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Precious Metals Forum > Precious Metals and Economic News > Fiat Ponzi
Ray Dalio sees dollar crisis about two years away
Dalio on Turkey, Argentina, and the Next Economic Downturn - YouTube
The interview starts with issues faced by emerging markets and covers a range of issues including the cycles that are leading up to another economic crisis here in the USA.
rblong2us
Location: off world
Weve been assured that this would already have happened by so many 'experts' .......
Including many who actually did predict the '08 collapse.
And their observations and arguments have generally seemed reasonable.
Its a bit like knowing P.M's will eventually show us the true value of fiat currencies
if it cant be done with a digger .... it cant be done
For the record, if you don't know who Dalio is:
Raymond Dalio (born August 8, 1949) is an American billionaire investor, hedge fund manager, and philanthropist.[3] Dalio is the founder of investment firm Bridgewater Associates, one of the world's largest hedge funds.[4] As of January 2018, he is one of the world's 100 wealthiest people, according to Bloomberg.[5]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Dalio
rblong2us likes this.
Is another "Great Depression" on the horizon? It would be easier to dismiss these words from Nouriel Roubini, Marc Faber or other doom-and-gloom prognosticators. Coming from Christine Lagarde's team, though, they take on a new dimension of scary.
The International Monetary Fund head isn't known for breathlessness on the world stage. And yet the IMF sounded downright alarmist in its latest Global Financial Stability report, stating that "large challenges loom for the global economy to prevent a second Great Depression."
Even some market bears were taken aback. "Why," asks Michael Snyder of The Economic Collapse Blog would the IMF use this phrase "in a report that they know the entire world will read?"
Perhaps because, unfortunately, the findings of other referees of global risks – including the Bank for International Settlements – hint at similar dislocations.
Ten years after the Lehman Brothers crisis, these worrisome warnings that will be explored in depth at this week's annual IMF meeting in Bali. The tranquil setting, though, will offer few respites from cracks appearing in markets everywhere – from Italy to China to Southeast Asia, where currencies are cratering like it's 1998 again.
Potential flashpoints and a long line of dominos
Italy is the current flashpoint – and the latest target of "domino effect" chatter in frothy world markets. China's shadow-banking bubble, and the extreme opacity and regulations that enable it, also came in for criticism. And, of course, the 800-pound beast in any room where global investors gather these days: Donald Trump's assault on world trade.
But the real worry is the health of foundations underpinning these and other risks.
As the BIS warned on Sept. 23, the global economy faces a potential "relapse" of the "Lehman shock" of 2008. "Things look rather fragile," says BIS chief economist Claudio Borio. Equally worrying, he adds: "There's little left in the medicine chest to nurse the patient back to health or care for him in case of a relapse."
A similar connection of dangerous dots runs through the IMF's latest report. The big problem, says Malhar Nabar, deputy chief of IMF research, is the one that investors tend to ignore or explain away: how much of the Lehman fallout is still with us.
"There are many countries, even today, that are operating below pre-crisis trends," Nabar says. "And what's interesting is not just countries that suffered banking crises in 2007-2008 but also other countries outside of that epicenter that were affected through trade links or through financial links."
Increased inequality is one troubling side-effect. Yet Nabar highlights, "possible long-lasting effects of the crisis on potential growth" that might seem tangential to Wall Street's crash – lower birth rates, lower fertility and even "some evidence of slower technology adoption." All this, he says, "can affect productivity growth and potential growth going forward."
There is no doubt that many of the official policy actions taken since 2008 "seemed to have helped limit the harm." But the costs of those efforts are only beginning to get calculated.
2008 crisis measures cast long, dark shadow
Excessively loose monetary policies have exacerbated the widening inequality trends unfolding pre-Lehman crackup. At the same time, there's been, in the words of the IMF, a "large accumulation of public debt and the erosion of fiscal buffers in many economies following the crisis point to the urgency of rebuilding defenses to prepare for the next downturn."
Yet all the diplomatic speak in the world can't sugarcoat the roughly $250 trillion crisis unfolding in slow motion. That's the level to which the world's debt burden ballooned since the Lehman crash. That's 18 times China's annual gross domestic product.
And with official rates from Washington to Tokyo still at ultra-low levels historically, there's little ammunition to battle the next reckoning.
Italy's debt woes are an obvious weak link. One reason: just as with US officials after 2008, Europe did more to treat the symptoms of its woes than address underlying causes.
So is China's unbalanced economy, one being trolled by US President Donald Trump's tariffs arms race. This year's 6.4% drop in the yuan is raising eyebrows for good reason. For one thing, it coincides with a marked slowdown in exports, industrial production, fixed-asset investment and an 18% plunge in Shanghai stocks this year. For another, it raised the specter of sizable defaults on dollar debt, which would reverberate through the global economy.
And therein lies Asia's problem.
Asia's exposure
In general, the region has journeyed a long way since the darkest days of 1997 and 1998. Financial systems are stronger and governments are more transparent. Currencies are more flexible. Foreign-exchange reserves have been rebuilt. That leaves advanced economies from South Korea to Singapore reasonably well equipped to withstand fresh turmoil.
But there are cracks in the region's developing markets, as the ferocity of currency plunges in India, Indonesia and the Philippines show. Investors may argue they've learned from past misstates, but still fall prey to herd mentalities.
It's an urgent wakeup call for India's Narendra Modi, Indonesia's Joko Widodo and Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines to narrow current-account and budget deficits. Leaders also need to devise macroprudential firewalls against global contagion.
The problem for Asia: contagion could come as much from the West and its own backyard.
Trump's fiscal incompetence – including a $1.5 trillion tax cut America didn't need – could roil global rates and the dollar. A recent spike in 10-year yields to 3.2%, the highest in seven years, could be a bad omen. Trump, too, is publicly dueling with his hand-picked Federal Reserve chairman. And given Trump's legal woes, the odds of new tariffs or even military action to distract voters can't be ruled out.
Any new assault on China could devastate Japan's reflation effort. True, epic Bank of Japan easing and a weaker yen boosted exports. It pushed Nikkei 225 index stocks to 27-year highs. Yet Asia's No. 2 economy is in harm's way if the US-China brawl trumps the region's key growth engine.
Even before most policy makers and financiers arrive in Bali this week, the IMF is signaling that global growth has plateaued. It downgraded output to 3.7% from 3.9%.
That not the end of the world, per se. But with trade battles intensifying and dormant old devils re-emerging, all bets could soon be off.
That is a lot more than depressing: it's terrifying.
https://news.goldcore.com/us/gold-bl...ression-ahead/
This was published back in September - about a week before Ray Dalio's interview on Bloomberg:
"We have no ability to turn the economy around," said Martin Feldstein, President of the US National Bureau of Economic Research.
"When the next recession comes, it is going to be deeper and last longer than in the past. We don't have any strategy to deal with it," he told The Daily Telegraph.
Professor Feldstein, a former chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, described a bleak scenario more akin to the depressions of the 1870s or the 1930s than anything experienced in the post-War era.
He warned that a decade of super-low interest rates and monetary stimulus by the US Federal Reserve has pushed Wall Street equities to nose-bleed levels that no longer bear any relation to historic fundamentals. Stock prices will inevitably come plummeting back down to earth.
Prof Feldstein said the next bear market - most likely triggered by a spike in 10-year Treasury yields - risks setting off a US$10 trillion (NZ$15 trillion) crash in US household assets. The cascading 'wealth effects' will drain the retail economy of US$300bn to US$400bn a year, causing recessionary forces to mestasasize.
"Fiscal deficits are heading for US$1 trillion dollars and the debt ratio is already twice as high as a decade ago, so there is little room for fiscal expansion," he said, speaking earlier on the sidelines of the Ambrosetti forum on world affairs at Lake Como.
The eurozone faces an even worse fate when the global cycle turns since the European Central Bank has yet to build up safety buffers against a deflationary shock. The half-constructed edifice of monetary union almost guarantees than any response will be too little, too late.
"The Europeans don't have a fiscal back-up. They don't have anything. At least you have your own central bank and treasury in Britain, so you will be happier," he said.
"Mario Draghi is going to be very happy when he has left the ECB because it is not clear how they are going to get out of this when they still have zero rates. They can't play the trick of the cheap euro again," he said.
More: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?objectid=12126427&
Feldstein is a Harvard professor and head of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Rickards adds to the chorus:
With growth now fading after the Trump tax cut boost (there will be no tax cuts in 2019), the debt-to-GDP ratio is now up to 106%, since debt is growing faster than GDP.
As Grant points out, the national debt has registered compound annual growth of 8.8%, but only 6.3% for GDP. That's not a sustainable situation. And it's not at all clear that GDP will close the gap.
Basically, the United States is going broke.
https://dailyreckoning.com/the-unite...s-going-broke/
He posits that the Fed could set a new floor in the gold price to create inflation (to devalue the dollar). I don't know how likely that would be. I would expect the world would have to be on fire before they would consider anything like that. Then again, we saw some drastic stuff happen after Lehman.
Another voice in the choir:
... the CEO of the world's largest asset-management firm said Tuesday during a panel discussion at the New Economic Forum in Singapore that the US dollar's status as the world's dominant currency wouldn't last forever.
And instead of citing external factors like China's expanding economic clout and influence, or an insurgent Russia, Fink pointed to the widening US budget deficit as the biggest risk to the dollar's status as the global hegemon. And while it might not happen tomorrow, or next year, over time, as US interest rates rise and the federal government strains under its tremendous debt burden, the creditors who were once eager to buy up Treasury bonds will gradually disappear.
The US will have a "supply problem" as the widening deficit requires more borrowing. The threat of "interest rates becoming too high to sustain the economy with its growth rates" is becoming a real concern for the US.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...y-are-numbered
Here's a note from Economic Cycle Research Institute's Lakshman Achuthan:
Notably, the combined debt of the US, Eurozone, Japan, and China has increased more than ten times as much as their combined GDP [growth] over the past year.
Yes, you read that right. In the last year, the world's largest economies are generating debt 10X faster than economic growth. Adding debt at that pace, if it continues, will boost the debt-to-GDP ratio at an alarming rate.
Lakshman continues.
Remarkably, then, the global economy—slowing in sync despite soaring debt—finds itself in a situation reminiscent of the Red Queen Effect we referenced 15 years ago, when tax cuts boosted the US budget deficit much more than GDP. As the Red Queen says to Alice in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass, "Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!"
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnmau.../#34ac7ad653aa
Boy, some of the rhetoric circulating these days has to make you wonder. These aren't doom and gloom permabears...
The pillars of the global financial system are fundamentally unstable and could lead to a frightening chain-reaction in the next crisis, the world's top watchdog has warned.
Giant "central counterparties" (CCPs) that clear much of the $540 trillion (L428 trillion) nexus of derivatives are themselves vulnerable to failure in times of extreme stress.
This is a worry looming ever larger as rising US interest rates expose the weak links in global debt markets.
The Bank for International Settlements said in its quarterly report that the CCPs could cause "a destabilising feedback loop, amplifying stress."
The implicit message is that well-meaning regulators may have made the financial architecture more dangerous by mistake.
The notional value of the derivatives cleared worldwide is 4.4 times world GDP, up from 2.8 times in 2008. JP Morgan alone has a $30 trillion book.
The BIS warned that regulators have inadvertently created a "CCP-bank nexus" -- somewhat akin to the sovereign/bank doom loop in the eurozone -- in which the two feed on such other.
The rotten apple contaminates the healthy banks. A fire sale of assets spreads contagion. Banks may be forced to hoard liquidity to protect themselves. The BIS said "balance sheet interlinkages" and what it calls the "CCP default waterfall" could unravel with "potentially system-wide effects."
The BIS says the nature of the world's business cycle has entirely changed over the last three decades. For most of the 20th century booms turned to bust when rising inflation forced authorities to jam on the brakes.
This is no longer the case. Globalization and the inclusion of China and emerging Asia in the trading system have suppressed inflation. What now brings the party to an end is excess credit and rising debt service ratios. As conditions tighten, the financial system eventually buckles under its own weight.
he thrust of BIS research is that we may be close to this inflexion point. Standard & Poor's says the number of junk bonds rated B minus or below has jumped from 17 to 25 percent over the last year. This is now the highest since global financial crisis.
The average yield on U.S. junk bonds has risen 165 basis points to 7.2 percent over the last year. A cascade of downgrades has begun. The spike has been even more dramatic in the eurozone where stress is nearing danger levels, leaving credit analysts baffled by the European Central Bank's decision to halt quantitative easing this month.
