Newsletter > Newsletter archive > October 2021
October 2021
Aerial Archaeology Mapping Explorer
If you are into researching your local landscape and its history there’s a new tool from Historic England that might help you on your way. The Aerial Archaeology Mapping Explorer is an online tool that displays archaeology that has been identified, mapped and recorded using aerial photographs and other aerial sources across England.
The results of over 30 years of aerial photograph mapping projects are now freely available in a very user-friendly way. You can use it to explore heritage from ancient settlements to secret Cold War military installations, or to see the complex archaeological landscapes surrounding Hadrian’s Wall, Stonehenge and many other ancient sites. Newer sources of information include LIDAR, which maps detailed variations in the surface of the ground using lasers. This data has been used, for instance, to rediscover the routes of Roman roads (one long lost route was found close to us in Cumbria).
The tool doesn’t yet cover the whole country. When you first open it up the areas that have been completed are shown in red. Zoom in and detailed items, such as ancient field systems, appear. Click on any item and details about it are displayed. It is hoped that the project areas will grow reasonably rapidly, but there’s clearly a lot of work involved. Check to see if there are project areas near you on the Historic England website.
Walkingworld app update
New versions of the app have been released for both Android and Apple. To check that you have the new update go to Settings in the app and look at the bottom for the version number. It should be 2.0 or above. This is important as Ordnance Survey has updated its placename and postcode search function, so if you have an older version those searches simply won't work.
The new version also allows you to pick the map type for a walk as you download it. The usual choice is likely to be OS Leisure, with or without extra zoom. This gives you the walk on OS Landranger and Explorer mapping. The 'Overview' option is really for those using another mapping application to follow their walks, as it means no detailed mapping is offered in the Walkingworld app. Finally the 'Street map' option is best for urban or town centre walks. The mapping is still provided by Ordnance Survey, but it has more detail for the built environment, such as street names.
If you have an Apple device you can now choose between a monthly subscription at £2.49 a month or the normal annual subscription through the website. Clearly the monthly subscription, while convenient, will prove more expensive over a whole year. However it might suit you if you only download Walkingworld walks occasionally. Please note that Apple in-app subscriptions renew automatically, so if you do decide to swap from the monthly to annual subscription you must remember to cancel it. You can do this on your device by going to Settings, then look in your account under Subscriptions.
Advice from Mad about Mountains – choosing a waterproof
What do you need from your waterproofs? This might seem an obvious question; you just want to ‘keep dry'. But not all waterproofs are equal. Although most will keep water out, a good waterproof will be breathable as well, to stop a build-up of vapour as you warm up and sweat. To achieve this most waterproofs are constructed in layers - the face fabric, then a membrane and sometimes more inner fabrics. The best known membrane is Goretex. However many brands now use their own membranes.
Breathability is measured in g/m2/24 hrs, the moisture that can escape from the fabric in that time. As well as the material breathability will be affected by what you wear under or over the item. If you’re doing high intensity exercise then breathability is your main priority. But if your main activity is steady hill or country walking then durability may be a more important concern and you would also want to look at the HH (hydrostatic head) measurement. This is the measure of the amount of water pressure the fabric can take on the outside before the rain gets in.
As well as breathability and HH, other factors to consider involve the fit and these will vary depending on your shape and activity. Sleeves, waist, trouser bottoms and length all affect each person differently. Does the hood need to accommodate a helmet or be tight to your head? Would you prefer the zips to be hydro sealed or have a storm baffle to keep water out? We would recommend looking at all these features with some care before making your choice.
To view the Mad about Mountains range visit www.madaboutmountains.co.uk. Feel free to contact us via the website if you have questions.
St Boniface Way launches
The St Boniface Way has just been launched, the fourth new pilgrimage route in the county to launch this year, part of the Church of England’s Devon Pilgrim project we mentioned in our July newsletter. The route follows in the footsteps of St Boniface, Devon’s patron saint, and goes from Crediton parish church to Exeter Cathedral. There's a short video to give some background to the route and flavour of the countryside and the churches.