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Night Walking with Youngsters |
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Written by Peter Burgess
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Tuesday, 19 August 2008 |
 Nina and Peter
If the weather is clear and the moon is good, leave your torches and lights switched off. In such conditions there is enough light for you to see by and in any case, after an hour or more the eyes begin to adapt to the darkness. This is called dark adaption and it has been found during low light levels the body produces a photosensitive chemical called rhodopsin. The addition of lights can also deter potential animal encounters although it is always best to at least carry some light with you. Do try stay as quiet as you can in order to maximise your chances of seeing wildlife.
However, conditions for this particular walk were cloudy and we had to rely on the map and lights. Nina pretty much enjoyed the walk although towards the end of the short field hopping jaunt, we missed the field exit and spent a few unpleasant moments negotiating a fence and a small brook. The OS map had proved a little unreliable as regards the path route and Nina became a little disconcerted that I seemingly had lost the way. This just reiterates the point that when you have young people in hand you must always stay in control. At the end of it all we returned home but sadly had seen very little wildlife except a few good examples of slugs! Nina might not have fully enjoyed it but at least she had tried out her new kit and at least had done something most of her friends had not even thought about. Recommended gear: - Carry relevant map
- Mobile phone (charged!)
- Torches
- Whistle
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I recommend night walking over relatively short distances in lowland settings. For the children in tow, especially those from urban settings, it can be very exciting to stare into darkness, look at the stars and wonder what that sound was in the hedgerow! I think even the adults might like it as well. Have fun, stay safe and retell the adventure. Please contact the OFC with any walk activities you have completed - others would like to hear about it. Contact details are at the foot of the page. |
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"Just had to say, thank you for such a grand few minutes. I am 67 now and my knees are past the challenge of such a climb (Tryfan article) but it was great doing it again online with you." Sheelagh Finlay
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