5 Days Hiking

[ex-member BareThrills]

Great write up mate. you should feel rightly proud. Bet that steak meal was a real boone

Gear looks like it worked well for you. Just had an extra thought on how you might shed a few more oz. Instead of a pot cosy i use a bubble foil pouch and a pour and store bag. put the dried food in the bag, pour on the water and shove in the pouch for 20. Washing up is easy, just add some water and whatever soap you use to the used bag, reseal and give it a good shake. Presto its ready for the next meal. The pour and store bags tolerate boiling water and are currently on sale at aldi. 8 for 99p. You could then lose the extra pot and just take the mi ti mug.

 

[BigM]

Great stuff. What's spesh about Sudocrem? I'm just turning out my med kit and changing things around so interested.

Oh Sudocrem is special stuff! It's useful for just about everything from burns to cuts, spots, rashes, grazes (running out of ailments here). But it's dead handy as it's both antiseptic and very soothing.

 

[huntersforge]

Superb mate. I really enjoyed your writeup and pics. Well done
Thanks for sharing

 

[MartinK9]

Great report, thanks for sharing your trip.

 

[fast but dim]

great thread. Good to see someone getting out from behind the computer! Props for toughing the blisters out.

 

[copper_head]

Looks like a great trip Thanks for sharing and the tarp looks very well set up

Thanks walker

Great stuff mate, looks like good weather too .
I love these kinds of trip report.

Thanks for posting this

Cheers Salad, aye the weather was fine.

Cracking good reading mate and some stellar photos to boot, those blister.....ouch....what did we tell you? the youth of today honestly looking forward to the next installments, on a side note, would have been nice to have a photo of all your kit (after heading the various advice), would just complete the thread nicely.....that and the rest of the story/trail of course.

Cheers Lister, I know I know . It was more how quickly I got them, I kind of got taken by surprise. I just didn't expect to have to worry about them straight away, I soon learned that the trail wasn't going anywhere and to deal with my needs as they came. I'll get a final kit list with some analysis up.

Great report so far C_H, and great photo's, damn them heels looked sore, Awaiting the rest, Well done bud

Cheers Lucan

Great stuff. What's spesh about Sudocrem? I'm just turning out my med kit and changing things around so interested.

I find sudocrem great for any skin based ailments. Chapping, burns, sunburn, bites and stings; its good stuff

Good stuff, well done for going it alone and battling through with the blisters

Hope the heels are on the mend?

Thanks, yeah blisters are hurting but much better for a couple of long soaks in the bath

Really well done. There's a great sense of achievement at the end of these trips, especially when you have done it all yourself.

Excellent report too.

Thanks Harvestman, it feels really good to have done it.

Top notch, well done mate I bet you feel elated after all that. You will have to bring your maps to the next meet, I would love to have a natter about the trip, I wouldnt mind attempting it or part of it in October before the winter kicks in.

Cheers, yes I will bring them along sounds good .

Great report mate, really enjoyed coming along

Looks like a nice route, I'll have a look at it one day.

Will we get a debrief of what worked and what didn't, was there any kit you didn't use?

Hope the feet mend soon

Thanks Rich, I'll put up my kit list shortly. Definitely hammockable I reckon too...

Brilliant trip report, thanks.

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.

Loving this thread so far.
Photos of the load out and an assessment of good and not so good would be a great additional piece.
Didnt fancy doing it ala boone then?

Cheers Sam, kit list coming up. Main problem with Boone style would be no fire's really. Would of love to do something like this more traditionally but the weight was as much as I could manage as it was !

 

[copper_head]

Great write up mate. you should feel rightly proud. Bet that steak meal was a real boone

Gear looks like it worked well for you. Just had an extra thought on how you might shed a few more oz. Instead of a pot cosy i use a bubble foil pouch and a pour and store bag. put the dried food in the bag, pour on the water and shove in the pouch for 20. Washing up is easy, just add some water and whatever soap you use to the used bag, reseal and give it a good shake. Presto its ready for the next meal. The pour and store bags tolerate boiling water and are currently on sale at aldi. 8 for 99p. You could then lose the extra pot and just take the mi ti mug.

Cheers mate, oh man that steak was like mana from heaven, and my missus cooked me another steak dinner when I got home . Looks like a good method, I'll pick some up and have a play.

Oh Sudocrem is special stuff! It's useful for just about everything from burns to cuts, spots, rashes, grazes (running out of ailments here). But it's dead handy as it's both antiseptic and very soothing.

Amen !

Superb mate. I really enjoyed your writeup and pics. Well done
Thanks for sharing

Cheers, glad you like the report

Great report, thanks for sharing your trip.

Thanks Martin

great thread. Good to see someone getting out from behind the computer! Props for toughing the blisters out.

Cheers, the blisters only hurt for the first mile or so in the morning then soon went numb... Still can't help thinking it would have been more pleasant without them

 

[bilmo-p5]

Excellent stuff, CH.
Day 3 reminded me of an amble I did around the Hole of Horcum area a couple of years ago

 

[widu13]

Nice write up. Glad you cracked the dehydrating. What was the load of your load out?

 

[copper_head]

Excellent stuff, CH.
Day 3 reminded me of an amble I did around the Hole of Horcum area a couple of years ago

Thanks . That's the one, pretty place I'd only seen it from the road before now.

Nice write up. Glad you cracked the dehydrating. What was the load of your load out?

Thanks for your help with the dehydrating, fully loaded (5 days food and 3l of water) I was about 15kg. Just going off cheap fishing scales though, it was too heavy when my water bottles full and just fine with only 1l.

 

[copper_head]

So my final kit list was a little different from the planning thread, but not by much.

