Dartmoor sleeping arrangement

[NatG]

i'm planning a trek across dartmoor inthe summer and was wondering whether it would be OK to use a bivvy bag rather than a tent? and if so how would i keep all my kit dry whilst i was in the bag- where would my bag and boots etc go?

i was thinking of putting up a small tarp overhead to give myself somewhere to sit if it was raing, somewhere to cook and smewhere to keep my kit.

any suggestions?

thanks

Nathan

 

[spamel]

Take some basha poles or Leki poles, there is a massive shortage of trees on Dartmoor! I'd definitely go for the tarp or basha, it will keep you and your kit dry and can be set up in a number of different ways. Dependant on the weather, pitch it high for nice non windy weather, low for rain and wind. Try and practice before you go if you are new to using bashas.

 

[NatG]

Take some basha poles or Leki poles, there is a massive shortage of trees on Dartmoor! I'd definitely go for the tarp or basha, it will keep you and your kit dry and can be set up in a number of different ways. Dependant on the weather, pitch it high for nice non windy weather, low for rain and wind. Try and practice before you go if you are new to using bashas.

cheers, i was pretty sure that it was the right decision, just didn't know if there was a better or normal way of doing it, and i definitely plan to take some poles with me, would rocks be OK to hold down the corners? i'm not building a habitable shelter, just something to keep the worst of the rain off of my kit and the wind away from my bed

cheers

Nathan

 

[spamel]

Rocks would work, that's all they use in Mongolia. It is strictly forbidden for them to push pegs into the ground, their livelihood comes from the ground and they feel as if they are stabbing mother nature if they drive a peg into the ground. Everything is kept anchored with rocks. You may need to put some lines on the tarp to allow the rocks to be tied on, but rocks should be quite easy to find anywhere on Dartmoor. I wouldn't lay rocks directly on your tarp in case it rips it.

 

[NatG]

thanks again,

so my shopping list for sleeping quipment runs as follows:

bivvy bag
tarp
guylines
sticks

bearing in mind i've got a sleeping bag and mat already

cheers for the help

Nathan

 

[Timm]

I'd suggest you get some good insect repellent and a net as the last time I went there in the summer I was eaten alive in the night.

But Dartmoor is a great place for bivving the eaten alive bit was the only down part of my trip.

 

[SCOMAN]

I've done Dartmoor by bivvy and it's fine I've been out year round. The bivvy and basha means you'll be carrying probably more weight than most single man tents. What I've done is put everything back in the Rucksack and left it outside the bivvy. I have a rucksack cover and I put my boots in that and there you go. It's great I do the North to South kipping out on Great Mis Tor to the north of Princetown mast before cracking on to I'bridge. I did it in 2 day's but I was knackered at the end of it and I was a tad fitter then.

 

[bent-stick]

I was out that way for 5 days last week between exeter and okehampton. Came back to find some ticks gorging themselves.

One was in the back of my armpit and it could have been there some time - I wasn't aware of it until I got 'er indoors to check me over after I found one on my leg and one on my arm.

The moral is: Don't forget the tick removers and to get someone to check you over frequently.

I was in my millets tipi - I'd guess you are more vulnerable in a bivi bag.

 

[Squidders]

http://www.ilsington.co.uk/?engine=adwords!7649&keyword=%28dartmoor+hotel%29&match_type=

 

[Surrey Yeoman]

I was out that way for 5 days last week between exeter and okehampton. Came back to find some ticks gorging themselves.

One was in the back of my armpit and it could have been there some time - I wasn't aware of it until I got 'er indoors to check me over after I found one on my leg and one on my arm.

The moral is: Don't forget the tick removers and to get someone to check you over frequently.

I was in my millets tipi - I'd guess you are more vulnerable in a bivi bag.

YEUCK!

I was going to do the Two Moors Way last autumn, but for various reasons it didn't happen. I'd heard about the Tick problem on Dartmoor/Exemoor, but I didn't think it was that bad! Anyone care to expand on why they seem to be so prevalent? I spend a lot of time in the Yorkshire Dales, which is very much sheep country and I've never picked a tick up there.

 

[Sickboy]

Used to use cigerettes or vaseline to remove tick's from the animals (horses/dog's etc). what are tick removers?

 

[Squidders]

funky shaped tweezers designed to remove the entire tick... they work quite well.

 

[Goose]

Used to use cigerettes or vaseline to remove tick's from the animals (horses/dog's etc). what are tick removers?

The cigarrette or vaseline trick does remove ticks, it gets the tick to remove itself by throwing up and dissolving the skin it is attached to! The downside of this is any disease(lymes disease) the tick is carrying is passed on to you, don't do it that way!!!
The tick removal tools are supposed to work well, I have a pair that haven't been used yet , another trick is to get a piece of cotton and tie it into a loose overhand knot, pass tghe loop formed in the knot over the ticks body and as close to your skin as possible pull it tight, this will grip the head of the tick, by pulling the cotton apart it will grip the tick and you need to twist the tick as you pull, this will pull it out reasonably cleanly.
The tick removal tool I have is the O'Tom tick removal tool and cost a coupel of quid, try pet shops or vets.

 

[SCOMAN]

I haven't been up on Dartmoor for a few years through work et al but I've never had a tick yet. I was given a heads up by various Staff mates and routinely got the then other half to give me a check but nowt. Usually lead to other things though so I never let her get out of the habit.