Lost Again

Derek A. Smithson

In 1994 a party got lost after the early start for the ‘Long Walk’.   They had maps, compasses and even an altimeter.  They had well over a hundred years of mountaineering experience between them.  They managed to miss the notable features by a small distance, but in mist, however they travelled far and in many directions before they were convinced they were lost.  It reminded two of them of another early start for a ‘Long Walk’ when a good sized party of walkers found themselves in the middle of a misty moor without any accurate knowledge of their whereabouts.  The excuse that time was that in such a large party everyone was sure there was someone who knew where they were going.   How do we achieve this mismanagement? Where do we repeatedly find the high level of skill to extract ourselves from situations that a very little skill would have avoided?

The one I like best was the occasion when I was not among the lost sheep.  When the club was attempting the Lakeland 3000’s, a large leading party failed to turn right into Rossitt Ghyll and spread themselves all over Bowfell.  I remember thinking at the time that they must know a better way because they were all familiar with the area and there was no mist, only darkness.  So they added Bowfell to their list of summits.