blow 6 times on a whistle (thats the distress call... wait for a few moments then blow 6 times agin... dont blame me if the hyeenas come screaming for you. lol
lol just kidding..... but its sensible to carry a whistle if you break a leg or something more....
i go out alot on my own but stick to places i know thats not too far from civilisation..ie always look to see if you have at least 1 farmhouse within somekind of reach.....if not you,ll have to chat to the local sheep..lol at least they.ll keep you warm in the winter ! bah.. hahahhaha
Yes elaine, sheep are great aren't they.
In a survival situation they can be used to keep warm, to provide calorific sustainance, and,even sometimes, romance!
Oops, that comment will probably get me banned on all regions of STW(except for the version broadcast in the Aberdeen area)
I like the true story about the kid that wandered off and got lost in Canada. Eventually he fell asleep in the snow in a forest. Woke up in the morning to find he was being snuggled up to by beavers. They kept him alive.
Maybe we should all carry beavers in our back packs?
I keep one at home
it doesn't really matter how close you are to civilisation if you can't get there and no-ones going to come across you.
snowslave, thats a lovely story, and one that I'll not make any crude jokes about (though I'll just think them), but what I would point out, ESPECIALLY for hungry monkey, is that I believe Beavers are now available in Scotland. 🙂
Ha, so Scotland is a soppy place with no wild bits whatsoever due to a recent beaver migration.
I ride alone, and I decided to always take a phone and gps with me. My rides are certainly not wilderness, but if I was to hurt myself badly, midweek, then I could be there some time so I think it's just good sense.
I think the gps is a good idea so that if you have to call for help you can just give a grid ref rather than trying to describe which bridleway / wood / county you are in to the ambulance controller.
i dont understand gps or maps..... i just get me bearings and figure it out... if in doubt head downhill ! it works for me occasionaly !... wouldnt go alone in the lake district tho... ! gud job i know most routes in my area. its all stored in my tiny brain...lol
only route im struggling with is my 'Ragley' thread which no-one has replied to (not even the singletrack guys have replied ? boo hoo..
I think the gps is a good idea so that if you have to call for help you can just give a grid ref rather than trying to describe which bridleway / wood / county you are in to the ambulance controller.
Have you ever had actually to do that?
I had to look after someone who had taken a tumble at a TC and had possible neck damage. I went to one of those posts on the fireroad that has the grid ref on it and used my mobile to phone for an ambulance. I told the dispatcher the grid, but she insisted on having a street address. I explained the situation and whilst she was professionally sympathetic she wasn't at all happy to have a grid ref and kept asking what the street name or the road number (like "M25") was.
Took me a genuine 8-10 minutes to get her to take the grid ref and send the ambulance. (Ambulance driver knew exactly where to go!)
Nainosliw - that's quite a worry. I have thought that might be a problem but on balance I'd rather have it with me. If you're far from a road they'd probably call air ambulance or mountain rescue if you're in the hills, and of course they would understand a grid ref.
Crikey (and any other naysayers), all I can assume is you haven't ever been in a serious situation in the remoter parts of the UK mountains. I'm not refering to mountain biking, I'm refering to remote areas, in winter, solo.
There are areas in the UK, where a busted ankle could result in a 15 or more mile crawl to get out, no phone signal, no one to see a flare etc. Anyone stuck in bad weather etc could be in real trouble.
Pissing around on a bit of North Shore or FOD at Cannock is as relevant to this as rowing a boat in the local park is to sailing accross the Atlantic.
Don't underestimate the shit you can get yourself into in the UK and you don't really have to try too hard to do it.
" I'm not referring to mountain biking "
Then give over, eh?
There's a scary amount of folk these days seem to be relying on technology to get them out of trouble if they get lost or have an accident. What ever happened to learning to use a map and compass the old fashioned way? It's not that hard. No harm in having a phone or GPS, but they should remain switched off in the bottom of your rucksack untill an emergency.
And before anyone else says it, yes I am turning into an old codger!
Oh, and to the original poster. Ignore some of the rubbish that's been put on here. You posted a valid question, though in future mate, I'd not mention your mum. You're only going to get stick.