The BIS fears a waterfall effect. "The bulge of BBB corporate debt, just above junk status, hovers like a dark cloud over investors. Should this debt be downgraded, if and when the economy weakened, it is bound to put substantial pressure on a market that is already quite illiquid," said Mr. Borio.
Before the 2008 crisis most derivatives were cleared by trading parties in direct dealings. The G20 shift has lifted the share of CCPs for interest rate derivatives from 20 to 60 percent. The effect is to concentrate risk. The BIS warns that the system may encourage a rush for the exit in events of extreme stress.
The International Monetary Fund has also flagged the dangers. It warned this year that CCPs "increase the risk of a failure of the infrastructure itself" and could lead to a "catastrophe" if the all layers of defense were overrun by a big default. It would be like the failure of the Maginot Line.
The G20 may have made the world financial system more hazardous.
More: http://gata.org/node/18694
Former Federal Reserve Chairperson Janet Yellen told an audience in New York that she fears there could be another financial crisis brewing.
She warned of leveraged loans and the inability for the Fed to bail out banks. ...
More: https://news.goldcore.com/us/gold-bl...is-is-brewing/
Derivative bets are not allowed to fail .......
We have considered all the facts and there is no default (-:
The inability of the counterparty to pay will be passed on to, eerrr, another counterparty, possibly one of those 'bad banks' we invented in anticipation of such a non default.
Dont know why all those 'top experts' are ramping up the fear quotient, unless it suits their positions ?
Stanley Druckenmiller established himself as one of the most successful hedge fund managers of his generation thanks to an uncanny ability for recognizing signals in asset prices that portended an coming recession. So when he warns about rough times ahead, it's probably worth listening.
Though he's kept a relatively low profile since closing Duquesne Capital in 2010 and opening a family office based in midtown, Druckenmiller's name has been popping up in the headlines of the financial press more frequently lately where his criticisms of the Fed were ridiculed (back in September he warned that we we are at the point in the tightening cycle where "bombs are going off") before they were echoed by no less a figure than the president himself. Over the weekend, Druckenmiller offered his latest contrarian screed against Wall Street pearl clutchers by arguing in an op-ed published with former Fed Gov. Kevin Warsh that Trump has a point, and that the Fed already missed its opportunity to safely tighten monetary policy. Now, the Fed has two choices: either reconsider its plans to raise rates to 3% and beyond over the next year, or risk destabilizing asset markets and the broader economy.
And in an interview that bears similarities to Jeff Gundlachs' "truth bomb"-strewn chat with CNBC, Druckenmiller sat down with Bloomberg for an hour-long interview where he warned that market conditions are about to get a lot worse.
The only question, in Druckenmiller's mind, is not whether the selloff will worsen, but by how much? Because the indicators that Druckenmiller used to anticipate the last four downturns are once again turning red, suggesting the "highest probability is that we struggle going forward."
More: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...-unwind-slowly
GATA posted a letter from Dan Oliver of Myrmikan Capital that is worth a read:
The world may still be some distance from the next Lehman moment, but nearly a decade at zero rates bred massive malinvestment that cannot withstand a rising interest environment. Unless the Fed starts printing, and soon, and a lot, Lehman will come.
More: http://www.gata.org/files/MyrmikanRe...01-14-2019.pdf
The dollar is strong right now because our streets aren't burning down like France and England, but that's likely going to change when the food stamp and welfare money runs out in a couple of weeks. When the gimme dats don't "get paid", the fires gonna' start burning right here.
These children in Congress had better start thinking this one through pretty quickly, because the riots will be nation wide.
This is a fun one...
Harvard professor Ken Rogoff said the key policy instruments of the Communist Party are losing traction and the country has exhausted its credit-driven growth model. This is rapidly becoming the greatest single threat to the global financial system.
"People have this stupefying belief that China is different from everywhere else and can grow to the moon," said Harvard professor Ken Rogoff, a former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund. "China can't just keep creating credit. They are in a serious growth recession and the trade war is kicking them on the way down," he told the Telegraph, speaking before the World Economic Forum in Davos.
"There will have to be a de facto nationalisation of large parts of the economy. I fear this really could be 'it' at last and they are going to have their own kind of Minsky Moment," he said.
This refers to the financial instability hypothesis of Hyman Minsky. It is when a seemingly unstoppable debt bubble suddenly collapses under its own weight in a cascade of falling asset and property prices. The authorities can cushion the crash but they cannot escape the brutal mechanics of reversion.
Prof Rogoff is co-author of a magisterial history of debt delusions, This Time is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly, written with former IMF firefighter Carmen Reinhart.
He said it was an error to think that China's current slowdown is entirely deliberate and calibrated. While the People's Bank undoubtedly wishes to curb the credit boom it is also riding a tiger that it cannot fully control.
"I fear this will be the third leg of the global debt supercycle, after subprime in the US and the debt crisis in the eurozone. Nobody knows how this is going play out but it could be on the scale of 2008 and it is will be very bad for Asia, and there will be spillovers in Europe," he said.
The eurozone is already suffering the fall-out from the Asian downturn. Most of the region is in industrial recession. Germany and Italy buckled in the second half of 2018, and confidence has slumped to crisis-level lows in France.
"I am very sceptical that the eurozone system can handle another big shock. It is a house half built and if there is something like 2008, it is all going to blow up. Some countries will have to be ring-fenced with capital controls," he said.
The eurozone has little policy powder left to fight deflation. Interest rates are already minus 0.4 percent and the European Central Bank's €2.6 trillion blitz of bond purchases has pushed the institution's balance sheet to 43 percent of GDP. The political bar to renewing quantitative easing is very high.
Europe's leaders have yet to build a crisis machinery fit for purpose. There is still no proper banking union with shared deposit insurance, let alone a fiscal union. The rigid rules of the Stability Pact inhibit use of budget stimulus a l'outrance in a recession.
Prof Rogoff said there is a danger that China and Asian tigers could be forced to pull in some of their trillions of offshore global funds to cover urgent needs at home, drying up or even reversing the so-called Asian 'savings glut'.
This would have the unpleasant effect of driving up 'real' interest rates across the world, which would be awkward for the US at a time when President Donald Trump's trillion dollar deficits risking crowding out bond markets. Higher real rates would would trial by fire for parts of Europe.
http://gata.org/node/18778
Jeffrey Gundlach, Wall Street's bond king and respected prognosticator on all financial markets, is painting a bearish picture of the stock and corporate bond markets, as well as the U.S. economy.
In a webcast Tuesday, he cited weak chart patterns, a rising deficit, signs of an economic slowdown and the Federal Reserve's shrinking balance sheet.
"It certainly looks like the U.S. [stock market] is going to break down to me and to a lower level," the founder and chief executive officer of DoubleLine said. He said stocks look headed back to their lows in February and could break below them.
More: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/11/gund...e-mission.html
Ah the doom bar (-:
Invest in zero's I reckon
the kind you stick onto non existent computer based banknotes to turn them into millions
The only response they have is cost of money ( interest rates)
supply of money, push it out or give it away
and coercion, do as we say or else .......
And there probably is a real fear that the monetary system fails, leaving billions of people in dire straits.
Carry on with your plastic everyone. All payments will be honoured ..... trust us
And now we can blame the Chinese (-:
I've got a niggling intuition that scenarios much worse than what we saw in 2007/2008 are on the not too distant horizon. Our globally connected economy (and financial system) is a complex dynamic system of nations that are all damaged goods. The system as a whole doesn't appear to have sufficient resiliency to withstand the next major systemic crisis.
What's really confounding me is all the talk we saw circa 2008 about a New World Order and various plans for changes to the global monetary system has all ceased. No real buzz around any ideas being discussed at G8/20, Davos, etc. It doesn't seem like TPTB are really focused on the need for plan B.
Apparently Ray Dalio echoed his comments from 3 months ago (quoted in the OP) at Davos:
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-...cares-him-most
Seems Davos is full of bears this year:
As Davos wraps up today, what have we got so far so far from the cockpit of globalisation? Warnings of rising nationalism. Fears of recession. Worries that everything could come tumbling down again. And a total rejection of any policy alternatives regardless. It's as if the Captain of the Titanic admits to the passengers early into the journey that the ship is sinkable, and indeed they will all drown horribly when it goes down, but then reassures everybody he's sticking to the same route towards the iceberg anyway. Before flying home in his private jet.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-...ion-any-policy
They're terrified. Trump, Theresa May, Macron, Merkel and others aren't there because of the uprisings in their nations as a direct result of the globalist bullshit their agenda has caused, and the resultant pain inflicted upon the populaces. These bastards realize the clock is ticking and their plan is failing, but they don't want to give up. They are willing ( I believe anyway) to kill in order to continue with their one world government bullshit.
BigJim likes this.
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Two eye-opening books on the EURO crisis swissaustrian Fiat Ponzi 5 03-16-2013 08:45 AM
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I wanted to write to you, after our conversation this morning whilst having my reflexology treatment, of people disregarding the benefits of alternative treatments. I believe I am one case alone that would not be in such a good place today if it wasn't for your care and assistance. From my early thirties I was suffering from pain, mainly in my joints. I was referred to various Consultants to see if anything could be diagnosed and after approximately six years and numerous tests and consultants, some telling me to lose weight I was diagnosed with Lupus. Not good news but a diagnosis, 18 months later, and various nasty medications, I was told that she believed she had been hasty in making my diagnosis and that I was not suffering from Lupus. She then referred me to another consultant . Still suffering tremendous pain, on occasions and also being very debilitated I was sent to a further two consultants and many more tests and x-rays before being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
I have been prescribed all kinds of medication from antibiotics, steroids, methotrexate and pethidine which have certainly helped on some occasions to ease the pain, but I believe depleted my energy levels and capabilities at times. I have on occasions been so bad that I have had to use a computer chair to get me around the house and for periods of time crawled around being unable to walk. I have used sticks, crutches, shoulder straps and other supporting items as well as my best friend the 'tens machine'. My family can contest to the low levels I have reached when having to require help just to get dressed in the mornings.
My road to recovery was making a decision to stop taking the medications I was regularly taking and only using as and when really necessary. I read the book 'Treating Arthritis the Drug Free Way'. My bad days were less regular and the breakthrough came when after other reflexologists letting me down I found you on the internet.
Reflexology is something I truly believe in, I have been to you on numerous occasions not being able to lift my arms or discomfort in various joints but have noticed a difference after my treatment. Not only with the reflexology have you made a difference in my life, but after a few tests with you and your advice on supplements that you believe would be of help to me, I have all good days with very little pain and it is approximately 6 months since I have had to take the steroids or pethidine that I have in case of emergencies.
I also have had a weight problem for many years now, possibly been the same weight for more than 10 years. Since taking supplements for thyroid and adrenals, that you recommended, I have started to lose weight with the help of a good diet, something previously attempted to no avail.
You without a doubt have made a massive difference to my life, I have on many occasions thought I and my family would be better off if I wasn't around dragging everybody down. I now can say that I am looking very much to the future now that I am not only more mobile, but able to exercise without the repercussions suffered previously.
Thank you really isn't enough I do hope that when people attempt to get help from their GP's but fall inside the normal ranges yet still suffer, will be brave enough to seek alternative help because it really can change someone's life for the better.
Hazel Cook has been my Reflexologist for almost 20 years. I started using her shortly after being diagnosed with breast cancer. I had 6 month old twins, a 2 year old and was breastfeeding. The effect of the Reflexology treatments which I received regularly were a crucial part of my overall cancer treatment especially as I felt overwhelmed with shock, grief and anger. Subsequently I developed lymphoedema in my left arm and sacoidosis in my lung airways. Apart from the carefully tailored treatments, Hazel advised me on appropriate nutritional supplements to support my battered immune system. Over the years apart from my continuing treatments, my family have been treated by Hazel, most especially my younger son now 15 years old and 6 foot tall. He suffered from asthma and hayfever which were becoming progressively worse. Hazel devised a nutritional program which was almost miraculous in its effectiveness. Within months, his hayfever symptoms receded and his asthma became manageable once morel. I continue to receive treatments from Hazel and shall do so as long as she is prepared to give it!


