1pm and was rapidly running out of time.
Eventually a rapid jog retracing the route was the only option and was duly taken.
A humbling experience given that I hold a BELA, "expedition leader" award. I will now have to attack the circle from the other side early on Saturday morning and check that it is navigable.
Does go to show though why it is a good idea to pre-walk (or try to) routes you plan to take a group on.
Please remind me of the details of the time you lead a walk with a map of a totally different place carrying a rucksack full of pillows to insure confidence in your preparedness...!!
*laughing* yes KT, that was the church that wanted me to lead a Forest Walk BUT were at pains to ensure I took it seriously. All very easy as I rode in the forest everyday and knew it well, BUT just to show I was taking it seriously I carried a rucksack and regularly consulted a map whilst leading. The rucksack was full of newspaapers, not pillows, whilst it was a road map of Belguim I was consulting. Happy Memory :-)