Although I like to think that I can read a map well, I have to confess that I am bad with a compass. Truth to be told, I don’t know how to use one although I was taught how to use it when I did my Duke of Edinburgh bronze award. At that time, I made my teammates do all the hard work while I had my share of fun. I can read a map well only because I have been all over the country and till today haven’t felt the need to resort to satellite navigation tools. I think landmarks help me navigate my way but when it is a featureless land, things get a little tricky.

 

Not indulging too much in my map-reading skills, let us shift our focus to my walk. I started the walk with Luke through the Pennine Way and marched towards Jacob’s Ladder. Both of us were out of shape and that really affected our walk. From there, we followed the northern direction towards Kinder Downfall and I have to say at this point, the views were magnificent. It surpassed both of our expectations. Moreover, the path was easier to traverse and was well-trodden. Luke and I made a pitstop to have our lunch with the Kinder Reservoir serving us great views under the blue sky.

 The beautiful sceneries and the favourable weather conditions made the walk so enjoyable that Luke and I both agreed on this to be one of our best and favourite walks to date. Adding to that, I was feeling pretty proud of myself for knowing the path- where we were headed and needed to go. When we reached the Kinder Downfall, we changed directions from the Pennine Way and followed the footpath in front of us. I planned to head south across the plateau and move toward the east of Grindsbrook Booth. But things didn’t quite work out that way. Initially, I was reassured that we were on the right track by the numerous footprints that we came across during our journey. But soon after, I realized that all those footprints did not mean that we were on the right path.

The spectacular landscapes were a mirage of what we faced ahead. The path that we followed was met with dead ends or ‘death bogs’ as we like to call them now. We found out that our way was obstructed by marshy, shoe-stealing bogs, and crevices that forced us to stop on our track. There was particularly a big jump that sky-rocketed my anxiety. Luke was scared as well. At that point, I regretted not doing my research well on the area and for not being able to read a compass well. We were so distracted by the bogs that we lost all idea of the direction, of where we were going or where we stood on the map. A compass would have helped us find our way back.

After some time, we were lucky enough to spot numerous walkers to our left. I wildly guessed that the path that those walkers were traversing was the way to get to Edale. We headed over there and I was so low on confidence with my direction skills that I asked a passer-by if we were on the right track this time. He reassured us by saying that we were in fact heading towards the right way.

 

From this entire experience, I can safely say that I have learnt my lessons and pledge to change things. I have signed up for a navigation workshop to help me with my skills so that I would never have to feel so lost and vulnerable again.