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Founded in 1966, GEC Architecture is one of the longest continually operating architecture firms in North America. The name on the door has changed a few times over the years, from DS Stevens and Partners to Graham Edmunds Cartier to GEC Architecture today. However, our philosophy and our focus have remained consistent.


Found these clear images of the upcoming Nerf Super Soaker Dartfire images below on this UK Toy & Model Distributor webpage.
Contrary to my initial hypothesis, this blaster does NOT appear to launch water-propelled darts. Rather, it appears to be a combination blaster that can shoot darts OR water, reminding me of the Nerf: Switchshots series from ~2000. I am unclear if there is a selector switch or not.


Nicholson & Co.'s new organ with mechanical key action for Dean Close School, in Cheltenham, was completed in the autumn of 2014.
Singing the daily services in Tewkesbury Abbey leads the preparatory school's choristers on to learn organ at the Senior School and from there to win organ and choral scholarships. The new organ, of English tonality, has the power to lead congregational and choral singing as well as being a resourceful teaching and recital instrument.
To view or download the specification, please click here.


The young suspect pictured above was seen on surveillance video throwing a glass bottle at an MTA bus driver in Foxhurst, authorities said. The kid, described as 10 to 13 years old, 5-foot-4 and 110 pounds, rushed up to the open door of the bus at Prospect Avenue and Home Street at about 8:45 p.m. on Oct. 20, cops said. For unknown reasons he then hurled the bottle, which hit the victim in the left eye, investigators said. The driver was treated at Jacobi Medical Center, cops said. The boy was last seen wearing a black polo shirt and black jeans.
Police are looking for the three suspects pictured above who shot a man during a botched robbery in Williamsbridge, authorities said. The trio, one wielding a gun, entered the Hair Pros barbershop on Boston Road Saturday at about 7:20 p.m. and announced a stickup, cops said. The victim resisted, and the gunman shot him in the right arm. The trio then fled, and the victim was hospitalized in stable condition. The suspects were described as in their 20s, investigators said.
The two suspects pictured above robbed an Ozone Park deli at gunpoint, authorities said. The heist took place at 11:30 p.m. Saturday at MO Deli on Pitkin Avenue, police said. Surveillance footage shows one man, dressed in a black jacket over a blue hoodie, talking on his phone and pacing back and forth in the store before being joined by a second man, dressed in black, with his right hand in his pocket. The first suspect acted as lookout while the second displayed a firearm and demanded money, according to police. The crooks fled with $1,400 and a carton of cigarettes, cops said.
Police are searching for the suspects pictured above who assaulted and robbed a straphanger waiting for a 7-line train at the Times Square station. On Saturday at about 1:30 a.m., the thugs approached the 30-year-old victim, knocked him to the ground and grabbed his phone, cops said. Both suspects are described as about 18 years old, 5-foot-8 and 145 pounds. One was wearing a black and white waist-length jacket with red pants. The other was wearing a black vest jacket and dark colored pants. Both wore glasses and carried book bags.
An NYPD cop and his wife were arrested after allegedly assaulting each other at their East Flatbush home early Wednesday, police said. Cleeford Louissaint, 35, and his wife, Kathy, were charged with assault and criminal mischief after an argument turned physical at about 3:50 a.m. The cop, who works at the 9th Precinct, allegedly struck his wife in the shoulder. She responded by bashhim over the head with a bottle, cops said. Louissaint has been with the NYPD since 2011.
Police have identified the 54-year-old cyclist killed in a Gravesend hit-and-run, authorities said. Reng Ma Can was biking on Avenue U near East 9th Street at 5 p.m. Tuesday when a Ryder truck rammed into him and sped away, police said. Can, a Bensonhurst resident, died at Kings County Hospital.
Two cops busted a teen in Bedford-Stuyvesant after observing him allegedly trying to conceal an assault rifle in his coat, authorities said. The two plainclothes officers were on patrol Tuesday at 8:20 p.m. when they saw four teenagers walking at Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Willoughby Street. The cops noticed Eric Berry, 16, had a large bulge under his coat. They then found in Berry's possession a 9mm Kel-Tec assault rifle in a bag strapped to his chest, officials said. He was arrested and charged with weapon possession.


