Tengu is a wuss
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Find a freind.
Or 'get braver'...
I've been solo camping before (when I was younger) - I'd love to do it again but these days I'm not so brave either...
What sort of trip(s) are you planning?
There are undoubtedly people of like mind hereabouts that would accompany you...
ODG
Or 'get braver'...
I've been solo camping before (when I was younger) - I'd love to do it again but these days I'm not so brave either...
What sort of trip(s) are you planning?
There are undoubtedly people of like mind hereabouts that would accompany you...
ODG
Tengu said:
Not anything to be worried about, a lot of people are scared of the dark.
Your best bet is to try and acclimatise yourself to it.
Start going out for a walk a little later so that it's getting dark or it is dark when you get home. If you have a garden try spending the night there first and start moving a little further afield at a time.
This should start getting you used to some of the night noises and feelings that you get when you are out and about.
Going out with others is another option, effectively though what you will need to do is increase your comfort zone as far as the dark is concerned.
What is it about the dark that you are afraid of?
It is dark when you close your eyes but I doubt that you are afraid then.
Make a list of what you are afraid of in the dark and look at what is needed to get around each item.
For example:
Getting lost. - Learn to read a map or stick to places you know in daylight.
Falling over/bumping into things. - Use a stick to help you when walking.
Can't see in the dark. - Get a head torch, this wll leave your hands free to carry your stick..
I'm sure that you get my drift.
Walking all night and being on the go when the sun comes up is one of the great outdoor experiences, don't miss out.
Have fun.
It is dark when you close your eyes but I doubt that you are afraid then.
Make a list of what you are afraid of in the dark and look at what is needed to get around each item.
For example:
Getting lost. - Learn to read a map or stick to places you know in daylight.
Falling over/bumping into things. - Use a stick to help you when walking.
Can't see in the dark. - Get a head torch, this wll leave your hands free to carry your stick..
I'm sure that you get my drift.
Walking all night and being on the go when the sun comes up is one of the great outdoor experiences, don't miss out.
Have fun.
Hi: You are the most dangerous thing in the dark most anywhere you might ramble except in areas inhabited by large predators.
I know it sounds daft but try walking without a torch, after a few minutes you acclimatise really well. I used a powerful torch a couple of weeks ago while walking the dog, I rarely use a torch when walking, and I found myself spooked as I could see only what was in the beam and was aware that anybody else could see me coming for miles.
Another little tip is don't use a hood or hat that covers your ears, uncovering the side of your face makes you much more aware of your surroundings. I watched my scouts on a night hike and realised that most were in a world of their own, not talking to each other or looking around, I got them to remove their hoods and the group changed, everyone noticed more and they chatted and paid more attention to the map, made for a more pleasurable walk all round.
I think we all get spooked sometimes, don't worry about it too much!
Another little tip is don't use a hood or hat that covers your ears, uncovering the side of your face makes you much more aware of your surroundings. I watched my scouts on a night hike and realised that most were in a world of their own, not talking to each other or looking around, I got them to remove their hoods and the group changed, everyone noticed more and they chatted and paid more attention to the map, made for a more pleasurable walk all round.
I think we all get spooked sometimes, don't worry about it too much!
For me i found that just sitting ouside after the dark helps, I got used to night noises and sights. I even managed to spot a couple of badgers . Then from there try walking back home from where ever you are. Walk somewhere familiar during the day then try to do it at night after you know the way off by heart. (probally only best to do it for about a mile at first)
. Then from there try walking back home from where ever you are. Walk somewhere familiar during the day then try to do it at night after you know the way off by heart. (probally only best to do it for about a mile at first)
Being afraid of the dark is just like being afraid of what you dont know or understand, and that is only because you cant see the things that you are afraid of. Torches dont help because your sences are then limited to what you can see and you fear more what you cant see. I too get jumpy in the dark (ok scared) but when you work out what is making the noise (eg creaking tree) then you are not so scared. One thing I like to do during the day, is sit in the woods or in a field and close my eyes and just listen to the sounds around me, when a noise comes close I open my eyes and try and identify the source. You will find that you can hear similar noises at night but even when you cant identify it you can judge its distance and how big it is.
I hope all this helps
Andy
Ps I still dont have the courage to spend a night out alone as we have wild boar round my way
I hope all this helps
Andy
Ps I still dont have the courage to spend a night out alone as we have wild boar round my way
Ive never has this problem fortunately. Possibly due to the game me and my friends had when we were young. At the bottom of our street is a 125 year old cemetary with huge graves, statues and the odd crypt. We would draw straws and the loser had to walk from one gate through to the other. A good few times doing this over the years negates any fears I had of the dark.
Every time I go off camping alone ( also one of her reasons for not coming with me) my wife get's worried that there is some axe murderer that will get me when I'm out. To dispell this I have to tell her that a) I will see anyone coming at me if they have a torch b) if they didn't, then I applaud them for spotting me in the dark with their superb night vision and stealth c) city's are better places to start your axe murdering career as more chance of coming across someone alone in the dark, and d) their axe better be sharp as my gransfors sfa is and it's right next to me!!
