EDIT: something is up with my account and I can't upload images, can only link them and that appears to be a bit iffy. Apologies
Last year my brother and I spent 4 days in Knoydart, split between Bothying and bushcrafting. This year my brother suggested we go full bushcraft camping.
Left Gloucester around 10pm, powered through to about 2am and pulled up near Johnstonebridge. Had a rubbish night’s sleep in the car with a confused dog but experienced an awesome 6am sunrise
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Left Johnstonebridge at around 7:00 stopped in Dumbarton for supplies a bit after 8. Arrived loch striven around 10. Short 4k walk to our target site. Set to with axe and saw.
2 larch pole beds made, padded with moss, 3rd bed of Moss covered in a smart tartan picnic blanket for the puppy, Loki, tidy.
Both feeling a bit run down, so slowly improved the camp in bits, mixing in some wood cutting and got a fire going.
Pies and whisky kept us going until tea of sprat Baps.
Probably settled down to sleep around 10. Woke around 1, fire was now out, wind gusts getting very strong and I could tell that Loki was both cold and anxious so I got her onto my cot and she snuggled up with me, I covered her in my coat and hoody. Not such a great night after that due to limited sleeping positions and the wind. Got up around 8, gave the dog a short walk and collected water, got the fire going. Reinforced the tarps and collected some more wood still waiting for Adrian to wake up at 10, I want me fry up! Adrian finally emerged at 10:45 due to me plying him with tea and bladder pressures. Finally time for bacon, black pudding, beef sausage and that weird fruit pudding thing the natives appear to like. Still very gusty with showers.
Adrian made up for his late start by cutting an heroic amount of wood. Around 12 we headed off to the car, horrible gusty sleet. Got to the ferry to find it had only just started running. Into Rothesay for meat, pies, extra whisky, dog treats and a lime green girls hoody for Loki.
Back to camp. Grabbing some kelp and sacharina on the way. Got the fire going, had a brew and put some pasta on. Adrian hung some Cider infused pork ribs over the fire and we started cooking some rocks. Made a cairn of hot rocks with one set of pork ribs wrapped in the seaweed while the other set hung freely. Hung meat was awesome. Some time later we excavated the seaweed wrapped pork, amazingly soft and so succulent, beautifully seasoned by the seaweed.
Added an extra couple of logs to my bed to make it big enough for me and puppy.
Fair bit of rain and wind overnight but a good night's sleep had by all.
In the morning the plan was to have a dry breakfast, get going early, head up the hills and get back by lunchtime when some weather was due to arrive, unfortunately we had some bonus rain first thing so we stayed in bed until 9 and planned a proper breakfast but could not get a fire going as everything was damp, in the end we used the last of the gas for a brew and headed off. Very steep climb through the woods and an epic old blow down to climb and tunnel through, it was very hard work and I think the only one who enjoyed it was Loki, I think there may have been some Pork residue in my beard.
Wind on the hill was very strong, one gust knocked us both sideways and the dog dropped flat in fear so we decided not to linger and headed round the hill and back to camp.
All exhausted, tried fire again, took about 40 minutes to get it to where it didn't need constant attention, but at least we got it. Chip shop curry sausage sandwich (I kid you not) for a starter
followed by lorne sausage and bacon then the main event of seaweed wrapped lamb ribs. Bed around 20:30. Slept through to 9. Got fire going easily as we had prepared dried kindling the night before. Breakfast of bacon, lorne sausage and more bacon.
Headed to Colintraive to make contact with families then up to Clachen of Glendaruel to look at some stones and cairns, found some Oyster mushrooms in the woods.
Into Kames for a pint and back to camp. Different fire arrangement that night as it was going to be a cold one, tea was haggis and mushrooms with Idahoan buttery mash followed by more lamb ribs, this time wrapped in sacharina and then Moss, hot rocks above and below. Camp was reinforced a bit, more Moss added to the bottom of the tarps and the ends cinched in just in case of blustery snow.
Woke up early to a light dusting of snow and a light snowfall. Got the fire going ready for a blowout last breakfast of sausage, lorne sausage, back bacon, streaky bacon and tattie scones. Broke down camp and got back to the car around 10:15. An uneventful drive home followed, stopping only to purchase some Scottish essentials and change drivers, lots of snow around, but the roads were clear. Now planning next year….
P.S. New gear for this trip included a Hunka XL bivvy bag, really liked this, very roomy, even for a 6 foot 3 slightly chubby bloke and the Silky Zubat 360, which was invaluable due to the larger wood we were dealing with, I have christened mine Chuck Norris.
Also forgot to mention our standard lunches which were wraps filled with either John West Tuna Pouches or Polish Chicken Pate and, it goes without saying, Scotch Pies.
