Plavuizen wrote:Lots of good memories here
I only came as far as knee deep just south of Rannoch Moor, and half that deep in bog in NL. Oh yes, knee deep in a salt water creek on a Dutch island.
But seriously, how dangerous are these peat bogs? I always walk alone, so no one to pull me out. And how to recognize these peat bogs?
Most are not dangerous, it is just a nuisance getting your feet submerged in mud and getting soggy mud over most of your lower half. If there are large patches of bare earth that are in a slight dip, be careful. Sometimes they can be recognised by a change in vegetation, the plant life on a bog surface will be very very low growing and sometimes look a bit like slime, in contrast to clumps of heather on firm ground. If I have to cross bare earth suspect peat bog, I look for any rocks poking through the ground, they should be resting on something solid beneath. If in doubt, put one foot forward and slowly put your weight on it, and be ready to abort if your forward foot starts going down significantly.
If you are heather bashing on pathless terrain, you should watch carefully where you put your feet if you are close to a watercourse. Coming down the Minigaig on the north side, I put my foot down a small boggy hole which was hidden by heather. That was goodbye dry feet, and had to carry on with my left foot and all my left trouser leg up to and including my backside soaking wet.