Hi all,
So, last week I had the chance to spend a few nights in Co. Wicklow. I always enjoy reading other members trip reports so thought I'd contribute. This is my first attempt at a trip report and I forgot to take picks at a few points so please bear with me
I was staying on a lovely campsite called Hidden Valley in Rathdrum. This is a very family friendly park with a field for camping on one side of the Avenmore and camper/caravan sites on the other, but lucky I had the field side to myself! The staff are really friendly and Ive been going back to this site on off for several years. I would definitely describe it as a bushcraft friendly camp site!
I arrived down on Monday morning just as the rain started, but managed to get set up without getting completely soaked, and I had brought down a good amount of dry seasoned wood, so it wasnt too much of an inconvenience I spent a good chuck of the afternoon with the kindle, but the rain eased off in the evening and and I threw together my throne from an old tree cutting and my ground mat, and got the fire going. Had a few drinks and cooked my tea on the fire, pizza sambos-smokey bacon and sundried tomato sauce, ham, pepperoni and pineapple with mozzerrella and cheddar cheese.
The veiw from my set up on the the monday: rain!
My throne:
Dinner!
On the Tuesday, the weather was much nicer, sunny all day, with decent temperatures.
I boiled up some water for porridge and coffee, and I got the chance to take a pic of the campsite, then I headed off to do a bit of foraging. Found the usual hazel and birch leaves, some ramson( its, every where there) some wood sorrel and Jews ear and a few other unidentified. Ill be posting picks in another thread in the next few days, but what I am most proud of is I think I found my first pignut!
That afternoon I was very bold and bought a chicken burger and chips on site. (not very bush crafty at all!) , then got the fire going and had some hot chocolate and toasted marshmellows. ( Im a big child at heart) then settled in for an early night.
Breakfarst cooking:
Campsite:
heading off foraging:
My first Pignut! (I think)
On Wednesday I got up cooked some backed for a sambo then headed off on a hike for the day. (yes there is the odd staged pic here or there, I swear I was genuinely that relaxed in the ten seconds I had to get back in that position. Made some coffee and had some cereal bars for lunch, then collected some dead wood for that nights kindling, and headed back to camp. I proceeded to have a few drinks, the to burn my throne! Had some paste with sauce and hot chocolate for team then hit the hay.
My pack for the hike:
some pics of the area:
Stopped for lunch:
Veiw from where i had lunch:
on my way back i came across this fallen oak tree. must have come down in the late january storms. strecthed nearly all the way across the river. made me sad.
Heading home:
Bunring the Throne:
Dinner:
on Thursday I headed home very relaxed after my few days, after a big thank you to the staff.
hope you ejoyed reading/looking.
Regards,
Stephen
So, last week I had the chance to spend a few nights in Co. Wicklow. I always enjoy reading other members trip reports so thought I'd contribute. This is my first attempt at a trip report and I forgot to take picks at a few points so please bear with me
I was staying on a lovely campsite called Hidden Valley in Rathdrum. This is a very family friendly park with a field for camping on one side of the Avenmore and camper/caravan sites on the other, but lucky I had the field side to myself! The staff are really friendly and Ive been going back to this site on off for several years. I would definitely describe it as a bushcraft friendly camp site!
I arrived down on Monday morning just as the rain started, but managed to get set up without getting completely soaked, and I had brought down a good amount of dry seasoned wood, so it wasnt too much of an inconvenience I spent a good chuck of the afternoon with the kindle, but the rain eased off in the evening and and I threw together my throne from an old tree cutting and my ground mat, and got the fire going. Had a few drinks and cooked my tea on the fire, pizza sambos-smokey bacon and sundried tomato sauce, ham, pepperoni and pineapple with mozzerrella and cheddar cheese.
The veiw from my set up on the the monday: rain!
My throne:
Dinner!
On the Tuesday, the weather was much nicer, sunny all day, with decent temperatures.
I boiled up some water for porridge and coffee, and I got the chance to take a pic of the campsite, then I headed off to do a bit of foraging. Found the usual hazel and birch leaves, some ramson( its, every where there) some wood sorrel and Jews ear and a few other unidentified. Ill be posting picks in another thread in the next few days, but what I am most proud of is I think I found my first pignut!
That afternoon I was very bold and bought a chicken burger and chips on site. (not very bush crafty at all!) , then got the fire going and had some hot chocolate and toasted marshmellows. ( Im a big child at heart) then settled in for an early night.
Breakfarst cooking:
Campsite:
heading off foraging:
My first Pignut! (I think)
On Wednesday I got up cooked some backed for a sambo then headed off on a hike for the day. (yes there is the odd staged pic here or there, I swear I was genuinely that relaxed in the ten seconds I had to get back in that position. Made some coffee and had some cereal bars for lunch, then collected some dead wood for that nights kindling, and headed back to camp. I proceeded to have a few drinks, the to burn my throne! Had some paste with sauce and hot chocolate for team then hit the hay.
My pack for the hike:
some pics of the area:
Stopped for lunch:
Veiw from where i had lunch:
on my way back i came across this fallen oak tree. must have come down in the late january storms. strecthed nearly all the way across the river. made me sad.
Heading home:
Bunring the Throne:
Dinner:
on Thursday I headed home very relaxed after my few days, after a big thank you to the staff.
hope you ejoyed reading/looking.
Regards,
Stephen
