Hello campers!
Thought Id post up a short trip report from last weekends overnighter in my local woods. This overnighter was when the clocks went back so it meant I got an extra hour in my hammock happy days!
Ive learnt theres only one problem with overnight camping trips, they go too quickly and I always find that I run out of time to do the things that I want to do. But any dirt time is good time and I did at least get to practice some skills.
First up was fire lighting, being something of a novice in this game, a frequent source of frustration for me is my general incompetence when it comes to lighting fire at this typically damp time of year. Its easy in Spring/Summer but a totally different beast in the Autumn/Winter. This time things were different, I did some research via the medium that is ray mears literature, I planned ahead and gathered some birch bark and dried it out in my shed, I spent time gathering dry(ish) dead standing wood twigs were more than sufficient for my wood gas stove. Everything was organised and alas it was slow to get going but it worked.
My only gripe with the wood gas stove is that it seems to take a while to get going after you add some more sticks. Perhaps its because of my incompetence at managing fires with less than ideal wood but Ive read about others having similar issues. Having said that, it does work really well with my trangia and when coupled with the MSR cook-pot, makes for a very versatile and compact cook-set.
Maybe I need to get a life but Im quite partial to learning about different knots and their uses. Up until now Ive been setting up my tarp ridgeline with an evenk hitch and a few wraps around the other tree with a half hitch to secure. This time I used a bowline knot to create a loop which enabled me to wrap the paracord around one tree and then secure the ridgeline on the other tree with a truckers hitch. Now why didnt I learn about this knot sooner, its so much easier and enables you to make the ridgeline nice and taught. Heres a handy tip for anyone wanting to learn some new knots .Go on google and search for the knot that you want to learn, look at the images, download the one you like onto your smartphone and there you have a readily accessible aide memoir should you need it. Saves on having to pack a book about knots!
Once camp was set-up a few of us did a bit of target practice with our catapults. My wife bought me a new one that I wanted to try as my home-made one was proving to be pretty useless. The new one was a huge improvement though so methinks a bit of small game might be on the menu for the next camp.
My amazing wife had also bought me a puukko knife and opinel saw as an early Christmas present. Ive been wanting a puukko/sami style knife for a long time and it didnt disappoint. The small opinel saw was also very good and cuts quite efficiently through wood up to 3inches in diameter. Ive got a nice piece of silver birch sitting in my man-cave at home so Im looking forward to putting these tools to good use and going to work on some carving projects during the coming months.
Unfortunately the weather wasnt on our side for this camp and we had a bit of rain throughout the afternoon and night so we spent a fair amount of time huddling under a tarp, managing the fire and consuming some of that evil brown fizzy stuff!! Sometimes this is just the way it goes but we knew the weather was coming and we were all prepared for it. Theres something very pleasing about camping in bad weather, if youre confident in your kit and set-up then you can sit back and listen to the soothing pitter patter of rain on tarp. You kind of feel like youre sticking two fingers up at the weather gods!
Since I started hammock camping, my mindset seems to have changed in so much as I look forward to bedtime and zipping up into my sleeping bag and looking like a giant caterpillar as I wriggle into the hammock. This time was no different and as the overnight temperatures in Kent were set to drop to 4 degrees, I remained very warm and comfy in my hammock while it gently rocked me to sleep.
That was until about 4am when I woke up with a cold shoulder and found that my foam mat had slid from underneath me. It was easily adjusted as I also needed to get up and answer a call of nature. However it has got me thinking about how I can remedy this situation. First of all, Ive posted a letter to Father Christmas. As Ive been such a good boy this year Ive asked him if hell get me an underblanket .well see what happens there!
In the interim, Im thinking that I may cut my foam mat into two pieces and lay it out in my hammock in a kind of T shape so that the T section surrounds my upper body and shoulders. Id welcome any thoughts from forum members on how they have dealt with this scenario (other than the obvious solution being to buy an underblanket!!). Ive no qualms with the foam mat as it does do a very good job, I just need to keep it in position as the next camp will undoubtedly be colder. Another option is the multimat brand of foam mats seem to be a better quality and seem to have a rough and kind of dimply surface which looks less likely to move about than my cheapo foam mat with its very slick surface? Theyre currently on offer (£12.99) at my local independent camping shop so I might check that option out.
Heres a piccy of one of my camp buddies enjoying his very luxurious set-up. He was ground dwelling but had also developed a mezzanine floor and was able to enjoy panoramic floor to ceiling views this Im sure is a dwelling that would be the envy of many a Grand Designs viewer. Indeed, six of us were huddled under this tarp when the heavens opened.
Heres a piccy of me sharing a drink with another camp buddy - Wilson! he was very quiet though!
We cleared up camp the next day and of course ensured that no trace was left of our presence. As I walk home my mind turns to the adventures that are to be had on our next camp. And as always, lots of lessons have been learnt and lots of things that Id like to do next time.
Apologies for the long and waffly write up, Ive never been very efficient in my word-smithing!
