Scotland Camping in December

[Sideburnt]

My first wild cold weather camp is coming up soon, And it'll be a few days of either hammocking, or Tarp'ing using a bivi.

We'll be (2 others) camping within walking distance of a vehicle incase the weather comes in, water supplies are available. So I'm not expecting to pack full survival mode. But is there any advice that I could gain before I head off?

I'm expecting the nights will get COLD, I plan on taking a bivi bag, and my sub temp sleeping bag and a roll mat with my hammock and tarp. If I hammock it I'll use my inflatable mat to put some extra distance between me and the cold air, probably with a wool blanket too if the weight doesn't get too high.

 

[andybysea]

Cant really give you any advice you prob's wont know yourself,just that its pretty wet and windy here at the Minute(Im in the Border's east side) think its alot worse on the west with some flooding,Are you heading North west?

 

[Shewie]

The only thing with using a mat in the hammock during winter is you don't get much protection along the sides, this is where an underblanket comes into it's own.

 

[Barn Owl]

I've used just what you have there in the hammock in winter.
Put hot water in your bottle to keep you toasty,this heats faster in the morning for your brew too.

 

[Sideburnt]

We're most likely to go to Galloway Forest National Park, I'll take a couple of Sigg bottles that I can use as a water bottles, also my Hobo stove incase I need to top them up in the middle of the night. Good advice.

Will I need to compansate much with my calories intake?, my experience is that I burn hot most of the time and that I might fare better than my mates in the low temps, but keeping warm must have a depriment on energy experience tells me.

I'll make a couple of salted and peppered rolled steaks for me and the two lads, enough for a couple of days. And perhaps make up some granola bars, and some Trail Mix. I don't want to be lugging too much with me.

Clothes wise, I'll be taking a pair of Jack Pyke hunting trousers which will be unique for this trip since I can pretty much enure I've got a wise pair of boots/socks and jacket sorted already. I've got a nate dandy Snow Cap too, not that we're expecting snow yet.

 

[Teepee]

For winter hammocking before using underquilts, I always took a few roll mats (at least 3), not just one. If its a double layer hammock , you can place the mats side by side and use a third to overlap the join line down the centre.

Very toasty that way and well capable of taking you well into the minuses. It'll keep your shoulders and arms warm too.

Eat lots and regularly, carbs and fats are great. Drink plenty too, it really helps.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Keep the warm drinks going in and unlike I did the other weekend avoid the alcohol. I have an under blanket you could try if you wanted.

 

[Barn Owl]

As Johnnyboy says, if it's your first wild weather outing, don't overdo the alcohol.

Come to some of our meets up here for practice first..

Whereabouts are you going in the forest?
There's a few of us near there if you need any other info.

 

[bilmo-p5]

...I'll take a couple of Sigg bottles that I can use as a water bottles, also my Hobo stove incase I need to top them up in the middle of the night.

Don't rely solely on your hobo stove. If you need to get a brew or whatever quickly the last thing you need to be doing is bu99ering about lighting a fire in it. At the very least take something like this or a Trangia bnr that you can just put a match to and it's ready to go. Take some fuel for it too.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

I agree about the hobo make sure you have a backup for the ease of lighting and emergency use. Don't try and cut down too much on your gear, if your close enough to your transport take enough to be comfortable.

 

[Barn Owl]

I take a wee gas stove or a trangia burner that pack inside my mug and pot that fit in the hobo stove.
The hobo then acts as a windbreak.

 

[filcon]

Check out the location of bothies in the event the weather breaks. Heres the link http://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/. The snow was 18 inches deep this time last year.

phil

 

[tiger stacker]

Spare stove and fuel plus a instant fire starter, a jack flask is handy for instant hot wets. I walked round barry last weekend, the wind was kept at bay by frequent hot sips from my jack flask.
Do not watch Dog soldiers before you go.

 

[Jinsin456]

I would really advise against hammocking without an underblanket mate, I did it winter last year using an aerogel filled mat and a woodlore sleeping bag good for -25 degrees. It got to -6 and even with a hot water bottle I was FREEZING!! Then I got my tent, laid on the ground and was toasty, hammocks are great and I plan to use mine this winter but I will definitely be using an underblanket instead of mats.

I don't sleep particularly hot or cold but my back was a level of cold I've never felt before and I don't want to feel again.

 

[Teepee]

I would really advise against hammocking without an underblanket mate, I did it winter last year using an aerogel filled mat and a woodlore sleeping bag good for -25 degrees. It got to -6 and even with a hot water bottle I was FREEZING!! Then I got my tent, laid on the ground and was toasty, hammocks are great and I plan to use mine this winter but I will definitely be using an underblanket instead of mats.

I don't sleep particularly hot or cold but my back was a level of cold I've never felt before and I don't want to feel again.

Closed Cell Foam mats if arranged right are warmer than a down UQ for the same weight. Not as comfy compared to an UQ, granted, but still much comfier than the ground. I did one night at -10 without a sleeping bag (just my clothes and down jacket as a quilt) with 3x 3/8" mats and 3 windscreen refelectors from the pound shop. I did 5 nights out 2 years ago when we had that really cold spell-it got to -14 one night and the rest were all -8 or less. I was quite warm in a -5 bag with the same mat arrangement. My friend who had a self inflating mat and a -35 bag was shivering at -8 and spent the rest of the week in his tent. His sleeping bag was crushed of all its loft and had little insulating value.

Underquilts rock, but don't discount the cheap CCF mats stacked side by side, they really work and have the massive bonus of being able to be used on the ground too.

FWIW,I'll be taking CCF mats to the Cairngorms for the record hang and to the Arctic in march.

They weighed about 700g but the roll of mats must have been 12" accross, not exactly compact. Great to sit on though

 

[Faz]

+1 for not watching dog soldiers

 

[Sideburnt]

That's a shame.

The mat I plan on using is a Big Agnes
http://www.livefortheoutdoors.com/G...lts/Accessories/Big-Agnes-Clearview-Air-Pad-/

Which should give me plenty of clearance and also to a point wrap around the sides of me.

This will (would be) doubled with a Thick army style sleeping mat
http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/s...s/new-olive-green-nato-style-10mm-513969.html

funnily enough the thickness of that mat on that site says its 10cm think, its not obviously.

From more experienced users of hammocks, based on what has been mentioned before, this doesn't sound like enough insulation.

My sleeping bag could be either a -15C synthetic job, or a heavier Down bag, like the one here
http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/s...gs/genuine-military-issue-long-58-306885.html

going on what I know of hammocking, down will not compress as much as synthetic, it might be worth me carrying the extra weight perhaps?, but only if the opinion would be for me to hammock at all. Otherwise tarp on the ground it is, with a Bivi.

Thanks for all the previous excellent advice, I just need a little bit more help before I decide on how I will be sleeping and sheltering. Which lets face it is the most important part this time of year. I'm sure moving around in the day will be fine to keep warm.

I've already read up on the local Bothies.

we're not 100% as to which part of the area we're going to yet, as we're about 2 1/2 weeks away.

We're still making the big decisions about how we plan on setting the camp up, and who's got what so we dont triple carry the same item.