Loch Lomond and Backwoods Survival School

[GGTBod]

Earlier in the year I had the sanity to join Patrick Mcglinchey on his Backwoodsman Course, i knew within minutes of getting stuck in that i would join Patrick on some of his other courses, next month I will be attending the Beachcomber Course with Backwoods SS, it seemed insane to me to put myself through all the effort to get up there and back only to stay for the time for the course so i started to plan based on the idea that my return train ticket allows me a month if used to it's maximum, I always have liked to get my moneys worth so i plan to stay for the month on and around Loch Lomond wild camping alone and using one of my inflatable kayaks as my kit transporting enabler.

I like being in the wild alone so i can practice disappearing to the wildlife, this involves being acutely static and soundless for long periods of time (not even looking at things with our predator front facing eyes as the second you make eye contact they think you want dinner and that they might qualify) until the animals ignore you and then come back into the area of the wild that you had scared them out of with your arrival. This time i plan to set up static cameras recording the area, the last time i was doing this a couple of weeks back i had a family of roe deer walk straight through my camp and i moved to get my camera and they bolted like i'd went for a rifle, good thing was i was able to practice a little tracking until i lost the trail. Anyhoo a bit sidetracked there.

My plan is to get the train to Balloch about a week before i am due to Join patrick and crew at Arrochar train station on the 25th july, inflate my IK and then explore the islands for a week making my way day by day a little further north. once i have completed the Beachcomber course I plan to further explore the area until the time limit on my return train ticket is up and then get the train back to Geordieland.

I plan to take as little kit as i can (without doing anything anywhere near an Ed Stafford) but this is mostly because of my difficulties in carrying too much weight, once in the kayak all is good but there will be definite areas of portage which i am mentally preparing myself for.

My kit list

Tahiti Plus Sevylor kayak+paddle+buoyancy vest
Wetsuit+gloves+boots and lycra rash preventing layers x 1
Rucksack+rubber rolltop drybag
Fishing rod+kit+stool
Woodgas stove+2small pans and a kettle+plate and bowl
2 mora knives (1 for wood and 1 for food)+small wetsone and micro strop board
med kit
bahco laplander saw
Sleeping bag and BAI bivvy and SI mat
fire kit (bowdrill+waxed matches+emergency tinder+flint and striker+a lighter)
compass and os landranger map of area and thankfully the knowhow to use properly lol
phone/gps and 10v solar charge and battery usb backup to recharge it all
Headlamp and usb power supply
Lifesaver water bottle purification system+ water container bottle
sunglasses+sunblock and smidge midge repellant
beatons midge jacket+ midge headnet and sunhat and sunblock
wash kit and bog roll
paracord and brass wire
3x3 tarp and pegs and guide ropes
Cup and tea and coffee essentials like teaspoon/spork
1 x merino wool base layer top and bottom
1 times waterproofs top and bottom
1 awesome wool jumper
4 pairs of merino wool socks
1 pair of Altberg warrior aqua

foods to be taken

various dried foods like pasta/rice/couscous/noodles
tea and coffee supplies+dried milk+sugar
bread flour
seeds
oats
honey
cooking oil
spices
dried fruits
various small sachets of flavour like pasta stir in sauce etc
chocolate
flapjacks
fruit cake
beef jerky
a chorizo sausage
a salami
squirty cheese
large bag of raw nuts
packet soup
peanut butter
muesli

My meat and protein sources i plan to acquire from nature

I know it seems a lot on paper but i am staying for a month and do not want to have to restock at tourist prices around the Loch.

Any advice, tips in general, words of wisdom, things i should definitely make sure i see whilst there? You get the idea, advice and wisdom from those in the know will be welcomed humbly and greatly appreciated.

 

[Bluffer]

Couple of large natural sponges to stop the inflatable getting too bilgy.
Pack of hexi blocks, I always carry them lit in case I run out of lighters.
Couple of tins of Spam missing off your Wanigan list, you must be taking Spam right?

 

[Toddy]

They are good people are Patrick and co.

Your trip sounds fun and well worth doing, but it might be practical to bear in mind the wild camping ban on part of that area through the spring/summertime.
http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/visiting/east-loch-lomond-camping-byelaws/menu-id-611.html

You can never have too many anti midge things when the weather suits the blighters right now my back garden is a no go zone since it's been smirry on and off all day, and a warm flat calm otherwise.
Might be worth taking a few phone numbers of locals ?

Hope it's a great trip and course

cheers,
M

 

[GGTBod]

These days I do not eat tinned food of any type so spam is definitely off the menu, heavy too, excellent stuff with the bailer advice, i always forget this simple piece of kit and every now and again end up having to drag it out the water to use the drain plug taps in the base, i might add a few hexi blocks although my bow drill ember creating skills are getting reliably consistent.