Shelter
Modded army bivvi (center zip) - Worked well but pretty heavy for what it was.
DD 3x3m plus paracord lines and 4x Alpkit Y beam pegs - Didn't need the bigger tarp in the end but I'd of been glad had it rained I guess.
Thermarest prolite S - It was adequate
Karrimor global 700 sleeping bag - Kept me plenty warm but its in the great kit cupboard in the sky now. Managed to pretty much destroy it!
Poundshop inflatable pillow - Well worth a quid, managed to loose me swish inflatable pillow when it came to packing.

Cook
Fire maple remote feed gas stove
350g gas cart
Spork
Pot cozy
Lighter
Primus Alutech 1l billy
Alpkit MyTi cup

All my cook kit worked well, I was pleased with my dehydrated food. Bit monotonous after a couple of days but quick easy calories nontheless

Food
Various home made dehydrated meals enough for 3 full days and 2 half days. Some snacks and lots of 3 in 1's.

Water
2l Evian Bottle - Swapped out the 2l bladder for this as it was lighter and my bladder tasted pretty foul, might invest in a better quality one at some point. Might of been better taking 2x1l bottles as its tricky to get a 2l under a sink tap.
1l Nalgene - Took this as I just like my Nalgene, heavy I guess but it's been in my pack for years.
Premac MWP filter - Really pleased with the filter, it is SLOW but I didn't get sick after drinking some pretty foul water.
Chlorine tabs in my FAK as a back up. - Never needed

Possibles
Petzyl Tikka +spare batteries
Puukko Knife - Never used
Ferro rod -Never used
SAK Huntsman - Popped it in my pocket as an after thought, but used it for all manner of tasks.
Spare lighter wrapped in duct tape
10m Dyneema - Never used but spare cordage is worth the weight I think.
Sony HX20 camera in case
Tinder card - Never used
Needles and thread - Glad I packed these!
Heliograph / tick mirror - Won't go into to much detail, but used daily
Compass
Ankle Supports (I have dodgy ankles) - Needed on the last couple of days
Mossie head net - Only used it on night 3 but I was very glad to have it.
Maps in a ziploc

Hygiene
Loo roll
Tooth brush and paste
Soap + bit of old trek towel
Washing up liquid and 1 cloth

Clothing
Ventile smock
Shemargh (also my pillowcase and towel) - Everyone should have one in their pack!
Spare socks
Spare undies
Possum hat
Fingerless gloves
Buff - Great for sleeping in and keeping the bugs off your face.
Thermal base layer - Not used

Worn Clothes
Berghaus wicking t-shirt - Worked great and dried quickly, it was pretty much sentient by day 5 though
Under Armour Shorts - No chaffing for me.
Cheap Combat shorts - Did the job
Brasher Explorer socks
Fleece top
Baseball cap

FAK
Midge repel
Assorted plasters
Blister plasters
Lipsyl
2x Blisters Ibuprofen
1x Blister paracetemol
Immodium
Alcohol wipes
tweezers
15ml Sudocrem
Chlorine tabs

Other stuff
Lowe Alpine Outback 65l - Star of the show for me, this pack is a joy to walk with. Very comfy for load I was carrying, not too heavy at 2.2kg. Cost me £80.
1x Kohla walking poles - Good pole but should have taken the pair.
Rucksack liner
Phone
Wallet
Keys
MP3 player - Really kept me going, good to have something to listen to. First time taking audiobooks and a good choice for solo ventures.

 

[Gray]

Fantastic, well done Kit

 

[Earthgirl]

Well done you

Brilliant achievement.

Some of the best trips I've ever had have been really hard work but as soon as I look back, the sense of achievement makes it all worthwhile

 

[Niels]

Good thread. Very inspiring report. Thanks for taking the time to post it.

 

[copper_head]

Fantastic, well done Kit

Cheers Gray

Well done you

Brilliant achievement.

Some of the best trips I've ever had have been really hard work but as soon as I look back, the sense of achievement makes it all worthwhile

Cheers Earthgirl, aye it was definitely worth it. Feels good to have done it

Good thread. Very inspiring report. Thanks for taking the time to post it.

Thanks Niels

 

[Gaudette]

Cracking report Copperhead and well done. To carry on with those blisters was an amazing effort. Many thanks for the write up it made great reading.

 

[widu13]

Plenty of scope for lightening your load out there bud. From experience, slowing the pace reduces blisters. You're right though- your feet when carrying weight will fit your boots differently than without.

 

[jacko1066]

Awesome mate!!!

Well done indeed kit!!!

 

[Bluffer]

You'll need to sort out that blister thing dude, experiment with some good socks and think about taping your heels. It is easy to underestimate the debilitating effect of blisters as they have a certain comedy value?

 

[copper_head]

Cracking report Copperhead and well done. To carry on with those blisters was an amazing effort. Many thanks for the write up it made great reading.

Thanks Gaudette glad you enjoyed it.

Plenty of scope for lightening your load out there bud. From experience, slowing the pace reduces blisters. You're right though- your feet when carrying weight will fit your boots differently than without.

Ah I thought that might be the case, don't think I managed more than 2mph as it was. Sounds strange but I've done a fair bit of hiking over the years and not really suffered like that before. Thought my feet were pretty tough, guess I was wrong!
Should of worn my boots more before hand. Like I say lesson learned

Awesome mate!!!

Well done indeed kit!!!

Cheers Steve

You'll need to sort out that blister thing dude, experiment with some good socks and think about taping your heels. It is easy to underestimate the debilitating effect of blisters as they have a certain comedy value?

As above really, not sure about comedy value though! Well at least not at the time .