Alex W wrote:The problem with any old straight line route is that in a mountainous area many of them will be simply impossible due to terrain - either impossible climbs or sheer drops or lochs. Part of the challenge will be finding a route it is possible to do.
Good practise for the traditional, Silva compass skills from the pre gps era! Boxing around obstacles and counting paces. And aiming off would stagger your straight line, of course.
In Wainwright's time, he considered such straight line map and compass walking a modern technique. Now gps and the increasing number of made paths have revived even older traditions such as faithfully following zig zags.