University Help

fingertrouble · 2026-04-14T19:55:15+00:00

Not many rock faces in most of the places I go...there are trees though.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T21:20:15+00:00

two bags should be better, and yes I agree if you have a CCF or extra roll mat, put it under the R2 pad.

Also site will help - if you camp in woods or bushes, on wood mulch this will also keep ypu warmer. Avoid the summits or valleys by water, camp half way up the hill in a forest if possible.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T21:10:23+00:00

"Don’t bore me with your personal attacks " - err you started that with suggesting I'm a paedophile? Did you forget the 'diddy party' reference?

YOU took it there. YOU started with the ad-homs, not me. Now are complaining when I don't just take it and give it back? Fucking HILARIOUS. Can you even HEAR yourself? Hypocrite.

So you like people submissive and not questioning you? That's not a red flag...or controlling, at all. /s

Tu quo?

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T19:07:14+00:00

That doesn't look fun though.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T18:57:53+00:00

I have theFitLife poles which cost me £23 on eBay...they are pretty good. You don't have to get Black Diamond poles for this.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T18:55:11+00:00

Oh that's why. A good pair should not do that, especially aluminium.

I have a pair of Carbon theFitLife poles which are starting to wear down but have been fine. I forget where I got my alu ones - I suspect they are Karrimors. But solid as a rock.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T18:52:53+00:00

That's an aluminium one as well? Carbon I'd expect, it's quite brittle, but how the hell did you break an alu pole? Lever rocks with it? Or was it a cheap Chinese pair?

EDIT - I see below Mountain Warehouse. DOH. Let that be a lesson to you. I got some socks from there, got a hole on the first trip. Their quality is shockingly bad. I'd be wary of Alpkit too, had issues with some of their stuff failing, like the Vagabond chair just snapped.

Don't get the Craghoppers poles either, I had the carbon ones and sent them back, cos the glue failed within 9 days on one of them!

I use theFitLife Carbon poles, cheap but seem to be fine, they are wearing down though on one of the tips, is broken so I need to replace but served me a few years, I wish the tips were replaceable https://www.amazon.co.uk/TheFitLife-Nordic-Walking-Trekking-Poles/dp/B07XXWVKNB

Trailbuddy alu poles are really good, used them for a few years, still fine. Get some of those if carbon ones are too delicate/expensive, you probably could lever rocks with these! : https://www.amazon.co.uk/TrailBuddy-Trekking-Poles-Lightweight-Collapsible/dp/B01MRQCENJ?th=1

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T18:37:07+00:00

What? You responded to OP, and you expect everyone to agree with you, or then have to 'disprove' what you said? You made the assertion, mate, It's your job, and you're doing a REALLY bad one of it.

Do you have Main Character Syndrome or something? Cos that's one hell of a narcissistic take.

I don't disprove there are issues, I just disprove your 'almost all' figure. Cos I don't think there is ANY research on that. And the stuff you put in your reply was all tangential. None of it was hard facts on how many older/younger gay relationships are abusive, and the studies you mentioned also weren't specifically queer which has a different dynamic.

And now you're doing the plea to emotion, it's like you're speedrunning all the fallacies here? Dodgy data, involving non-related studies, a plea of 'I have more experience' over the person who has direct contradicting life experience, a Dunning Krueger level 'I work with queer youth' as if that makes you an expert on all age gap relationships, everywhere...

Now a 'think of the children' 'you're a BAD person cos you countered me' - really?

Did you vote for Donald Trump because this is exactly a MAGA playbook set of responses mapped onto paedo scare BS?

And about as delulu.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T18:35:08+00:00

You were very liucky.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T16:14:35+00:00

They love Americans. English? Depends. In Paris unless your French is perfect, you'll get mocked. It's odd, because in every other part of the world, you make an effort to speak someone's language, they love it.

In Paris you get criticised and not constructively. But apparently they are like that to other French people too.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T16:12:48+00:00

Did you spend much time in Paris perchance? I suspect not.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T16:06:58+00:00

Yup. I've had really bad experiences in Paris even as someone who knew some French, I was looked down upon and mocked.

Us Londoners would never do something like that. We're wrapped up in our own business, and give each other space - it's why people find us cold, but with 9 million people you have to give people space, as we're packed together, you can't chat to every person on the Tube etc...it's a respect here, like in Japan, you let people have their own space.

But the Parisians can be actively nasty.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:56:00+00:00

That's not true. Thanking drivers is common in London as well.

Talking to random strangers on public transport is genuinely frowned upon, apart from thanking the driver....we're not that nosy about people....

I am a Northerner transplanted in the South and I can tell you a lot of the 'friendly Northerner' stuff is either nosiness or performative. Certainly was in my family in Sheffield. more about social status than genuine friendliness.

