Spent a great night yesterday at the Midlands Meet.
First time I've been along to meet other posters on the BCUK forum, but I was made to feel very welcome from the start.
I was only able to stay the one night due to family commitments - a three-week old baby at home means I can only escape for a bit - but was nice to get out of the house and into the woods (and away from changing nappies!).
Everyone was having a grand time when I left this morning with 5-6 new arrivals just getting pitched.
Here are a few pics to give you a flavour of what we've been up to!
**edit**
The pics might take a while to download - if you prefer to view them in Photobucket, you can see them here (although no captions on them yet!).
http://s298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/
This is where we were based - mixed woodland just outside Coventry with plenty of standing / fallen wood for the fire. The BCUK logo is roughly where we were pitched:
Here's my tent in a lovely woodland glade:
The view out of the tent this morning:
My tent on the right... Mesquite's tarp and bivvy on the left.
GWHTBushcraft and David's hammocks:
Wayland and Scrumpy get the log pile stocked:
Scrumpy decides it's time for sausages:
Time for some tea... thought I'd try one of the "Look What We Found" pouches from Sainsbury's. I went for the Gloucester Old Spot Meatballs with a packet of rice to add bulk - excellent flavour and only needed simmering for 3-4 mins before eating.
The trusty Trangia gets things bubbling nicely - 4 mins later dinner was served:
Meanwhile, Mesquite fires up his hobo stove, while Wayland munches on a sausage wrap:
After a good night's sleep it was time for some breakfast round the campfire:
I opted for a foil-packed bacon 'n' potatoes breakfast from Sainsbury's - v. nice start to the day:
Wayland cooked up some pancakes, with a little help from Cobweb, and Firecrest went for bacon baps:
After breakfast there was time for a spot of spoon-carving using the plentiful supplies of wood around the site. Mesquite and T1tch get stuck in, closely watched by Woodstock:
Alas it was then time for me to head home.
Overall a really excellent evening with good food, great conversation and a roaring campfire... perfect![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Can't wait for the next Meet - I'd encourage any other newbies on the Forum to get themselves along to a Meet, you'll be made very welcome and it's a great chance to see all the various ways of shelter / cooking / gear that we discuss on the boards.
Thanks for looking.
First time I've been along to meet other posters on the BCUK forum, but I was made to feel very welcome from the start.
I was only able to stay the one night due to family commitments - a three-week old baby at home means I can only escape for a bit - but was nice to get out of the house and into the woods (and away from changing nappies!).
Everyone was having a grand time when I left this morning with 5-6 new arrivals just getting pitched.
Here are a few pics to give you a flavour of what we've been up to!
**edit**
The pics might take a while to download - if you prefer to view them in Photobucket, you can see them here (although no captions on them yet!).
http://s298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/
This is where we were based - mixed woodland just outside Coventry with plenty of standing / fallen wood for the fire. The BCUK logo is roughly where we were pitched:
![23.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/23.jpg)
Here's my tent in a lovely woodland glade:
![01.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/01.jpg)
The view out of the tent this morning:
![02.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/02.jpg)
My tent on the right... Mesquite's tarp and bivvy on the left.
![03.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/03.jpg)
GWHTBushcraft and David's hammocks:
![04.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/04.jpg)
Wayland and Scrumpy get the log pile stocked:
![08.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/08.jpg)
![09.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/09.jpg)
![10.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/10.jpg)
Scrumpy decides it's time for sausages:
![07.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/07.jpg)
Time for some tea... thought I'd try one of the "Look What We Found" pouches from Sainsbury's. I went for the Gloucester Old Spot Meatballs with a packet of rice to add bulk - excellent flavour and only needed simmering for 3-4 mins before eating.
![11.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/11.jpg)
The trusty Trangia gets things bubbling nicely - 4 mins later dinner was served:
![12.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/12.jpg)
Meanwhile, Mesquite fires up his hobo stove, while Wayland munches on a sausage wrap:
![13.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/13.jpg)
![14.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/14.jpg)
![15.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/15.jpg)
After a good night's sleep it was time for some breakfast round the campfire:
![16.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/16.jpg)
![17.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/17.jpg)
I opted for a foil-packed bacon 'n' potatoes breakfast from Sainsbury's - v. nice start to the day:
![18.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/18.jpg)
Wayland cooked up some pancakes, with a little help from Cobweb, and Firecrest went for bacon baps:
![19.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/19.jpg)
![20.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/20.jpg)
After breakfast there was time for a spot of spoon-carving using the plentiful supplies of wood around the site. Mesquite and T1tch get stuck in, closely watched by Woodstock:
![21.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/21.jpg)
![22.jpg](http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm264/wallenstein2008/22.jpg)
Alas it was then time for me to head home.
Overall a really excellent evening with good food, great conversation and a roaring campfire... perfect
Can't wait for the next Meet - I'd encourage any other newbies on the Forum to get themselves along to a Meet, you'll be made very welcome and it's a great chance to see all the various ways of shelter / cooking / gear that we discuss on the boards.
Thanks for looking.