What a better way to start 2020 than with a wander about the forest in which I have permission to camp.....
When I turned up the car park it was full of range rovers and pick ups. Not a good sign as this kind of behaviour normally signifies a shoot is on and that means it's not safe for me or the shooters if I'm randomly walking through the trees. I called the land owner. Fortunately there definately wasn't a shoot on, but it was traditional for the game keeper, farm hands and shoot syndicate members to do a walk through the forest on new years day every year, checking the drives, gates and such for repair, all in good cheer, with everyone kept warm with brandy and game sandwiches. It would be safe for me to wander after all....
I didn't do much but walk about, looking to anyone else like a weirdo who's too interested in the examination of tree bark and the remains of fungi
. Eventually I was chilly enough to look for a spot to take a rest. I found a small flat area on a steep slope and set up the jerven. I favour the 'hunters rest' style for short breaks. Protected on three sides from the wind and with a floor, it's the perfect set up, compact and cosy with a small brew fire in front...
The Jerven original really is bomb proof. I was asked ages to do a full review and I will get round to it (if anyone is interested?).
I began a search for small sticks. It's been very wet for some time. Fortunately there was a great deal of dead stuff hanging in trees so I scavenged everything I needed.
My stove has become a firm part of my kit. I like it very much. I have had it a year now and it's been used hard. Faultless. It's this one...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stainles...-Camping-Picnic-Outdoor-Survival/372080339679
Lighting the fire turned out to be harder than I thought. It's been a while since I lit a fire with a fire steel and I'm rusty. I didn't collect enough birch bark earlier in the day and I paid the price. I was lazy with the kindling as well. Not fine enough and not enough of it. After the third attempt failing I sat back and sighed. I knew what I needed to do, so I set off on the hunt for the right amount and quality of tinder and kindling. Eventually I came across a fallen birch, which was trapped under a fallen beech. I climbed through the tangle and got myself a decent sheet of birch bark. Proper job....
I collected a decent sized bundle of fine kindling on the way back to my temporary camp and after scraping up half of the birch and stripping the remainder. Within a spark or three I had a small flame, which I added the birch strips one by one until I had a good heat. Placing the stove over the now hot fire I got a brew on.
While the water heated up I went and collected dried blackberry flowers to make a tea. The taste is subtle but better than plain hot water. There wasn't any pine trees about for traditional woodmans tea but it's nice all the same.
Tea drank and the fire burned out, I cleared everything up and made sure my time there would go unnoticed.....
As always on leaving I checked my watch. Four hours had passed since I had left my van. Time always seems to dissappear when I'm in the woods by myself. It's good for the soul. I got back to the van and headed home to another warm fire. But this one had my family around it to. Lovely.
Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
When I turned up the car park it was full of range rovers and pick ups. Not a good sign as this kind of behaviour normally signifies a shoot is on and that means it's not safe for me or the shooters if I'm randomly walking through the trees. I called the land owner. Fortunately there definately wasn't a shoot on, but it was traditional for the game keeper, farm hands and shoot syndicate members to do a walk through the forest on new years day every year, checking the drives, gates and such for repair, all in good cheer, with everyone kept warm with brandy and game sandwiches. It would be safe for me to wander after all....
I didn't do much but walk about, looking to anyone else like a weirdo who's too interested in the examination of tree bark and the remains of fungi
. Eventually I was chilly enough to look for a spot to take a rest. I found a small flat area on a steep slope and set up the jerven. I favour the 'hunters rest' style for short breaks. Protected on three sides from the wind and with a floor, it's the perfect set up, compact and cosy with a small brew fire in front...
The Jerven original really is bomb proof. I was asked ages to do a full review and I will get round to it (if anyone is interested?).
I began a search for small sticks. It's been very wet for some time. Fortunately there was a great deal of dead stuff hanging in trees so I scavenged everything I needed.
My stove has become a firm part of my kit. I like it very much. I have had it a year now and it's been used hard. Faultless. It's this one...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stainles...-Camping-Picnic-Outdoor-Survival/372080339679
Lighting the fire turned out to be harder than I thought. It's been a while since I lit a fire with a fire steel and I'm rusty. I didn't collect enough birch bark earlier in the day and I paid the price. I was lazy with the kindling as well. Not fine enough and not enough of it. After the third attempt failing I sat back and sighed. I knew what I needed to do, so I set off on the hunt for the right amount and quality of tinder and kindling. Eventually I came across a fallen birch, which was trapped under a fallen beech. I climbed through the tangle and got myself a decent sheet of birch bark. Proper job....
I collected a decent sized bundle of fine kindling on the way back to my temporary camp and after scraping up half of the birch and stripping the remainder. Within a spark or three I had a small flame, which I added the birch strips one by one until I had a good heat. Placing the stove over the now hot fire I got a brew on.
While the water heated up I went and collected dried blackberry flowers to make a tea. The taste is subtle but better than plain hot water. There wasn't any pine trees about for traditional woodmans tea but it's nice all the same.
Tea drank and the fire burned out, I cleared everything up and made sure my time there would go unnoticed.....
As always on leaving I checked my watch. Four hours had passed since I had left my van. Time always seems to dissappear when I'm in the woods by myself. It's good for the soul. I got back to the van and headed home to another warm fire. But this one had my family around it to. Lovely.
Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