As Virgin Islanders repair and rebuild their hurricane-damaged homes, FEMA is offering free consultations and literature on making homes stronger and safer.
Starting March 7, FEMA specialists will be on hand to answer questions and offer home-improvement guidance along with proven methods to prevent or reduce damage from future disasters. Most of the information and the free publications are tailored for do-it-yourself work and general contractors.
Remainder Matriculat March 8 – March 12 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Red Hook March 7 – March 12 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Find more information about strengthening property at https://www.fema.gov/protect-your-property.
FEMA specialists can offer general guidance regarding flood-insurance. Flood insurance is an important part of hurricane preparedness. FEMA grants are not intended to cover all losses.


text:
Q: Ruby on rails getting data from hash i just don't get it, where did i do wrong.
please highlight them for me.
Im testing a graph using gruff.
in ReportController
def mygruff
    @gr = Hash.new
    @gr["jan"] = 3
    @gr["feb"] = 6

    logger.info({#@gr.keys})
end

in my log, i did get 'janfeb'
in mygruff view
<%if @gr.blank?%>
   <%=No gruff%>
<%else%>
   <%=@gr.keys%>
<%end%>

I will get No gruff on mygruff page.
But i get it in my log.
Ive tried
object.empty?
true

object.blank?
true

object.nil?
false

how to get the hash in my view?
please show me the way.thank you.

    def stat2
      @cus_t = Hash.new

      a = Gruff::Bar.new('500x350')
      a.theme = {
        :colors => ['#138F6A','#330000','#0aaafd','#FF0000','#00CD00','#ff6602', '#3bb003', '#1e90af', '#efba30', '#0aaaac'],
        :marker_color => '#aaa',
        :background_colors => ['#eaeaea', '#fff']
      }
      a.hide_title = true

      @customer = Customer.find(:all)
      @customer.each do |custs|
      @g_cus = Casedf.count(:all, :conditions=> "customer_id=" + custs.id.to_s)
      a.data(custs.companyname, @g_cus)
     #@cus_t[custs.companyname] = @g_cus
      @cus_t.store(custs.companyname,@g_cus)

      end

      a.write("#{RAILS_ROOT}/public/images/customer.png")
      $logger.info("hash keys #{@cus_t.keys}")

  end # end def

Here is what I did on my view:

<% if @cus_t.nil?%>

    No cus added so far<%=@cus_t.keys%>l

<%else%>

<%=@cus_t.keys%>

<%end%>

So when I browse to stat2's page, I get nothing, but in my logs, the keys are printed out. I'm stumped, please help.

A: Hi Do you have in your action
def mygruff
  @gr = Hash.new
  @gr["jan"] = 3
  @gr["feb"] = 6

  logger.info({#@gr.keys})
end

it was not clear for me from comment

A: In Ruby, hashes don't have a blank? method.  That method is added by Rails and there may be a bug with it.  Please try this in your view:
<% if @gr.empty? %>
  No gruff
<% end %>
<%= @gr.inspect %>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


"Texas Village" has enjoyed high reputation and fame as the "Western boots of Japan" for long years. The well skilled shoe craftsmen in Asakusa redesigned the tradition of Western boots for Japanese men.
"Christian Carano" realized both European dressy design and good foot comfort. We have wide design line-up suitable from business scene to casual scene.
"Valentino Glario", offering the quality of luxury leather business shoes at reasonable price, keeps stable popularity over twenty years.
"Aragin", as the name suggests its nature, setting adventure spirit and playful mind as the assortment theme, sports attractive and advanced design.


text:
Jonny Zéro (Jonny Zero) est une série télévisée américaine en 13 épisodes de 42 minutes, dont seulement huit ont été diffusés entre le  et le  sur le réseau FOX.

En France, la série a été diffusée à partir du  sur W9 et en Belgique sur Plug RTL.

Synopsis
Après avoir purgé une peine de prison pour le meurtre d'un homme, Jonny Calvo retrouve la liberté déterminé à changer de vie et à se réconcilier avec son ex-épouse et son fils. Mais dès sa sortie de prison, il est contacté par Joseph Garret, son ex employeur, qui tente de le replonger dans son passé de criminel. Il accepte alors la proposition d'un agent du FBI de devenir un informateur.

Distribution
 Franky G. (VF : Serge Faliu) : Jonny Calvo
 GQ (VF : Nessym Guetat) : Random
 Brennan Hesser (VF : Ariane Aggiage) : Danielle « Velvet » Styles
 Chris Bauer (VF : Bernard Bollet): Douglas Stringer
 Ritchie Coster (VF : Roland Timsit) : Joseph Garrett

Épisodes
 Sur parole (Pilot)
 Héros à votre service (No Good Deed)
 La Loi de la famille (La Familia)
 Bébés à vendre (Who's Your Daddy?)
 Frères de hip-hop (I Did It All for the Nooky)
 En chasse (Bounty)
 Titre français inconnu (Lost and Found)
 Des flics sous influence (To Serve & Protect)
 Diamants explosifs (Diamonds & Guns)
 Titre français inconnu (Man Up)
 Péchés éternels (Sins of the Father)
 Sur écoute (Wired)
 Entre deux feux (Betrayal)

Voir aussi

Liens externes

Série télévisée créée en 2005
Série télévisée américaine des années 2000
Série télévisée de Fox

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Information posted is accurate at the time of posting, but may be superseded or qualified by subsequent press releases.
Serengeti Reports Closing of Definitive Agreement with POSCO DAEWOO for the Kwanika Project and Receipt of $C 7 Million
Vancouver, B.C., November 27, 2017, Serengeti Resources Inc. (SIR: TSX-V) reports that it has successfully closed the transaction previously outlined in its press release dated October 26, 2017 whereby Serengeti, POSCO DAEWOO Corporation ("PDC") and Kwanika Copper Corporation ("KCC") (formerly known as Daewoo Minerals Canada Corporation) have signed a definitive joint venture agreement (the "JVA") for the exploration and development of the Kwanika copper gold project located in the Quesnel Trough of British Columbia (the "Project"). Pursuant to the JVA, the respective interests of Serengeti and PDC in the Project have been transferred to KCC, a private British Columbia corporation which will serve as the vehicle for the joint venture.
Key terms of the JVA and KCC structure include the following:
PDC has fully contributed $7.0 million into the KCC controlled bank account and as a result of its current cash contribution combined with its earlier earned 5% share in the Project has received a total of 8.2 million common shares of KCC (representing 35% of the total issued shares of KCC).
Serengeti has contributed its 95% participating interest in the Project to KCC, in exchange for 15,228,571 common shares of KCC (representing 65% of the total issued shares of KCC).
PDC's $7.0 million contribution to KCC will be used to fund a Pre-Feasibilty Study (the "PFS") for the Project.
Serengeti retains operatorship of the Project and is immediately entitled to receive $700,000 operator's fee as first disbursement from the Project funding.
The Board of Directors of KCC consists of five individuals, three appointed by Serengeti and two appointed by PDC. The President of KCC is David Moore.
Over the next four to six weeks the parties will develop a detailed plan for the execution of the PFS. The PFS work is expected to be completed over the next 15-18 months and will include a substantial drilling program targeting the Central copper-gold zone on the property. The drilling program is expected to be conducted early in summer 2018.
The JVA has been accepted by the TSX Venture Exchange
Serengeti is a mineral exploration company managed by an experienced team of professionals with a solid track record of exploration success. Serengeti is currently advancing its Kwanika copper-gold project in partnership with POSCO DAEWOO Corporation and exploring its extensive portfolio of properties in the highly prospective Quesnel Trough of British Columbia. A number of these other projects are available for option or joint venture and additional information can be found on the Company's website at www.serengetiresources.com.
About POSCO DAEWOO Corporation.
POSCO DAEWOO Corporation. (previously Daewoo International Corp.), a member of the POSCO Family, is a leading international trader, investor, and project organizer in Korea. It has an extensive global network of over 100 branches and subsidiaries around the world. POSCO DAEWOO is actively participating in the natural resources sector, with investments in dozens of global projects including Block A-1/A-3 gas field (operator) in Myanmar, Wetar copper project in Indonesia and Narrabri Coal in Australia.
David W. Moore,
P. Geo., President, CEO and Director
Investor Relations: Paradox Public Relations Tel: 514-341-0408 Toll free (in North America) 1-866-460-0408
Email info@paradox-pr.ca
Serengeti Resources Inc. Suite 520 – 800 West Pender St., Vancouver, BC V6C 2V6
Tel: 604-605-1300 Email: info@serengetiresources.com Website: www.serengetiresources.com
View next November 6, 2017 Serengeti Reports Completion of Airborne Survey on RCN Property Located Adjacent to GT Gold in Golden Triangle Area of Northwestern BC
View previous December 20, 2017 Milligan West Drill Program Identifies Target for Follow-up