Spot on there Toddy, i was totally unawares of these restrictions thinking i was entering the land of the free, i have just checked the restrictions you linked and through sheer chance i had not planned any camping on the east coast of the loch and was favouring the islands in my planning and the main land being my morning views (fog and mist permitting ofcourse), the only east coast camp i had planned was the night before meeting with Patrick when i am planning to camp opposite Tarbit on the designated campsite, really good info to know and it does not apply at all to just sleeping in your sleeping bag and bivvi on a matt anywhere and i love doing this when i can (i'll be in my beatons jacket in my bivvi).

I currently do not know any locals up there but i'd like that to change.

Thanks for the well wishing, I know it will be a great trip even if it rained constantly i'd still love it, it would just remind me of home.

I totally agree with what you said about Patrick and crew, a really great attitude to the outdoor life and native crafts, my last trip with them i found truly inspirational and genuinely self empowering in my fight back to not letting my back problem own my life, helped me refocus on the fight after a difficult winter.

 

[GGTBod]

I am getting excited now, anyone any recommendations on anything i must see or do whilst up there? I have never been before and would love some local insight

 

[Goatboy]

Good advice from Toddy about the camping ban, a lot of folks south of the border don't realise it's in place. Another thing you might want to consider and something I found a bane when I lived in Glasgow and used to pop up there a fair bit is the young team action at night. Found it was generally OK during the day, but come 6:30 pm the areas easily accessible by the Fwit fraternity made it a no go. Especially if you had gentler partner with you the hassle just wasn't worth it and the risk to things like a static camera may make it inadvisable. Out on the islands is a lot safer as the drunken fishermen and boy racers couldn't get to you to spoil things. There is a train of though held by some that we should've just let it be taken over by the idiots as it would concentrate them and keep them from spreading out and polluting other areas.
So yeah don't camp in the restricted areas (they tend to end up like an open toilet with the idiots and West Highland Way brigade anyway), and I think you'll need a permit to fish for your protein (I'll check up on that for you).
The midge advice is very relevant and certain areas are particularly tick infested so take measures against them too. I've seen up to about 50 ticks on my legs within 5 mins of leaving the car.
As we've talked about elsewhere there's still plenty of wildlife despite the disturbance and you'll hopefully get some marsupial action. Folks like ScotCharlesRiver and some other paddle 'round there quite regularly and there are some good trip reports on the boards that'll be worth looking up.
Sounds like it's going to be fun for you and looking forward to hearing how the planning and execution go.
All the best mate,
GB.

 

[GGTBod]

great stuff, all of my camping will be on the islands, i am also thinking i may travel to other lochs in the area, on the tick side i have my removers and i smell like a pine fire between my soap and my nordic summer, also i seal my pants legs and the cuffs of my gear so i am hoping this helps, never had a tick yet but i am extra cautious after what you have told me.

you are right about the permit for fishing and it is not bloody cheap, £25 quid registration fee for first timers for starters and then £50 a week, i joked that i am taking a rod and no line and i will pop to the shops daily and buy a nice fish and then using my rod as a fishing simulator, virtual reality eat your heart out. if i paid that much to fish the east coast miser within will have me on the bloody loch 24/7 trying to catch my moneys worth so i don't like that thought one bit i have other plans that just fishing, i need to find out if you have the same restrictions on crayfish up there as we have down here. I have applied for a local permit long ago but got the KB due to the white claw wimpy local still living in these parts, quicker the American invader eat them all the quicker we can all eat them i say (prepares for backlash onslaught).

What about castles and ruins and such? i love old stone

 

[GGTBod]

At the moment all i know for sure is i am meeting Patrick at Arrochar station, not sure where the base camp is for the backwoods SS education weekend, after reading what you said about the yob element on loch lomond i am thinking it may not be on that loch

 

[Goatboy]

Have a wee peek at Scott_Charles_ Rivers posts, one of the HERE, if you go through his profile you'll see a few of the trip reports he's done about paddling Loch Lomond. Great write-ups and pictures.

 

[GGTBod]

I was literally in mid hunt for them there, cheers

 

[GGTBod]

Right then, i have now read everything i could possibly read about ticks, skin will have my 50% deet formula applied, ankles and wrists sealed as best i can and i am also going to treat the outside of my clothing and kit with a permethrin based spray designed for the purpose, thanks for raising the awareness level

 

[Toddy]

HWMBLT was down at Balloch and walked through on Monday...he's still finding ticks this morning Not many, just tiny, tiny wee things that weren't easy to spot. He's in two minds about the tick key thing. It's certainly very quick, but he's not quite sure if he got all of the little blighter out or where it went

cheers,
M

 

[GGTBod]

Does he use any sort of defense system when up there?

