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- From: PhilipPowell <newsbuse02@blencathra.demon.co.uk.invalid>
- Newsgroups: uk.rec.walking,uk.answers,news.answers
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- Subject: FAQ: Welcome to uk.rec.walking [monthly posting]
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-
- Archive-Name: uk/walking/intro
- URL: http://www.blencathra.org.uk/ukrw/index.html
- Posting Frequency: Monthly
-
- Welcome to the uk.rec.walking newsgroup
- =======================================
-
- Last modified on 28th February 2003.
- Also available online at:
-
- <http://www.blencathra.org.uk/ukrw/index.html>
-
- This is a monthly introductory posting intended to aid newcomers to
- the
- _unmoderated_ newsgroup uk.rec.walking - a Usenet forum for the
- discussion of topics related primarily to walking in the UK and
- Ireland. The newsgroup was originally created in the summer of
- 1995 and this monthly "Welcome" has been posted since 01-01-98
- following discussion among the regulars at that time.
-
- WHILST THIS IS GENERALLY AGREED BY THE POSTERS TO
- uk.rec.walking IT IS STRICTLY UNOFFICIAL AND SHOULD BE
- USED FOR GUIDANCE ONLY. If you have any queries regarding
- this then I am quite prepared to give my personal view by email
- - but my view is worth no more than anyone else posting here.
-
- The original charter for uk.rec.walking can be found at:
-
- <http://www.usenet.org.uk/uk.rec.walking.html>
-
- ======================================================
- Proposed changes to this or any other uk.* newsgroup are published in
- news:uk.net.news.announce, a moderated, low traffic newsgroup, which
- you are recommended to subscribe to. Details of elections to the UK
- Usenet Committee, which normally start in September of each year, are
- also found there. Discussion on new groups and changes takes place in
- uk.net.news.config. Further information can be found at:
-
- <http://www.usenet.org.uk>
- ======================================================
-
- It is probably a good idea to lurk [read the postings] for a couple of
- weeks so that you get a feel for the ambience of the newsgroup before
- posting yourself. For general netiquette queries it is worth
- subscribing to [and reading!] news.announce.newusers.
-
-
- We have a small number of generally accepted guidelines:
-
- 1 Strictly speaking,
-
- ALL ADVERTS ARE FORBIDDEN BY THE CHARTER
-
- However, by custom we are tolerant of occasional Personal For
- Sale adverts. Any such postings should be preceded with FS so
- those who wish to filter them may do so.
-
- THE REPETITION OF ADVERTS IS NOT WELCOME
-
- 2 Please keep your line length to 70 characters [plain text] to
- assist readers whose terminals cut longer lines so that a
- post becomes almost meaningless.
-
- 3 No binaries or MIME encoded messages.
-
- 4 Please post in Plain Text not with HTML. MS Outlook [Express]
- defaults to HTML. You can change this by using the Menu
- choice Tools/Options/Send and selecting 'Plain Text for News
- and E-mail'.
-
- 5 A double dash and space separator is the standard signature
- separator - this can cause problems when replying if a double
- dash is used for anything but a signature in the original.
- It is appreciated if you snip unnecessary quotation when you
- reply to a posting.
-
- 6 Remember that some postings are cross-posted to/from other
- newsgroups so your response may be read elsewhere.
-
- Some subjects may cause heated debate but they are usually resolved
- amicably which is why this is such a successful group.
-
-
- The kind of topics covered here include:
- Problems with blisters/boots etc.
- Queries and debate regarding the interpretation of footpath
- law.
- Requests for advice on a Long Distance Path.
- Details of an enjoyable walk and trip reports [TR].
- Information about walking related web sites.
- Recommendations for accommodation/equipment/maps etc.
- Compasses and navigation.
- Maps - see <http://www.old-maps.co.uk> for 19th century maps
- of most of the UK.
-
- PLEASE NOTE:
- Requests by new subscribers for information regarding the
- National Three Peaks - Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon -
- are likely to receive a somewhat unexpected response.
- Before posting any such request, please see:
- <http://www.blencathra.org.uk/ukrw/n3pc.html>
-
- If your query is better answered in the online FAQ or elsewhere,
- someone will almost certainly point you in the right direction.
-
- If you are also interested in climbing you might like to try:
-
- uk.rec.climbing
-
- Other newsgroups of probable interest include:
-
- uk.rec.natural-history
- uk.rec.birdwatching
- rec.backcountry
- uk.rec.caving
- uk.rec.camping
-
- The expanded version of this posting is available on:
-
- <http://www.blencathra.org.uk/ukrw/index.html>
-
- This also contains a link to past postings available on Google
- [formerly Deja]
-
- For posting photographs and other items of interest, Carol Haynes has
- provided a group site for uk.rec.walking:
-
- <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ukrw/>
-
-
- Paul Saunders has compiled a photo gallery of the posters to
- uk.rec.walking which can be found at:
-
- <http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/urw/index.html>
-
-
- Adrian Marsh Tupper provides a monthly stats roundup of the newsgroup
- postings at:
-
- <http://www.highscotland.co.uk>
-
- The URL takes the form:
- <http://www.highscotland.co.uk/urwnov01.htm>
- using the first three letters of the month and last two digits of the
- year.
-
- He also has Munro Bagging on the Web at:
-
- <http://www.highscotland.co.uk/mindex.htm>
-
-
- A series of answers to FAQs [Frequently Asked Questions] is being
- compiled on:
-
- <http://www.blencathra.org.uk/ukrw/faq.html>
-
- At present it contains links to help you with queries regarding:
- Lists of walking related web sites
- LDPs
- Gear
- A Friendly Welcome - food and drink
- British Isles flora and fauna
- Walking/climbing screensavers
-
- The Boots FAQ has been revised by Chris Gilbert and Graham Drabble.
- It is posted every 21 days and is available at:
-
- <http://users.ox.ac.uk/~sjoh1646/urw-boot.txt>
-
- Of course, how this can be developed depends on the subscribers.
-
- If you want to see general advice from walking-related organisations
- see:
-
- The British Mountaineering Council
- <http://www.thebmc.co.uk>
- The Mountaineering Council of Scotland
- <http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk>
- The Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society
- <http://www.scotways.com>
- <mailto:info@scotways.com>
- The Ramblers Association
- <http://www.ramblers.org.uk>
-
- And finally - one response in a thread entitled "Why do you walk?":
-
- "The views of distant summits,
- the smell of wilderness heather,
- the grasp of rock and branch in the hand,
- the blowing of the wind,
- the shining of the sun,
- the solitude, the emptiness,
- the peace, the quiet,
- the shine of sunlight on speckled ice,
- the crisp feel of fresh snow under boot,
- the freshness of the mountain burn,
- the tenderness of the foot,
- the dampness of the whole spinal area,
- the scratching of the midge bite,
- the inaccuracy of the weather forecast,
- the thick cloud from two thousand feet,
- the rain, the cold,
- the distant beep of GPS,
- the rattling click of walking poles,
- the smell of insect repellent,
- the mud that's deeper than it looks,
- the leaking water bottle,
- the sting of untethered drawcord,
- the tension of annoying walking partner,
- the coach party on top of Ben Lomond,
- the getting back down,
- the comfortable car seat,
- the removal of the boots,
- the sigh,
- the relaxation,
- the pint of cold beer,
- the "I was up there" feeling.
-
- I guess it's just good fun."
-
- Copyright Colin MacDonald, ukrw, 02/11/99
-
- --
- Philip Powell
- Looking north across the Derwent Valley and Northumberland
- to The Cheviot
-