Trail talk: a Lithuanian’s JOGLE
Three Points of the Compass met Modestas Lukauskas while camping at Hawick in 2023. The Lithuanian was just completing the Scotland leg of his John o' Groats to Land's End hike
View ArticleTrail talk: the Grand Union Canal Walk, part four
Three Points of the Compass completes his journey from London to Birmingham on the Grand Union Canal Walk.
View ArticleTrail talk: post boxes on the London LOOP
Do you ever stop to look at street furniture on a walk? Three Points of the Compass explores the peculiarities of post boxes on a loop around London.
View ArticleMap measure of the month: Aristo 1323 Fächermaßstab
The handy Aristo 1323 fan scale can be used for many types of measurement, including maps. Sold for over half a century, it is still produced today in almost unaltered form.
View ArticleTrail talk: the Corfu Trail- Kavos to Liapades
Three Points of the Compass hiked the Corfu Trail in April 2024. Visiting this Mediterranean island in advance of the tourist season meant a quieter trail but an increased chance of rain.
View ArticleTrail talk: the Corfu Trail- Liapades to Agios Spiridonas
Three Points of the Compass hiked the Corfu Trail in April 2024. Typically for so early in the year, weather had been variable, deteriorating from hot and dry, to firstly rain at night, then during the...
View ArticleTrail talk: abandoned vehicles on the Corfu Trail
Walking the Corfu Trail it is impossible not to notice the profusion of abandoned vehicles- cars, motorcycles, vans, even a lone bus. The reason for their demise must be varied, beyond practical use,...
View ArticleGear talk: Fire Maple’s Petrel heat exchanger pot and stove compatibility
Fire Maple's Petrel cook pot was specifically designed to work with their Hornet II stove. However it is not confined to just that stove. Three Points of the Compass has a glance at this heat exchanger...
View ArticleMap measure of the month: “Made in Japan”- a Chadwick-Miller / Fedtro /...
These are almost identical Japanese made map measures sold by three companies, on opposite sides of the Atlantic.
View ArticleGear talk: Flextail Light Repel mosquito repellent
The Flextail Light Repel is a small lightweight portable heater element that takes less than a minute to activate mosquito repellent soaked pads. How useful is it to the backpacker and camper?
View ArticleTrail talk: Skye Trail- Rubha Hunish to the Storr
Three Points of the Compass walked Scotland's Skye Trail over six days in May. The first two days were wet and windy. But would I get blown off the Trotternish Ridge?
View ArticleTrail talk: Cotswold Way- day one. Chipping Campden to Stanton
Mr and Mrs Three Points of the Compass set out for our annual saunter along a longer trail, enjoying comfortable accommodation and good food on the 102 mile long Cotswold Way.
View ArticleTrail talk: Cotswold Way- day two. Stanton to Winchcombe
Our second day on trail and another climb in front. Today we have a hill fort, ruined abbey and a fruit farm to visit.
View ArticleTrail talk: Cotswold Way- day three. Winchcombe to Dowdeswell
Our walk to Bath continues- today brings us a neolithic burial site, a dramatic hill fort, a butterfly reserve and the highest point on the Cotswold Way.
View ArticleTrail talk: Cotswold Way- day four. Dowdeswell to Birdlip
Today we have the steady climb to one of the most important hill forts in the country. But there are a few dips and ascents to contend with first.
View ArticleTrail talk: Cotswold Way- day five. Birdlip to Painswick
We continue along the Cotswold escarpment, taking in woodlands, hill forts and views, passing a Roman villa and the place that people throw themselves off in pursuit of a round of Double Gloucester...
View ArticleTrail talk: Cotswold Way- day six. Painswick to King’s Stanley
A day of farmland meadows, ancient woodlands, lonely villages and views
View ArticleTrail talk: Cotswold Way- day seven. King’s Stanley to Dursley
Further climbing today, crossing hills separated from the main escarpment. A neolithic long barrow and ancient hill fort awaited us, but would we have the energy for the off-trail diversions these...
View ArticleTrail talk: Cotswold Way- day eight. Dursley to Wotton-under-Edge
We continue to follow the western edge of the Cotswold escarpment, with expansive views over the River Severn and Forest of Dean. Another hill fort to visit, and a monument to the man who translated...
View ArticleTrail talk: Cotswold Way- day nine. Wotton-under-Edge to Old Sodbury
Today took us first to one of the oldest houses in England, then on to the ramparts and ditches of the most impressive of hill forts on the Cotswold Way. Later, we would pass through parkland...
