Many thanks BeerMonster for the Glen Kinglas tip. I took a trip up there this weekend, heading out on Saturday and returning Sunday. It's a stunning walk up there from the Smokery Inverawe. On the walk up, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye and turned to see three sets of antlers silhouetted against the sky. There were three deer just above me, peering over the brow of the hill, watching my slow progress.
With all my stops to look at each new sight, I only made it this far ...
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.s...=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf
... before it got dark, well I did walk a bit further along, as far as the old furnace, but I didn't like the look of my hammocking opportunities. The trees looked like they might shed branches easily, big old gnarly oaks and beeches I think. So, I wandered back and found a flattish spot to bivi.
The trip was a good opportunity to try out a few new toys:
The volcano kettle - I'm sold on these, the volcano effect is seriously impressive to a pyro like me
Even with a few damp-ish twigs and and good handful or two of dry bracken it got my water boiled in no time.
I also brought along my Nanok -10, while it's a good bit heavier than my summer bag the difference in warmth makes it well worthwhile. I don't know what the night-time temps were but I wouldn't be surprised if it dropped below zero briefly, certainly when I turned in it was getting very chilly and there was still a bit of ice in the shady patches on the route up there.
What I enjoyed the most about my night out was falling asleep to the sound of owls hooting, sounded like there were 3 or 4 of them within earshot, as well as some other night calling birds. I even managed to catch sight of one owl as it floated ghostly white and silent through the branches just a little further up the Glen.
I'll get a couple of pics up once I get a chance to see if any came out, I only carry my camera phone so they may not be the best.
With all my stops to look at each new sight, I only made it this far ...
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.s...=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf
... before it got dark, well I did walk a bit further along, as far as the old furnace, but I didn't like the look of my hammocking opportunities. The trees looked like they might shed branches easily, big old gnarly oaks and beeches I think. So, I wandered back and found a flattish spot to bivi.
The trip was a good opportunity to try out a few new toys:
The volcano kettle - I'm sold on these, the volcano effect is seriously impressive to a pyro like me
Even with a few damp-ish twigs and and good handful or two of dry bracken it got my water boiled in no time.I also brought along my Nanok -10, while it's a good bit heavier than my summer bag the difference in warmth makes it well worthwhile. I don't know what the night-time temps were but I wouldn't be surprised if it dropped below zero briefly, certainly when I turned in it was getting very chilly and there was still a bit of ice in the shady patches on the route up there.
What I enjoyed the most about my night out was falling asleep to the sound of owls hooting, sounded like there were 3 or 4 of them within earshot, as well as some other night calling birds. I even managed to catch sight of one owl as it floated ghostly white and silent through the branches just a little further up the Glen.
I'll get a couple of pics up once I get a chance to see if any came out, I only carry my camera phone so they may not be the best.
