Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[Eso Kral]

Hi Tom

I will be posting a Slovakia update in my "lesser" diary  in the next 24 hours having just got back but as this is where the edumacated people hang out I thought I would pose this here.

Whilst driving along various A/B type roads in Slovakia you see on the edge of fields/roadside loads of these contraptions

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Obviously I know what they are for but does anyone else?

[tikay]

Snow fencing?

[Eso Kral]

Snow fencing?

Haha WP Pops.

Move on then, nothing to see here

[tikay]

BOOMIO.

Quite a fascinating subject actually, they are really designed to stop drifting more than anything. They have it on the M62 over the tops actually.

[Eso Kral]

BOOMIO.

Quite a fascinating subject actually, they are really designed to stop drifting more than anything. They have it on the M62 over the tops actually.

Yup, as Slovakia have much harsher winters than here there are rows upon rows between villages and towns to prevent the wind blowing the snow and drifts occurring on the roads themselves so it creates a mini drift over the frames.

As they are more comfortable with this weather though they just whack on the winter tyres and life goes on.

[Karabiner]

From my experiences living in Canada a few years ago, drifting snow presents one of the worst possible hazards when it comes to driving. It's more like thick swirling fog than normal snow with close to zero visibility with added slipperyness too.

[TightEnd]

The Nat'l Geographic Photo of the Year. 2015

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

Extraordinary.

[RED-DOG]

Is it just me?

If I want a small drink of water or pop, I can't bring myself to put it in a big glass, it seems like such a waste.

If there are no small glasses available, I'll put it in a teacup or fill a big glass and share it with Mrs Red.

[Rod Paradise]

Interesting site I was shown this morning Red:

http://www.udeuschle.selfhost.pro/panoramas/makepanoramas_en.htm

Use the map, zoom in and select your point then on the bit below select direction & it'll show you the panorama, naming hills in it (doesn't name some of the lower hills).

Wish this had been about when I was doing the higher walks - instead of me & my Dad sitting with OS maps and atlases - arguing over what was and wasn't on the horizon. Normally it wasn't too bad, but from the top of Queensberry Hill you can see from the Highlands to Scafell Pike (link below).

Queensberry has fantastic views but it's a scunner of a walk, with about 3 false summits where you think you're getting there, but when you get to what you hoped was the top there's another summit in front of you. I walked it once when a new teacher started a walking club at school. I got bored waiting on some of the kids who didn't walk as much, so occupied myself guddling in the burns until the new teacher realised I was poaching on a school trip. Got double trouble for that as my Dad taught at our school & had tagged along so felt he had to back his colleague up...

Sadly last week a group of walkers in that area got caught out by bad conditions, they were found but 2 of the 3 died in hospital. Despite not being as mountainous as the highlands, the hills are still dangerous, especially in winter.

http://www.udeuschle.selfhost.pro/panoramas/panqueryfull.aspx?mode=newstandard&data=lon%3A-3.593082%24%24%24lat%3A55.281469%24%24%24alt%3Aauto%24%24%24altcam%3A10%24%24%24hialt%3Atrue%24%24%24resolution%3A20%24%24%24azimut%3A180%24%24%24sweep%3A360%24%24%24leftbound%3A0%24%24%24rightbound%3A360%24%24%24split%3A60%24%24%24splitnr%3A6%24%24%24tilt%3A-3.125%24%24%24tiltsplit%3Afalse%24%24%24elexagg%3A1.2%24%24%24range%3A300%24%24%24colorcoding%3Afalse%24%24%24colorcodinglimit%3A124%24%24%24title%3AQueensberry%20%24%24%24description%3ACan%20see%20the%20Highlands%20to%20the%20NW%2C%20and%20the%20Lake%20District%20to%20the%20South.%24%24%24email%3Arod_paradiise@hotmail.com%24%24%24language%3Aen%24%24%24screenwidth%3A1366%24%24%24screenheight%3A738

[Kev B]

Is it just me?

If I want a small drink of water or pop, I can't bring myself to put it in a big glass, it seems like such a waste.

If there are no small glasses available, I'll put it in a teacup or fill a big glass and share it with Mrs Red.

Weirdo 

[RED-DOG]

Interesting site I was shown this morning Red:

http://www.udeuschle.selfhost.pro/panoramas/makepanoramas_en.htm

Use the map, zoom in and select your point then on the bit below select direction & it'll show you the panorama, naming hills in it (doesn't name some of the lower hills).

