My small portfolio of written work has increased gradually over the past few years, with two new guide books added last year, and plans to add another two this year. Until now, I’ve created and managed a website for each new publication, which was fine when there was only a couple, but is just not sustainable as more are added. The result is a consolidation of all my guides into one website: Pocket Routes
The new site is an online shop as well as a repository for information relating to each walk. Over time, I’m hoping to make the guide books more interactive and Chris Pilgrim and I have had many long discussions over the future of guide books in the digital age. Hopefully he can bring some of his ideas to Pocket Routes in the future. Over time I will retire the stand-alone websites and point them directly to Pocket Routes.
In the meantime, please pop over and have a look. Tell me what you think, and if you like what you see, tell your friends too!
3 thoughts on “Pocket Routes is born!”
Just “bumped” into your web page after searching for MM details.
Ive been using it for about 20 years. Seldom for much more than a days outing. i used the good old fashioned Paper OS map Series 1,
for the serious stuff C-Coast 1987-90 about 16 of them (Foot n mouth prolonged things a bit ), West H way, Southern C_C, 2 Moors, Pennine Way 2001-5 and of course lots in between. Did it with a couple of mates and My 10 Y.O son (to start) all with camping gear. LOVED IT all, after a pint or 6. The worst felling i ever experienced was at the end of the 1st L.D Walk The C-C. I can honestly say my thoughts were, “What on earth am i going to do to match that?” if work commitments had not mattered Id have turned around and gone back the way i came.
We the “Awesome Foursome” got 16 years out of serious walking” before one of us decided that he wanted a “Holiday” rather than an adventure.
On walks, we were up at 4 AM packed by 5 and walked 10-20 miles a day, before hopefully putting up tents etc. We could finish that just after 12 on a day that went to plan (boring stuff). They were the bad days as washing clothes and bodies followed by a nap would put us in the pub. Perhaps just a couple of miles away at 18:30. Food and a pint or more of brown and foaming anesthetic, soon dispensed with the aches n pains. Leaving there at 23:00 ish we would “Float” back to tents by 24:00 ish, what a day! we had seen the sun come up and the studied the stars whilst standing at the hedge side relieved. Then we’d get up again at 4 and do it all again the next day. It was the Best Thing I ever did, it taught me so much about compromise. eg I took loads of stuff on the first outing and soon realised i could manage quite happily without it. Half a bar of soap,toothpaste etc etc. I’d measure how long things would last, in day to day life, then put them aside when they got to that level ready for use on an adventure. Never threw out clothing at home just wore it on a walk and binned it when it got dirty, “throwaways”. 1 of my mates left his boots at Lynton on the sea front after doing the 2 Moors, this was symbolic not littering you understand. “These boots have gone as far as they can with me” he announced..
Enough…. I enjoyed and learnt a few things from your page and will be back for more. Thanks & Cheers
Any interest in turning these into a mobile app?
That’s one of the possibilities I eluded to – Chris and I both have a desire to bring guide books into the 21st century and that’s one way of doing it.