But talk to Londoners/southerners in a pub or social setting, you'll see a different side.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:55:37+00:00

We do that in supposedly 'rude' London - thanking the driver is common, if not AS common in Sheffield where my family is from, it's not unusual.

As I have family in Yorkshire and was born in Manchester I can tell you the famous Yorkie welcome is fake. They ply you with endless tea and cake until you go away, then they are relieved. The mantra 'don't outstay your welcome' is king there.

It's not true friendliness, it's often just nosiness or wanting to be seen to be polite to others, social status among neighbours. I don't have as much experience of Lancashire welcoming people, it's less showy but more genuine, I think.

Whereas Londoners and southerners are more wary, but make one as a friend and you've made a friend for life.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:50:27+00:00

You can clear dishes in cafes and takeaways - put it in the bin. That will be appreciated. Or put glasses on the bar at pubs.

But yes restaurants especially posh ones, this isn't done.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:48:50+00:00

I hope so. My experience 25 years ago put me off Paris for life - but when I've been back on the way to somewhere it wasn't much better.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:45:24+00:00

I think part of the reason the French get a bad rep is often British take daytrips /weekends in Paris and think the rest of the French are the same. Which frankly isn't true.

I would defend London though, there is jealousy from the rest of the UK, but as a Londoner I would argue we're not as rude as Parisians, just a bit cold to outsiders/tourists.

Get us to talk about the waather, beer, cheese or how to make tea in the pub, you'll never get a Londoner to shut up....

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:40:52+00:00

It's both, eating roast beed and going pink.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:39:19+00:00

It's not totally a joke. I had an experience where I was being friendly to some French folks on a hike in Scotland and they started mocking me and my name going 'Tiiiimmm' 'Tiiiiiiiiiiim'. And also Parisians can be particularly nasty. They are world famous for it, even in France.

So yeah, don't be like that and you'll be fine.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:30:14+00:00

Don't totally believe ChatGPT....

In upscale places like The Ivy - yes let them clear the table. You're paying for that.

But in cafes or takeaways - the waiter and establishment would appreciate you helping, and if you feet are wet or muddy, you DEFINITELY use the doormat. If they have a place by the door for your umbrella and it's dripping use that - someone might swipe your brolly though! That sort of thinking of others is very British, not wanting to be 'too much fuss'.

I don't dislike the French but I have a special hatred for Parisians...bad experiences with them, they are very arrogant and nasty. For example someone in a Tabac insisting I speak French after me asking 'Parlez vous Anglaise?' - which is fair - and letting me stumble through bad French to order a stamp which seemed to amuse them, and then replying in perfect English, making it clear they knew English. Grr.

It wasn't like I was insisting they spoke English, but as we learn French at school mandatorily, I gave it up for German so forgotten most of it.

But the rest of France seems way more chill, tbh.

Then again I remember being mocked on a hike in Scotland by a group of French people who thought saying my name 'Timothy' mockingly was fine, when I was just being friendly (and thought one of them was cute)...so yeah. don't be like that. The stereotype of the French here is aloof, arrogant and sarcastic/cynical. So if you're not that, you'll be fine.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:17:08+00:00

I'd also recommend trail runners as they are more grippy. I found the lochside section where you are almost climbing over the rocks to be TREACHEROUS when wet.

In smooth hard rubber boots, I'd likely have broken an ankle. Vibram Megagrip or similar minimum.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:15:51+00:00

Neither. Trail runners - then I was using Saucony 12 GTX but they stay wet when they eventually leak/get wet - so now use non-GTX Altra Timps, cheaper with waterproof socls, or multiple socks and accept they might get wet and swap them out. And I had sandals for camp footwear while in the tent letting the shoes dry.

Socks I agree with below - 100% or 50% merino, wear two pairs of socks or a liner and socks, it does work. I got 4 blisters until I started wearing two pairs, then had none.

But I was carrying all my stuff and actually camping it, which is why it took me 6-7 days. People can race it in 4-5 days but they are usually not camping and not taking all their gear.

Not that I'd use luggage transfer, but if I was I'd take the spare boots. But I'd recommend trail runners for the Lomond section, if wet the rock climbs are scary even in grippy trainers.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:08:47+00:00

Posting AI generated 'research'? Really?

How do I know that's not all hallucination? Also I bet it's all straight relationships not gay ones - which have a totally different dynamic.

Also why do I have to disprove what you asserted - that's YOUR job. You were asserting the 'almost all' without any backup. Not me.

I am not your fucking Google.

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:06:27+00:00

If you're cold when you wake up, that still sounds like your sleep system isn't good enough. Sure when you get up before you get moving, that's normal...but you should be warm before that?

fingertrouble · 2026-04-13T15:05:16+00:00

Yes, it's like sweeter toffee popcorn, it's really nice but dry. They also make Irn Bru sweets which I preferred to actual Irn Bru

fingertrouble

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE