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Wayland

Hárbarðr
I think the real problem is you're preaching to the converted Wayne - this bunch (myself included) are either doing stuff or have done it and now no longer want the wet, cold, pain etc.

I am told by the younger ones that forums are dead and social media is the only way to reach them. I'm also surprised to frequently come across younger people (under 30 and some nearer 20) that would really like to get into this stuff but can't find an avenue. From a business prospective it's no different to any other marketing problem: what do the prospective customers want, do we have products that satisfy, are we in a place that can deliver, can we meet the pricing expectations? When I was in business (in a formal way as opposed toe the ad-hoc stuff I do now) we had weekly review sessions where those and other important marketing questions were discussed and actioned.

I will now confess, that having just come off a trip canoeing down the Spey, I realise my days doing what I really enjoy are limited (I cannot kneel anymore which makes rapids 'interesting') - I have to accept that maybe sitting around the campfire talking about past exploits may be the best I will be able to do soon - but I'll still be lighting fires, chopping wood, cooking in the open - even hunting and fishing etc.

Craft-Camp-at-the-Steam-Tent-Co-operative-XX.jpg


Well hopefully you can find a nice place by the fire with a few friends.
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,151
1,544
Cumbria
Well hopefully you can find a nice place by the fire with a few friends.
Now that is what it it's really about! Can add/ switch it from friends to family as appropriate.

We don't even have a garden but a bbq in the backyard with family followed by a fire and marshmallows is very refreshing for the soul. It also gets our 6 year old away from technology and his toys. We just spend time together and have fun.
 

Wayland

Hárbarðr
Now that is what it it's really about! Can add/ switch it from friends to family as appropriate.

We don't even have a garden but a bbq in the backyard with family followed by a fire and marshmallows is very refreshing for the soul. It also gets our 6 year old away from technology and his toys. We just spend time together and have fun.

I think there is something in the atmosphere of a camp fire, apart from smoke, that is very conducive to the gathering and making of friends.
 

Tengu

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
12,776
1,510
51
Wiltshire
The year before last I brought my father to his first Moot, and though he bedded in, really he was like a dog at a cat show.

But this year I asked him if he wanted to come, and he said `just the core event`

Getting him out does him good, he slept soundly, and without breathing problems, and he had a fun time with his camera (normaly too busy for his hobbies)

If it was up to his own initiative he would never get out
 

MrEd

Life Member
Feb 18, 2010
2,148
1,053
Surrey/Sussex
www.thetimechamber.co.uk
For me it’s other things pressing on my time, work, etc.

And then health issues, which for me can be very variable.

I hope to drop a day a week at work next summer specifically to address my work life balance.


I have slept out under the stairs for 11nights this year, I do however try to get outside just for a couple of hours to walk
In my local woods etc atleast 2 times a month
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Even in our little village with the wilderness so close at hand, an invitation " to a fire" in a back yard is quite a treat.
How old is this gathering? Half a million years?
 

Nomad64

Full Member
Nov 21, 2015
1,072
593
UK
Nothing! this year has been epic, I have managed to hike the moors and brecon's , lots of free climbs of Hound tor and Hay and more, simple truth is your running out life young or old, so your life has to matter to you and have meaning, that drive is selfish and it has to be, sacrifice other thing, go and be awesome or at peace, no point be moments from death wishing you had done more, you are for the moment, always in the now don't waste it.

Wise words - apart from the “brecon’s” bit!

Brecon is the English name for the nearby town and Brecknockshire, the English name for the old county. The range of hills that I believe you are referring to are the Brecon Beacons contained within the Brecon Beacons National Park - which also includes the Black Mountains and Black Mountain.

https://www.beacons-npa.gov.uk/

Calling them the “Brecons” is a bit like calling the Yorkshire Dales the “Yorkshires”, the Somerset Levels the “”Somersets”, the Norfolk Broads the “Norfolks” etc. etc.

Apologies for the lecture but after a long, gruelling and sometimes painful training and initiation process (I can neither confirm or deny that the SF Fan Dance is part if the selection process ;)), I am a fully accredited Brecon Beacons Tourism Ambassador. Some say that we Ambassadors are a secretive Knights Templar-like organisation and one of our key roles is to monitor conversations of visitors to the area and internet discussions about it and to step in and correct errors. ;)

Some may think of this as pedentry, we like to think of it as adhering to the true faith of accuracy and thoroughness. Members of the Welsh speaking chapter do a similar job amongst their flock.

A friendly warning is normally sufficient but again, I can neither confirm or deny that occasional punishment beatings are administered to repeat offenders in the carpark at Storey Arms.

What stops me getting out - see above!

