tea

Insh Marshes Nature Reserve

We needed to find somewhere for lunch – so we went a bit further down the road from the Barracks to a car park we saw on the OS Map – this was Insh Marshes Nature Reserve. There were some picnic tables where we were able to set up the stove, for some tea. After lunch we went for a short walk around the reserve.

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click on the above image for a larger version

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I have reposted this entry as it was not recorded in the database correctly – I will need to get someone in the office to fix the issue.

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WordCamp UK 2012 – the journey home

We have a slight detour to our journey home – we are going to Lincoln via Manchester Airport to pick up Richard’s daughter.

So we cut across Scotland to the Lake District and the M6.

Here is where we stopped for a tea break.

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But we had to move because of the midges – and here is Richard doing the midge dance.

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We stopped off at Pooley Bridge in the Lakes for dinner.

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And here is a plane landing at Manchester Airport.

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Brecon Beacons 4

It was a wet start to the day so I made my early morning tea inside the tent using the MSR gas stove.

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Before lighting the stove I checked it was placed where it would not wobble and I opened and tied back the inner tent door. I lit the stove with the valve open only just enough the give a very low gas flow, so it did not flare and only turned it up enough for the flame to be under my mug and not raging up the sides. Even on this low flame it took just over two minutes to boil a mug of water.

Rhandirmwyn Campsite

By the time we got out of our tents and had breakfast, which included fresh brewed coffee, the rain had stopped and the day promised to get brighter.

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Towy Valley

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Llyn Brianne Hydropower Station, Dam and Reservoir

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Brecon

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On the journey down we had terrible coffee at a motorway service station – so on the way home we stopped in a layby and brewed fresh coffee for ourselves.

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And then we went home.

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Overnight trip to the Old Man of Coniston

Next weekend I am planning a backpacking trip to the Lake Dustrict, with a couple of friends, to walk up the Old Man of Coniston with an overnight camp – depending on the weather. (Click on the map for a larger version).

Old Man of Conniston

The main reason for going away is to spend the weekend taking photographs – so we are taking a tripod with us and I am going to try my hand at some video on my iPhone. I have a bracket to mount my iPhone on a tripod.

iPhone on a tripod

This weekend I have been sorting the gear.

  • I will get to try out my second inflatable pillow!
  • I am going to take my MSR Pocket Rocket stove with a 100g cannister – I have not yet used it on an overnight trip
  • I am going to test using a Molle water bottle pouch to carry my lunch and brew kit – fixed to the hip belt or compression strap on the Golite Jam2

Molle Water Bottle Pouch

  • I am going to pack the titanium meths stove and 50ml of meths in the Molle pouch – for hot drinks whilst walking

Food for the trip

We are going to start walking after lunch on the Saturday

Saturday

  • On the trail dried mango slices and salted cashew nuts
  • Instant white coffee – I can make a brew whilst waiting for the light to change for that perfect photograph

Evening meal

  • Smoked Sausage
  • Tortilla x3
  • Onion Gravy
  • Instant custard and chocolate chip cake
  • Tea

Indian tea (with milk and brown sugar) wafer biscuits
Hot chocolate, wafer biscuits

Sunday

Tea and biscuits  whilst still in my sleeping bag

Breakfast

  • Cereal bars
  • Breakfast biscuits
  • Crackers and jam
  • Apple flakes
  • Tea

On the trail dried mango slices and salted cashew nuts

Extras

  • Boiled sweets, apple flapjack bar
  • 2x instant peach teas (use hot or cold)
  • 15ml of dried milk 2x sugar packets 2x pepper packets 1x salt packet 1x tomato ketchup sachet
  • 1 oz Southern Comfort
  • Tissues

Emergency Food – Glucose tablets

Water

  • 1l in my CamelBak for the walk – this should be enough for both days as we are not walking far
  • 1.3l for evening meal
  • 0.7l for breakfast
  • 0.9l for extra cups of tea and cleaning

I am going to store some water in the car so I can drink before setting out and on my return.

 

Let’s hope the weather is good enough!

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A Short Walk

I am going to the Lake District next weekend so I thought I had better get a couple of miles walking in this weekend – so a quick walk down to the River Witham across the fields.

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I took a brew kit and waterproof jacket with me and used the Molle water bottle case Diana recently bought me.

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The case is large enough to hold a 600ml Sigg bottle, my titanium mug with lid, meths stove, 50ml of fuel, the makings for tea and still have enough room to pack the other small items in my kitchen kit and some food. I strap the rain coat and a sit mat to the outside.

The case can hold a 1l bottle, by using a smaller bottle I can pack extra equipment – the 600ml bottle is enough for two hot drinks. I am planning to use the case when backpacking to carry my lunch and brew kit in, so I do not have to open the main pack when I stop for lunch.

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My lunch was freshly brewed Indian Spiced Tea with crackers and spicy lamb kebabs. The kebabs were made from scratch, by Jeremy, last night for my Father’s Day meal. The leftover patties, I took with me, were even more delicious when eaten cold whilst sitting out in the countryside.

Flower

click on the above image for a full sized version to see the details

This poppy was in a neighbour’s garden and is in better conditions than the one I photographed on Friday.

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All photographs taken using my iPhone 4 – using the Camera+ app. Post processing with Photogene². The post was written on my iPhpone using the WordPress app.

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