Mark – Page 2 – Welcome to my blog site

Now what should I take?

So one of the most frequently asked questions is see being posted on several platforms is “I want to go wildcamping, what kit do I need?”.

Well, as with most things there are essential items, and there luxury or desirable items.

First lets look at the essential ones.

Obviously you’re going to need some form of shelter, and that means either a tent, a bivvy, or a tarp. If you’re just getting started then I would heartily recommend a tent, it’s far more friendly in it’s use.

Tents are relatively easy to pitch and will give you plenty of room (depending on the individual tent), far more than a bivvy would, which is essentially a fabric coffin. However, both will give you adequate shelter from the elements, just in slightly different ways. A tarp is just that, a tarpaulin that you can configure to create a shelter, but if you’re starting out then I would not recommend this method unless you’re already familiar with setting up shelters, which if you are then you’re probably already wildcamping and need not read any further.

Next up is your sleep kit. This consists of a mat of some kind and a bag or a duvet to sleep in or under. There’s another post here about this very subject that covers the types of kit available and the pros and cons of each one in more detail. Take a look at that once you’ve finished here.

You’re going to need a bag/rucksack of some kind to carry everything you need. There’s a lot of choice available so one of them will suit your needs.

Tent, sleep kit, and rucksack. These are collectively called the ‘big three’, the three items that will cost you the most, but you’re not really going to go anywhere without them.

Next on the list of essential items is a cook set, something to either cook on or heat water for dehydrated food and hot drinks.

A first aid kit, even a very basic one can be a lifesaver when needed. As can a lifesaver bivvy, a plastic bag that you can crawl into if the shit really hits the fan. A silver foil thermal blanket is also a must.

Another essential is a poo kit, there’s another post here that deals with that one in more detail. Again, have a read of that and come back when you’re ready. Something to carry your water, and at the very least some puritabs to sterilise water from a natural source. Although a decent filter is now part of my essential kit. Again, there’s another post about that here as well.

Whatever food you need for your trip.

Some form of navigation method. Personally I never go without a map and compass, but many just rely on a phone or other device, which is not really a good idea if you think about it. Always have a backup is my philosophy.

Your clothing should be appropriate to the walk and conditions you will be experiencing while out. If it’s raining take a rain jacket, if it’s cold wear layers, if it’s going to be sunny take a hat etc etc. It’s that simple and obvious really.

To sum up your essential kit in list form:

Tent/Bivvy, Sleep kit, Rucksack, First aid kit, Emergency bivvy, Emergency foil blanket, Poo kit, Water carrier, Water purification, Food, Navigation method, Appropriate clothing for the trip.

These are the things I will never go anywhere on a wild camp without, not unless things have gone very wrong indeeed.

Now to the luxury and desirable items, and you can decide which are luxury and which are desirable for yourself.

A powerbank for recharging your phone etc. Spare or extra clothes. Extra treats such as chocolate etc. Pillow. In fact absolutely anything else you like!!

This is a bit of a cop out I know, but to be honest I could spend all day making a list of everything you could take with you if you wanted to. Basically, if you take all of the items in the essential list, in whatever form they come, you won’t go too far wrong. And in time you’ll learn for yourself what extras to take that make life in a tent just that little bit nicer.

Personally, I have a plastic collapsible bottle that was designed to take a whole bottle of wine, so I decant a good red into it and take that too. For me, there’s nothing quite so nice as finding a good pitch with a good view and watching the last of the sun drop beneath the horizon with a mug of red to accompany my evening meal.

I ask you, what could be better than that?

Walking/Trekking Poles

Trekking poles, a silly affectation for the purpose of looking the part, or incredibly useful tools that can help save our knees from the hard abuse of covering a lot of ground while carrying weight?

In truth they are both. But it depends on how and why you use them.If used correctly with the right grip, adjusted to the correct height for the individual using them, and used with the correct gait while walking, then they are indispensable for providing extra stability on rough terrain, and for reducing the stress experienced on the knees and hips. They will also help reduce the amount of energy used walking, because if you get the rhythm right you’ll feel like you’re gliding across the ground.

Trekking poles are an adaptation of the poles used in cross country skiing, where they are used to great effect to help cover huge distances with relative ease. Modified for walking these poles can give the same benefits with a little practice.

However, all to often a lack of understanding on how to use them properly leaves the user with no real appreciable benefit. I’ve seen a lot of people with poles either set far too high or too short, a hard grip on the handle instead of using the loop for hand support, no rhythm in use, or simply with just one pole used like a walking stick and held like a shepherds crook.Look….I’m not trying to be all preachy and holier than thou, if you want to spend your hard earned on a single pole, or a pair of trekking poles, and use them any way you want, then fair play. It’s entirely your choice and it’s not for me tell you that your wrong, or that you shouldn’t.