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Wednesday, 12 June 2019 / Published in MEDIA, NATIONAL MEDIA
FINDING MELBOURNE ON THE MAP IS A START, BUT IT'S FAR FROM ENOUGH, MR TUDGE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ANDREW GILES MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CITIES AND URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS
SHADOW MINISTER ASSISTING FOR IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP
MEMBER FOR SCULLIN
Media reports this morning suggest that the Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure, Alan Tudge, will acknowledge in a speech today that Melbourne is Australia's city most in need of congestion-busting.
What's taken him, and his government, so long?
Under the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government Victoria has not received its fair share of Commonwealth infrastructure funding and this has had a particular impact on Melbourne, our fastest-growing city.
The Liberals now talk about busting congestion, but it's their decisions that have compounded the problem over their time in government. Every day people in Melbourne feel the effects of Tony Abbott's ideological refusal to fund urban public transport, which has delayed the vital Melbourne Metro project, as well as the scrapping of the Major Cities Unit and the Liberals' refusal to separate the infrastructure cycle from the political cycle.
Even now, the great majority of the funding promised is beyond the forward estimates.
In Victoria, the promise: $2 billion for Geelong Fast Rail. The reality: 2 percent available over the next four years.
In New South Wales, the promise: $6.1 billion in extra funding. The reality: $241 million, or 4 percent, to flow over the next four years.
In Queensland, the promise: extra funding: $2.6 billion in extra funding. The reality: Nothing next year; $313 million, or 12 per cent, to flow over the next four years.
The story is the same for all the other States and Territories.
It's fine for Mr Tudge to talk about the challenges Melbourne faces, but he must also take responsibility and stop playing politics with his portfolio.
SCOTT MORRISON'S CRUEL CUTS TO CAIRNS HOSPITAL
NEW GP TAX WILL DRIVE DOWN BULK BILLING, SENATE REPORT FINDS
TURNBULL'S BUDGET MUST DROP HIS ENTIRE SIX-YEAR MEDICARE FREEZE – IMMEDIATELY


Travel nursing, like other professions, has a vocabulary that's all its own. For new travel nurses especially, the travel nursing vocabulary can be a bit confusing at first. If you're reading this, you may be in this same situation. Luckily, we're here to help! With our handy guide to travel nursing vocabulary, you'll be up to speed and speaking like a travel nurse in no time!
Rapid Response Nursing: This refers to an urgent need contract. These positions typically need to be filled in two weeks or less. While these positions may have a higher pay rate, they tend to be more strenuous than other positions. Usually, it takes a nurse with a few years of experience under their belt to fill one of these.
Per Diem Nursing: "Per diem" is a Latin phrase that literally translates to "per day" or "for each day." Essentially, per diem nurses work as needed on temporary assignments. These positions don't offer the best job security, but they're a great option if you're in between assignments or looking to make some extra money.
Contract: Every travel nurse signs on to a contract. Contracts can be anywhere from four to 13 weeks. One a contract is up, travel nurses may be offered an extension, or they can choose to pursue another contract.
EMR Conversion Project: The Electronic Medical Record conversion project is a contract that involves traveling to a hospital to assist with transferring medical records from paper to an electronic database. Since these positions are very technology-intensive, they sometimes don't require patient care, although some do.
Guaranteed Hours: This refers to the number of hours that a travel nurse is guaranteed to work each week within a contract period. Most travel nurses prefer contracts with guaranteed hours, but not all contracts have them. Be sure you know the terms of your contract and hours.
Unit: On each assignment, travel nurses are assigned to a unit. However, the unit has the ability to move travel nurses to different floors, depending on the facility's needs.
Find Travel Nursing Jobs Here!
Stipend: There are two primary components to a stipend: meal and housing.
Meal Stipend: The amount of money travel nurses receive for daily meals and other incidentals.
Housing Stipend: If travel nurses choose to find their own housing instead of using provided housing, they will receive a monthly housing stipend or allowance. However, the amount will vary depending on the surrounding area and the type of house you live in.
Travel Reimbursement: This refers to the amount of money that an agency will use to cover a nurse's travel expenses. Not all agencies offer travel reimbursements, and some are different from others. Make sure to talk to your agency about their guidelines for travel reimbursement.
Tax Home: A tax home is a place you return to regularly, where you earned the most income throughout the course of a year. This is a place where you will incur regular expenses. Keep in mind that you must have strong legal and historical ties to your tax home.
There you have it! Hopefully, you now have a better grasp on some common travel nursing vocabulary and terminology. While it can be intimidating for new nurses, it's important to recognize all of these unique terms. Remember, if you're new to travel nursing, don't be afraid to ask for clarification if you don't understand something!
Are there any other travel nurse terms you can think of? Let us know in the comments below!


About Consumer Product Testing Company Inc.
Established in 1975, Consumer Product Testing Company is an independent contract testing laboratory located in Fairfield, New Jersey. When it first opened, CPT provided toxicology services to the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, personal care, chemical and household product industries. We have since then expanded our capabilities to include analytical chemistry, clinical safety, efficacy, claims validation, photobiology, microbiology, sterility and in-vitro toxicology testing services.
We pride ourselves on having updated our facilities from 3,600 to 45,000 square feet over more than 40 years in business. Thus, our laboratories are equipped with cutting edge equipment and methodologies, enabling us to offer both routine and advanced research services to clients.
Before a new medical device enters the market, it must meet an extensive list of requirements and standards. Therapeutic quality testing is imperative for our clients and also the general public.
If you plan on bringing pharmaceutical, OTC, medical device or nutritional products to the marketplace, CPT can provide guidance to help navigate the regulatory and compendial guidelines. From raw materials, assays, stability and finished products to IND, NDA and ANDA submissions, CPT can assist with your analytical testing requirements.
CPT can assist personal care companies with testing, such as, low level detection and claims, preservatives and formula stability.
Before a new nutritional product (therapeutic product) enters the market, it must meet an extensive list of requirements and standards. Therapeutic quality testing is imperative for our clients and also the general public.
Being global industry leaders in sun protection testing for more than 25 years, our Photobiology Division offers services utilizing methods adopted worldwide for compliance to regulatory requirements. In addition to standard SPF, PFA, Phototoxicity and Photoallergy testing, CPT works with our clients to determine novel testing methods including sand resistance, water protection, and pilot research programs.
GMP sunscreen Assays (all organic and inorganic actives, including TiO2 and ZnO), Raw Material testing, Method Validation, Process Validation and Stability Services also available.
GMP Consulting by in-house experts, including, Compliance Audits and Vendor Certification Programs.
Consumer Product Testing Company Inc. has not received any reviews.
Consumer Product Testing Company Inc. has not received any endorsements.


text:
Marcello64
The third album from this Spanish band.
The band is a quintet with a lineup of drums, keyboards, guitars, bass and vocals.
I have been a long term admirer of this band and my reviews of their two albums can be found somewhere else in this blog.
Neo-prog is their genre. Sort of..... OK, it is neo-prog.
There is a lot more to the band than just neo-prog. Their sound and music reminds me a lot about early Marillion.
This album is indeed very comparable with early Marillion. No, the vocalist does not sound like Fish. The vocalist in Numen has a totally different voice. The vocals are indeed great. But the music reminds me a lot about early Marillion.
Numen combines neo-prog and symphonic prog on this album. Which is a very good combination. The music is not massive technical. It still have a lot of intricate details, though.
The album is fifty minutes long and not a single tone outstays it's welcome. There is a lot of power and melody on this album.
The melodies and the music is indeed great and the album has a classy feel.
Numen is one of those gems in the neo-prog scene who deserves a lot more attention. I rate them as one of the best neo-prog bands in the world at this moment.
Marcello64 | 4/5 | 2020-1-13
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One of Renée Graham's (Boston Globe) Albums of 2018, alongside Janelle Monáe and Mac Miller - for Boston Radio.
One of the 10 best releases in 2018 of Women Composers. Elizabeth de Brito - The Daffodil Perspective.
Four Women brings together five twentieth-century piano works by four significant female composers.
Pianist Samantha Ege journeys through a diverse range of styles and influences—from African American folk songs and classical forms in Florence Price's Sonata in E Minor to modernist explorations of Czech musical identity in the compositions of Vítězslava Kaprálová; from evocations of Edwardian English childhood in the miniatures of Ethel Bilsland (world première recording), to Romantic expressions of spiritual melodies inflected with jazz and blues in the music of Margaret Bonds.
Four Women showcases the most remarkable programme of solo piano music you've never heard.


Food Corporation of India, A government undertaking organization responsible for the distribution & supply of food grains across India, with the help of five zonal offices.
FCI conduct two exams every year, one is assistance grade & 2nd is Management Trainee. This time FCI is back with recruitment of management trainee 2013. FCI just announced 460 vacancies for the post of Management Trainee for various post & various location in India.
Commerce degree (with all necessary conditions) – refer the official notification for all other conditions.
Degree in respective specialization or equivalent discipline.
B,sc(Agri.)/ Degree in food Science or Agri engineering or Bio-technology etc.
How to Apply for FCI recruitment 2013??


