Equipment Failures When Walking

I once got off the bus at Rowsley and my trousers were falling down; I checked my belt and half of the buckle was missing. I managed to walk along to the shop where the shopkeeper had some twine in the back room - I bought a carton of milk to drink later.

I was walking down into Bretton Clough when I stumbled and noticed that the sole at the front of my right boot had become partially detached. I used one of the socks from the spare pair I always keep in my rucksack and pulled it over the toe end of the boot and I was able to continue without any problems. Of course the sock was ruined, shredded and caked in mud - I think the remaining sock is still at the bottom of my rucksack somewhere.

Another footwear problem; this time I was carefully closing a farm gate at Wormhill when my boot was somehow snagged by the bottom of the gate and the sole was entirely ripped off this time. I took the boot off, wore both of the socks from my spare pair on that foot to provide a bit of padding, struggled to put the boot back on and then carefully made my way back to the nearest bus stop at Blackwell Lane End.

I'd just finished eating my sandwiches on the Hallam Moors near the Redmires Reservoirs and attempted to sling my rucksack over my shoulders when one of the shoulder straps snapped. There was nothing I could do about this; fortunately it was easy and safe walking conditions back to the bus terminus at Lodge Moor.

I was once climbing over a gate and caught my trousers on a nail and ripped them. The tear was several inches long and I was unable to wear them again.

My Berghaus hiking boots are very comfortable, strong and still totally waterproof after five years, and I love them, but their grip is very poor when walking on limestone so I can only use them in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District and for some local walks - we do have limestone countryside near Doncaster, the Yorkshire Magnesian Limestone Ridge.

Twice I've bought a pair of ice grippers and both times I was disappointed. They were awkward to attach to my boots and kept coming loose and eventually the studs would break off.