Will I be ok in the Lakes wild with this kit?

[bambodoggy]

Great, but make sure it really is up to it... trying it in the shower is always good.

Chris, that's reminded me of a funny thing! I used to have quite long hair (almost down to the bottom of my back - cut it all off when I joined the TA obviously). I was working on an Outdoor centre in Dorset and all us instructors where off on a night out. I was all washed and changed and ready to rock when one of the female instructors remarked that my hair was greesy and I'd never pull like that. I didn't have time to go to all the hassle of getting in the shower and then changed again so I popped on my waterproofs (jacket and salapets), tied the jacket tightly round my neck and hopped in the shower fully dressed to go clubbing....lol Washed my hair, hoped out, took off the waterproofs and jumped in the minibus.....had a smashing time and did I pull......did I boll*** lol

Sorry, way off topic but it's always amused me.

Have a good time out there when you go....nothing for me to add in terms of advice as most has been covered by the others already.
Might be worth taking a very small radio though, if you're out for a couple of weeks inthe mountains then the local mountain weather forecast can be handy to listen too

Cheers,

Bam.

 

[Big John]

These points may have been covered elsewhere - appologies if they have, it's got to be quite a thread!

If you are planning on going up high in the lakes then you are going to leave yourself more exposed, whilst just a bivvi bag in a dense wood is probably going to be ok, if you are up high and exposed to the wind and the elements then that's a different matter. Good choice of route to provide some cover, or a more comprehensive shelter might be a good idea - especially at this time of year.

Also if you are up high and exposed you might not find suitable fuel wood - I'd definately take a stove.

I'd be surprised if a 35L sack is going to do you in the lakes in autumn - it certainly wouldn't do me, a cheap-ish 4 season sleeping bag is going to take most of that! Obviously it's quite easy to do a practice pack.

Make sure you know how to use your map and compass properly, sounds obvious I know, but there's no point making a detailed route and handing it to someone responsible if you then get completely lost and end up miles off course.

If you're worried about the waterproofness of your boots (you definately don't want to be walking in wet feet - blisters here we come!) then you could get some waterproof/breathable socks, I hear they're very good. New ones are about £25 I think, but I've seen army surplus ones for about £10 as well.

The North bushmoot sounds like a great place to start!

Above all else, enjoy it, you'll find just getting out there and sleeping under the stars is great, you don't need to be on the top of a Lakeland mountain to do that.

 

[AlexRowan]

Excellent advice from all the above so not too much to add really.

Firstly, EVERYONE on here knows how important it is to look after your feet. So if the money goes anywhere, get a decent pair of boots/goretex socks.

Secondly, and my main point really... ALWAYS take some form of stove with you when out walking. Being able to make a warm sweet brew can literally be a lifesaver. It doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. My emergency brew kit is an old metal mug (army issue - can be picked up for a few quid) and a Hexy Cooker (again, army issue and worth a couple quid). Then you put the cooker, lighter/matches, some sugar, teabags/coffee/hotchoc etc into the mug and finally a waterproof bag, and it is very light, self contained emergency brewkit. Of course you can use it to actually cook with as well. In all, it's the size of a large mug and wieghs next to nothing.

If it all works out then you can look at getting more ambitious with kit/distance/terrain but make sure you always have the basics covered.
Good luck and I hope you enjoy it!

 

[arctic hobo]

Chris, that's reminded me of a funny thing! I used to have quite long hair (almost down to the bottom of my back - cut it all off when I joined the TA obviously). I was working on an Outdoor centre in Dorset and all us instructors where off on a night out. I was all washed and changed and ready to rock when one of the female instructors remarked that my hair was greesy and I'd never pull like that. I didn't have time to go to all the hassle of getting in the shower and then changed again so I popped on my waterproofs (jacket and salapets), tied the jacket tightly round my neck and hopped in the shower fully dressed to go clubbing....lol Washed my hair, hoped out, took off the waterproofs and jumped in the minibus.....had a smashing time and did I pull......did I boll*** lol

bivvyfox, glad the advice was of help. 35l is fine as long as it's comfy and your kit fits in - indeed, the smaller the better! I would like to stress the stove idea though, even if it's just the burner from an alcohol stove and a half bottle of meths.
Ponchos are not breathable at all (they are after all cheap as chips) but because of their design they don't need to be, as plenty of air circulates around your body, especially in the wind Although your shoulders may be a little sweaty. The hood scrunches down and blocks the head hole which is pretty effective. Certainly it isn't worth having both poncho and basha if you're going light.
With regard to water, none in the UK can be guaranteed, and in an area like the lakes that is more walker's playground that real wilderness it won't be untainted. Plus there are sheep which die in streams sometimes... and having met a bloke who got poisoned after thinking snow was safe... and drank some melted from a glacier with a dead reindeer a few yards out of sight and a story I've posted before about a dead cow in Vietnam... (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=7160&page=2&pp=10).
I couldn't say anything about your local woods... you'll have to make friends with local landowners But your garden is enough really... especially if it's p***ing it down lol
Cheers

 

[Doc]

I strongly recommend you try the kit out at home, preferably when it's raining. It is good to live outdoors with minimal kit, but it should still be a pleasurable experience. My view is that a bivvy bag with no tarp in prolonged heavy rain is pure misery, and I would not choose to go to the lakes this time of year with just a bivvy bag unless the forecast was exceptionally good. A bivvi under a tarp can be very comfortable.

