Up them mountains!!!

[nick crisp]

I  For me it's all about that view.

but you've also got to bear in mind that electronic devices can decided to retire just when you need em most.  Bear in mind the compass built into the GPS is pish.  Also the GPS only shows you so much, I find I need to look at the map to get a feel of where I am and where to go next if I'm in the cloud.  So map and compass is still essential. 

Went to the pool this morning.  It's hard work getting anywhere wi just yer legs!  Made a start, so see how it goes.  Desperate for some fine cold settled winter weather and a day in the hills.

It can be very dispiriting to put in all that effort only to find you can't see anything when you get up there! All that hard work needs some reward apart from just the fitness-building side of things I think.

Not keen on GPS etc for those very reasons you've stated Andy. I understand that they have their uses, but best to familiarise oneself with ordinary map and compass first, and always carry them at least as back up. But only being able to see a small part of the map at a time is the main reason I don't use them, and this goes for when I'm exploring on the bike too. I like to see my location in a broader context of the area I'm in at a glance. That I find important on a bike when you can cover a lot of ground very quickly, but I can also see how fiddling with a GPS/Satmap could be a problem in poor conditions in the hills. When your energy levels and concentration are taxed already by high winds, wet, and biting cold, having to move the display around on a tiny screen and trying to keep the bigger picture in your head is the last thing you need. Not to mention batteries can freeze too!

Sometimes those bad-weather experiences can come in handy though; help you to deal with them if encountered again, and not only in reminding you how important it is to have warm, waterproof clothes with you, even on the brightest of summer days.

Hope your recovery goes well Andy. Those cold, clear winter days can be the best ones; hot work climbing those hills!