 

[Toddy]

No, he just goes for a day's walking, and he misses the worst of the midgies that way. He's just said that the ticks were only on his right leg and that was the leg closest to the bracken.
He's of an age that he's got the free bus pass thing that also allows him half price on the trains in the old Strathclyde region.
I get up some mornings to an empty house and a postit stuck to the kitchen door saying, 'Gone to Aviemore'

Me ? I'd smother myself in the Autan, and if I were camping over I'd find the permithrin stuff too.

cheers,
M

 

[Shewie]

That sounds like a great getaway, I've wanted to do one of Patricks courses for a long time.

Lomond is lovely to paddle, full of big boats and idiots during summer weekends though, if you can do mid week you'll mostly have it to yourself. Island hopping your way up should be doable although I've never passed Rowardennan, we usually park up at Luss and then head out to the islands from there. I'm pretty sure you could debark the train at Balloch with kit, then head north, exploring the islands on the way, get out at Luss and catch a bus up to Arrochar fairly easily.

 

[GGTBod]

Spot on thanks Toddy.

Shewie I can not recommend going on a a course with Patrick enough, i've done camping since i was a kid but never even touched the surface compared to my perspective and activities now, i went on my first course with Patrick back in feb this year and at the start of the course i was of the mindset that the tougher courses he runs were well out of my grasp. I came home after doing The Backwoodsman and it was like i had been given the keys to the door that was in the wall i'd built around myself living in the city all these years, the simple skills learnt and the experience itself smashed years of social conditioning that had programmed me backwards towards my food.

I came home and instantly started properly exploring a hobby that i had loved basically as a spectator (in comparison to now) ever since i first seen Bush Tucker Man on channel 4 back in the mid 80's, now i was spending a week at a time living in local woodlands and not wanting to come home, i am still crap at hunting but this is mostly because my practice has waned due to everything being out of season, i keep whittling and making traps and snares and such in prep for when i can feast on natures meaty bounty.

Biggest problem now is i hate being stuck in and i'd happily live in a woods permanent except every now and then i need to come back to the comforts of a real house and let my back recover, I also like to smell like nature which gets some funny looks i the city medical problems aside and i am out there doing it, living the life instead of being city cattle. After i have done this next course I plan on applying what i have learnt every single day and the aim is to replace as much protein as i can with fresh caught shellfish as i live a simple cycle ride from the ocean. Best part of all is i plan to attend the extreme versions of Patricks courses next year which is laughable to me as i remember specifically saying to Patrick that they sounded like self induced torture (that was my perspective then), now the thought of spending a week living in a cave in Norway living off the land providing my own food and shelter and making tools and a boat sounds like a dream holiday to me, go figure eh hahahaha i always knew i wa a bit bonkers simple because i genuinely thought i was totally sane.

I know i have to take a little credit myself as Patrick showed me the door and gave me the keys but it was me that kept using it, i can't wait to see what i get up to with my next set of keys, metaphorically speaking of course.

Just thought i made a wee video of my last adventure with Patrick and crew

[video=dailymotion;x1jl4zl]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1jl4zl_backwoods-survival-school-weekend_lifestyle[/video]

 

[Shewie]

I felt the same after doing a charity weekend with Woodsmoke in 2003 I think, I'd done plenty of hill walking and camping but never paid much attention to bushy type stuff until then. It was an eye opener and put me on a different life path for sure.

Patrick's Beachcomber course has always appealed, having spent a lot of time canoe camping on the west coast of Scotland it's one I'd get a lot from I think. And then there's the craft courses, if I could come away with something half as good as Patrick's I'd be a happy man

 

[GGTBod]

At some point i want to do a cordage education with Patrick, after the backwoodsman course we were back at his home and in his office he has the most beautiful collection of rope (and hundreds of other handmade items of beauty), every piece handmade by himself, you really could not buy anything to match the quality in any store no matter what you paid and you can't buy it off Patrick either (i tried), every piece i seen is beyond impressive and to top it all off he was halfway through making the boat we have just seen him launch and it was sitting there on mounts in his front room, it looked amazing, even then half built the quality of the work he was doing was clearly visible, the japanese would say Patrick is a shokunin katagi (a person who takes immense pride in anything they make).

To put it plain, seriously wish i had had a father like him as a kid, sht wish i'd had a father hahahahahaha but one like Patrick teaching you his ways would have been an impressive childhood for sure