So if people could please stop calling them the “Brecons” we could scale down our monitoring/correction activities and may be one day set foot on the hallowed ground.

:)
 
Last edited:

Nomad64

Full Member
Nov 21, 2015
1,072
593
UK
I think you’ll find its “pedantry” :) :) :)

Congratulations, you have successfully completed the first stage of Ambassador selection! ;)

One day sometime soon, someone will be in touch about the next stage.

In the meantime, on clear days, feel free to gaze across the Severn estuary to the sacred hills where one day I hope to be able to greet you as a brother Ambassador. :)
 

Insel Affen

Settler
Aug 27, 2014
530
86
Tewkesbury, N Gloucestershire
I move every two years with work (Army) so find it hard to make the connections and find places to go and enjoy the woods. I'd love to hammock and have a fire more but finding land or woods is damn near impossible.

When I lived in Bicester, I went down the local MOD training area, as the Garrison Commander was a pal so thought it useful to have a friendly on the land. Now I'm in York Defence Infrastructure want to charge me for the privilege! So far the only chance is a the occasional night in the back garden with the boy when he's back from school
 

bobnewboy

Native
Jul 2, 2014
1,292
847
West Somerset
Congratulations, you have successfully completed the first stage of Ambassador selection! ;)

One day sometime soon, someone will be in touch about the next stage.

In the meantime, on clear days, feel free to gaze across the Severn estuary to the sacred hills where one day I hope to be able to greet you as a brother Ambassador. :)

Heh, I can’t help it sometimes....I have looked across the estuary on the occasions that I have stopped at the Driftwood Cafe in Blue Anchor, either on the KTM, or having walked from Minehead having ridden the WSR to get there. On the last visit all I could see was the power station :)
 
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Jul 24, 2017
1,163
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somerset
Wise words - apart from the “brecon’s” bit!

Brecon is the English name for the nearby town and Brecknockshire, the English name for the old county. The range of hills that I believe you are referring to are the Brecon Beacons contained within the Brecon Beacons National Park - which also includes the Black Mountains and Black Mountain.

https://www.beacons-npa.gov.uk/

Calling them the “Brecons” is a bit like calling the Yorkshire Dales the “Yorkshires”, the Somerset Levels the “”Somersets”, the Norfolk Broads the “Norfolks” etc. etc.

Apologies for the lecture but after a long, gruelling and sometimes painful training and initiation process (I can neither confirm or deny that the SF Fan Dance is part if the selection process ;)), I am a fully accredited Brecon Beacons Tourism Ambassador. Some say that we Ambassadors are a secretive Knights Templar-like organisation and one of our key roles is to monitor conversations of visitors to the area and internet discussions about it and to step in and correct errors. ;)

Some may think of this as pedentry, we like to think of it as adhering to the true faith of accuracy and thoroughness. Members of the Welsh speaking chapter do a similar job amongst their flock.

A friendly warning is normally sufficient but again, I can neither confirm or deny that occasional punishment beatings are administered to repeat offenders in the carpark at Storey Arms.

What stops me getting out - see above!

So if people could please stop calling them the “Brecons” we could scale down our monitoring/correction activities and may be one day set foot on the hallowed ground.

:)
Ok the beacon's it is, anyhow I like them, shame there so easy to get up, if it was a harder task there would be less trash and dog **** bags left about, was there only the other day, I like the walk across the face of cribyn, I think most of the faces could be scrambled, not that I would, as it would encourage others but its very tempting, they look so doable!
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,978
7,755
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Yes, unfortunately, the Beacons are too popular. That wasn't always the case and, in the past, I often enjoyed a day up there in the mist when I've only shared them with ponies :)

For a quieter ramble go up the Black Mountains (to the East) or Black Mountain (to the West) and watch the ants going up the Beacons from afar - as I do with the Glyders and Snowden.

I was chatting to a Mountain Rescue member yesterday and she said that around 50% of the callouts are just on the main route up the Beacons (Pen y Fan) - basically people in T-shirts and flip-flops :)
 
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Jul 24, 2017
1,163
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somerset
Yes, unfortunately, the Beacons are too popular. That wasn't always the case and, in the past, I often enjoyed a day up there in the mist when I've only shared them with ponies :)

For a quieter ramble go up the Black Mountains (to the East) or Black Mountain (to the West) and watch the ants going up the Beacons from afar - as I do with the Glyders and Snowden.

I was chatting to a Mountain Rescue member yesterday and she said that around 50% of the callouts are just on the main route up the Beacons (Pen y Fan) - basically people in T-shirts and flip-flops :)
There was a few, thinking taking there phone and a selfi of more use than some water and something warm, I just walked as much as I could right on the edge great views and few people, and the goat path across Cribyn's face was all my own.
 

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