Boilification station

[Fishtales]

Your never too old I knew plenty of older gentlemen who could run me into the ground. I'm sure if you keep at it your body will soon adjust.

I will agree with that. I even, at one stage this year, walked around the house, up and down the stairs, with a 12 Kg rucksack on my back. I took it off when I sat down and lifted and put it on again when I got up. It is surprising how quickly you get used to having the weight on your back. My wife thought I was mad but then she always knew that

At the moment I can do a five mile hill walk, on estate roads, in just over an hour and a half with no extra weight. Next step is to see how I go with some weight

[caorach]

At the moment I can do a five mile hill walk, on estate roads, in just over an hour and a half with no extra weight. Next step is to see how I go with some weight

The weight bit is where it all goes wrong for me :-)

My normal day pack load is probably just over 1 stone in the rucksack but not counting all the odds and ends in my pockets (and that can come to quite a lot with fly boxes, maps and so on), now I can do it with less when I pay attention but at around that weight a little extra here and there seems to make no difference. I sometimes use the GPS for my nav and this has the useful side effect that I know I average 2.6mph on the moor and around 4mph on a track. This is, however, a moving average and by nature I stop a lot to watch deer or look at sphagnum or fish a loch or...

Add a bit more weight, however, and it just stops me. So, that's where I'm looking for improvement and as the whole thing seems rather finely balanced any reduction can only help.

[Fishtales]

When planning a trip I go for 2mph average i.e. a five mile walk would be two and a half hours approx. It might be more or less depending on the climbing and terrain but it usually works out at that. Longer walks will take slightly longer as there will be stops on the way to look at the view or just for a rest and drink or a snack but the average time still seems to be around the 2mph, why I don't know That is carrying the 18Kg, carrying less just means I get there less exhausted but it still seems to work out at the 2mph. I use the GPS too and I have seen some bits, on a steep ascent, down to 1mph and other bits at 4mph, on the flat or on a descent. Pace is the only thing I can think is the deciding factor and, because I have walked the streets for so long, I have a set pace that seldom varies over an extended walk. Even training walks without any weight around the park here always seems to be around two and a half to three mph average speed

[caorach]

I have a set pace that seldom varies over an extended walk. Even training walks without any weight around the park here always seems to be around two and a half to three mph average speed

Yes, it is amazing but it seems that lots of people have a "pace" and they tend to keep it no matter the circumstances.

On the Lewis moor I always tell people to expect an average of 1mph and this is actually fairly reasonable by the time you cross burns and find yourself in puddles and have to retrace your steps and so on. My own problem is that I'm always stopping to look at stuff so even when I can make reasonable time in terms of moving average I'm probably not doing any better than 1mph myself.

[SoldierPmr]

It is funny how you set your self a pace flat ground and tracks I will plan 8 miles for two hours once I start looking at fells depending on routes I will start making that 8 to 10 mile into 4.30 to 5.30 hours.

Like your self I will get distracted and the 2 hours usually laps into 2.10 to 2.30 hours  :lol: