Great Ayton Moor, a dull overcast day but dry. That’s Capt. Cook’s Monument is the distance. I found myself thinking about an observation I made over the weekend.
I found myself manning a checkpoint on a trail race that traversed my local moors. This particular checkpoint was strategically positioned at the intersection of public bridleways, and it should have been a straightforward affair. However, to my bewilderment, multiple runners repeatedly strayed onto a sheep trod some twenty metres from the junction.
I must admit, it struck me as rather peculiar. I could fathom one person going astray, but several? It defied reason. Naturally, I promptly summoned them back and indicated the correct path—an obvious route that followed a good track running alongside a dry-stone wall.
Then, a lady, who was sporting a pair of earphones, gestured toward her auditory contraptions and uttered, “It’s telling me to go left.” It was at that moment that the truth dawned on me. She was listening to the instructions of a satnav. Presumably, a gpx file had been uploaded onto her mobile phone.
Subsequently, I observed other runners surreptitiously glancing at their watches once I had called them back.
The disconcerting aspect of the situation was that these runners had ventured onto the moors, relying on the directions of their satnavs, seemingly without of an overall understanding of the course. I couldn’t help but wonder what they would do when that sheep trod had eventually petered out, as it would surely do. Would they be asked to “turn around when safe to do so” or turn right on a hasty shortcut across the heather?
Navigating the moors and hills at speed demands more than just the ability to maintain a swift pace. It also entails a set of specific skills. Mountaincraft is an often used phrase. Undoubtedly, navigation is one such skill, but so too is the resilience to withstand the unpredictable weather conditions and to read the terrain, picking the best route.
Placing unwavering trust in technology may appear convenient, but it is worth remembering that one day, it might falter and leave you stranded.
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