What do i need?

[Sappy]

I got asked to work this weekend but got the rest of the week off so i'm going to head out tomorrow morning.

I got the tarp and cut it to 2.5 by 2.5 metres though i think i should have left it bigger as i'm 1.94 cm tall, i also got a tin and managed to poke holes for a handle.

I couldn't find anything waterproof to store tinder in but i found a fallen birch with some piptoporous betulinus( i think) so i took one and cut a section of bark of glued it into a cylinder, glued another piece of bark on the bottom, stuffed it full of cleavers and grass for tinder and tied a lid on, wala waterproof tinder box

I will just use my jacket as a waterproof sheet under the bedding.

Last time i was at the place i'm going to the woods were choked full of arm thick pine trees that are rotten at the bottom usually so theres lots of firewood.

The dogs a German shephard.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

The G.S.D. should be alright......if you could get some vegetation under your bedding & maybe build a small wall out of fallen branches & leaves etc. to protect you from the wind you will be more comfortable...
2.5x 2.5 mtrs. is on the small side but with a bit of ingenuity you should be able to make a decent shelter......Staying dry is the N0.1 priority.


Hope you both have a smashing time & the weather will certainly be more clement tomorrow than at the weekend.

 

[spandit]

Get there early as it sounds like you'll have a bit of prep to do before you can bed down for the night

 

[rik_uk3]

Sappy pop into Tesco and get a 1x2m groundsheet for a £1, better still if they still have them buy a dome tent for a few quid. This is not a good time of year to go experimenting with minimal kit.

£14.99
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9275647/Trail/searchtext>TENT.htm

 

[shaggystu]

Sappy pop into Tesco and get a 1x2m groundsheet for a £1, better still if they still have them buy a dome tent for a few quid. This is not a good time of year to go experimenting with minimal kit.

£14.99
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9275647/Trail/searchtext>TENT.htm

this is really good advice, especially the groundsheet, your idea of using your jacket to sleep on probably isn't the best one i've ever heard, 1X2m grounsheet from tesco for a pound.......well what you got to lose? (and that's coming from me, possibly the tightest bushcrafter ever!)

be safe dude

 

[Miyagi]

if it was my dog, he'd just make matters worse 'cos there's no way in this world i'd be able to convince him that i should lay next to the fire and he should lay behind me, he'd spend the entire night getting between me ands the fire and stopping the heat from getting to me.

stuart

Hahahahaha that is so true, mines the same.

Good luck Sappy, a big but hopefully enjoyable learning curve awaits you.

Keep your ears and hands warm, it hurts less.

Let us know how you get on mate.

Liam

 

[bilmo-p5]

...in fact, if it was my dog, he'd just make matters worse 'cos there's no way in this world i'd be able to convince him that i should lay next to the fire and he should lay behind me, he'd spend the entire night getting between me ands the fire and stopping the heat from getting to me.

It might be worth considering making-up your tarp and blankets into a bedroll of sorts. Make it big enough to accomodate you AND the dog; you will both appreciate it.

 

[Sappy]

Het guys i thought i'd tell you how i'm doing as it's pitch black at the moment and it's pouring down really heavily

I like the sound of the rain on the tarp but i've learned that it's a bad idea to touch the tarp as moisture will come through.

I found a big rock that i could get out of the wind behind and decided this would be a good spot to set up, the ground is rock so following some advice i saw on youtube i built a fire on it to heat it up but i think i went too far as it was too hot to lie on so i got enough pine boughs to insulate me from the heat(not cold) and laid my jacket on top( it's about 1.6 metres long when i unroll the bottom and probably over 100 cm's wide), blankets are set up ready for sleep and tbh after walking 8 miles in the pouring rain i'm knackered.

I spent a good hour collecting firewood and have 35 pine tress to burn(minus 5 burning now) i have put them at the back to absorb heat, they were easy to get as the stumps were rotten and i could just pull them up,

 

[Sappy]

I made a fire like ray mears thats about 7 ft long and it's great I couldn't find any course kindling so i made a few hundred shavings with my swiss army knife and that got her going along with my bundle of cleavers and grass and slab of birchbark really kicked her off .

I forgot to take a cup so i scraped clean the other piece of birchbark i had and made a cone and it works great : D.

I brought a 2 bottles of beer for me and the dog so will crack into them.

P.S my thermometer i left hanging on a tree said it's 3 degress atm but i'm unsure of its accuracy.

 

[Jinsin456]

I would make a long log fire if you have trees mate, lie the logs parallel to each other and make a fire the same length as your body. I've always been told that a log will burn for about an hour so try and work out how many hours you plan on sleeping. This way your whole body should stay warm and the fire won't take much looking after.

 

[Jinsin456]

Took the words right out of my mouth. Sounds cosy

 

[Jimmy Bojangles]

Much respect mate! wish I was there with you.
Hope you're going to get us some pics.

Have fun

Mat

 

[TurboGirl]

Hey, Sappy, have a cushty night, matey! Lovely to hear how you're doing Sending you toasty warm thoughts from soggy Leicestershire

 

[cbr6fs]

Sounds fantastic, good on you for having the courage to have a go

 

[AussieVic]

Food, warmth and shelter to sleep in are the basics - looks like you have them covered.
I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on what you need when you get back, what would you add, or subtract, for the next trip ?

My best wishes for the trip, I hope its a roaring success - do post some pictures if you can.

 

[Sappy]

Hey guys i just got back a few hours ago and i'm a bit miffed because the pictures i took never saved on my phone for some reason.

It was a great night though it was raining all day and into the night but at about 4 am i got some respite in the form of snow not much but it snowed.

The blankets were really heavy which was annoying but i think i could improve upon the method of carrying to make it easier.

I found a nice piece of willow that i want to make a frame with ( Like the one Ray Mears made in an episode of country tracks) and make an old style bedroll to make the blankets more effective and maybe i'll only have to take two.

I was relatively warm most of the night as the fire was bounced back of the rock and the tarp slowed down the loss of heat, i had to put a few logs on the fire every hour but this wasn't much of an issue.

You were right about the dog getting between me and the fire but i stuck 5 logs on the fire and cranked up the heat which forced him to retreat behind me haha.

 

[Sappy]

Wish i didn't have to work this weekend as i want to go again and i think the dog does too but i'll get out next weekend, this time i'll be taking sausages and bacon and stuff to make a stew though

 

[pauljm116]

Good on you mate. Glad to hear you survived the night and want to get back out there.

 

[Robbi]

well done Sappy, good onya mate

 

[spandit]

I think you're a bit bonkers but glad you didn't succumb to exposure! Shame about the pictures...