I know that people can be afraid of the dark, but when you are out you should know that you are blessed, as you are really the only one hearing the wind creeking the trees ,and you are the only person around tuning in your ear's to the sound's of the local wildlife going about their nocturnal business. I hope you soon learn to enjoy the dark and all the sights and sound it brings along.
Every time I go off camping alone ( also one of her reasons for not coming with me) my wife get's worried that there is some axe murderer that will get me when I'm out. To dispell this I have to tell her that a) I will see anyone coming at me if they have a torch b) if they didn't, then I applaud them for spotting me in the dark with their superb night vision and stealth c) city's are better places to start your axe murdering career as more chance of coming across someone alone in the dark, and d) their axe better be sharp as my gransfors sfa is and it's right next to me!!
I know that people can be afraid of the dark, but when you are out you should know that you are blessed, as you are really the only one hearing the wind creeking the trees ,and you are the only person around tuning in your ear's to the sound's of the local wildlife going about their nocturnal business. I hope you soon learn to enjoy the dark and all the sights and sound it brings along.
'Sciency' types would say as humans were not supposed to be walking around in the dark anyway - otherwise why else would we sleep, were not designed for the dark.
Whatever the hell, Im pretty freaked in the dark, I think most people are, but that dosnt mean I dislike it though. My old History teacher used to go on about when he lived in Mexico and had to chomp on some dodgy cactus to pluck up the courage to venture out into the dark - snake and scorpion infested desert - I always thought that was the more extreme way to handle it though.
I know there aren't any maniacs or psychos, etc around but I think your brain is polluted by the media and its going to take some time to cleanse myself of the fear - however irrational it may be. I could always think of it as, imagin' walking through the streetlit council estate at night......
Other sounds which may occur in the day stop, so we notice other sounds which we dont usually hear.
Whatever the hell, Im pretty freaked in the dark, I think most people are, but that dosnt mean I dislike it though. My old History teacher used to go on about when he lived in Mexico and had to chomp on some dodgy cactus to pluck up the courage to venture out into the dark - snake and scorpion infested desert - I always thought that was the more extreme way to handle it though.
I know there aren't any maniacs or psychos, etc around but I think your brain is polluted by the media and its going to take some time to cleanse myself of the fear - however irrational it may be. I could always think of it as, imagin' walking through the streetlit council estate at night......
Other sounds which may occur in the day stop, so we notice other sounds which we dont usually hear.
As I said before mate try and get out and acclimatise yourself to it.
With your vision impeded by Darkness your hearing takes over as your primary sense, this tends to make things sound considerably louder and sometimes closer. You will get used to it, but you also need to remember that when darkness falls and the noises kick in fight or flight also starts.
It is natural that we become more wary when darkness falls and nighttime noises start to kick in as we are not comfortable, this is due to us being diurnal and this is now the realm of the nocturnal.
If you are feeling nervous and Jumpy this is the instinct of self preservation/survival kicking in, the HPA axis (Hypothalmic, Pituitary and Adrenal axis) kicks in sending the endocrine system into overdrive, stimulating the blood flow to muscles and the flooding of the system with Oxygen so that you can react at an instant.
In daylight these noises would possibly still be a little unnerving, but due to the fact that at night firstly your sight is impede and secondly your hearing appears that more acute the feeling is exaggerated.
I have sat listening as something that sounded like a some mad ravening beast came towards me through the undergrowth, I nearly got up and ran thinking that it could be a boar or a very annoyed badger.
When my horrendously evil adversary that night actually revealed itself I could do nothing, it stood there in all of its massive and ferocious glory and I started to chuckle. Before me stood a hedgehog
If you have never heard a hedgehog the noise they make at night belies there size considerably and it would make you quite nervous.
Take little forays out and try to identify what is out there by its sound. As you come to understand what makes what noise and why, life at night becomes a lot easier.
With your vision impeded by Darkness your hearing takes over as your primary sense, this tends to make things sound considerably louder and sometimes closer. You will get used to it, but you also need to remember that when darkness falls and the noises kick in fight or flight also starts.
It is natural that we become more wary when darkness falls and nighttime noises start to kick in as we are not comfortable, this is due to us being diurnal and this is now the realm of the nocturnal.
If you are feeling nervous and Jumpy this is the instinct of self preservation/survival kicking in, the HPA axis (Hypothalmic, Pituitary and Adrenal axis) kicks in sending the endocrine system into overdrive, stimulating the blood flow to muscles and the flooding of the system with Oxygen so that you can react at an instant.
In daylight these noises would possibly still be a little unnerving, but due to the fact that at night firstly your sight is impede and secondly your hearing appears that more acute the feeling is exaggerated.
I have sat listening as something that sounded like a some mad ravening beast came towards me through the undergrowth, I nearly got up and ran thinking that it could be a boar or a very annoyed badger.