There's a scary amount of folk these days seem to be relying on technology to get them out of trouble if they get lost or have an accident. What ever happened to learning to use a map and compass the old fashioned way? It's not that hard. No harm in having a phone or GPS, but they should remain switched off in the bottom of your rucksack untill an emergency.
Agreed, you don't need a GPS to give a grid ref!
in all fairness hes asking what precautions you take, by that one would assume something like a bothy bag, bivvy bag, first aid kit, wooly pully? etc. he hasn't mentioned gps, spot, plb's etc. just a phone.
will some folk get off his back and give him a serious answer and not be a bunch of pedantic heroes that have luckily never been in trouble before,
for all you know he might be able to use a map and compass but is asking for advice on what else to take.
jeez, sometimes this forum really gets on my tits
A bit off track,but! - a number of years ago,a shepard mate of mine found a tent in the hill when out lookin for his sheeps.Said mate unzipped tent,then rezipped it sharpish like - a young lady had taken (a few )tablets,passed aways - as you do,and then proceeded to decompose for a few weeks in her nylon coffin.Cops took her off the hill by simply picking up the (waterproof) tent and sloshing her down the hill.She was only one mile up from the road(in Sutherland) - so the moral is,NEVER take it for granted somone will find your bones in time.Not all of the UK is overrun!!!
Taking the less used paths I regularly go for multi-day rides in Mid Wales without seeing another person.
I carry a life adventures bivvy bag for worse case scenario, weighs ounces, and sometimes have a [url= http://www.adventuretradingpost.co.uk/ ]SPOT satellite messenger[/url] on my pack, but I don't carry that on local trails, only when in the mountains and not confident on mobile signal working for worse case. Would have to be an emergency though before I called in a MRT. If you're in the mountains, I think along similar lines to my mountaineering pack with the emergency gear I carry, maybe leave the ice axe at home, but this last winter I carried Kahtoola microspikes for hike a bikes. Snowdon has a railway and cafe, it still takes lives most years, so what is and isn't wilderness isn't that valid imo.
[i]in all fairness hes asking what precautions you take, by that one would assume something like a bothy bag, bivvy bag, first aid kit, wooly pully? etc. he hasn't mentioned gps, spot, plb's etc. just a phone.
will some folk get off his back and give him a serious answer and not be a bunch of pedantic heroes that have luckily never been in trouble before,
for all you know he might be able to use a map and compass but is asking for advice on what else to take.
jeez, sometimes this forum really gets on my tits [/i]
If that's me you've having a dig at then you're mistaken. I'm very supportive of the guy who posted the original question. He's obviously looking for decent advice and that's what a lot of us have tried to give him, along with encouraging him, and others, to go out ride in the (so callled, but it's not really) wilderness. I don't know if he can use a map or compass or not, but I'm guessing he can't. I'm not criticising him for that, just suggesting he learns. There are plenty folk on here would be happy to help. We've all been there at some point.
I did, I'll admit, suggest to him that he shouldn't have mentioned in his post about being out of phone range of his mum. That was what brought him some stick from the so-called "wits" on here.
boblo - Member There are areas in the UK, where a busted ankle could result in a 15 or more mile crawl to get out, no phone signal, no one to see a flare etc. Anyone stuck in bad weather etc could be in real trouble.
Interesting as there is nowhere in the Uk you can be more than about 7 miles from the road and thats quite hard to do. Most "wild areas" are only 3 or 4 miles from a road
TJ. try getting out of Knoydart or Fisherfield Forest in 7 miles. And, just to be pedantic (never one to miss an opportunity), I wrote 'get out' not '15 miles from the nearest road' and as you'll know, a crows flight path is not always the most helpfull.
Thanks DNF for the SPOT link. That's just the sort of thing I was looking for. I'm doing a solo round of the Munro's later this year and wanted some form of reliable comms in case of 'an incident' when in the darkest reaches of the Highlands.
Settle down at the back, it won't be used at Llandegla anytime soon 🙂
Someone fell over drunk walking home from the pub late at night late last autumn. It wasn't even that cold. They were discovered about 6 am, at which point they were in very serious trouble indeed with hypothermia or whatever. This was about 50 metres from my front door in central Manchester - a lot of people live here and walk around at night. We even still have milkmen. And the guy wasn't riding a bike.
