I am backpacking this weekend with two friends – it is a try out hike before we go on a planned wild camp trip to the Lake District next month. It is only a short walk with an overnight stay so we need an evening meal and breakfast.
So it is noodles with smoked sausage and chocolate chip cake and custard for dinner, cereal bars, crackers and jam with fresh brewed coffee for breakfast.
I have got a better quality compression sack to hold both my sleeping bag and spare clothes.
I looked at several different models of compression sack but opted for this Lifeventure model as it was the lightest, but with a design that distributed the compression evenly. My Eurohike sleeping bag came with a lightweight compression bag but it only used straps rather than a cap for the compression so there were bulges in the final compressed bag so adding to the size – and I needed a smaller size.
I chose a 15l sack, when a 10l sack may have been large enough, as I was thinking ahead to the multi-day trips I have planned for the future, when I will have to pack extra clothing. On testing it still made a smaller packed size with the sleeping bag and overnight spare clothes than the original sleeping bag compression sack.
Weekend Trip to Woodhall Spa and day two here
When I got my Golite Jam pack I had planned to carry my sleeping mat inside – however my new sleeping bag does not compress as much as the previous one – so the sleeping mat had to be fixed to the outside.
I used the top lid strap to hold the mat roll onto the pack and for extra security I clipped the elastic straps on the mat to the upper compression straps.
Before my next trip in mid April I am going to experiment with pacling the bag as I really wanted to travel with everything inside the pack.
I am also going to try and find a better (lightweight) compression sack for the sleeping bag and clothes.
The food for the weekend weighed 1.2kgs – of that the high calories/fatty foods made up – 150g sausages, 120g tinned sardines and 135g salted cashew nuts.
Saturday Mid-morning
Saturday Lunch
Canned Italian sardines in lemon olive oil – plenty of calories. With these I had crackers, chocolate oatcakes and tomato soup – I stored the complete meal in a ziplock bag and kept it in the pack’s external pocket so it was easy to get at.
Saturday Evening Meal
When I arrived at the campsite I bought two bars of chocolate – so when it came to the evening meal I did not want the custard desert.
The small ziplock contains instant peach tea. I had two of the sausages that evening and saved two for Sunday.
Sunday Morning
The first thing I had was tea and biscuits whilst watching the sunrise from my sleeping bag – see here.
The plastic bag contains a measure of Columbian roast ground coffee.
Sunday Trail Snacks
I had the last sausage for lunch.
Resupply
I have bought in some supplies this week for my next trip.
Backpacking Trip – Last Weekend Read More »
BBC News – Great outdoors? Ticks, pets and the risk of Lyme disease.
This article is worth watching as it outlines the problems that ticks can cause. However the tweezers that the journalist shows are not really suitable – it is much better to use tweezers designed to remove the whole tick without squeezing it. A couple of years ago I purchased a set of Lifeventure Tick Tweezers and I carry them in my pocket sized first aid kit.
BBC News – Great outdoors? Ticks, pets and the risk of Lyme disease Read More »
It was a reasonably cold night – which was a good test for my new sleeping bag. It kept me warm but I was glad I brought my long sleeved under shirt and long johns with me to sleep in.
When I woke up it was bright and clear – and ideal for having tea in bed.
Preparing breakfast, with my titanium mug with lid and the coffee maker – it is a plastic tea strainer from Asda into which I pack the ground coffee and then pour hot water through. I have to take some care not to pour the water in too quickly compared to a commercial unit. However this coffee maker weighs only grams and cost me less than 20p.
I left the campsite at about 10.30am – but due to work commitments I can only walk for about 3 hours today, so the plan is to get to Southrey via the Viking Way.
This image is for those people who are asking why I use Pro HDR so much? It is an unprocessed shot taken with Camera+.
lunch – small brew kit and titanium mug with lid
I am walking to Woodhall Spa today, via the Viking Way and the Water Rail Way.
I stopped off in Hardy Gang Wood for a coffee break and got this shot by holding the camera down low on the ground and using Pro HDR to balance the exposure.
Picture of the Day Read More »
Today is grey and overcast – having had a week of going to work in the brilliant sunshine! Jeremy had great weather for his trip to the Peak District on Thursday and Friday.
I started off from Fiskerton footbridge at about 8.30am and followed the Viking Way across the Witham and up across the fields.
The path goes through the grounds of the ruins of Barlings Abbey – where a local farmer is grazing a herd of cows with very sharp looking horns.
Just past the abbey was another herd of slightly less fierce looking cows – who lined up for a photo.
At about 10am I found a convenient log to sit on to have a break, coffee and half a bag of cashew nuts. Sitting quietly there was a lot of varied bird song around me and I saw some grey squirrels and rabbits.
I followed the Viking Way to Bardney..
On leaving Bardney I changed onto the Water Rail Way. Mainly I changed paths as there are a number of seats along the river suitable for a lunch stop. The table I found had a metal SusTrans logo set in it an ideal place to set up my stove.
I got to the campsite at about 5.30pm – there had been a few spots of rain during the day, but not enough to get my waterproof out, and there were occasional sunny spells but mainly it was a grey cold day. I had a similar pitch as before next to the pond and between the trees. I was glad to get the tent up and my pack emptied so I could get a hot drink made. My little tent is very cosy when I have a hot mug of tea, the mesh door down and the fly sheet open, so I can see out (I had also bought a bar of chocolate at the reception to have with the tea).
I did not start cooking my evening meal until about 7.30pm, which gave me an opportunity to photograph my stove burning, where the meths flames can be seen.
this is my titanium mug with the lid, that was made for me by The Little Frog Group, standing on a vented stand that they also made (there is a link in the side bar to their website)./em>
This is a better shot of the vented ring that holds the mug away from the burner, so it works more efficiently and allows for the heat to get under the mug.
I am going to send both of these photos along to Mark at the Little Frog Group so he can see his work in action.