How far would you walk (or cycle)?

[scarp15]

It would be interesting to learn how far, under your own steam, you will go to set up for an observing session and by what means and equipment you may approach for undertaking this. For many, this will not neccessarily become a topic to have too much input into, based on a relative ease for setting up in a back garden or yard, which is often convenient. However, for a variety of reasons, there might be an occasion when you like to venture a little further than your back garden to a suitable, perhaps local place and are able to walk or cycle there. You may also live in a flat and therefore do need to access some common land and then perhaps the logistics for negotiating several flights of stairs just to get outside.

I occasionally will use my back yard, most often for lunar observing or panning around with binoculars. I will sometimes take a ten minute walk to access my allotment plot (no lights, thermals, open views, tranquil location), in which I am able to carry a refractor and equipment. We live opposite a small metro station and perhaps must make a bit of a spectacle, lumbered with hand bags, a shoulder bag, whilst wearing welly's and a down vest, as the regular commuter, city slickers exit the station. I have also walked to a highish proximity called Cow Hill on Newcastle Town moor, some distance over a mile from home, with a pair of 70mm binoculars and tripod or monopod, most memorably a few years back to observe comet PannSTARRS. Back on my allotment over the years, I have set up with an 8" SCT, 8" dob (though only possible as part way a car journey) or hiking from my front door, a 3" or 31/2" refractor and a variety of 70mm binocular / monopod. 

I am eager to undertake a more adventurous trip, that is to go wild camping, walking in the hills at the Scottish border and take a refractor (the easier option would of been to just take binoculars). The route and logistics have been planned out, just need to ring-fence some time around the next new moon and more importantly the weather has to be right. The distance will possibly approach 3 miles of walking, could be much less, depending on which option I go for. I would also be inclined to plan to cycle to some places in the future. I enjoy hill walking, wild camping and the location, if it transpires, will provide some very interesting SQM-L readings.  

Do you occasionally go to some common land, or further or at least aspire to and with your equipment travel by foot or by bicycle?

[Beulah]

Yep, been there and do that regularly with regard to hiking, etc. Don't have to walk far to get to very dark skies. Binoculars are great as they are light in weight - I use my 12x50s with no problem. Telescopes, less so. You have to think about how much weight you realistically can lug around if you are wanting to put in some mileage. Widefield observing is a wonderful experience - as satisfying as DSO hunting with a dob - and just being out in the dark, under the stars, is a very cathartic and rewarding experience. Even full Moon walks are epic...hiking under moonlight only...

You (meaning people in general as you probably already know safety basics) have to know the routes very well and be prepared - 2 torches and battery backups and extra clothing in your rucksack as the hills can be surprisingly cold and windy, even though the valleys may be calm. The OS map app is very useful for tracking routes but for night hiking, I only do routes I know very well. I have been out in very remote locations in the dead of night - it does require a fair bit of planning, mentally and physically. A mobile phone is a must, letting people know precisely your route and when you may be expected to return. A hot drink if possible, calorie dense foods, etc.

There can be a bit of trouble out there, as we've had a surprisingly fair bit of night time crime in my area lately and a few junkies wandering around so I go for the more remote areas I know like the back of my hand.

If sleep wasn't compulsory.... 

[MarsG76]

Not on foot or bike... always car... 

I have my 14" dob for viewing and that's all that goes with me on the rare dark site visits... usually I go at least 30 minutes for a good spot, a hour to the mountains for a dark spot where there are no light around for 10s of miles... so walking isn't really a option.

 

 

[RichM63]

Many eons ago, I used to go fishing up at Waskerley Reservoir in C/Durham your neck of the woods.

If you want 'Wild' in the middle of Winter, it certainly is, heck it is only slightly less 'Wild' in the middle of July.

Great Trout BTW.

[scarp15]

6 minutes ago, MarsG76 said:

Not on foot or bike... always car... 

I have my 14" dob for viewing and that's all that goes with me on the rare dark site visits... usually I go at least 30 minutes for a good spot, a hour to the mountains for a dark spot where there are no light around for 10s of miles... so walking isn't really a option.

 

 

I quite understand, as I take my 14" dob out on journeys to dark sky locations as realistically often as possible. 

21 minutes ago, Beulah said:

Yep, been there and do that regularly with regard to hiking, etc. Binoculars are great as they are light in weight - I use my 12x50s with no problem. Telescopes, less so. You have to think about how much weight you realistically can lug around if you are wanting to put in some mileage. Widefield observing is a wonderful experience - as satisfying as DSO hunting with a dob - and just being out in the dark, under the stars, is a very cathartic and rewarding experience. Even full Moon walks are epic...hiking under moonlight only...

