Digital Map Shop on Linux

The software that comes with my GPS, the Aventurer 2800, is Windows only. It does work with Wine, but there is a caveat.

If you're planning to use MMNav.exe on Linux (or MacOS) using Wine you need to check your Wine version. This thread has the details, but here's a summary. Contacting the Digital Map Shop works in Wine 1.0rc3 and 1.1.5 but not 1.1.28. Logging in on 1.1.28 causes the application to lock up.

For the technical among you, when it locks it has a socket to the https port on memorymap.com. There is a few bytes (~100?) in the receive queue and the socket is in the CLOSE WAIT state.

Monday: Castle Ring

(Delayed posting, due to ADSL's yo-yo behavior)

Distance: 48.4 km (30.1 mi)
Time: 10 hours, 15
Average speed: 4.72 km/h (2.93) mph

According to the training schedule, the weekend of the 24th/25th was for the 30 mile (48 km) walk. However the very occasional Pendragon game intervened so I took the Monday off to do the walk then instead.

The day's target was, as in the previous two years, Castle Ring (SK 04287 12826) which is the highest point on Cannock Chase. The route I had planned took the long way to get there, and the direct route back.

I set off at just before 8am. I took the risk that it was t-shirt weather (with waterproof jacket in the backpack) and although a little cold the clear skies helped it to warm up nicely. I took the Sandon Road, then Beaconside before leaving the road and heading for Beacon Hill. From there it was down to Hopton Pools intending to cross Hopton Heath on the footpath that goes past the battle field. That was closed, so I used the Weston Road to go around it. Then it was down across the fields, dodging three tractors together, to reach the Trent and Mersey canal at Salt.

It was then a case of following the canal to Haywood Junction. Like most trips along the canal it was flat and dull. The wind got up a couple of places and cooled me down but the sun was still doing its best.

At Haywood Junction I came across the Essex Bridge and through Shugborough to the Punchbowl and the Stepping Stones. Coming along the Sherbrook Valley I could hear both a cuckoo and a woodpecker.

Apparently at the weekend there had been fires on the Chase. All along the southern half of the Sherbrook the heath towards Brocton Field and Anson's Bank was black with patches of green and yellow that had escaped. There was a very prominent smell of carbon in the air.

I followed the Heart of England way to Marquis Drive. By the Visitor Centre I stopped for my sandwiches as it was 1250 (26 km). I took the opportunity to charge up the GPS from the USB battery I got from Maplins. When I started again 15 minutes later I could feel the blisters had started to form on both heels.

After crossing the railway line and the A460 I left Marquis Drive to head up to the Beau Desert Golf Club (the bridleway crosses the last hole). It's normally a mud-fest going up that hill but it was dry as a bone. In fact the only mud to be seen on the Chase was around the streams and pools.

I reached Castle Ring at 1423 and checked the progress. A little over 32 km, and 16 km from home as the crow flies, on target for 48 km (~30 mi). I was down to the last few mouthfulls of water, though.

For the return leg I headed towards Stile Cop, passed the caravan site on the left and rejoined Marquis Drive briefly before taking a right fork and joining my Rugely to Stafford via Stile Cop route. Recrossing the A460 I had the last of the water, but had worked out a contingency plan.

Past Fairoak Lodge the forestry people were out in force. I had to wait for one guy loading logs onto his lorry to notice me before I squeezed past. There were no caravans at the Tackeroo caravan park, but the drinking water was still on so I refilled there.

I retraced the Heart of England way for a little while before heading up Anson's Bank amongst all the burnt area where the smell was even stronger.

I reached Walton-on-the-Hill at a quarter to six. Reaching the Lichfield Road, the GPS was reading 47.3 km and I was feeling knackered. Rather than head down the the canal, I instead walked along the road, checking the GPS at every bus stop. At the double mini-roundabout with the Cannock road, it clocked up 48.4 km and I deciced that was enough and waited for the next bus.

I ended up with three blisters. Lately, when I've had blisters I've been wearing that pair of socks, or its twin, so I think a change is in order.

Annoying people, part 94

People who, when you ask them to sponsor you, go away to fiddle with a spreadsheet then offer to sponsor you for e^0.08d pounds.