Once installed ClipX will store multiple text items - addng anything you 'copy' to a numbered list which can then be called up at any time in any program by pressing Ctrl Shift and f3 together, for pasting or managing.
Disclaimer> The above are simply our recommendations which we offer on an advisory basis. We can not accept responsibility for any problems which may occur with the use of third-party software nor can we offer any technical support.


text:
The Great Outdoors April issue
The April issue of The Great Outdoors is out now. Yes, I know it's not quite March but there's a Spring issue to be squeezed between April and May.
In this issue I review three pairs of dark glasses and goggles, the Inov-8 Roclite Pro G400 shoes, and the Land Rover Explore R phone, and have a first look at the new Jetboil Stash stove system.
In the first piece of a guide to backpacking tents sponsored by Hilleberg I discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different types of tents. Sponsered by Hilleberg? That's the way magazine advertising is going at present and it's advertising that keeps magazines alive. I think it's okay as long as it's clearly labelled, as this piece is, and as long as the editorial section is independent, which mine is.
Also in the gear pages Lucy Wallace reviews nine head torches.
Away from gear there's a glorious opening spread of Tryfan and the Ogwen Valley by Alan Novelli. Hannah Lindon describes the Dubhs scramble in the Cuillin, a route recently descended by Danny MacAskill on a mountain bike, which is astounding. Hannah Lindon also asks virologist Muge Cevik about the risks of Covid-19 transmission in the outdoors. The answers are very reassuring. TGO Challenge co-ordinators Sue Oxley and Ali Ogden look at the magic of winter camping, something I'm really missing at the moment. Jim Perrin is captivated by Caer Caradoc in Shropshire.
In longer features Quintin Lake describes the three inland diversions to the highest summits of England, Wales and Scotland that he made during his five year walk round the coast of mainland Britain, Jessie Leong describes how she became a Mountain Leader, David Lintern takes on the scrambly south ridge of Ben More Assynt, and Kristen Thue takes on a much bigger scramble, Corsica's GR20.
Labels: outdoor writing, TGO, The Great Outdoors
Live Stream Interview with The Outdoors Station
Camp on the Pacific Northwest Trail
Next Wednesday, March 2, I'm doing a live stream interview with The Outdoors Station. I'll be talking about my outdoor life, long walks, gear, wilderness, writing, and probably lots more. Listeners will be able to ask questions too.
Labels: podcasts, The Outdoors Station
Navigation and Mapping Apps Review
With the current interest in the future of ViewRanger and much discussion on social media about mapping and navigation apps I thought I'd post an edited review of some apps that I wrote for The Great Outdoors last year. I've left the ViewRanger review as I wrote it though it's no longer open for new subscriptions. I left out my review of MemoryMap as it's been significantly revised and I haven't tried the latest version. I've also omitted mentions of apps only available for Apple operating systems as I can't actually test these and apps that don't offer UK mapping. I've removed the prices too as these may have changed.
Mapping and route apps have proliferated in recent years with the rise in popularity of smartphones. With mapping apps, you can find your position via GPS and plan and record routes. Some apps allow you to identify features or watch 3D flyovers as well. Here I'm looking at apps designed for smartphones. There are of course standalone GPS units from the likes of SatMap and Garmin that offer the same mapping and features.
Apps that run on desktop and laptop computers are excellent for planning and you can print sheets for specific routes. I've been doing the latter for many years, especially on long walks like the TGO Challenge where it saves weight. On one Challenge my printouts of OS Landranger maps weighed 111 grams. The six full maps covering the route weighed 498 grams. Of course, the printouts covered much smaller areas than the full maps. However, I had full coverage on my smartphone to use if I wandered off the printed map.
One advantage of digital maps, both on desktop and smartphone, is being able to zoom in and out, for more detail or for an overview of an area. When planning routes I often do this frequently.
Route apps offer pre-planned routes to follow and often have the option of adding your own. Some are also proper mapping maps as well with OS maps, but many only have basic maps and should be used in conjunction with other mapping. For outdoor use the mapping needs to be OS or Harvey, the same as the printed ones. Street maps, Google maps and the like are not adequate.
Many apps also offer mapping for other countries. I've used app maps for long walks in various parts of the USA and in the Alps. Again, these need to be large scale topographic maps.
There are apps for Windows, Android, iOS and macOS. Many have versions for all four, but some are specific to particular operating systems.
As seems the case with all digital stuff (my camera has more options than I know what to do with, never mind my smartphone) these apps are complex with a plethora of features. Time is needed to learn what they can do, and which features are most useful. There isn't the space here to cover all the aspects of each product so I've concentrated on those I think are of most use to hillwalkers, that is position location, recording routes, plotting routes, route information, printing maps, and share options (so you can share your location). If you use a GPS unit some apps will allow you to import and export GPX files.
Most apps are free but only come with basic mapping, if any. Pricing for maps is complicated as most companies offer many options. Subscriptions are the best value for money and a way to ensure your maps are regularly updated. Buying just the maps you want outright may be initially cheaper, but you don't get updates and it can get expensive if you need many maps.
It is often argued that smartphones aren't suitable for use in the hills, that they can fail, that batteries run out, or that they may not be able to get a signal. The latter is based on a misconception. If you've downloaded the maps to your phone a phone connection isn't needed. GPS will show your location. Indeed, it's best to turn the phone signal off to save battery power.
I've been using a smartphone for navigation for over a decade and have yet to have a serious problem. I carry a battery charger, so I don't run out of power. I used to keep my smartphone in a protective case but last year I replaced with a waterproof rugged one that doesn't need protecting (see this review). Of course, if you only have one navigation option and it has problems there can be difficulties. That applies to printed maps and physical compasses too. Maps can blow away; compasses can break or fail. Whether you prefer to use a printed map and compass or a smartphone it's wise to carry the other as a backup. I always do. Mapping apps usually have a digital compass. Whilst this is good for general directions it doesn't replace a physical compass.
Most of the apps offer free trials so you can try them out and see which one best suits your needs.
Note: How well apps run depends in part on the hardware. I tried the Windows and Android apps on a Windows 10 PC and a Samsung Galaxy S7 Android smartphone. Both are quite old and not that powerful. The apps ran fast enough for me though.
Anquet Outdoor Map Navigator ****1/2 Best Buy overall www.anquet.com
Likes fast, print option, offline desktop app
Dislikes only UK maps
Platforms Windows, iOS, Android, MacOS
Maps OS Landranger & Explorer, Harvey Superwalker, Harvey British Mountain
Features track recording, offline desktop maps (Premium Plus), GPX compatible
Offline yes
Launched back in 2001 offering maps on CD Anquet was one of the first companies selling digital mapping. Since it began it has moved with the technology and now offers subscriptions for downloads to smartphones and computers, providing a service rather than a one-off sale.
When I last tried Anquet ten years ago one-off downloads had just begun and CD mapping was still available. It worked well then and it still does. Downloading the app to both PC and smartphone was fast. The maps downloaded and opened quickly on the latter but were slow on my ageing PC.
An excellent feature with the OS Premium Plus subscription is the option of downloading the app and maps to your desktop computer for planning routes and printing. I find this more versatile and faster than using a web browser. It's much easier to plot a route on a large screen than a small one so this is a very useful feature. Routes can then be synchronised with your smartphone or printed out.
There's no 3D or augmented reality feature. Anquet says it is concentrating on 'getting more done with simpler interfaces' and a third version of OMN will be launched later this year, available to current subscribers. I don't miss 3D, but I do fine augmented reality useful for identifying distant features. It's not essential though. You can record tracks and waypoints and sync them on the desktop.
I found Anquet OMN easy to learn and powerful. As a combined smartphone and desktop app it's excellent.
RouteBuddy https://routebuddy.com/ Best for Desktop ****1/2
Likes route planning, printing, merging OS and Harvey maps
Dislikes no android version
Platforms Windows, macOS, iOS
Maps OS Explorer & Landranger, Harvey Superwalker, British Mountain & Summit, USA,
France, Norway, Sweden, New Zealand maps
Features route planning, map stitching, printing, track planning and recording
The RouteBuddy app comes in two forms -RouteBuddy Desktop Map Software for Windows and macOS and RouteBuddy Atlas for iPhones. Sadly, there is no android version. This is a shame as RouteBuddy is one of the best desktop mapping programmes I've used. It's powerful and fairly complex but quite easy to learn. Maps can be downloaded to your desktop for studying and planning and drawing routes. This gives you far more options than web mapping.
Plotting routes, even long ones, is easy. I've planned several TGO Challenges on RouteBuddy, printing out A4 route maps to carry with me. You can also drag and drop route files from a GPS, from friends or from websites. Routes you plot or record give elevation, ascent, descent and more (useful for the TGO Challenge route form – no need to count grid squares or contour lines).
RouteBuddy has a unique feature that I love. It can seamlessly stitch together OS 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 maps and both OS scales and Harvey maps. I've used both OS scales and Harvey maps for TGO Challenge routes. RouteBuddy connects them so well that the scale becomes the same, but you have all the extra details when it's the 1:25,000 map and all the features when it's a Harvey map. Satellite and road maps can be layered too.
I only have one problem with RouteBuddy. There's no app for Android so I can't have it on my smartphone. Otherwise my only minor complaint is that it's easy to lose many hours planning routes and enjoying the maps.
ViewRanger (now OutdoorActive) ***** Best for smartphone www.viewranger.com
Likes easy to use, Skyline augmented reality, BuddyBeacon, worldwide maps
Dislikes BuddyBeacon requires a data connection, no print option
Platforms iOS, Android
Maps OS Explorer & Landranger, Harvey Superwalker & British Mountain
Features Skyline augmented reality, track recording and sharing, 3D Flyovers,
BuddyBeacon, compass
ViewRanger is a well-established mapping app for smartphones and one that I know well, having been using it for over ten years, both in the UK and in the USA and the Alps. Mostly I've used it to find my location and for navigation. You can't download maps to a laptop or desktop computer, but it is easy to plan routes on the ViewRanger website and then download them to your smartphone. You can also see and download routes created by others for any area by entering a location or postcode. I did this for the GR5 through the Alps. There are thousands of routes on the website. You can't print from the web maps though.
