your questions answered What are gaiters for?
Q
I’m new to hill-walking, and I’ve see loads of people wearing gaiters. I understand why people would wear them in the snow, as they obviously stop the white stuff getting in your boots, but are they necessary on dry days in the warmer months? Karen Richards, via email
A
Although they’re primarily designed for use in snow and on boggy ground, a lot of walkers wear gaiters in all weathers, as they protect your footwear, laces and trousers from everything nature dishes out, including sharp rocks, mud, dust and scree, as well as peat and puddles. On hotter days, you can roll them down on easy sections to ventilate your legs, but having them attached to your boots is much better than having them stashed away. Leaving your gaiters in your pack until you need them is a sure-fire way to get wet feet, because you won’t bother to put them on when you reach the bog!
Don’t forget to add a few degrees for magnetic variation. Check the map key for the correct figure.
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Add the magnetic variation
Get on target
Find a target point
You’ve now set your grid bearing, but for this to work in the real world, you need to replace grid north (shown on the map) with magnetic north (where the red end of the compass needle points). To do this, you need to add the magnetic variation that’s printed on the map. This is normally a few degrees in the UK, but varies hugely around the world. Add this by carefully twisting the bezel.
You now have the magnetic bearing you need to follow, so keep your compass away from anything metal and hold it level at stomach height. Make sure that the direction-of-travel arrow on the compass base plate is pointing away from you, and rotate your body until the red end of the needle points to north (the N symbol) on the rotating bezel. You’ll now be facing the right way.
Look along the direction-of-travel arrow on the compass base plate and find a fixed feature in the landscape that the arrow points to, such as a tree or rock. Don’t try to hold the compass and ‘walk on a bearing’, as it’s difficult to stay on course. It’s more accurate to walk to a feature ahead that lies in the direction of travel. Walk to the point, and when you get there, repeat with another target point.
SEPTEMBER 2011 Trail 57