2018 Review of the year outdoors - part 1

2018 Review of the year outdoors - part 1 (of 2)

This is a diary post documenting my most notable outdoor trips last year. I will try to include some RPG-relevant comments and gameable ideas!

January - Box Hill

So picture the scene, I work up the nerve to do a day's walk out of London with a plan to sleep out in a bivvy bag (i.e tentless). After nightfall and a couple of pints at the nearest hostelry I climb the hill under the shadowy and unfamiliar light of my head torch, telling myself regularly that there is nothing out there to get me.
Then I round the corner and see this huge beast blocking the path!

Wooden Dracolich - mostly harmless

It certainly looked to me like some kind of wooden dracolich, or perhaps SCP-682... In any case I nearly shat myself, but continued on regardless and actually did get some rest overnight after eventually dropping off to sleep. Achievement unlocked: first night in a bivvy bag somewhere other than a friend's garden.
Travelling at night, especially in wooded areas or without a moon is very difficult. I had to rely on my GPS whereas usually I'm comfortable with a map and compass.
Right-headed folk in your world would almost certainly plan to never travel at night.

February - Tower of London

Not really "outdoors", but I took my boy to the Tower of London. Unfortunately they didn't want to keep him there (ha).
To escape he had to battle a fence golem. These common constructs are often used to guard a passageway or portal. They are relentless in their assigned duty and cannot be harmed by piercing weapons because, well, there's nothing much to pierce.
 

Battle the fence-golem to gain access to the Tower!

As reward for heroically defeating the fence-golem the boy was crowned the Peasant-Boy-King.

All hail the Peasant-Boy-King

This is an uncommon but occasionally political useful appointment whereby an unknown peasant boy is crowned Regent in situations where the true heir is not apparent, or there is some other useful purpose in the true heir delaying their birthright. The Peasant-Boy-King, having no political allies and no power at arms, is then easy to depose at the correct time. Any astute political decisions made by the Peasant-Boy-King during his time in power are of course simple co-incidence as commoners do not have the necessary mental capacity to rule.

March - Skiddaw & Cumbria Way

Despite a forecast snowstorm I stayed at Skiddaw House which is one of the most remote hostels in England. In my experience it must also be the coldest.
On the way up there was evidence of flooding in the small streams.
 

Evidence of flooding in the streams

I managed to get to the top of the summit ridge of Skiddaw but the winds were the strongest I have ever experienced. Despite using two hiking poles I was almost blown off my feet. I considered crawling so that I could quickly drop down off the ridge. Truly exhilarating.

Having the high ground is usually of advantage in a battle, but what if the winds are that strong? Ranged fighting would be impossible, shields become a liability, powerful blows will be much more effective at knocking combatants off their feet, and a well placed shove might be more effective than a hit with a weapon.

Snow and low cloud almost at the top of Skiddaw

The next day the wind has died a little and the cloud had lifted for some glorious views:

The Cumbria Way over High Pike

Starting early, I made an excellent pace, travelling 20 miles down off the fells in time for a late pub lunch - I have to admit though this was at my limit and it required me to dig deep for the effort. I also swore a bit.

You may not think that a bit of wind and rain would affect your adventurers' travel much, but to experience it first-hand I can tell you their immediate thoughts are likely to be focused on how to find shelter and make up lost time tomorrow. 

April - Monarch's Way

An internet acquaintance, Lee-Stuart Evans, had decided to walk all 650+ miles of the Monarch's Way in one go. The route is supposedly that taken by Charles II as he (successfully) evaded the Roundheads before fleeing to France. As such the route seems to wander all over the English midlands and south east and loops and doubles back on itself a number of times.
My aim was to join Lee-Stuart on this walk in the Cotswolds, but alas, the timings did not work out and I had to settle for leaving some "encouraging" notes on the wayposts.

Note left on fence in distance read: "watch out, it's a bit muddy"

Note read: "You did bring your snorkel, right?"

Despite my sarcasm he seemed to appreciate it and the faux-historical or Tolkien-esque map he commissioned to commemorate the epic trip even has a little note symbol with my initials on it. 
Read all about the real-life adventure here: 
https://theairlandandsea.com/2018/04/the-monarchs-way-fastest-known-time-how.html
(Any similarity to actual hobbits, living or dead, is purely coincidental.)

What famous routes could there be in your fantasy world?
What friends - or enemies - would your adventurers most like to meet at key points in their journeys?

May - North Downs Way

I joined another internet acquaintance on their quest to set a fastest known time on the North Downs Way. 

We met a lady who certainly appeared to be an actual pilgrim. Religion - or spirituality - can certainly make people do unusual things.

Actual pilgrim (second from left)

The route is a well-travelled long distance footpath and was very easy to follow and well signposted, but we did see one case of vandalism, or perhaps disrepair:

Which way now?

What will your adventurers do when the landmark or signpost they were expecting is no longer there? Perhaps the high price of that local guide was worth it after all. And who has destroyed such a useful marker for the surrounding landscape - perhaps someone or something looking to disrupt local life and ability to communicate and react to threats?

We also saw a large brick gatehouse that lead to... nothing but an overgrown thicket. Very strange:

Gateway to nowhere

So bear in mind that the remains of previous life in your world will not just be limited to ruined hilltops keeps or hidden dungeons.

June - Dartmoor

This was my first trip to Dartmoor, but certainly not my last. It's an amazing place. I will let the pictures and captions do most of the talking:

One place of note is Piles Copse, apparently one of only five prehistoric highland oak woodlands in Britain.
I find out now that apparently there is a "dungeon" somewhere in the copse. Someday I will heroically investigate and report back!

Piles Copse (Note: firewood and camp remains not mine! Leave No Trace, people!)

Dare I enter?

Is it treasure? A body bag?? Or a used emergency bivvy??? I did not investigate further.

These landscape features are common. I assume they are small historical quarries. A good place to shelter, but not escape...

Bridges?! Where we're going we don't need bridges!

More treasure? A dropped packed lunch?? Actually a geocache.

Wild, wild horses. (Well ponies, but that's not a song.)

Yep, hiking on Dartmoor is pretty metal

...
For the second half of June onwards, including ancient Roman remains, another strange golem and more sleeping in bags, look out for the final part of this post coming soon...