Re: BG Route to be flagged?
Hello,
First post so take it easy! My thoughts after reading through this thread, is that marking the route can be likened to professional footballers diving. It gives the diver an advantage either in the form of a penalty, free kick, or opposition getting sent off, and is in all likelihood encouraged by coaching staff and managers. However it is completely unsporting, infuriates others involved with the sport, brings the sport into disrepute and makes a laughing stock of the players who do it.
It is prevalent due to the importance placed on winning and getting the right result. And that is how a lot of people I feel attack the BG nowadays, as a task to be conquered first time at all costs, and, as previously referred to, a box ticked.
There will always be those who say well if they can get away with it then fair play to them. Its completely down to an individuals interpretation on what is to some people cheating and to others gaining an advantage.
Re: BG Route to be flagged?
In 2002 my leg 2 navigator dropped out a week before my attempt. I was up in the lakes the following week leading up to my attempt. on the Tuesday I ran from Threlkeld to Dolllywaggon and back to check my bearings for that leg. On the Friday I started at 7pm and navigated leg 2 on my own. We had a hairy night of it in the clag and ended up 30 minutes down on schedule, still it was a night to remember.
Since then I have navigated leg 2 at night and early morning for a number of people in all sorts of weather. Yes the paths are there in a lot of places but the navigation is required to eak out the best of the lines, especially in clagg. I use a compass and a list of bearings and the knowledge of the terrain, resorting to the map only if required. To me the route should be navigated and not route marked. I don't really agree with a gps but it is still navigation whereas a luminous marker is like a signpost. If we want routes to be signposted should we be road running instead?