If it is raining hard, you are standing there with wet waterproofs. You have to take off your boots and waterproofs to get in the bivi bag, and at the same time keep your kit, clothes and sleeping bag dry. In the morning everything is covered with rain/dew. It is difficult to cook/eat/read/clean teeth in a bivi bag in heavy rain without getting wet.

A foam mat or thermarest is essential unless you can improvise from bracken/heather/boughs. The sleeping bag alone won't insulate you from cold ground as it gets compressed. It can get very cold at night, especially at high level. At the Scottish meet about 3 weeks ago my Softie6 bag (2+ season) was just about ok, and that was at low level. A synthetic 3-4 season bag will fill a large chunk of a 35l sac.

I may omit waterproof trousers if I have a hip length waterproof jacket (or a poncho), but with a shorter jacket they are useful.

You can get by without a stove, but for £2 a hexi burner would be a good buy, or a home made pepsi can metal stove. Add a cheap pot or tin mug.

Trail walker tested 3 lakeland streams and found coliforms (faeces bacteria) in all of them. Chlorine purifying tablets are a pound or two and worthwhile. Iodine is more expensive but gives better protection against Giardia. Compared to North America, the UK risk of Giardia is low, and I would feel safe with chlorine. Boiling is an alternative.

 

[scanker]

Certainly some good advice there. The only thing I disagree with is the last bit. Boiling would be my number one method of purification - I'd only be tempted for iodine/chlorine if I couldn't boil the water. I'd rather not consume chemicals if I didn't have to. And I think iodine (not sure about chlorine) is inadvisable if you have thyroid problems or are pregnant. Can't see the latter being particularly relevant, but it might be to someone!

 

[bivvyfox]

If it is raining hard, you are standing there with wet waterproofs. You have to take off your boots and waterproofs to get in the bivi bag, and at the same time keep your kit, clothes and sleeping bag dry. In the morning everything is covered with rain/dew. It is difficult to cook/eat/read/clean teeth in a bivi bag in heavy rain without getting wet.

Thanks I'll definately be getting one, and one that doubles as a poncho.

A synthetic 3-4 season bag will fill a large chunk of a 35l sac.I may omit waterproof trousers if I have a hip length waterproof jacket (or a poncho), but with a shorter jacket they are useful.

Thanks, so many experienced people here giving me great advice! A sleeping bag I was looking at was about 17 litres. I *think* it may fit, as I won't be carrying much that else of bulk, other than the bivvy bag. I'll have to see if I can get it to fit May have to drop the stove. For just a day (or two) I may not need much else. If I like it and think I would need more I can get a bigger bag!

The pack has straps to put things on the outside too, like a poncho

Trail walker tested 3 lakeland streams and found coliforms (faeces bacteria) in all of them. Chlorine purifying tablets are a pound or two and worthwhile. Iodine is more expensive but gives better protection against Giardia. Compared to North America, the UK risk of Giardia is low, and I would feel safe with chlorine. Boiling is an alternative.

Thanks! And as I now know they are both so cheap I will pack them. If I cannot light the stove for some reason I will do that.

 

[bivvyfox]

Excellent advice from all the above so not too much to add really.

Yes, these guys are something. I can go out there with confidence

Firstly, EVERYONE on here knows how important it is to look after your feet. So if the money goes anywhere, get a decent pair of boots/goretex socks.

My emergency brew kit is an old metal mug (army issue - can be picked up for a few quid) and a Hexy Cooker (again, army issue and worth a couple quid). Then you put the cooker, lighter/matches, some sugar, teabags/coffee/hotchoc etc into the mug and finally a waterproof bag, and it is very light, self contained emergency brewkit. Of course you can use it to actually cook with as well. In all, it's the size of a large mug and wieghs next to nothing.

Amazing really, how cheap it can be to enjoy the outdoors.

If it all works out then you can look at getting more ambitious with kit/distance/terrain but make sure you always have the basics covered.
Good luck and I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks, I'll be taking it one step at a time now, so much good advice from everyone here it will be harder to go wrong.

 

[JoshG]

If you are thinking of the Lakes, why not come along to the North Meet at the end of the month. There's a bunch of us from here having an informal bushcrafting weekend and it would give you the chance to not only meet some of us, but also pick our brains and check out our kit. All of us there without exception will be happy to give you advice and show you how to do stuff properly and safely.

Eric

Hey Eric, could you please give me details of the meet? I think I may come along!

 

[Goose]

Here is the link to the thread, hope to see you there.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=8351

 

[JoshG]

Here is the link to the thread, hope to see you there.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=8351

Thanks muchly! I think I may just turn up!

 

[namerchanger]

I must agree with the others; to practice closer to home. I do not know if bugs are a problem for you in that part of the world, but I have found that insects may be a problem in aquatic environments unless the temperature drops below freezing for a few nights. If you are a rookie with the different types of fires, I would recommend a quality stove as a part of your kit. They also come in very handy if you venture into an area with a high fire index (no open fires).

 

[zambezi]

Don't be afraid to call it a day. Even if it means cutting your trip short. Lots of people have got into trouble out on the hills because they've looked forward to a trip for months and saved and spent money to get there, and told friends at work, parents or girlfriends etc about it and they feel ashamed on returning that they didn't complete their planned route, and others take the Mick, or you're peeved off because the weather or other factors have put the mokkers on things ....

Top tip ! It is never easy to abort a trip, not least when the call is marginal. But always err on the safe side. That way you will get another opportunity.