A good extra feature of ViewRanger is the BuddyBeacon, which allows you to share your real-time location with friends and family. It's pin protected so only those you choose can see the information. However, you do require a data connection so it's not usable everywhere.
ViewRanger also has an augmented reality tool called Skyline. With this you can use your phone's camera to identify peaks, lakes and more. ViewRanger says it knows the location of more than 9 million points on 80% of the Earth except the polar regions. This is a fascinating and useful feature, naming features in the landscape. You can even use it to guide you along a route. And of course, you can take a photo with the features named on it. Another fun feature to play with is Flyover in 3D which allows you to pan and zoom around routes.
ViewRanger is well-designed and easy to use, both on and offline. It's an essential part of my outdoor kit.
OS Maps Premium ****1/2 Recommended www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk
Likes easy to use, Augmented Reality Viewer, print option, use codes from paper maps
Dislikes only OS maps
Platforms Windows, iOS, Android
Maps OS Explorer, OS Landranger
Features track recording, augmented reality, aerial 3D
On a smartphone the OS Maps app works just the same as ViewRanger. Download the maps and use GPS to find your location. You can record routes on a smartphone and plan routes on all platforms or else find pre-planned routes. The last two are best and most easily done on a large computer screen. There's an augmented reality option, AR Viewer, that allows you to identify features in the landscape for the smartphone app and an aerial 3D option on the website.
From a PC you can print map sheets as long as you have an internet connection. If you have a big enough printer you can print to A3 size.
For UK only use with OS maps this app is fine, especially if you want to print maps as well as have them on your smartphone. There are no other map options though so if you go abroad you'll need another app. You can't buy individual maps either. However, if you buy a paper map it comes with a code so you can download a digital map. This is a one-off and you don't get other features.
OS Locate https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop/os-locate ***** Recommended
Maps no
Features grid reference, digital compass, share button
Costs free
OS Locate is a simple free app that gives you a grid reference and a compass bearing. You can link it to downloaded OS maps but as your position is shown on those anyway I don't see much point. However, it's an excellent app to use with paper maps. If you're not sure where you are click and there's a grid reference. This used to be all GPS units did before they gained mapping and lots of bells and whistles. There's a digital Silva compass too, which you can use to take bearings, using two fingers to turn the bezel, though it's easier with the real thing. If you have a phone connection your position can be shared via email or social media.
I think this is an excellent app and worth having even if you only use printed maps and compass for navigation, especially as it's free.
Komoot www.komoot.com ***
Likes planning
Dislikes maps not OS/Harvey standard
Platforms Android, iOS
Maps basic
Features routes
Komoot is a planning tool for cycling and walking. It's packed with masses of routes that can be downloaded and then followed on the map on your phone. The maps are fine for road cycling and just about ok for off-road walking. For hillwalking where navigation is crucial Komoot is better thought of as a digital guidebook rather than digital mapping and just as with most printed guidebooks you need a detailed map to go with it. When you zoom in on a map more detail does appear, including contour lines, but it's still not OS standard. The maps are inexpensive though.
There are masses of routes and you can enter your activity – hiking, mountaineering, various types of cycling, your fitness from couch potato to Pro. Put in start and finish points and Komoot will come up with a route. I looked for one from Glenmore to Ben Macdui and back and Komoot came up with a sensible option and said it was an "Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required", which sounds reasonable. It also gave a very precise time – 9:21 – a distance of 17.5 miles and an ascent of 3700 feet. Routes are customisable and you can enter in options you'd like to see on the map – everything from restaurants to mountain passes.
Komoot also has turn-by-turn voice navigation. I think this would drive me crazy! However, it does seem more designed for cyclists and runner than walkers as on the website it says "when you're hurtling downhill you don't want to fumble for your phone to know where to go".
If you like footpath guidebooks, then Komoot may well suit you.
ViewRanger: thoughts, memories, the future
On the GR5 Through the Alps, 2018
ViewRanger, the navigation and mapping app, is changing. In fact eventually the name will disappear as it's integrated into another app, Outdooractive. Recently I asked ViewRanger about the changes and wrote a piece on this for The Great Outdoors online. This elicited a large response. Many people obviously like ViewRanger and don't like the idea of it changing.
On the Pacific Northwest Trail, 2010
Thinking about ViewRanger I realised that the app has accompanied me on every walk, long or short, for over a decade. No piece of physical equipment has done that. ViewRanger has been on several different phones in that time and has helped me navigate on the Pacific Northwest Trail and the GR5 Through the Alps, and in the High Sierra, Death Valley and, every month, the Scottish Highlands. Sometimes it's made navigation far easier than it would have been with just map and compass. Finding the hidden start of a faint trail in dense forest on the Pacific Northwest Trail, keeping me on the right ridge during a long descent through another forest into Death Valley, crossing the Cairngorm Plateau in a white-out.
ViewRanger in 2009
Having tried ViewRanger for the first time in 2009 I was impressed enough to use it on the Pacific Northwest Trail the next year. Indeed, I bought my first smartphone in order that I could do so. (I was loaned the one for the 2009 trial). After that smartphones came and went but ViewRanger remained. It did just what I wanted it to and it did it reliably.
Death Valley, 2016
Will Outdooractive be as useful and reliable? I hope so but I don't know yet. It's a much bigger app with far more features, most of which I probably won't want. As long as I can ignore them I won't mind that, just as I don't mind the ones that have been added to ViewRanger and which I've never used. My ideal navigation app has good mapping (OS/Harveys in the UK, equivalents elsewhere), gives your position fast and accurately, and can record or follow routes. That's it.
The ViewRanger app will be around for at least a year but it will disappear. I'll be sorry to see it go. It's been part of my outdoor life.
Labels: GPS, mapping, navigation, outdoor apps, ViewRanger
This year I'm writing a book on the Cairngorms
I first walked in the Cairngorms over forty years ago. I soon fell in love with the area and for the last thirty years I've lived here. During those years I've walked, skied, and camped high and low in every season. Now I'm going to put together my experiences, my thoughts on the big issues, my joy in the forests and mountains and wildlife, in fact everything I have to say about the Cairngorms in one book. I hope it will be entertaining, informative, and provocative.
I am delighted that the book will be published by Sandstone Press. I've written four books for Sandstone previously and have a great relationsip with them. I hope to submit the manuscript before the end of the year.
A brief announcement on social media brought a heartening response. I am very pleased there is so much interest. I'll post updates about my progress during the year.
Labels: Cairngorms, mountain books
Thrunotes Update - three new styles
Last September I reviewed the Thrunotes notebook, designed for long distance walkers. I liked this tough waterproof little notebook and noted that a version for day walks and short backpacking trips was promised.
In fact stead of just one new notebook three versions were launched - Sketch, Blaze and Explore. These omit the four pages for information and resupply found in the original Thrunote, which means there's more space for your entries as they have the same number of pages. All the notebooks have rulers on the inside covers and space for contact details plus the flip corner and circle marks for indexing and quick reference.
The simplest new Thrunote is Sketch, which has blank pages. This is great if you want to draw, write at angles, or doodle.
Blaze has lined pages. I usually like notebooks with lines as they help keep my scrawled-in-the-tent writing at least semi-legible. However the lines are quite widely spaced in the Blaze Thrunote and I'd fill it quickly.
The Explore Thrunote has dotted pages. I like this. The dots are fairly close together so there are twice as many lines as on Blaze. You can easily write up and down as well as across too and fit in doodles or sketches. This is the Thrunote I'll use for short trips.
You'll notice that the ink has smudged where I've written my name on the Explore notebook but not on Blaze. I've been experimenting with how different types of pen work on the waterproof paper. The smudged ink is from the standard ballpoint pen I use at home, the clear ink is from the Space Pen I use on trips as the ink is waterproof. Thrunotes recommends a Black Bic ballpoint. I've had too many of these leak in my pack or pocket in the past though and I stopped using them years ago. Pencil is another option that works well. I'll stick with my Space Pen.
I think the new Thrunotes are excellent. It's good there's a choice. You can order Thrunotes and find out all about them here.
Labels: notebooks, Thrunotes
What I've Been Reading Online No 29
Ski tracks & the Cromdale Hills, February 11
The first look at stories I've enjoyed reading online so far this year.
BACKPACKING, WALKING, MOUNTAINEERING
Time Travel Is Possible
A night out in a winter storm takes Andrew Terrill back in time to another walk and another place in this lovely essay
Chris Puddephat describes a fortnight of icicles in Assynt, illustrated with magnificent photographs.
What is scrambling?
Good piece on scrambling with some sensible advice from John Fleetwood, author of Scrambles in the Lake District South.
Forgive Us Our Trespasses
"We won't begin to solve that existential crisis by frightening ordinary people with the idea they might face a criminal conviction for exploring their own natural heritage." Ed Douglas on the Westminster government's proposal to criminalise trespass in England.
Kerri Andrews on Wanderers, A History of Women Walking
Interview with Kerri Andrews on her book on the history of women walking.
Character Building Adventures #1
Andrew Terrill remembers a long tentless night out in Snowdonia after his inadequate tent failed.
My snowshoes in use, February 8
Snowshoes in Scotland - more than just a novelty
Why you should consider snowshoes for the snow in Scotland. Alex Roddie explains.
After our 112-mile hike in the Sierra Nevada, I won't underestimate my kids again
Jemima Kiss takes her family on the John Muir Trail in California
Review: Thrunotes waterproof hiking notebooks
Comprehensive review of these excellent notebooks by Alex Roddie
Desert Island Peaks: Anne Butler
Desert Island Peaks: Cameron McNeish
Two in UKHillwalking.com's series on peaks various outdoor people would take to a desert island. You can read my selection here.
Rabbit in the snow, February 4
NATURE, WILDLIFE, REWILDING
Regarding Reintroductions: the Lynx and the Beaver
A look at these two species and what they could mean for Scotland by Chris Charlton
Following Footprints
Tracks and trails in the snow give a glimpse into the lives of animals and birds for Ben Dolphin
