Blogged this on SoTP recently but since it's a bit bushcrafty I'd thought I'd post it here too.
I’d decided, like many I suppose, to take the three days off between the bank holidays and wanted to get an overnighter in so decided for logistical reasons i.e. my wife could drop me off and pick me up, to do my own Sudbury to the Sea trip on the Stour. This trip is run annually and is about 24 miles long.
I got dropped off at the River Stour Trust in Sudbury and was on the water by 8am. As time went on it was clear the weather wasn’t going to be as warm of the previous days and I kept my long trousers and spray top on.
Since I’d started so early I knew I’d be at Wissington; the only official campsite on the river, by mid afternoon but I didn’t intend to stop there because I wanted to do a wild camp further down river. However as I sauntered past the site I decided to stop and test the plumbing and get a free top up of the water bottle.
I carried on past Nayland and was thinking that I probably should start looking for likely camping spots; which when you start looking seem to be very few and far between. I stopped off at one point and had a scout around but there was nowhere to hang to the hammock so carried on. I then came across a swan who I knew was trouble from the start since he tacked across the river several times before I got past. No problem I thought, the Stour swans are friendly and I’ve never had any trouble before. At this point the swan has taken off and is charging right for me, I turn to fend him off just in case but not needed and I again get about a 100m between us before he takes to the sky again. Three times in total he did this and the last time he landed so close his wing touched me and he splashed the whole of the inside of the boat, I had to swat him with the paddle. A pretty unnerving experience that was repeated again the next morning!
After that little distraction it was about 5pm and I found what I thought was good spot, no stinging nettles to speak of and a clump of trees that would do to set my tarp and hammock up. Distance paddled was around 14 miles. I seemed to faff around for ages before finally getting the camp set up how I wanted. The one luxury I allowed myself was my squat deckchair; it really makes a difference having a comfy seat to sit on and helps save the back and bum.
I even had some time to read a book, a rarity for me these days, before setting about making dinner which comprised of curry, pilau rice and naan bread. Before long it was getting too dark to read so I concentrated on piling logs into my hobo stove. It really kicks out some heat and kept my toes warm and toasty.
I bought my hammock from the group buy here on BCUK and this was the first chance I had to actually try sleeping in it. I bought a Thermarest which I’m told makes a real difference to keeping the cold out but the sleeping bag I’ve got is really only a summer one and I felt the cold a bit. I can’t say that I slept that well, maybe knowing you’re effectively trespassing, out in the middle of nowhere and unfamiliar noises etc. I was up at 6am, had breakfast and broke camp. Whilst sitting there eating my Alpen I swear I saw a coypu, the trouble was it was partially obscured by the branches of the tree and when it saw me it dove down and I didn’t see it again.
I was back on the water by 7am and making my way down to Boxted Mill where I met the owner’s daughter who was feeding the ducks and saw me portaging my gear. She told me that the EA are pumping a lot of water in the Stour at the moment from the fens and that the water is brown from the peat content. And so down to the flumes at Langham and after a quick look to make sure the water level was sufficient I shot through and carried on my way.
I got to Cattawade at 12 noon just in time to miss the royal wedding.
Gibbo.
I’d decided, like many I suppose, to take the three days off between the bank holidays and wanted to get an overnighter in so decided for logistical reasons i.e. my wife could drop me off and pick me up, to do my own Sudbury to the Sea trip on the Stour. This trip is run annually and is about 24 miles long.
I got dropped off at the River Stour Trust in Sudbury and was on the water by 8am. As time went on it was clear the weather wasn’t going to be as warm of the previous days and I kept my long trousers and spray top on.
Since I’d started so early I knew I’d be at Wissington; the only official campsite on the river, by mid afternoon but I didn’t intend to stop there because I wanted to do a wild camp further down river. However as I sauntered past the site I decided to stop and test the plumbing and get a free top up of the water bottle.
I carried on past Nayland and was thinking that I probably should start looking for likely camping spots; which when you start looking seem to be very few and far between. I stopped off at one point and had a scout around but there was nowhere to hang to the hammock so carried on. I then came across a swan who I knew was trouble from the start since he tacked across the river several times before I got past. No problem I thought, the Stour swans are friendly and I’ve never had any trouble before. At this point the swan has taken off and is charging right for me, I turn to fend him off just in case but not needed and I again get about a 100m between us before he takes to the sky again. Three times in total he did this and the last time he landed so close his wing touched me and he splashed the whole of the inside of the boat, I had to swat him with the paddle. A pretty unnerving experience that was repeated again the next morning!
After that little distraction it was about 5pm and I found what I thought was good spot, no stinging nettles to speak of and a clump of trees that would do to set my tarp and hammock up. Distance paddled was around 14 miles. I seemed to faff around for ages before finally getting the camp set up how I wanted. The one luxury I allowed myself was my squat deckchair; it really makes a difference having a comfy seat to sit on and helps save the back and bum.
I even had some time to read a book, a rarity for me these days, before setting about making dinner which comprised of curry, pilau rice and naan bread. Before long it was getting too dark to read so I concentrated on piling logs into my hobo stove. It really kicks out some heat and kept my toes warm and toasty.
I bought my hammock from the group buy here on BCUK and this was the first chance I had to actually try sleeping in it. I bought a Thermarest which I’m told makes a real difference to keeping the cold out but the sleeping bag I’ve got is really only a summer one and I felt the cold a bit. I can’t say that I slept that well, maybe knowing you’re effectively trespassing, out in the middle of nowhere and unfamiliar noises etc. I was up at 6am, had breakfast and broke camp. Whilst sitting there eating my Alpen I swear I saw a coypu, the trouble was it was partially obscured by the branches of the tree and when it saw me it dove down and I didn’t see it again.
I was back on the water by 7am and making my way down to Boxted Mill where I met the owner’s daughter who was feeding the ducks and saw me portaging my gear. She told me that the EA are pumping a lot of water in the Stour at the moment from the fens and that the water is brown from the peat content. And so down to the flumes at Langham and after a quick look to make sure the water level was sufficient I shot through and carried on my way.
I got to Cattawade at 12 noon just in time to miss the royal wedding.
Gibbo.
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