Wish this had been about when I was doing the higher walks - instead of me & my Dad sitting with OS maps and atlases - arguing over what was and wasn't on the horizon. Normally it wasn't too bad, but from the top of Queensberry Hill you can see from the Highlands to Scafell Pike (link below).

Queensberry has fantastic views but it's a scunner of a walk, with about 3 false summits where you think you're getting there, but when you get to what you hoped was the top there's another summit in front of you. I walked it once when a new teacher started a walking club at school. I got bored waiting on some of the kids who didn't walk as much, so occupied myself guddling in the burns until the new teacher realised I was poaching on a school trip. Got double trouble for that as my Dad taught at our school & had tagged along so felt he had to back his colleague up...

Sadly last week a group of walkers in that area got caught out by bad conditions, they were found but 2 of the 3 died in hospital. Despite not being as mountainous as the highlands, the hills are still dangerous, especially in winter.

http://www.udeuschle.selfhost.pro/panoramas/panqueryfull.aspx?mode=newstandard&data=lon%3A-3.593082%24%24%24lat%3A55.281469%24%24%24alt%3Aauto%24%24%24altcam%3A10%24%24%24hialt%3Atrue%24%24%24resolution%3A20%24%24%24azimut%3A180%24%24%24sweep%3A360%24%24%24leftbound%3A0%24%24%24rightbound%3A360%24%24%24split%3A60%24%24%24splitnr%3A6%24%24%24tilt%3A-3.125%24%24%24tiltsplit%3Afalse%24%24%24elexagg%3A1.2%24%24%24range%3A300%24%24%24colorcoding%3Afalse%24%24%24colorcodinglimit%3A124%24%24%24title%3AQueensberry%20%24%24%24description%3ACan%20see%20the%20Highlands%20to%20the%20NW%2C%20and%20the%20Lake%20District%20to%20the%20South.%24%24%24email%3Arod_paradiise@hotmail.com%24%24%24language%3Aen%24%24%24screenwidth%3A1366%24%24%24screenheight%3A738

Those links are amazing Rod.

Have you tried this app? It's a bit difficult to get the hang of initially but it's really worth the trouble. It's taken me on some great walks.


http://www.viewranger.com/en-gb

[Rod Paradise]

As a fat git with knee trouble I don't venture far enough off the beaten path to need that any more - I'd say I'd have liked it as a youngster, but think there's a danger with them, the batteries don't run out on an OS map & compass, although a GPS would be handy in bad visibility...

[RED-DOG]

As a fat git with knee trouble I don't venture far enough off the beaten path to need that any more - I'd say I'd have liked it as a youngster, but think there's a danger with them, the batteries don't run out on an OS map & compass, although a GPS would be handy in bad visibility...

You're right about the battery issue. I turn off navigation between way points so it only uses about 10% of my battery's power, but even then I take a fully charged old phone along as a spare.

All that said though, it's still not as reliable as a map and compass.

The thing I do like about is is it suggests walks that I for one wouldn't otherwise know existed. I've been on some crackers that were virtually on my doorstep. It also gives you the mileage, estimated time required and a difficulty rating.

[Rod Paradise]

As a fat git with knee trouble I don't venture far enough off the beaten path to need that any more - I'd say I'd have liked it as a youngster, but think there's a danger with them, the batteries don't run out on an OS map & compass, although a GPS would be handy in bad visibility...

You're right about the battery issue. I turn off navigation between way points so it only uses about 10% of my battery's power, but even then I take a fully charged old phone along as a spare.

All that said though, it's still not as reliable as a map and compass.

The thing I do like about is is it suggests walks that I for one wouldn't otherwise know existed. I've been on some crackers that were virtually on my doorstep. It also gives you the mileage, estimated time required and a difficulty rating.

Aye, walk suggestions can be good. That panorama app showed a hill not too far from me that I'd never heard of (Crown of Scotland) - googling it I found out the history, with Robert the Bruce heading there after stabbing the Red Comyn & deciding there to try and win the Crown, and a walk that takes in what's supposed to be Merlin's cave that he retired too after the Arthurian legends, it also brings you to the Devil's Beef Tub, which I haven't been to in years  - so there's a target walk for me this summer.