Lost Hiker “Didn’t Think he’d Survive”

82-year-old Bruce Charity did not expect to be out for too long when he set off for one of his regular strolls last Monday afternoon. After his walk took a disastrous turn, and he ended up lying down to sleep in a soaking jacket, Charity did not expect to wake up the following morning. At one stage, he remembers looking at his watch, seeing that the time was 10 p.m. and thinking “what the heck? I’m 82 years old; I’ve got to go sonetime.”

A Near Fatal Wrong Turn

Charity’s problems began when he got a bit lost in the woods close to his home, taking a trail “that really wasn’t a trail.” Hoping to find another trail, Charity kept going, but instead got hopelessly lost, and darkness, along with the temperature was falling. In attempting to seek help from a fellow walker with a torch, Charity made what could have been a grave mistake, in misjudging the depth of a stream. He initially believed it to be around a foot deep, but quickly found he was mistaken as he became submerged. Thankfully a police helicopter found him after his wife raised the alarm when Charity did not return home.

Do not Make the Same Mistakes

Going for a lone winter hike can be fantastic, but can be fraught with dangers. Ensure that you have sufficient outdoor clothing for the cold weather, and make sure you have notified somebody of your intended route, and expected time of return. A good torch can also help you to be found if you get lost.

Swindon’s Hikers get Surfing to Find New Routes

A brand new website detailing some of the best routes for hikers around Swindon has been launched. The Get Walking in Swindon site is aimed at all those who want to get (or indeed remain) healthy, as it promotes the aims of leading a healthy lifestyle. The site is the result of a partnership between Swindon Council’s leisure services department and the local Ramblers, with some funding coming from an NHS funded project, Walk Swindon. Containing routes and information about walking groups, the site is designed to inspire people to pull on their outdoor clothing and get active.

Encouragement to Enjoy Walking

At the heart of the project is the idea that people should find walking enjoyable, and if they do, they are more likely to continue. The site follows similar projects that have proved popular in Durham, Manchester and Sheffield, and contains routes that have been created by a group of local volunteers. Whilst the first routes have been posted, more are expected in the New Year.

A “Wonderful Project”

The bulk of the routes are short, between one and three miles, but others go up to the five-mile mark. Routes that are accessible to wheelchair users are flagged up on the site, allowing all to get involved and get active. Pat Crabb of the local Ramblers group called the site a “wonderful project. We’ve really enjoyed working with the council to encourage people to get to their feet and experience the benefits of walking.”

British Explorer Finally Begins Epic Antarctic Voyage

The 33-year-old British explorer Felicity Aston has at last set off on her epic and historic voyage, as she hopes to become the first woman to cross the frozen continent alone. With no more than a pair of skis, rather a lot of outdoor clothing and her supplies, Aston is attempting a journey of over 1,000 miles, which is expected to take around 70 days. After waiting in her base camp for the weather to improve, the conditions have finally relented, allowing the voyage to begin. Aston announced via her Twitter feed that the epic journey had begun, “having breakfast looking at the mountains. The quiet will take some getting used to. With the first step of my journey, I start the long road home.”

Historic Trek

If she completes the trek, Aston will become the first person to have crossed the continent using muscle power alone, in doing so setting the record for the longest solo polar expedition carried out by a female explorer. In 1997, Norwegian explorer Boerge Ousland took 64 days to cross Antarctica, but harnessed the power of the wind when it blew in his favour using a large parachute style sail.

Heading for the Transantarctic Mountains

Aston’s first challenge on her long journey will be to tackle the Transantarctic Mountains. This will lead her onto the continent’s central plateau. Aston is an experienced adventurer, having previously explored the Canadian Arctic, and crossing the Greenland ice sheet, but this is by far her largest and toughest challenge yet.

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Head East for Skiing Bargains

Holidaymakers heading towards the slopes this winter are being advised to head east in order to keep costs down, avoiding pricier destinations such as Switzerland. As the pound has slumped against the Swiss franc, this already-expensive country for skiing has become dearer still for holidaymakers. Resorts in countries such as Bulgaria are likely to benefit from this situation, offering top quality skiing, and much more bang for your buck.

Costs of Skiing
The Post Office’s annual Ski Resort Report assesses European resorts against a number of criteria, ranking them in order of cost. Various elements, including lift passes, equipment hire, ski tuition, food, and drink are used to determine the most economical ski resorts by the report. Top of the pile is the Bulgarian resort, Bansko, which was £100 cheaper than its nearest rival, Arinsal in Andorra was. Both of these resorts have seen their prices decrease by five per cent since the last report, whereas Swiss resorts have endured a 26 per cent increase, mainly due to currency fluctuation as well as resort charges.

Go East, Skiing’s Cheaper There
If your idea of a great holiday is putting on your ski wear and heading for the slopes, your most economical route is therefore going to be to head away from some of the more established Swiss resorts. Sarah Munro, Post Office’s head of travel money thinks that as pressure on budgets increases, “resort costs are likely to be a key factor in determining resort choice this year.”

Columbia Sportswear Skiing Expert Zach Crist

Shark Attack Victim Receives Emotional Farewell

Those in the surfing community will be well aware of the fate met by the unfortunate Kyle Burden last weekend. Whilst surfing in Bunker Bay, the 21-year-old was fatally mauled by a shark. By way of a tribute, over 100 of Burden’s friends, family and members of the wider surfing community attended his memorial service, before around 50 surfers donned their wetsuits and took part in a paddle-out, joining hands at the spot where he was attacked on Sunday.

A Good Time to Cry

Sharon Burden, Kyle’s mother paid tribute to the police and emergency services who had helped the family deal with their loss, as well as thanking friends and the local community for their support. The occasion was labelled a “good time to cry” by police chaplain Keith Carmody, before stressing that it was also “a good time for people to laugh and share memories.” As well as remembering Kyle, the paddle-out also served a reminder of the constant presence of the ocean’s inhabitants.

Vigilance is Key

The paddle-out was joined by sea rescue craft, as there were shark sightings on Monday afternoon around 50 kilometres south of the area. A great white shark is thought to be responsible for the attack on Kyle last weekend. Surfers signed a surfboard in memory of Kyle, whilst all those present felt that the send-off was fitting for a young man who loved the ocean so much.