OP is making the point he rides somewhere where it is less likely to be discovered than the centre of Manchester, recognising there is a risk he might fall off and be without help, and asking what people do to mitigate the risk if anything.
I used to be far more sensible about this, but over the years have become less so - my wife will just know I'm off somewhere in the peak district or whatever usually. I carry pretty much exactly the same stuff with me as on a group ride, but then we all carry stuff to be self sufficient anyway. I ride with more caution and take less risks when alone, but I'm also more prone to explore daft places that may or may not make a good ride for mates later.
Ta to the OP for the reminder - I should make an effort to be more specific about where I am and what time to expect me back in future.
Ok to answer the post, better:
Always carry (most ready packed in Camelbak):
Spare windproof, Beanie Hat (winter), Whistle, Space blanket
Bike repair kit (patches, glue, bolts, presta-schrader adaptor, a few magic links), Tubeless repair kit, Set of pads, Inner Tube, Tie-wraps, 2 spare gear cables
co2 inflator plus 2 canisters
Multi-tool, Gerber pliers, Chain tool
Bars, Snacks, Water/Fluid
Map (if required), GPS (mainly for recording), Compass
Money, Credit card, phone
On 'big', more remote trips:
Spare tyre and pump amongst group
Spare socks, Baselayer, gloves
Spare brake lever
More snacks and/or food for the day
The above has been assembled through want/need over the years - don't now carry a spare hanger, as mine is non-detachable.
The point about being not far from anywhere in the UK is all well and good, but then consider the possibility of a broken leg or similar. You can't ride, can't walk, no-one is around or likely to come along, and the weather is turning nasty. Will your survival kit keep you alive? (not necessarily comfortable)
The great thing about the UK is you only have to worry about 1 day's exposure at worst before you are found, so it would be silly to go and die of exposure in that time, wouldn't it? 🙂
You can easily be lost in the UK for over a day, I've had a fair few wild camping trips in Wales, away from the popular spots and have not seen a soul! I wouldn't want to crawl out to anywhere. Plus with our lovely mountain mountain weather, normally wet, low cloud and thick fog, you can be in for a miserable time, surviving without injuries in mountains is miserable, with a broken leg really *&@#ing miserable.
b r ... the stuff in my backpack is quite similar to yours....just added a small petzl head torch (led)...very useful if you got lost, or in case of an emergency....as I learned riding alone in the swiss alps last september.... no emergency, I just took one wrong turn on my way back to the rhone valley and had to seek my way home in the dark..
Are you lot still frightening the children?
So, where are all the mountain bikers who've been stuck out all night, suffering from exposure, with broken legs or worse?
Given that this is a pretty representative forum, one would expect one or two to crop up every now and again..
My point, that everyone seems to miss in the mad rush to suggest the latest bit of 'rescue me' kit, is that mountain biking in the UK is NOT A DANGEROUS THING.
I've been doing it long enough to realise this; I did Garburn and Kentmere on a Muddy Fox Courier 20 odd years ago, with a cheese sandwich and a can of Shandy Bass.
Mountain biking as a 'dangerous' sport is something that middle aged IT spods use on dating websites; it's not actually true. 😉
This is about [i]risk[/i] and [i]consequence[/i]. The risk of getting stuck out all night in the Scottish Highlands is low, but the consequences are high.
A couple of years ago I was out on a long ride in March/April in the Highlands when someone fell in the river. He didn't even hurt himself but got wet through. He still had about 4 hours riding to do, mostly trending downhill. By the end of it he was [i]seriously[/i] cold to the point of riding with difficulty.
Just to be clear I'm not saying his life was in danger, that we needed the SAS or anything. But I am saying that if things do start to go wrong the consequences multiply quickly. The risk is low, but the consequences are potentially high so, to me, a few basic precautions (which is what the OP asked about) seem like a good idea.
Cycling alone in the wilderness is great fun. It's probably* safer than crossing the road. Knock yerselves out.
*According to best guesstimate data available.
