Stilt shepards
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I read something about it once... IIRC it was claimed they could travel at the speed of a trotting horse...
I'll see if I can find the book on my bookshelf...
I'll see if I can find the book on my bookshelf...
P
Pcwizme
Guest
This was on QI a few seasons ago, and they had a pole they took with them, so they basicly became a tripod!
Do you think it should be in 'Transport' then ???methinks this is not the forum for this post... but i like it anyway, and am hoping to hear more
Sort of like flat wooden snowshoes. You have to really swing your legs wide to stop stepping on the other one
http://www.paddling.net/sameboat/archives/sameboat339.html
My brother and I made some from marine ply a few years (decades) ago for use in the glutinous mud off starcross in the Exe estuary having read about them in the same book mentioned above as children. They were about the size of a round tray (we used one as a template) and secured by two buckles over the foot (cut down surplus belts from Endicotts in Exeter). You don't half have have to swing your legs wide to stop stepping on the other one and ending up face down in the mud (which has to be greeted by the line "Tastes like mud anyway" given the sewer outfall is upriver
). You can get up a fair turn of speed but it likes scree running - don't slow down whatever you do! 
Happy days
Red
http://www.paddling.net/sameboat/archives/sameboat339.html
My brother and I made some from marine ply a few years (decades) ago for use in the glutinous mud off starcross in the Exe estuary having read about them in the same book mentioned above as children. They were about the size of a round tray (we used one as a template) and secured by two buckles over the foot (cut down surplus belts from Endicotts in Exeter). You don't half have have to swing your legs wide to stop stepping on the other one and ending up face down in the mud (which has to be greeted by the line "Tastes like mud anyway" given the sewer outfall is upriver
). You can get up a fair turn of speed but it likes scree running - don't slow down whatever you do! Happy days
Red
Here you go :
From a book called "The Discovery of France" by Graham Robb.
are those poles going where they look like they are going???
I have been studying some of those excellent old vidoes from Finland showing rural life from the 1930's. There are some scenes on thhe boatmaking film where a man walks on a fen type place; they seem to be gathering reeds with a small sickle on a very long pole. He is wearing what look like snow shoes presumabaly to stop him sinking in the mud....starts around 5.08 on this clip (worth watching the whole thing though....!)
http://vstr1.nebula.fi/?id=1785532-1252070219&w=640&h=476&fs=1&c=1&r=640&a=1&p=1
As for those stilts, handy to see a longer distance too but I would think but your flumoxxed if they go down a rabbit hole.
http://vstr1.nebula.fi/?id=1785532-1252070219&w=640&h=476&fs=1&c=1&r=640&a=1&p=1
As for those stilts, handy to see a longer distance too but I would think but your flumoxxed if they go down a rabbit hole.
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That's very easy to believe. I have a set of Dura Stilts, which I use while hedge cutting and pruning. On the highest setting of 40" your stride length is increased quite dramatically and hence speed over the ground when you've gained sufficient confidence.