A Short Walk On The Chase

Distance: 11.2 km (6.96 mi)
Time: 2 hours 17
Average speed: 4.88 km/h (3.05 mph)

Just a two hour walk this morning. I started a little after 8 am, when the Sun had had a chance to take the chill off. I didn't see a cloud at all.

From Chase Road Corner, I went to Spring Slade Lodge, past the military cemetery, onto Brindley Heath for a wander then past the Visitor Centre to Fairoak Lodge, the Rifle Range and back to the car park.

Beautiful blue sky, and I haven't seen a contrail in days. In fact, until three light aircraft flew over me as I was coming up from Sherbrook Valley, I hadn't seen any trace of powered flight in days.

No deer to be seen, but plenty of rabbits, crows and one woodpecker. Plus a cuckoo I couldn't see but could hear.

Friday: Rugeley to Stafford

Distance: 21.8 km (13.55 mi)
Time: 4 hours, 3 minutes
Average speed: 5.38 km/h (3.34 mph)

This was the same route as the 19th of March. The discrepancy in distance is because the GPS was playing up and I had to reset it some 15 minutes into the walk.

This really was a lovely Spring day. The weather seems to be making up for Winter, although as I native of these lands I harbour suspicions that it is merely lulling us in a false sense of security. The ground on the Chase is dry as a bone, cracking in some places and turning to dust in others.

Crossing Brocton Field I could see three buzzards (probably) gliding on the air currents. Alas I didn't have my camera, and anyway I have established beyond all doubt I'm no wildlife photographer.

The section along the canal I even had to put on my sunglasses because of the sun being reflected in the water.

The finish saw me less tired and less sore than the last time I did the route, so this training must be working. Just a pity it was the Friday closest to pay day and therefore takeaway night.

Sunday: The Long Mynd

Looking up Carding Mill Valley

Distance: 37.9 km (23.55 mi)
Time: 7 hours
Average Speed: 5.41 km/h (3.36 mph)
Total ascent: 570m

This route was based on one from a walking guide, but extended to ~20 miles for the training schedule. The route is from the Jarrold guide for Shropshire, Staffordshire and Heart of England, with a couple of additions.

The weather forcast was good so I was in short sleeves from the start. The wind, when exposed to it, cooled things down significantly and other people were wrapping up warmer than I thought necessary but I am a Geordie. Genetically speaking, although we can still feel the cold we are incapable of admitting we fell the cold. Out of the wind it was certainly warm.

The route starts next to the Co-op in Church Stretton, climbing out of the town before dropping back down into the Carding Mill Valley. You then follow the valley before climbing up out of it to meet the Port Way. That climb certainly worked up a sweat and was good practice for Red Bank.

At the top the route is to turn left and head southwards along the Port Way, but I turned right and headed north until I felt I'd reached the end then looped around back to where I'd first hit the top. Along the way I helped a group of 5 lads unsure if they were still on the right path.

Back on the book's route I followed the Port Way over Pole Bank and on to Pole Cottage. At this point the route turns left to follow the path down to Little Stretton but I had a longer walk planned. I kept going along the top of the Long Mynd. For some reason the GPS lost its fix around this point and didn't get it back until I'd stopped for a much needed drink of water 15 minutes later.

At the gliding club I took the diverted path around the runway (the Starboard Way they call it) and kept going. They were using the ground tow for launching which is almost silent, except when the tow rope is dropping and they're rewinding it.

When it looked clear the path was heading downhill I stopped for my sandwiches. After that break it was straight on down until I'd almost reached the level of the road (about 7m above where I'd started), then followed the public bridleway left to come around the eastern side of the Long Mynd.

Once I'd worked my nerve up I turned left and climbed back up to the Port Way, rejoining it exactly where I'd stopped for lunch. Then I retraced my steps back to the path down to Little Stretton and rejoined the book's route.

Going down to Little Stretton is very steep, as the parents with the push chair coming the other way were discovering. I decided against a quick pint in the pub in Little Stretton, although it was very tempting. The final leg is a nice flat bit along the road from Little Stretton back to Church Stretton and the car park.

Reviewing the GPSs track data it got very confused at the top of Carding Mill, so I had to clean it up a bit before I could believe the distance and average speed data.

Ahem

The Eleventh Hour

In short, I liked it. It was never going to be a classic. All it had to do was introduce the new cast while providing an exciting story.

What I'm more interested in is the foreshadowing, of which everyone seems to have spotted two instances but I think I saw a third.

