What do you do when it’s dark? (No not that)

[Chris]

The nights are long and days are short.

I prefer to keep electric artificial light to a minimum when out camping, but it’s quite hard to find things to do when the light is a natural glow from a fire or lamp.

During the summer I enjoy sitting out and watching the sun go down, maybe with a cold beer and perhaps do some mindless whittling.

What do you do in camp in the winter months, when alone and it’s dark before 1600 and until 0800?

My beverage of choice tends to switch to single malt or perhaps a nice mulled wine to warm the cockles.

 

[crosslandkelly]

I read my kindle fire.

 

[JonathanD]

Just sit and watch the fire. Perfect.

 

[Pattree]

I probably won’t have started cooking till it’s going or gone dark. I prefer to cook rather than heat up food.
Then there is leisurely eating and drinking. ( I don’t drink alcohol when camping alone or if I’m driving the only car.)
Then there is fire gazing but my system doesn’t make a good traditional camp fire.
I use an electric lamp if I’m reading my Kindle.

If it’s really cold I’ll heat a Kettle for a hot water bottle and a drink.
I’ll prep the Bialetti so all I do when I wake up is light the Hobo and my morning potion practically prepares itself.

Then I think.

Quite busy really.

 

[HillBill]

Honestly, i only drink alcohol when its dark ( not just on a camp, at home too)... the sunset seems to trigger my urge for a bit of Rum. The longer its dark the more i drink, the better i sleep. Obviously as nature intended...

Fires are actually useful, though not the biggest fan of cooking on them when its dark. My eyes arent as good as they used to be and artificial light really messes with them. I struggle to drive when its dark for that reason.. headlights, and even rear lights these days suck the big one.

Reading with my head torch, at the lowest brightness setting is all i really can do... Actual books though. Not that kindle stuff.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Paper books.
Preparing firewood for the morning.
Whittling, sometimes. I don’t drink alcohol at the same time though!

 

[Springchicken]

I've always been amazed at how noisy woods can be after dark. So, having eaten, I set off, away from the camp and its fire, find a relatively comfortable and dry patch and simply listen.

If there is road noise or other human intervention, that soon drops into the background, leaving you with the sounds of the night.

Time seems to slow, too: fifteen minutes can seem far, far longer but it's worth sticking around to hear who and what is busy.

 

[Pattree]

struggle to drive when its dark for that reason.. headlights, and even rear lights these days suck the big one

Not intending to teach grandma but have you tried yellow lenses. I wear specs for driving and yellow over-glasses at night. I’ve never used them in camp (yet).

 

[HillBill]

Not intending to teach grandma but have you tried yellow lenses. I wear specs for driving and yellow over-glasses at night. I’ve never used them in camp (yet).

I can give them a go for sure. I have retinopathy (stage 3) which is why i'm struggling. I was ok before that. I don't need glasses to drive, just to read. My vision is fine beyond 3 feet. But my eyes are damaged, they dont adjust to changing light conditions like they did. Take a lot longer to adjust, and car headlights are just too bright these days and street lights arent as good as they used to be since they switched to the LED's

 

[JonathanD]

Nothing better than walking g around the woods late at night. Armed with a thermal imager it’s amazing what you see. I probably send more time wondering around woods at night than during the day in the spring and Summer. Especially Sherwood.

 

[slaine_23]

When it’s dark or when the nights get dark?

When the nights get dark I try and pick up a new skill, or at least learn that I can do something with hands and brain. Knapping, carving, a few knots, data programming, languages. Not blowing a trumpet, am crap at most it of it, finding that out is part of the craic. Seems to make sense, long night, figure something new out.

 

[Stew]

Nothing better than walking g around the woods late at night. Armed with a thermal imager it’s amazing what you see. I probably send more time wondering around woods at night than during the day in the spring and Summer. Especially Sherwood.


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I've thought about taking my thermal camera down to the allotment - I suspect it's badger trotting around but it would be good to see to be sure!

 

[Wayland]

I usually light up...

 

[Wayne]

The night is your friend. Watching wildlife. A bit of astronomy and photography. Relaxing watching the fire and putting the world to rights with friends makes the evenings a joy. Also the odd early night helps.

 

[CLEM]

Mostly I listen to me Shraftin Buddy blather on, speaking , balderdash piffle codswollop tommyrot and poppycock,, I then point at him all sage like with my imaginary Gandolf style pipe and correct him, mostly ha ha ha

 

[JonathanD]

Mostly I listen to me Shraftin Buddy blather on, speaking , balderdash piffle codswollop tommyrot and poppycock,, I then point at him all sage like with my imaginary Gandolf style pipe and correct him, mostly ha ha ha

A man’s huge repertoire of disdainful and contemptible looks gets used up and pushed to its limits on these jaunts.

To be fair, I didn’t realise you thought you had an invisible pipe there. I thought you were trying to force choke me Vader style.

I can use a real pipe to point out my obvious righteousness. But rarely feel the need to bring out the big guns in the face of such Clem nonsense.

 

[forrestdweller]

i live off-grid on a farm in the costa rican rainforest, so when it gets dark i stoke up my fire to concoct my ration of rice and beans and work on small projects by the light of my head torch.... i've a few books as well so a few minutes of reading afterwards, too

 

[wandering1]

I can give them a go for sure. I have retinopathy (stage 3) which is why i'm struggling. I was ok before that. I don't need glasses to drive, just to read. My vision is fine beyond 3 feet. But my eyes are damaged, they dont adjust to changing light conditions like they did. Take a lot longer to adjust, and car headlights are just too bright these days and street lights arent as good as they used to be since they switched to the LED's

Could try photochromic lenses, they work the same as the lens in a welders mask,
The lens adjust to changing light levels ( i have similar issue ( birth defect) i can handle low light environments but the brighter it is the more difficult it is to focus

 

[wandering1]

Well normally i dont really cook amy sup until 5-6 and its dark by then after that stare into the fire watch a film on the tablet, but also get the camera out

 

[HillBill]

Could try photochromic lenses, they work the same as the lens in a welders mask,
The lens adjust to changing light levels ( i have similar issue ( birth defect) i can handle low light environments but the brighter it is the more difficult it is to focus

Thanks for the suggestion. Wont they make it more difficult to see the surrounding area though? I mean, imagine there's a steady stream of traffic coming towards you, (the roads are often busy here) So when the glasses darken, the headlights are shielded, but everything else becomes really dark, wouldnt that be a little dangerous maybe? I've done welding, and have used the masks, great for the job, but you're not driving as well. Genuinely curious though. Do they only dim a little, or is seeing anything else a struggle for a brief period?