Gee, can I take a look at your map?

Weary, struggling to find my route, and having been running for over an hour and a half, I’ll admit I was plodding so maybe she didn’t guess. But I was very taken aback when I was approached by a lady seeking to borrow my map to find her way back to the car park at Waggoner’s Wells, a very scenic open area near the Devil’s Punchbowl. On this autumnal Sunday, it was a location popular with walkers and dog walkers as well as us runners. “I’m sorry”, I puffed, “I’m in a running race, can’t stop”. “Is this the way to ….?” the plump American lady with small dog persisted. “I’ve no idea.” I shrugged. I was pretty sure her destination wasn’t on my map and I didn’t want to unfold it to look. So while dodging a big puddle so as not to splash her with mud, I suggested she ask some of the walkers ahead. In the unlikely event that this should happen to me again, I will just show the walker my map and let them realize how little sense it makes the first time you see an orienteering map!