I am planning a trip in March to Scotland to do some hiking and survival camping. This will be my first survival journey all by myself and I could use some advice. I am a bit nervous but I want to do mostly outdoor, remote as possible and maybe a few days in various bothies. Any advice? I am VERY new to this.
hiking, camping, & survival
- Thread starter Mhearadh.macleod
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Since you are VERY new to this, a few key points to keep in mind.
First and foremost, it will be for real and you will not be roleplaying an imaginary character in your head any more.
Second, accept that whilst you are learning some things will go wrong and not be how you thought/hoped they would be. You will have some cold and wet nights. You will have some rotten night's sleep. You will get tired and struggle as you work things out. This is normal.
Third, don't go too remote to start with. Because if you are having a horrid time (and you absolutely may, to start with) you will be a short walk from comfort and civilisation. March time in Scotland can still bring some challenging weather, possibly too challenging for someone VERY new to this, so being within a short walk of somewhere safe is a wise thing to do. Once you've got a few trips under your belt (or sporran) then go remote.
Fourth, all the decisions you make will be down to you and you will have to take responsibility for them. Don't become a statistic.
First and foremost, it will be for real and you will not be roleplaying an imaginary character in your head any more.
Second, accept that whilst you are learning some things will go wrong and not be how you thought/hoped they would be. You will have some cold and wet nights. You will have some rotten night's sleep. You will get tired and struggle as you work things out. This is normal.
Third, don't go too remote to start with. Because if you are having a horrid time (and you absolutely may, to start with) you will be a short walk from comfort and civilisation. March time in Scotland can still bring some challenging weather, possibly too challenging for someone VERY new to this, so being within a short walk of somewhere safe is a wise thing to do. Once you've got a few trips under your belt (or sporran) then go remote.
Fourth, all the decisions you make will be down to you and you will have to take responsibility for them. Don't become a statistic.
Although said, planning is key. Have aims / locations to get to, know where help / hospitals are, and how to get there.
One of the main points in my mind is identify any potential harm that can come from your everyday activities, and take a breath or 10 seconds to assess the situation before you start. Really helps to limit the retrospective pain of rushed actions later.
And importantly have fun
One of the main points in my mind is identify any potential harm that can come from your everyday activities, and take a breath or 10 seconds to assess the situation before you start. Really helps to limit the retrospective pain of rushed actions later.
And importantly have fun
Am interested in what you may mean or define as 'survival camping' ?
That's an understatement!
You can have four seasons in a day in summer in Scotland. In March you could have a metre or more of snow and sub-zero temperatures some years.
My advice to M.m:
Stick to the lowlands or coastal regions; don't be planning any high peak adventures on your own.
Don't rely on foraging for your food - you could be lucky, especially on the west coast, but don't assume you can survive off the land.
If you haven't already, get the Ordnance Survey maps (1:25K) of the areas you're planning to trek in (paper format so you're not relying on batteries).
Don't underestimate the cold-wet conditions of the UK - it can be far more challenging than the crisp sub-zero conditions of Scandinavia and the like.
As I see it; survival camping is where you struggle to survive and it comes to you by surprise when **** hits the fan. It´s not something you do deliberatly.
The question was asked of the person posting it - so I'm interested in their definition of what they are trying to achieve and not your own.
Make sure you have plenty of realy warm clothes, and realy decent waterproofs. Good boots and lots of socks... and a towel, you'll more than likely need a towel !
I would forget anything 'survival' if it's your first time & you don't know the area nor have the necesssary authorisation. You might consider taking a long distance walk (thru hike) such as the 'West Highland Way' or 'Cape Wrath Trail' & then wander off piste when you see some interesting terrain & if you do get into trouble or need to resupply, you only have to rejoin the path. Another advantage of the walks is that there are easy to find. If you don't like sharing accommadation with strangers, you might want to avoid bothies as they may be occupied, even in march. Be sure to bring warm clothing & very good wet weather gear.
Not for a year.
As others have said, give yourself time.
What load can you carry? How far? What kit have you got? What it do you still need?
What sort of a cook/“warmer up” are you? That’s so very important when you’re wet cold and tired.
Give yourself twelve months to try out your kit. Try out your cold weather gear locally. Try a soaking wet night in your own garden. Try to light a fire or your stove in the pouring rain and on an icy morning. Try navigating your local park or woodland using map and compass. Believe me, on a wet night when you worried and think you are lost it can be difficult to even remember which end of the needle points north! Most of us learn over time by walking with more experienced companions.
There are a lot of dedicated people who will do their best to pull you out of the crap but they aren’t successful every time.
Even basic wild camping is not like taking up a sport at beginner level. It makes you take the exam before giving you the lesson. You’ll learn a lot from your failures, just make sure you survive them.
As others have said, give yourself time.
What load can you carry? How far? What kit have you got? What it do you still need?
What sort of a cook/“warmer up” are you? That’s so very important when you’re wet cold and tired.
Give yourself twelve months to try out your kit. Try out your cold weather gear locally. Try a soaking wet night in your own garden. Try to light a fire or your stove in the pouring rain and on an icy morning. Try navigating your local park or woodland using map and compass. Believe me, on a wet night when you worried and think you are lost it can be difficult to even remember which end of the needle points north! Most of us learn over time by walking with more experienced companions.
There are a lot of dedicated people who will do their best to pull you out of the crap but they aren’t successful every time.
Even basic wild camping is not like taking up a sport at beginner level. It makes you take the exam before giving you the lesson. You’ll learn a lot from your failures, just make sure you survive them.
What experience do you have of hiking,camping,bushcraft etc.? Where? What time of year? Have you been out in the hills etc? It would help us to know what VERY new means ;so we could give you some advice.
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