Thought Id post up a short trip report from last weekends overnighter in my local woods. This overnighter was when the clocks went back so it meant I got an extra hour in my hammock happy days!
Ive learnt theres only one problem with overnight camping trips, they go too quickly and I always find that I run out of time to do the things that I want to do. But any dirt time is good time and I did at least get to practice some skills.
First up was fire lighting, being something of a novice in this game, a frequent source of frustration for me is my general incompetence when it comes to lighting fire at this typically damp time of year. Its easy in Spring/Summer but a totally different beast in the Autumn/Winter. This time things were different, I did some research via the medium that is ray mears literature, I planned ahead and gathered some birch bark and dried it out in my shed, I spent time gathering dry(ish) dead standing wood twigs were more than sufficient for my wood gas stove. Everything was organised and alas it was slow to get going but it worked.
My only gripe with the wood gas stove is that it seems to take a while to get going after you add some more sticks. Perhaps its because of my incompetence at managing fires with less than ideal wood but Ive read about others having similar issues. Having said that, it does work really well with my trangia and when coupled with the MSR cook-pot, makes for a very versatile and compact cook-set.
Maybe I need to get a life but Im quite partial to learning about different knots and their uses. Up until now Ive been setting up my tarp ridgeline with an evenk hitch and a few wraps around the other tree with a half hitch to secure. This time I used a bowline knot to create a loop which enabled me to wrap the paracord around one tree and then secure the ridgeline on the other tree with a truckers hitch. Now why didnt I learn about this knot sooner, its so much easier and enables you to make the ridgeline nice and taught. Heres a handy tip for anyone wanting to learn some new knots .Go on google and search for the knot that you want to learn, look at the images, download the one you like onto your smartphone and there you have a readily accessible aide memoir should you need it. Saves on having to pack a book about knots!
Once camp was set-up a few of us did a bit of target practice with our catapults. My wife bought me a new one that I wanted to try as my home-made one was proving to be pretty useless. The new one was a huge improvement though so methinks a bit of small game might be on the menu for the next camp.
My amazing wife had also bought me a puukko knife and opinel saw as an early Christmas present. Ive been wanting a puukko/sami style knife for a long time and it didnt disappoint. The small opinel saw was also very good and cuts quite efficiently through wood up to 3inches in diameter. Ive got a nice piece of silver birch sitting in my man-cave at home so Im looking forward to putting these tools to good use and going to work on some carving projects during the coming months.
Unfortunately the weather wasnt on our side for this camp and we had a bit of rain throughout the afternoon and night so we spent a fair amount of time huddling under a tarp, managing the fire and consuming some of that evil brown fizzy stuff!! Sometimes this is just the way it goes but we knew the weather was coming and we were all prepared for it. Theres something very pleasing about camping in bad weather, if youre confident in your kit and set-up then you can sit back and listen to the soothing pitter patter of rain on tarp. You kind of feel like youre sticking two fingers up at the weather gods!
Since I started hammock camping, my mindset seems to have changed in so much as I look forward to bedtime and zipping up into my sleeping bag and looking like a giant caterpillar as I wriggle into the hammock. This time was no different and as the overnight temperatures in Kent were set to drop to 4 degrees, I remained very warm and comfy in my hammock while it gently rocked me to sleep.
That was until about 4am when I woke up with a cold shoulder and found that my foam mat had slid from underneath me. It was easily adjusted as I also needed to get up and answer a call of nature. However it has got me thinking about how I can remedy this situation. First of all, Ive posted a letter to Father Christmas. As Ive been such a good boy this year Ive asked him if hell get me an underblanket .well see what happens there!
In the interim, Im thinking that I may cut my foam mat into two pieces and lay it out in my hammock in a kind of T shape so that the T section surrounds my upper body and shoulders. Id welcome any thoughts from forum members on how they have dealt with this scenario (other than the obvious solution being to buy an underblanket!!). Ive no qualms with the foam mat as it does do a very good job, I just need to keep it in position as the next camp will undoubtedly be colder. Another option is the multimat brand of foam mats seem to be a better quality and seem to have a rough and kind of dimply surface which looks less likely to move about than my cheapo foam mat with its very slick surface? Theyre currently on offer (£12.99) at my local independent camping shop so I might check that option out.
Heres a piccy of one of my camp buddies enjoying his very luxurious set-up. He was ground dwelling but had also developed a mezzanine floor and was able to enjoy panoramic floor to ceiling views this Im sure is a dwelling that would be the envy of many a Grand Designs viewer. Indeed, six of us were huddled under this tarp when the heavens opened.
Heres a piccy of me sharing a drink with another camp buddy - Wilson! he was very quiet though!
We cleared up camp the next day and of course ensured that no trace was left of our presence. As I walk home my mind turns to the adventures that are to be had on our next camp. And as always, lots of lessons have been learnt and lots of things that Id like to do next time.
Apologies for the long and waffly write up, Ive never been very efficient in my word-smithing!
Anyway, I ramble, thanks again 