[i]Interesting as there is nowhere in the Uk you can be more than about 7 miles from the road and thats quite hard to do. Most "wild areas" are only 3 or 4 miles from a road [/i]
Are there not some places up near Loch Mullardoch that are about 10 miles from a road? Or maybe that's from a public road? Or I could be wrong altogether?
The far end of Loch Monar - round about Pait Lodge and Meall Bhuidhe bothy.
Nice night skies though 🙂
druidh - MemberSwalsey - Member
Don't go out alone anywhere you wouldn't seeing anybody come by for a whileI'm sorry, but that really is absolute nonsense. Some of my best trips have been cycling, walking and mountaineering in remote corners of Scotland where you might not see another person for days.
WALKING AND MOUNTAINEERING!?! I'd risk activities that safe blindfolded...
I understand you thinking it is nonsense, so I'll be more specific - don't go doing dangerous terrain at dangerous speeds in unfamiliar places. By all means, take a gentle ride on a blue/red route at a speed that you would kill yourself at, as the odds are in your favour! If you think [i]thats[/i] non-sense, perhaps you would like to tell me what you would do if you came off in an unfamiliar place, couldn't move, contact anybody or wait for somebody? Yes, you'd die.
Obviously you have to weigh up the risks, and I will take risks and go out alone to [i]familiar[/i] places, but since my incident I've decided I'd rather stay at home that die. Oh and I'll stop myself riding like my arse is on fire on every ride, ride within my limits, learn to ride my bike etc etc etc
Swalsey - Member
..... I'll be more specific - don't go to such places if you are unfamiliar and/or you think there is a decent risk of doing yourself in.
I think it's already been highlighted that there's a greater risk of severe injury and/or death driving to and from these remote places than there is actually riding while there.
Look - I'm not saying that folk should be heading out into the wilds completely unprepared, but there has to be a balance. Tons point about someone being killed two miles away from a major settlement is very relevant here. There are lots of places I cycle locally where I could fall, be hurt and die of hypothermia overnight, but I don't turn them into a major expedition. Heavens, sometimes I have nothing more than the contents of my pockets.
Swalsey - MemberWALKING AND MOUNTAINEERING!?! I'd risk activities that safe blindfolded...
Really, You'd taken on the Cuillin ridge blindfolded? That makes you more of a fool than you sound on here. Would you like to take a guess at the ratio of cyclists to walkers dying in the Scottish Highlands each year?
Swalesy - are you trying to say mountaineering is safer than Mtbing? 30 deaths a year in Scotland on the mountains on average.
They key point is be prepared - and that does not mean full expedition rig everytime you go out - It means letting someone know your route and your time of return if you are on your own. It means carrying appropriate kit for the conditions. It means knowing how to navigate and not relying on technology
The most important bit of safety kit you'll ever carry is not in your Camelbak along with all that other gubbins, it's in between your ears.
My concern with threads like this one, as with the ubiquitous helmet threads, is that it puts people off by encouraging them to think of riding a bike as a dangerous activity, and encourages a style of behaviour that suggests you can buy safety.
The latter in particular starts to make mountain biking even more bloody middle class and expensive than it already is...
Two incidents that this thread has reminded me of; when I was a fell runner, we got cornered and harangued in the pub one night by a member of the Mountain Rescue team, who insisted that we should have told him that we were going out for a night run. He shut up when it was pointed out to him that our group had a total of 120 years worth of fell running experience, and that he was as old as one members running vest. The other incident, heavily disguised to avoid identification, involved a very senior UK climber, who was told by a couple of rambling types that he should be better equipped for a walk. We had to take them off to one side and point out that this bloke had been up a particularly high mountain in a foreign country before they were born, and that they should perhaps shut up...
We know it might be dangerous, but, as hinted at, the lack of dead mountain bikers would suggest that it's not a common occurence, so please stop with the scare stories.
*Applauds crikey*
...hmmm, maybe I should have written that first instead of taking the piss... 😳
You said it yerself....... I agree wuth you, now you've finally got it out!
Bloody hell are you's lot still going on about this. Lol.
Thanks for advice and a good old debate.
next time I 'm in the 'wilderness' I'm going to take an Andy McNab.