View ArticleTrail talk: Cotswold Way- day ten. Old Sodbury to Cold Ashton (Pennsylvania)
Easier walking today with few hills. Crossing busy roads, a deer park, ancient strip lynchets and passing a hill fort where English history was redrawn by the establishment of new political and...
View ArticleTrail talk: Cotswold Way- day eleven. Cold Ashton to Bath
Our final day- a walk through pastoral England, wide views, ancient battlefields and a racecourse ahead, before a final descent into an historic city, with it's Roman Baths and the architectural...
View ArticleGear talk: a visit to Atom Packs
Three Points of the Compass was driving to Scotland to tackle the Skye Trail. An ideal opportunity to stop by the Atom Packs workshop deep in the Cumbrian fells, both to see what was going on, and get...
View ArticleMap measure of the month: Morris’s ‘Patent Cartomètrè’
The Cartomètrè is a miniaturised metric version of the innovative mechanical measures invented by Englishman Edward Morris. Despite its modest dimensions, it had remarkable capability for its time.
View ArticleTrail talk: Skye Trail- the Storr to Broadford
After a tough day on the Trotternish Ridge, Three Points of the Compass continues his hike on the Isle of Skye. Missing one of the most magical of natural phenomenon in the process!
View ArticleTrail talk: Ordnance Survey’s original Outdoor Leisure 33 and 34 maps
These now hard to find sheets were specially designed strip maps for Wainwright's famous Coast to Coast Walk.
View ArticleMap measure of the month: a mystery opisometer
This is a simple and easy to use little instrument capable of just one thing- measuring a line. But who made it?
View ArticleTrail talk: the Coast to Coast- the Lakes
Three Points of the Compass sets off on the Coast to Coast Path- backpacking across northern England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, taking in three National Parks en-route.
View ArticleTrail talk: the Coast to Coast- the Dales
Three Points of the Compass continues his Coast to Coast. Leaving the Lake District behind to enter the Yorkshire Dales, the second of three National Parks on this two-hundred mile walk across northern...
View ArticleTrail talk: the Coast to Coast- the Vale of Mowbray, the ‘flat bit’
Three Points of the Compass heads toward the least demanding part of the trail- a couple of day's hike across low lying agricultural farmland, prior to a final National Park on this two-hundred mile...
View ArticleTrail talk: the Coast to Coast- the Moors
Three Points of the Compass enters the final part of a walk across northern England. The Coast to Coast climbs back up into the hills of the North York Moors, heading to Robin Hood's Bay.
View ArticleTrail talk: the Coast to Coast- my gear
Three Points of the Compass takes a glance at the gear he carried on a recent walk across northern England on the Coast to Coast Path
View ArticleTrail talk: finally opening my mail
Three Points of the Compass finally gets round to opening a package received in the post over five years ago
View ArticleMap measure of the month: Henri Chatelain’s twenty-five inch to one mile measure
This month's measure is a bit of an oddity. It is made specifically for large scale maps and measures at 25.344" scale, also known as twenty-five inch to one mile. It was primarily used by governmental...
View ArticleTrail talk: LDWA National Trails Register
Three Points of the Compass has a glance at the National Trails Register maintained by the Long Distance Walkers Association, giving himself a pat on the back at the same time.
View ArticleGear talk: Pure Clear have improved their water filter mouthpiece
Pure Clear have introduced a small but welcome improvement to their squeeze type water filters.
View ArticleMap measure of the month: Roulette métrique brevetée S.G.D.G
This month's measure is a French made opisometer capable of measuring centimetres and lines on kilometre scale maps
View ArticleTrail talk: Arctic Circle Trail: Kangerlussuaq to Eqalugaarniarfik
Three Points of the Compass hiked the Arctic Circle Trail during the brief Greenland summer. The first four days took me into the mountains and arctic tundra, to the tidal head of the Maligiaq fjord.
View ArticleTrail talk: Arctic Circle Trail- hunter cairns
Many of the paths crossing the West Greenland tundra have cairns to guide the way. These have often been adorned by the skulls and antlers of reindeer.
View ArticleMap measure of the month: ‘Wanderer’ Route Marker No. 1114, with compass.
This months map measure is an uncommon combination instrument that brings together various functions, but ultimately fails as a collective.
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