When my horrendously evil adversary that night actually revealed itself I could do nothing, it stood there in all of its massive and ferocious glory and I started to chuckle. Before me stood a hedgehog
If you have never heard a hedgehog the noise they make at night belies there size considerably and it would make you quite nervous.
Take little forays out and try to identify what is out there by its sound. As you come to understand what makes what noise and why, life at night becomes a lot easier.
pick a moonlit night then and done take a high power torch, if you do use fake light then either keep one eye closed or shut both and count to ten before opening them to get your night vision back.
take a pair a big bino's along as you'ld be surprised how much detail you can see with them.
it helps when you are the nastiest thing out there
I used to tell the kids not to worry about the nasties in the woods as I'd eat them (the nasties that is)
sounds play havoc with your mind - sit in the garden or lay out an dlisten to whats going on - bugs in leaf litter by your ear sound huge as do mice, birds and deer - you should try it with a machine gun next to you when you're expecting company
take a pair a big bino's along as you'ld be surprised how much detail you can see with them.
it helps when you are the nastiest thing out there
I used to tell the kids not to worry about the nasties in the woods as I'd eat them (the nasties that is) sounds play havoc with your mind - sit in the garden or lay out an dlisten to whats going on - bugs in leaf litter by your ear sound huge as do mice, birds and deer - you should try it with a machine gun next to you when you're expecting company
I camp out on my own quite often and even though Im not scared of the dark I still get spooked sometimes
I find the dark in buildings worse as your in a confined space, where as outside you can move in what ever direction you wish.
If your out in the dark and you do get spooked at a noise, shout at it and I bet what ever it is won't hang around
Are you OK if you go out say with one other person?
I find the dark in buildings worse as your in a confined space, where as outside you can move in what ever direction you wish.
If your out in the dark and you do get spooked at a noise, shout at it and I bet what ever it is won't hang around
Are you OK if you go out say with one other person?
I had nearly a mile walk out the village to my house when I was young and went through phases of being scared and being fine until it just disappeared.
Moonlit nights aren't dark CrazyDave, they're not the problem.
Even during a "fine" period I'd be stoating up the track quite happily when a noise would shatter the illusion and I'd be back to fixating on the slightly lighter earth of the track in front of me and just forcing one foot in front of the other.
A bad one was meeting a red deer. I'd seen plenty of deer, heard them call and rut and knew they were likely to be in the area. I'd hadn't, however, ever heard one cough/bark.
I knew it wasn't a cow or a person but outside of that it could have been anything(big). Why do they teach kids about Bigfoot? If there's so little evidence that they even exist could finding out about them not be left 'till later in life.
The worst experiences were footsteps. I hated that.
One night I was ready for jumping over the fence and hiding in the field. Footsteps from behind getting closer - and closer - ......
Right when I was on the verge of total freakout I heard my dad say "Hey, that you Josh?"
Rechargable batteries weren't common then so using a torch all winter wasn't on but when I did have one I found it just made things worse and I'd be pointing it about trying to find the source of all the noises(even the wee ones that didn't usualy scare me anyway).
It's wierd looking back, and irrational - but no-one ever said phobias are supposed to be rational.
The only thing I can suggest is a walking stick. Carrying a stick to beat off imaginary monsters helped me no end. After a while I had a few of them stashed in the hedgerows at either end of the track and a favorate that came in the house(and was all carved up with little penknife doodles).
Moonlit nights aren't dark CrazyDave, they're not the problem.
Even during a "fine" period I'd be stoating up the track quite happily when a noise would shatter the illusion and I'd be back to fixating on the slightly lighter earth of the track in front of me and just forcing one foot in front of the other.
A bad one was meeting a red deer. I'd seen plenty of deer, heard them call and rut and knew they were likely to be in the area. I'd hadn't, however, ever heard one cough/bark.
I knew it wasn't a cow or a person but outside of that it could have been anything(big). Why do they teach kids about Bigfoot?
If there's so little evidence that they even exist could finding out about them not be left 'till later in life.The worst experiences were footsteps. I hated that.
One night I was ready for jumping over the fence and hiding in the field. Footsteps from behind getting closer - and closer - ......
Right when I was on the verge of total freakout I heard my dad say "Hey, that you Josh?"
Rechargable batteries weren't common then so using a torch all winter wasn't on but when I did have one I found it just made things worse and I'd be pointing it about trying to find the source of all the noises(even the wee ones that didn't usualy scare me anyway).
It's wierd looking back, and irrational - but no-one ever said phobias are supposed to be rational.
The only thing I can suggest is a walking stick. Carrying a stick to beat off imaginary monsters helped me no end. After a while I had a few of them stashed in the hedgerows at either end of the track and a favorate that came in the house(and was all carved up with little penknife doodles
).
soldiers get spooked too - we just reason that if its gunna attack we'll give it sore teeth and indigestion
