Trench Grill

[Wayland]

I saw a post on FB the other day singing the praises of a Purcell Trench Grill.

A great product I thought, but rather pricey, especially when customs and admin charges are added for importing it over here.

I liked the idea when I first saw them many moons ago but decided there must be a cheaper option.

Wandering around IKEA one day, as I often do because I use some of their products in my work, I spotted the LÄMPLIG Stainless steel trivet.

I had looked at them before but they used to be solid and very heavy.

What I noticed was that the price had dropped and when I picked one up I realised it was because they were now hollow and much lighter.

That put them right in the running.

I bought three and used one just as it was for static camps, it was a bit large for back packing. ( 430g )

The other two I cut through the cross bars.

One into two equal grills, 4 bars each. ( 214g )

The other one I cut into a light 3 bar grill ( 160g ) and a wider 5 bar grill ( 267g )

This gives me a selection of 5 grills I can now choose which to use, costing me the princely sum of £11.25 plus a few minutes with a hacksaw and a file to smooth any rough edges.

The reason the four bar one is so shiny is that I keep making new ones as I tend to give these out to friends when they see how useful they are.

 

[Damascus]

Another even cheaper alternative is a visit to the local tip and asked nicely and they let me have a couple of racks from the cookers dropped off for disposal and work a treat!

 

[Wayland]

A lot heavier though in my experience.

The four rail version lives on the side of my bergen and at 214g is pretty well negligible.

 

[Damascus]

I wasn’t putting your idea down it’s very good, this was just another option

 

[Wayland]

I didn't think you were. Just highlighting the difference.

I've used oven shelves and even the side of an old shopping trolley before now when I haven't needed to carry it far.

 

[bopdude]

Always looking at new options, and as well as those mentioned above, cost being very nice, I recently came across this

 

[Robson Valley]

You had the common sense to cut them up. Weight and convenience for certain.
They get left hanging in the trees in some of our wilderness camp sites.

 

[Robson Valley]

Wayland: You see absolutely nothing from the road. The entire campsite is pristine clean after an annual 14 day big game hunting camp, maybe 25(?) people.

Walk through the campsite, all the way to the back. Turn around.
The fire pit grill racks are hidden on the backs of the trees.

 

[Wayland]

I guess things are very different over there to our crowded little island.

The idea of leaving any trace just sits badly with me.

We have to constantly fight against people that leave a terrible mess behind them.

 

[Robson Valley]

Yes, that's true. We have a lot of elbow room. All the same, reservations of tent sites in our "primitive"
camp-grounds fill up very quickly

Seems here that big stone fire pits encourage very localized activity.
Best way to encourage people not to build camp fires, willy-nilly, all over the landscape.
If you can find a fire pit, a big one, probably a nice place to camp.
I need a serious place to cook. Coleman petrol stoves certainly have their place
but they are no match for hot coals. That's why those racks have such appeal to me.

The position of the fire pit may be related to mountainside and valley air flow during 24 hours
to keep any smoke out of tents, etc.

I can't go leaping about in the forest any more. I want to sit and watch nature roll by.
Maybe get lucky and feed the local camp thieves, the Whiskey-Jack birds. (Wis-Ked-i-a-jak)
Hope I got that right. Algonquin word.

 

[Wayland]

Just a shot of the four bar in use last weekend.

 

[TLM]

Maybe get lucky and feed the local camp thieves, the Whiskey-Jack birds. (Wis-Ked-i-a-jak)
Hope I got that right. Algonquin word.

Our local variant Sibirian Jay seems to act in similar ways. It always comes to check when you walk by and often comes to visit the camp. In some places they eat from your hand.

Sami recommend not to find the nest and not to shoot one.

 

[Robson Valley]

#11 Thanks, Gary. That picture has very powerful memories.

 

[Wayland]

First time out in the woods for months...