Fun in the fog at our walking weekend

Volunteers came together from across Girlguiding London and South East England and Girlguiding South West England for a weekend on Dartmoor, using the moor as a base to walk, practise skills, and share ideas. It gave us the chance to get to know each other as well as to spend time in a landscape that always feels a bit special.

Even though most of our routes followed paths, we often had to rely on bearings, pacing, and reading the ground to stay on course. Looking carefully at the map and spotting features as we went made the navigation real. At times the fog was so thick that we could barely see a few metres ahead. It forced us to concentrate, to trust our bearings, and to check our pacing more carefully than usual. The fog also gave the moor an atmospheric feel that made the walks memorable.

The Dartmoor ponies were often near, grazing in small groups, with thick coats adapted to life in wild country. Seeing them appear in the thick fog and in the dark, along with the fluffy Belted Galloway cattle was spooky! It was a reminder that the moor has many treasures to discover.

The wind was a challenge making simple things harder. Keeping steady progress took effort, and we were reminded how important it is to keep a group together when the weather is breezy.

Our training exercises led us down into two of Dartmoor’s old granite quarries. Being enclosed by rock faces after the open ground above added another layer of interest to the weekend.

In the evening we headed out again, this time with headtorches, to practise night navigation. Finding features in the dark gave us plenty to think about, and after going a bit too fast at the start, we quickly learned how important it is to stay close and communicate clearly.

When the sky cleared, we were treated to a display of stars that felt endless. For a few of us it was the first time seeing the Milky Way. We saw Jupiter and Saturn too, along with the North Star used by ancient navigators. Standing together and looking up was a highlight that made the weekend even more memorable.

By the end of the weekend we felt more confident in our skills. During breaks we found ourselves talking about how to manage groups, how to judge pace, and how to make decisions when conditions change. These conversations added as much as the walking itself.

Two members of the group were being assessed during the weekend, and at the end were pleased to hear that they had passed. It was a reward for the effort they had put in and validation of their skills.

Leadership was something we came back to often. We thought about what it means in practice — from enthusing about our interests to making route choices and looking out for others. The moor gave us a good backdrop to test and reflect on those ideas.

Get started with the walking scheme

Do you enjoy a good walk and want to share your passion with the girls? Are you interested in building your skills and confidence to do this? At the next online drop-in we’ll be talking about how to get started on the walking scheme and to progress further. We’ll talk about how to plan successful walks that get your girls coming back for more. We’ll share ideas of how we have managed risks and how to get to a point where you can confidently say you’ve thought through the right things.

If you’re ready for this, join with Helen, the region walking adviser on zoom on Thursday 30 October 7.30-8.30pm. Find out how to join.