Last year my brother and I spent 4 days in Knoydart, split between Bothying and bushcrafting. This year my brother suggested we go full bushcraft camping.
Left Gloucester around 10pm, powered through to about 2am and pulled up near Johnstonebridge. Had a rubbish night’s sleep in the car with a confused dog but experienced an awesome 6am sunrise
Left Johnstonebridge at around 7:00 stopped in Dumbarton for supplies a bit after 8. Arrived loch striven around 10. Short 4k walk to our target site. Set to with axe and saw.
2 larch pole beds made, padded with moss, 3rd bed of Moss covered in a smart tartan picnic blanket for the puppy, Loki, tidy.
Both feeling a bit run down, so slowly improved the camp in bits, mixing in some wood cutting and got a fire going.
Pies and whisky kept us going until tea of sprat Baps.
Probably settled down to sleep around 10. Woke around 1, fire was now out, wind gusts getting very strong and I could tell that Loki was both cold and anxious so I got her onto my cot and she snuggled up with me, I covered her in my coat and hoody. Not such a great night after that due to limited sleeping positions and the wind. Got up around 8, gave the dog a short walk and collected water, got the fire going. Reinforced the tarps and collected some more wood still waiting for Adrian to wake up at 10, I want me fry up! Adrian finally emerged at 10:45 due to me plying him with tea and bladder pressures. Finally time for bacon, black pudding, beef sausage and that weird fruit pudding thing the natives appear to like. Still very gusty with showers.
Adrian made up for his late start by cutting an heroic amount of wood. Around 12 we headed off to the car, horrible gusty sleet. Got to the ferry to find it had only just started running. Into Rothesay for meat, pies, extra whisky, dog treats and a lime green girls hoody for Loki.
Back to camp. Grabbing some kelp and sacharina on the way. Got the fire going, had a brew and put some pasta on. Adrian hung some Cider infused pork ribs over the fire and we started cooking some rocks. Made a cairn of hot rocks with one set of pork ribs wrapped in the seaweed while the other set hung freely. Hung meat was awesome. Some time later we excavated the seaweed wrapped pork, amazingly soft and so succulent, beautifully seasoned by the seaweed.
Added an extra couple of logs to my bed to make it big enough for me and puppy.
Fair bit of rain and wind overnight but a good night's sleep had by all.
In the morning the plan was to have a dry breakfast, get going early, head up the hills and get back by lunchtime when some weather was due to arrive, unfortunately we had some bonus rain first thing so we stayed in bed until 9 and planned a proper breakfast but could not get a fire going as everything was damp, in the end we used the last of the gas for a brew and headed off. Very steep climb through the woods and an epic old blow down to climb and tunnel through, it was very hard work and I think the only one who enjoyed it was Loki, I think there may have been some Pork residue in my beard.
Wind on the hill was very strong, one gust knocked us both sideways and the dog dropped flat in fear so we decided not to linger and headed round the hill and back to camp.
All exhausted, tried fire again, took about 40 minutes to get it to where it didn't need constant attention, but at least we got it. Chip shop curry sausage sandwich (I kid you not) for a starter
followed by lorne sausage and bacon then the main event of seaweed wrapped lamb ribs. Bed around 20:30. Slept through to 9. Got fire going easily as we had prepared dried kindling the night before. Breakfast of bacon, lorne sausage and more bacon.
Headed to Colintraive to make contact with families then up to Clachen of Glendaruel to look at some stones and cairns, found some Oyster mushrooms in the woods.
Into Kames for a pint and back to camp. Different fire arrangement that night as it was going to be a cold one, tea was haggis and mushrooms with Idahoan buttery mash followed by more lamb ribs, this time wrapped in sacharina and then Moss, hot rocks above and below. Camp was reinforced a bit, more Moss added to the bottom of the tarps and the ends cinched in just in case of blustery snow.
Woke up early to a light dusting of snow and a light snowfall. Got the fire going ready for a blowout last breakfast of sausage, lorne sausage, back bacon, streaky bacon and tattie scones. Broke down camp and got back to the car around 10:15. An uneventful drive home followed, stopping only to purchase some Scottish essentials and change drivers, lots of snow around, but the roads were clear. Now planning next year….
P.S. New gear for this trip included a Hunka XL bivvy bag, really liked this, very roomy, even for a 6 foot 3 slightly chubby bloke and the Silky Zubat 360, which was invaluable due to the larger wood we were dealing with, I have christened mine Chuck Norris.
Also forgot to mention our standard lunches which were wraps filled with either John West Tuna Pouches or Polish Chicken Pate and, it goes without saying, Scotch Pies.
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