You (meaning people in general as you probably already know safety basics) have to know the routes very well and be prepared - 2 torches and battery backups and extra clothing in your rucksack as the hills can be surprisingly cold and windy, even though the valleys may be calm. The OS map app is very useful for tracking routes but for night hiking, I only do routes I know very well. I have been out in very remote locations in the dead of night - it does require a fair bit of planning, mentally and physically. A mobile phone is a must, letting people know precisely your route and when you may be expected to return. A hot drink if possible, calorie dense foods, etc.

There can be a bit of trouble out there, as we've had a surprisingly fair bit of night time crime in my area lately and a few junkies wandering around so I go for the more remote areas I know like the back of my hand.

If sleep wasn't compulsory.... 

I know and binoculars would be a more logical consideration in many ways. The inspiration, which I'd shaped last year, is to establish camp and just perhaps attempt Barnard's Loop, for which I have gained a very faint outline, profiling a small portion with my dob, but would love to establish a campsite and attempt a wide field refractor observation. This will be at a remote northern point in the Cheviots, potentially 21.6+mag skies. Weight wise my backpacking equipment is very efficient, a mix of innovative cottage industry USA and UK light weight manufactures such as Henry Shires, Golite, PHD.  For stargazing, I will be taking a less light weight approach, such as TV76 very compact, perfect for this in some ways, porta II and Berlebach tripod (in a shoulder bag) 21mm, 8mm, 4mm eyepieces, filters, Sky Quality Meter, Pocket Sky Atlas. In addition a very small compact backpacking table and stool. The stumbling block as I am not going particularly high, I may have to carry in water. Daftest thing I ever did in terms of night hike or run quite a few years ago was entering as part of a team of four, the High Peak Marathon, starting in Edale in the Peak District and running across the tops throughout the night (begun at 11pm), that year encountering considerable snow, the event had to be cancelled many competitors having to be rescued off the hills. 

24 minutes ago, RichM63 said:

Many eons ago, I used to go fishing up at Waskerley Reservoir in C/Durham your neck of the woods.

If you want 'Wild' in the middle of Winter, it certainly is, heck it is only slightly less 'Wild' in the middle of July.

Great Trout BTW.

Yes that can certainly be the case.

[Stub Mandrel]

My imaging gear requires several trips to set up, so its the garden or the car I'm afraid.

I do fancy getting a simplified setup sorted for short FL imaging or visual.

[scarp15]

It does take consideration and a bit of trial and error if you aim to go equipped some distance away from the car or the house. In addition to my above mentioned itinerary, it would be good to take along my 31mm nagler. Perhaps then a pack mule called Modestine, as in Robert Louis Stevenson's Travels With A Donkey  would be welcome. I will be after all following the line of an old whisky smuggling route. 

[scarp15]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

My imaging gear requires several trips to set up, so its the garden or the car I'm afraid.

I do fancy getting a simplified setup sorted for short FL imaging or visual.

I think that I would like to have a go at night lapse photography. 

[Piero]

I used to go jogging all around Newcastle Town moor in the late evening when I lived over there. Very beautiful, but also cold and windy in the winter! Brr! 

Coming back to astronomy, when I lived in Newcastle I mostly observed in Nuns Moor (South) with my bins and then the TV-60. This after walking between 5 and 40 minutes depending on where I was. 

When I lived closer to the city centre here in Cambridge, I cycled every time I wanted to observe. The field was about 2 km away from my home, but the path included crossing a railway bridge. From spring to autumn I used to cycle to the countryside for catching a bit more detail with the TV60. It was a rather long way though, about 10-13km each way on a straight road without pavement. Very enjoyable, but a sort of trip to plan in advance. The main issue is the choice of clothes. One inevitably sweats but also needs warm clothes to observe.

Now that I live near the border of the city, I tend to observe from my back yard.  

[LukeSkywatcher]

I literally have to walk 5 mins from my house to be in the middle of nowhere, and very dark skies. Driving, its about 2 mins. So, i can take whatever gear i want. 

[clarkpm4242]

On 1/29/2018 at 22:04, scarp15 said:

I think that I would like to have a go at night lapse photography.

I find that the tripod weight is a significant variable.  I've a light and very portable tripod that is OK if there is no wind.  Otherwise it is the 'heavy' one.

My last 3 time lapse outings involved snow chains on steep icy & snowy roads, then a 15 mins slog uphill and through snow.  Heavy-duty tripod, backpack and camera bag.  Definitely need spare camera battery and a flask and food...

...good luck!  Paul.

P.S.  If I plan on using a Slider or doing tracked AP it is usually in the back garden or right by my parked car.