Great Mountain Days in the Pennines. Terry Marsh

The precision of these GPS systems significantly reduces the risk of navigational error, and they are very reliable guides in poor visibility. However, they are no substitute for the ability to read conventional mapping or for sound navigational skills, but for some years the author has been confidently using a Satmap Active 10, with appropriate 1:25,000 mapping on SD cards. Satmap Systems also produce mapping specifically for the Pennine Way, which covers many of the walks in this book, particularly where they cross county boundaries.

      Bird's-eye primrose

      The River Rawthey at Cautley (Walk 14)

      IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

      Information about mountain rescue teams operating in the Pennines is detailed at:

       www.mountain.rescue.org.uk.

      If you need the services of a mountain rescue team:

       Call 999 or 112 and ask for mountain rescue.

       Tell them where the ‘incident’ has occurred, by giving an accurate grid reference, and the nature of the incident.

       Give them a contact phone number.

       The messengers may be required to wait by the phone for further instructions, and may be used to guide the team to the exact location of the incident, so they should be the fittest group members if possible.

       Be prepared for a long wait – comprised of the time it takes for your messengers to reach a phone, the team callout and assembly time, and the time required for the team to walk to your location with heavy equipment. You may decide that if there is a danger of hypothermia it is best to evacuate most of the party and leave a small group remaining with the casualty. You may also decide that it is necessary to move the casualty to a more sheltered or safer location (if so, ensure that someone will be on hand to guide the team to your new location).

       Consider how your group members or passers-by can best be deployed, and how the equipment carried by the group can best be redistributed and utilised.

       Consider ‘alternative’ uses for the equipment you are carrying, for example camera flashes can be used to attract attention in the dark, a rope laid out along the ground will maximise your chances of being located in poor visibility, and a survival bag can be used for attracting attention.

       The standard distress signal is six sharp whistle blasts (or torch flashes) followed by a one-minute silence, repeated.

       Don’t lose touch with common sense when coming to any decisions!

Weather to walk?

      Mountains everywhere tend to generate their own micro-climate, while remaining subject to whatever is going on nationally. So, while out in the Pennines, whether on the tops or in the valleys, you need always to be aware of what is happening to the weather: is the wind changing direction?; are clouds gathering?; is it getting hotter or colder? Make allowance for the fact that conditions on the tops are generally more severe than in the valleys.

      Some indication of what might be happening can be obtained by checking the weather forecast both the day before you go and again on the morning you intend to walk. There are reliable sources of weather information on the internet, notably:

       www.bbc.co.uk/weather (this site allows you to set your favourite locations in order to obtain a more specific forecast)

       www.metoffice.gov.uk (the Met Office’s own website) – this is also available as a free app for use on iPhones, iPads and hybrid smartphones.

      Most other sites draw information from these two.

Before you start

      What to wear

      Someone once said: ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, just inadequate clothing.’ Well, as everyone knows, there is such a thing as bad weather, sometimes so bad that no amount of clothing will prove adequate. But the comment makes a fair point, and, unless you aspire to being no more than a fair weather walker, going adequately and suitably clothed facilitates walking regardless of all but the most severe weather conditions. Let’s face it, if you have to wait for the sun to shine before venturing out, you may never begin.

      Being adequately clothed makes all the difference, and well-prepared walkers, who will always be equipped with wind- and water-proof garments and a stout pair of waterproof walking boots for a day in the Pennines in any season, have nothing to fear from an inclement day.

      The question of what to wear can only be answered in such general terms, however, for the simple reason that each of us is physically different – we have different metabolisms, our bodies function in different ways when exercising, and the way, and amount, we perspire varies, too. All these factors generate bodily conditions that are specific to each of us and which require personalised solutions.

      At the Aiggin Stone, Blackstone Edge (Walk 42)

      To complicate things even further, there are numerous clothing and equipment manufacturers clamouring to sell you their own brand, but without the certainty that one brand is any more suitable for you than another. It is purely a process of trial and error, often over a period of time, sometimes years. But eventually, you find a combination that works best for you. When you do, stick with it. Just as important, when you settle on the type of clothing that suits you and decide to kit yourself out, go for the most expensive you can afford. Quality really does count when it comes to outdoor clothing.

      What to carry

      So, what is considered essential? It is not intended that this list should be slavishly followed in every detail, by every person in a group, but it is suggested as a guide or checklist. Small groups may manage without some items, but if the group is such that it may become fragmented, then it pays to have the key items throughout the group.

       Map – everyone should carry a map for the area of the walk, and know how to read it. If you are using maps on a GPS device, do ensure that you have more than one set of replacement batteries.

       Compass – much the same; map and compass are essential.

       Whistle – every individual should carry a whistle; it is vital as a means of communication in the event of an emergency. There are numerous inexpensive mountain and survival whistles available, but any whistle will do.

       Torch – you may not intend to be out after dark, but a torch will prove useful if you are. Make sure that every individual carries their own torch, even if there are only two of you. There are many samples of suitable pocket or head torches on the market these days, but be sure to carry spare batteries. A torch is also useful for signalling in an emergency.

       First aid kit – there is nothing worse than a developing blister or getting a bad scratch from a bramble. Even the smallest of first aid kits contain plasters or skin compounds like Dr Scholl’s® Moleskin or Compede Blister Packs that can ease the irritation. The kit does not need to be huge, but should include a good cross-section of contemporary first aid products, including ointments and creams suitable for easing insect stings and bites. Today’s outdoor market offers plastic first aid ‘bottle’ kits containing everything you are likely to need for minor emergencies.

       Food – it is important to carry day rations sufficient both for the walk you are planning to follow and for emergencies. Every rucksack should contain some emergency foods, such as Kendal Mint Cake, chocolate bars or glucose tablets, that remain forever in your pack – although it is a good idea to replenish them at regular intervals.