'Reservoirs of life': how hedgerows can help the UK reach net zero in 2050
Phoebe Weston looks at how expanding hedgerows can help biodiversity and reaching net zero for climate change emissions.
Beavers are still facing an uncertain future in Scotland
What's happening with beavers in Scotland described by Alan Watson Featherstone, who calls for translocation rather than killing.
Labels: nature writing, outdoor writing
A Familiar Landscape Transformed By Snow: A Ski Tour From Home
After five weeks of cold weather and lying snow the weather is changing with high winds and warm air coming from the south. A thaw is likely this next week, ending the longest period of freezing snowy conditions at this level for over a decade. I had forgotten just how much deep continuous snow cover transforms a landscape when it lies for weeks at a time. This year it has been particularly noticeable due to the COVID-19 lockdown as I've only been out for ski or snowshoes trips from the front door, yet it's felt as though I was entering a vast Arctic wilderness every time.
Under snow the rolling moors, rough pastures, and forests (a mix of natural and plantation) look like Lapland tundra rather than Scotland. Yes, I've missed the big mountains, but I would have missed them much more if there had been rain instead of snow. As it is, I've had many superb trips out into this snowy landscape.
After seeing the forecast for warmer temperatures and a thaw I went for one last ski tour. The sub-zero temperatures have kept the snow powdery and soft and in the forest the going was hard as I skied over hidden fallen branches and hollows, weaving a way round any obvious obstacles. Leaving the first woodland I skied across a large open boggy area where I've never walked as it's too wet. On skis it was easy, the snow level and smooth.
The next forest lay on steeper slopes and it was hard work again climbing through soft snow on hidden tracks and fire breaks. Twenty-five years ago clear-felling stripped all the spruce from this plantation, leaving stands of Scots pine and huge areas of bare ground. Birch quickly colonised the latter and it's now a semi-natural forest.
There were many animal tracks in the forest - the deep slots of roe deer, the single line paws of foxes, delicate squirrel prints, the distinctive pattern of rabbits, and once the wide five-toed marks of a pine marten - but I saw nothing except for a pair of black grouse that sailed through the trees. All was silence except for the swish of my skis.
During the day the wind slowly increased, stinging my face. Arriving at the high deer fence at the top of the forest and feeling the blast of cold air across the open hillside I decided this was far enough. On the other side of the fence the only other ski tracks I saw stopped then turned back.
I followed the fence to a gentle spot height of 442 metres. On the map the words Cree Dearg run along the forest edge. I hadn't noticed this before and wondered what the word cree meant (Dearg, I knew, meant red). Research revealed a few possibilities as it's a corruption. The most likely is crioch, boundary, as the forest edge is on the watershed between the rivers Spey and Findhorn.
Turning away from the wind I skied back down through the forest, relishing the effortless drifting through the trees. The soft snow and gentle slopes kept my speed down and I was able to relax.
Once back in the open I found the strengthening wind was just as bitter below the trees as it had been higher up. The down jacket I'd donned before the descent stayed on until I reached home.
Although I'd never been more than five straight line kilometres from my front door this felt like a trip to remote country. I met no one and saw no other tracks. It seemed as though I could have broken trail for days and stayed alone in this vast and wild snowy landscape.
Labels: ski touring, snow, winter, XCskiing
The Outdoor Guide Gin
Now gin is not my favourite tipple - that's very much Scotch whisky - but when I was offered a bottle of a new gin with an outdoor connection back in December I couldn't resist. Having tried it I can see that I might have a gin a little more often.
The Outdoor Guide Gin is a collaboration between Julia Bradbury's The Outdoor Guide and the Derbyshire Distillery. It's described as "a delicious and unusual gin with a unique blend of fresh botanicals, blending traditional juniper with blackberry, raspberry, heather and lavender with hints of nettles and mint, all inspired by the Peak District." Julia Bradbury says she "would love people to enjoy this drink as a celebration at the top of a mountain or after a long walk when you're feeling euphoric and get back to your bed for the night". I suggest only a small nip for the first! Better for when you're back down.
Having tried the gin a few times now, though never on a mountain, I do find it refreshing with a pleasant flowery aroma and taste. I can't identify all the botanicals mentioned but the light taste is rather summery and more complex than other gin I've drunk. It's certainly the nicest gin I've tried, though as I say i haven't tried that many. (Mostly I've had gin and tonic on long haul flights - after discovering no decent whisky was available - and these have been the standard big name gins).
Derbyshire Distillery says "serve over ice and top up with Franklin & Sons Natural Indian Tonic Water". Maybe in summer I would have it with ice but not in the winter. My house isn't very warm so it's cold enough anyway. I tried it with Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water, which is what's available locally, and the combination is pleasant. It does somewhat reduce the delicate fresh taste of the gin though. I think it's best drunk neat.
If you like gin or fancy trying one I'm happy to recommend The Outdoor Guide gin.
Labels: Derbyshire Distillery, gin. spirits, The Outdoor Guide
Out On The Skis Again
Low clouds, light snow showers, flat light. The first week of February has been subdued and uneventful, each day much like the last. The hills have remained mostly hidden under the solid unbroken dark cloud, which has always threatened heavy snow, without ever producing any. The snow on the ground has slowly built up, centimetre by centimetre. At times the wind has picked up, shifting the snow into big drifts and removing the last vestiges from the trees, but overall the landscape looks much the same as it did at the end of January.
Then on the afternoon of the last day of the week the clouds rose a little, revealing the white bulk of the Cromdale Hills, and then started to break, allowing shafts of sunlight to slice through. The air felt lighter and less oppressive, as if the darkness of the solid layer of cloud that had lain over the land had actual weight.
Enthused by the change in the weather I headed out for a short ski tour, enjoying breaking a new trail through unbroken snow, old ski and boot tracks well-covered. Out in the fields the whiteness stretched out in every direction. But for the distant forest I could have been in the arctic. The bitter wind was arctic like too, stinging any bare skin, and I soon took to the shelter of the trees where I paused to listen to the silence and relish the feel of winter.
Far across Strathspey the high Cairngorms were still invisible under a dark shroud but a pale Meall a'Bhuachaille did appear, far more prominent than when the bigger hills can be seen behind it.
Skiing back along the forest edge I encountered drifts a metre and more deep, a ski pole suddenly plunging through the soft unconsolidated blown snow to a harder layer far below. Above the clouds were disintegrating.
Labels: ski touring, snow, winter
The Great Outdoors March issue
The March issue of The Great Outdoors is in the shops now and the theme is wild winter hikes. Three big UK winter hill walks are described. The first is Alex Roddie's Cairngorms trip from a year ago. I accompanied him for the first night of the trip and really wish I could have stayed for the rest as Alex had superb winter conditions. In the Lake District Ronald Turnbull has an exciting overnight trip in snowstorms in the Eastern Fells. And on Dartmoor Tim Gent takes advantage of rare snowy conditions. Going further afield Carey Davies and Rudolf Abraham describe winter experiences in the Austrian Alps.
Keeping to the winter theme there are reviews of ten cold weather sleeping bags, four by Lucy Wallace and six by me. I also review a Patagonia fleece that's good for the cold and David Lintern looks at three winter hats. In Part Three of her Winter Skills series mountaineering instructor Rebecca Coles describes the challenges and skills needed for a winter ascent of Ben Nevis via the Carn Mor Dearg Arete.
The opening photo by James Roddie is wintry too - a splendid image of Suilven under snow.
Far from the British hills there's a spectacular extract from Colin Prior's new book The Karakorum: Ice Mountains of Pakistan. The photos are superb and this looks a fantastic book.
Also in this issue there's a look at the lockdown rules in the different UK countries, an interview with Mark Diggins of the Scottish Avalanche Information Service, an interview with Petra Hilleberg about Hilleberg tents, and Jim Perrin on an ancient volcano on the Lleyn Peninsula.
Labels: outdoor magazines, TGO, The Great Outdoors
Book Review: The Munros by Rab Anderson and Tom Prentice
The latest edition of the Scottish Mountaineering Club's The Munros is a wonderful book, arguably the best on the Munros yet. Unlike the first three editions this one is much more than a guidebook – though it does that far better than before. It's also a great book for browsing and daydreaming.
This is a much bigger book than previous editions. The format is a little larger and there are far more pages – 384 compared with 236 for the first edition and 282 for the third (I don't have the second one). That means more photographs, including double-page spreads for each section, longer descriptions, and larger maps. The Introduction runs to four pages – previously it was one – and has sections on Sir Hugh Munro and on Munro's Tables. The latter appear at the end of the book for the first time, along with a list of the Munros by height, and an alphabetical index. Having the Tables in the book is useful as they give a quick reference to the different sections with relevant OS map numbers, grid references, and page numbers.
One big and welcome change is the inclusion of the subsidiary Tops, both in the route descriptions and in the lists. Maybe more people will now include the Tops in their Munro rounds. They are well worthwhile but have been neglected by most guidebooks, including until now the SMCs. When I was planning my 1996 continuous round of the Munros and Tops the only information was in Irvine Butterfield's The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland and that was scant. I remember plotting the positions of Tops on OS maps, which didn't name many of them, from the grid references in Munro's Tables.
The design of The Munros is excellent. It looks really good from the clean lines of the cover – no words on the picture – to the double-page spreads introducing each section and the coloured maps, which have more details than in earlier editions.
The route descriptions are more comprehensive with many options described and are more enjoyable to read just for pleasure than previous ones. Long routes over many Munros are described, not just the one or two standard routes (a half-serious joke about the first edition was the suggestion that to avoid crowds on the hill you should read a route description and then take a different one on the hill).
I'm really enjoying looking through this book, admiring the photos, and reliving walks through the words. I already have more than enough books on the Munros. This one is still a welcome addition to my collection. Credit is due to authors Rab Anderson and Tom Prentice and to the SMC for producing it.
The Munros is published by the Scottish Mountaineering Press and costs £30.
Labels: guidebooks, The Munros
A Familiar Landscape Transformed By Snow: A Ski To...
Book Review: The Munros by Rab Anderson and Tom Pr...