So last night was supposed to be my first solo camp as my usual partner in crime Jonbodthethird
couldnt make it. But as i was getting ready in the morning he turned up ready to go.
So off we went to Lidl for some food.
Venison sausages - yummy
Quarter pounders - mmmmmm
Fresh baguettes and some amazing cheese and onion Ciabatta rolls - gorgeous.
As we pulled up to our usual parking place the rain came.
We got soaked walking through the waist high plants over growing the paths and were throughly fed up when we arrived at our site, only to remember we both had to sort out our ridgelines for the tarps.
We ended up standing under them like ponchos to stay dry while we buggered about with the lines.
Lesson 1 - have gear ready to go before leaving the house.
We did manage to get half setup before it stopped, so i tried to use my water collection bag off the front of my tarp to collect rain water.
The rain stopped after about and hour, so i decided to get my new Woodgas stove going to have a brew.
3 hours later trying to keep the stove lit and messing about with it i was about to give up.:aargh4:
The i realized i was using Ash wood and decided to try Beech instead.
It went up first try and kept going for a few hours (with more wood).
Lesson 2 - my woodgas stove does not like Ash.......
And to add insult to injury i broke my knife battoning the Ash.
Lesson 3 - use a full tang knife if battoning.......
Anyway with a hot cuppa done we got the Venison sausages on the go, with some nice fresh Baguettes and i think we had earned them.
We got all set up and i found a novel use for the lines on my hammock, throw a coat over it and it turns into a makeshift table area.
This trip i decided to try my Drink-safe gravity filter bag, i have tried this before but it would just clog up after a few liters and need to be back flushed with a tap to clear it.
So with a Millbank bag and a 1 micron filter bag i managed to clear the water enough to keep the other filter going for the whole night.
Hanging the collection and filter bags to dry after filling the Main filter bag.
For dinner we had the quarter pounder burgers in the cheese and onion Ciabatta rolls with some fake cheese and chilli mayo..........lovely.
After a rest and getting a camp fire going i sat down to try my hand at some wood carving.
I found a nice bit of Hawthorn and attempted to make my first spoon.
Well i didnt quite get a spoon, but i did carve an SSO........(spoon shaped object)
Not too bad for a first attempt i think!!
Then it was time for the hammock and off for a warm sweaty nights sleep.
Lesson 4 - in summer take a thinner sleeping bag.
I was woken up this morning by Jon as he left to walk home early, only to get a phone call an hour later to meet him at my car as he had left his keys in it..........
Lesson 5 - remember to keep your keys on you.
On the walk back to camp i noticed something on a tree.
Anyone know what may have made this???
After getting back to camp i decided to call it a day and packed up to get home and see my baby girl before she goes out for the day.
Another good night out and a few lessons learned.
couldnt make it. But as i was getting ready in the morning he turned up ready to go.
So off we went to Lidl for some food.
Venison sausages - yummy
Quarter pounders - mmmmmm
Fresh baguettes and some amazing cheese and onion Ciabatta rolls - gorgeous.
As we pulled up to our usual parking place the rain came.
We got soaked walking through the waist high plants over growing the paths and were throughly fed up when we arrived at our site, only to remember we both had to sort out our ridgelines for the tarps.
We ended up standing under them like ponchos to stay dry while we buggered about with the lines.
Lesson 1 - have gear ready to go before leaving the house.
We did manage to get half setup before it stopped, so i tried to use my water collection bag off the front of my tarp to collect rain water.
The rain stopped after about and hour, so i decided to get my new Woodgas stove going to have a brew.
3 hours later trying to keep the stove lit and messing about with it i was about to give up.:aargh4:
The i realized i was using Ash wood and decided to try Beech instead.
It went up first try and kept going for a few hours (with more wood).
Lesson 2 - my woodgas stove does not like Ash.......
And to add insult to injury i broke my knife battoning the Ash.
Lesson 3 - use a full tang knife if battoning.......
Anyway with a hot cuppa done we got the Venison sausages on the go, with some nice fresh Baguettes and i think we had earned them.
We got all set up and i found a novel use for the lines on my hammock, throw a coat over it and it turns into a makeshift table area.
This trip i decided to try my Drink-safe gravity filter bag, i have tried this before but it would just clog up after a few liters and need to be back flushed with a tap to clear it.
So with a Millbank bag and a 1 micron filter bag i managed to clear the water enough to keep the other filter going for the whole night.
Hanging the collection and filter bags to dry after filling the Main filter bag.
For dinner we had the quarter pounder burgers in the cheese and onion Ciabatta rolls with some fake cheese and chilli mayo..........lovely.
After a rest and getting a camp fire going i sat down to try my hand at some wood carving.
I found a nice bit of Hawthorn and attempted to make my first spoon.
Well i didnt quite get a spoon, but i did carve an SSO........(spoon shaped object)
Not too bad for a first attempt i think!!
Then it was time for the hammock and off for a warm sweaty nights sleep.
Lesson 4 - in summer take a thinner sleeping bag.
I was woken up this morning by Jon as he left to walk home early, only to get a phone call an hour later to meet him at my car as he had left his keys in it..........
Lesson 5 - remember to keep your keys on you.
On the walk back to camp i noticed something on a tree.
Anyone know what may have made this???
After getting back to camp i decided to call it a day and packed up to get home and see my baby girl before she goes out for the day.
Another good night out and a few lessons learned.
