Locally the daily temperatures seem to be stuck around 11-14 Degrees C, so when deciding what gear to take for an overnight camp the decision should have been easy but always being one to think "What if?" when planning, I took extra gear anyway, and it transpired to be a wise move.
My Son at 55 years is of a generation able to understand technology. He talks to his watch...which turns on the Central Heating in his house and later opens the Garage door on his arrival home from work. He thinks Wilderness refers to any area without street lighting and a Costa Coffee Shop, I also believe he thinks Crack Willow is some sort of Class A drug...Attuned to the natural world he is not....
With this knowledge in mind I packed a sleeping bag liner to boost the Down sleeping bag he had bought for me in one of the big Super Markets. It's Chinese made and transparent, I estimate it contains the feathers of one very small and severely under nourished Duck. But 11-14 degrees C ? I decided to give it an outing
This area of woodland is about half an hour from home and within sound of the sea and Bird Life on the coastal cliffs.
I used the hooped Bivvy that I have used on one previous occasion. I do not own any Gucci Kit, I find that run of the mill cheaper kit of all kinds serves me very well, then again I don't camp on Everest or venture out in a Down jacket in -20 C. Not too keen on the Camo pattern although in Spring/Summer Deciduous woods it does not appear so stark. The seams are very well taped, it is entirely leakproof, easy to erect, roomy and well ventilated and fairly lightweight and did not take a Jaws like bite out of my Pension..
The surplus Basha gives me a good dry Admin area as still lacking full knee flexibility I can scuttle around in the dry. Wind and rain from the South West was forecast for the early hours of 2022.
My personal preference for rigging Tarps and the like is to use Toggle guys and Bungee cords. The toggles are easy with cold hands and I like the Bungees because they are self tensioning.
For me, any attempt at concocting fancy food is dangerous, I know from previous attempts that the path lies strewn with inedible results and hunger, but I thought even I could do something with decanted packet food and some new fangled heat seal bags from Ebay. Chuck it all in, seal it up and Hey! I'm a Bush Craft Chef....
But first a brew...While drinking my tea I had a visit from this colourful character, a Shield Bug.
I went for a wander and found this land survey marker, only visible I suspect in Winter when the undergrowth has died back.
Back to camp, check..all ready for the night.
Now for my Master piece...
Well, I ate it all and I'm still here, so my home made Boil in the Bag worked..
As the day fades the tarp catches the last of the light. For Winter use I think my Flecktarn Tarp is less conspicuous.
The forecast rain and wind woke me in the first hours of the New Year and I lay awake listening to the night sounds. The muted roar and rumble of the big seas running up the beach and breaking against the Cliffs and then a pause, followed by the clatter of the backwash as the wave ran back down the beach taking loose rock and stones with it. A pause and the roar again. I found myself breathing as if in time with the Earth rhythm.
Before dropping off to sleep I decided that the one Duck sleeping bag needed a boost from the Bag Liner I had brought with me. OEX Thermal, less than £20, but it made life warmer. That's not a recommendation, we all sleep at different temperatures, but it worked for me.
Daylight of 2022. A quick brew and break camp in the mild, dry morning daylight. Checking to see that I had left no trace, I couldn't help but notice how well the old DPM camouflage of my old Bergan worked in a woodland setting.
My Son at 55 years is of a generation able to understand technology. He talks to his watch...which turns on the Central Heating in his house and later opens the Garage door on his arrival home from work. He thinks Wilderness refers to any area without street lighting and a Costa Coffee Shop, I also believe he thinks Crack Willow is some sort of Class A drug...Attuned to the natural world he is not....
With this knowledge in mind I packed a sleeping bag liner to boost the Down sleeping bag he had bought for me in one of the big Super Markets. It's Chinese made and transparent, I estimate it contains the feathers of one very small and severely under nourished Duck. But 11-14 degrees C ? I decided to give it an outing
This area of woodland is about half an hour from home and within sound of the sea and Bird Life on the coastal cliffs.
I used the hooped Bivvy that I have used on one previous occasion. I do not own any Gucci Kit, I find that run of the mill cheaper kit of all kinds serves me very well, then again I don't camp on Everest or venture out in a Down jacket in -20 C. Not too keen on the Camo pattern although in Spring/Summer Deciduous woods it does not appear so stark. The seams are very well taped, it is entirely leakproof, easy to erect, roomy and well ventilated and fairly lightweight and did not take a Jaws like bite out of my Pension..
The surplus Basha gives me a good dry Admin area as still lacking full knee flexibility I can scuttle around in the dry. Wind and rain from the South West was forecast for the early hours of 2022.
My personal preference for rigging Tarps and the like is to use Toggle guys and Bungee cords. The toggles are easy with cold hands and I like the Bungees because they are self tensioning.
For me, any attempt at concocting fancy food is dangerous, I know from previous attempts that the path lies strewn with inedible results and hunger, but I thought even I could do something with decanted packet food and some new fangled heat seal bags from Ebay. Chuck it all in, seal it up and Hey! I'm a Bush Craft Chef....
But first a brew...While drinking my tea I had a visit from this colourful character, a Shield Bug.
I went for a wander and found this land survey marker, only visible I suspect in Winter when the undergrowth has died back.
Back to camp, check..all ready for the night.
Now for my Master piece...
Well, I ate it all and I'm still here, so my home made Boil in the Bag worked..
As the day fades the tarp catches the last of the light. For Winter use I think my Flecktarn Tarp is less conspicuous.
The forecast rain and wind woke me in the first hours of the New Year and I lay awake listening to the night sounds. The muted roar and rumble of the big seas running up the beach and breaking against the Cliffs and then a pause, followed by the clatter of the backwash as the wave ran back down the beach taking loose rock and stones with it. A pause and the roar again. I found myself breathing as if in time with the Earth rhythm.
Before dropping off to sleep I decided that the one Duck sleeping bag needed a boost from the Bag Liner I had brought with me. OEX Thermal, less than £20, but it made life warmer. That's not a recommendation, we all sleep at different temperatures, but it worked for me.
Daylight of 2022. A quick brew and break camp in the mild, dry morning daylight. Checking to see that I had left no trace, I couldn't help but notice how well the old DPM camouflage of my old Bergan worked in a woodland setting.
so I commiserate with you. I was in Duluth USA, in November 1963. We were loading grain under the big elevators there and concerned that we would get frozen in and not able to get out before the Welland Canal and the St Lawrence Seaway froze solid.