The obvious one is the whole "Silence will fall" bit from Prisoner Zero.

Next we have the prominent Myth logo on the laptop. Possibly just the BBC avoiding product placement, or a company that will be important later. Note that the Y in MYTH seems to be a greek letter psi.

And nobody else seems to have spotted that a static line on a Tardis display at the end was the same shape as the crack in the wall in Amy's bedroom. Is the Tardis responsible for the cracks in the universe?

Rugeley to Uttoxeter with M & G

Distance: 20.1 km (12.49 mi)
Time: 4 hours 49
Average speed: 4.17 km/h (2.59 mph)

Today Mick and Gayle were going from Rugeley Trent Valley station to Uttoxeter station on their Kent to Cape Wrath walk. Myself, Mike and Sam walked with them today as we all had a day off in leiu of Good Friday.

I held up the start as I was the one who didn't drive to Rugeley TV, but got the bus to Rugeley centre and walked out to the station. From outside the station we went past the Yorkshireman to find the footpaths across the fields. It was soon clear that it was going to be a muddy trip, although the weather was OK. No rain, no sun, perhaps a bit too much wind at times.

At Colton we joined the Stafforshire Way which was to comprise our route for the rest of the day, bar a couple of corner cuttings. At Stockwell Heath we stopped for a group photo (on Gayle's camera) and to remove some of the layers. I was the only one to go for short sleves though. Sam left us here, she was still suffering from a bug she'd picked up and had only intended to walk a short way with us.

Blithfield reservoir was one of the corners we cut, walking along the dam itself rather than the Staffs way below us. In Abbots Bromley we stopped for a hot cross bun and a creme egg, and for Gayle to expand her property empire, before pushing on.

After a while farmland gets a bit dull, although we were chatting away to each other. The sight of the Peak District in the distance did signal that we were getting close to Uttoxeter and warn Mick and Gayle what they had to look forward to in the next few days.

The destination in Uttoxeter was the railway station where they'd left their car. Living in Staffordshire, they're taking the opportunity to sleep at home whilst using their car and public transport to get to and from their starting and ending points for each day.

They gave Mike and me a lift back to Rugeley, although we did stop off at Abbots Bromley to sample the pub we'd passed earlier when it was closed. A nice pint of Landlord.

Easter Sunday: Shutlingsloe

The Peak District Llama in its natural habitat

Distance: 12.06 km (7.49 mi)
Time: 2 hours 47
Average speed: 4.33 km/h (2.69 mph)
Total ascent: 395 m

Another one from my Peak District walking guide. Starting in the shadow of Shutlingsloe, heading north away from it before looping through the Macclesfield Forest and around Ridegate Reservoir to come up Shutlingsloe from behind, which is a lot easier than the direct route.

Like an idiot optimist I started with my waterproof in the backpack. I spent the first 5 minutes of the walk wondering if I ought to put it on because it was a bit cold. Then the heavens opened, which settled the question. Only about 10 minutes of heavy rain, then it stopped and held off, modulo a couple of light showers, until much later.

The llamas appear to be doing well. Actually that photograph above is a cheat. I forgot my camera, so that's from March '07.

Some cyclists and a couple of horse riders were the only people about, at least until I reached the Macclesfield Forest. The the walkers started appearing, two by two. Usually walking a dog or two.

Now either I'm more unobservant than I thought or visibility was much better than the 4 or so times I'd walked the route before, but yesterday was the first time I'd noticed something. Heading on the climb from the reservoir to the trig point I glanced westwards and saw something on the Cheshire plain I'd never seen before. A large white structure that at first I thought was a fairground wheel, but that didn't make sense. There was nothing else near it, except for one square building. It took about a minute of puzzled looks at it before I realized what it was. Jodrell Bank.

Shortly after kicking myself, I got a good look at the top of Shutlingsloe with a handful of people milling about. By the time I got there, there was no one and I had the trig point all to myself. It wasn't until I was setting off down again that anyone else came up.

I take the shortest route down from the top, gingerly picking my way down occasionally using the undignified sitting-down method. Just as I reached the part where I start to feel confident enough to start walking properly the hail came on. Luckingly the wind was going the same way as I was, I hate walking into hail. As the hail passed it was a wierd sight, the wind had mostly dropped so it moved away slowly and you could see it moving like a ghost down the hillside.