Author Archives: tpltravelled

Whenever you read the MWIS forecast (and Dear Reader you really ought to) look out for the word ‘significant’, especially when prefixing the words ‘windchill’ or ‘snowfall’. The translation of ‘significant’ from MWIS English to lay-person English is ‘will defo need your biggest coat, overmitts and a second hat’. As an example, at about duskContinue reading “Significant”

Mountain Hare Lepus Timidus This one was possibly/probably clipped by a vehicle above Bamford The mountain hare population in the Peak is the only one in England and was probably translocated here in the 1870’s from Scotland Their decline in numbers here is very very significant. Estimates put the population at 3562 in 2017 andContinue reading “Hare Today Gone Tomorrow”

Shillito Cross An ancient waymarker eastern_moors_partnership had to fence it off recently due to repeated incidents of the cross having graffiti scratched in to it The fence is to protect it until (and if) the graffiti could be professionally removed Today somebody has decided to scatter what appears to be the ashes of a humanContinue reading “Dead Serious”

Just placing this here. Just an exercise last night but a casualty turned from uncomfortably cold to chipper and warm inside a bothy bag with 2 people for company in under 5 minutes. Several brands make them. I carry the Supalite version of these from summitgear dot co dot uk. (The Supalites are less weightContinue reading “Bothies Before Bandages™️”

‘The Global Wildfire Information System estimates that by November, wildfires had burned 47,026 hectares (116,204 acres) in 2025 in the UK – the largest area in any year since monitoring began in 2012, and more than double the area burned in the record-breaking summer of 2022’ A recent article in the Guardian. ‘The Best TimeContinue reading “Dangerously Underprepared”

….. and so it was that from the thousands that had applied to attend the traditional 17th of November gathering, i whittled it down to just six. Two of which were dogs. In maybe 10 years of doing this today was the best weather by a stellar mile. Cold but not too cold and fullContinue reading “Per Tradition”

First glove day of the season the other day. Emerging out in to the wind above Lose Hill Farm and the northerly strips the heat from my hands … @niwaki.hq Season. Fleece lined Japanese winter gardening gloves. Waterproof. Grippy palms. Enough dexterity for most tasks. I carry probably 3 pairs right through until the endContinue reading “Dexterity Matters”

The leaves have fallen off the trees and the bare landscape offers less opportunities to hide. Winter is a time when raptors become more conspicuous. Fewer daylight hours coupled with reduced prey abundance, means birds of prey are hunting more frequently too. Peregrine, hen harrier, goshawk, short eared owl, barn owl, common buzzard and kestrelContinue reading “Kes”

Excellent article on winterising kit for mountain rescue duty. Much of this advice is as relevant to ‘ordinary’ hill and mountain walkers as it is to MR volunteers.

Part of the evening / night patrolling by the @eastern_moors_partnership rangers is a check of gates and car parks. There’s well over 50 years of experience sat in that Land Rover and, to steal the Army-ism, we notice the absence of the normal and the presence of the abnormal. In extreme weather like this eveningContinue reading “The Twitch”