However, if you do want to get the best from them, then here’s the skinny.First off you either need to get a pair that are the correct length for your height, or adjustable ones that can be set to it. To do this hang your arms by your side then raise your lower arm so that it is 90 degrees to your upper arm. The correct length will be from your hand to the ground. Hold the pole by the handle and loosen the adjustments allowing the pole to extend all the way to the ground, then re-tighten, easy. If your poles have length markers make a note of them for easy setting next time.

Next, your poles will come with handle straps that are integral to stopping fatigue from developing in your hands and wrists. You should put your hand through the strap loop from underneath, then hold the handle with the strap between your thumb and forefinger. The padded section of the strap should be running across the back of your hand. Adjust the strap length so that there is no slack while gripping the handle, but not so tight it’s uncomfortable. It should be a relaxed easy fit so that your hand hangs on the strap at just the right point of the handle for you to hold it comfortably on the contour grip.OK, so that’s the fitting and the setting sorted, now it’s on to how to get the best from them while out on a walk.

As mentioned above, hiking poles are an adaptation from cross country skiing and in fact are used in very much the same way. With your left foot forward and your right hand forward, the pole should be trailing behind slightly so it gives you a very slight push and adds a bit of stability as you step. Once you’ve completed the first step you should then put your right foot forward along with your left hand, again with the pole trailing slightly, and then step forward a second time.Now obviously you have to repeat this process several times, alternating between your left and your right sides for as many times as required in order to complete your walk. Which if truth be told could end up being quite a few times.

Anyway, all joking aside, if you really do want to save your knees for later years and also make your current walks that little bit easier, then getting yourself a pair of hiking poles and figuring out how use them properly will definitely pay dividends in both the short and the long term.

Look after your knees, and look after your hips, because you’ll miss them when they’re gone!!

Why I do it.

As many of my friends know, I do a fair amount of hiking and wildcamping, and you may have even seen some of my posts about the walks I’ve done. It’s something that I personally get a huge amount of benefit from.

Some time ago now, I opened up a few of my trips for others to join me, with the purpose of sharing some of the benefits I experience from getting out amongst it.So far interest has been good, but unfortunately uptake has been very low.

It’s because of this that I wanted to share exactly what it is that I get from carrying 16kg up a hill, eating crap food, sleeping in a bag, and shitting in a hole that I’ve dug for myself.

So here goes…..The obvious ones.

First off it’s good exercise, walking for 15 to 20k carrying a load on your back requires you to push yourself, especially so if you’re going uphill. Physical exertion makes you feel good, which of course also means taking in lungfulls of fresh air and all the scents that come with it. Couple this with all of the sights and sounds that you begin to notice when you actually take the time to notice them, creates an internal mood of peace and harmony that just isn’t available anywhere else. Being in that moment in that place, and being much more aware of your place in it has an incredibly balancing effect.

Being out in a large landscape also offers you the valuable perspective of being only a small part of a much larger place, and equally, any of the troubles you carry with you are just as small, which in turn helps to take away some of the bloated importance we give them. The positive psychological effects and peace of mind offered by being in a large open space cannot be overstated.The not so obvious ones.

Being responsible for yourself, and possibly others, in an environment where help is usually a long way off makes you consider your actions much more carefully. You have to pay closer attention to what you’re doing and how you’re doing it, focussing your mind and forcing you to give consideration to everything you do. In short, encouraging self reliance and in turn the self confidence that brings.

However, despite the need for careful thought, the sense of freedom is almost intoxicating, especially if you’re not on any specific timescale or route. The ability to go where you like, when you like, knowing that all you have to do is find a patch of land big enough for your tent and you’ll be fine is incredibly liberating, and once you accept that fact you can really relax and let go of all the concerns that we carry with us like so much dead weight.

The ones you might not have thought of.

Basically, planning and equipping yourself for a trip into the hills and valleys is exactly the same as planning and equipping yourself for life. Where am I going? (12 month plan), how many days or stages (quarter plan), checkpoints/milestones (28 day plan). Every step along the way is just another day in your immediate vicinity (weekly plans) heading towards your goals. All of the obstacles on the walk that have to be navigated are no different to the obstacles we face when planning our lives. We have to know where we’re going and how we’re going to get there, overcoming often unseen challenges along the way to get to our goal.

Often we’ll have to alter course, or change plans according to new information or circumstances, or simply for no other reason than you just want to. And when you do, you adjust your plans/routes accordingly, taking into account the new obstacles and challenges, then simply head off in that direction.

When it rains it rains. You can either find shelter and hunker down, or put your waterproofs on and get on with it. Both are acceptable.Sometimes you need to take an unscheduled break, just to get your breath back, and sometimes you just need or want to push on through to reach your destination.

The equipment you take will depend on your particular journey and what you’ll need along the way, plus a few other items just in case.

Your Structures, Routines, and Systems (SRS) that we have are this equipment, how you pack it, and how you use it when it’s required. Essential when setting up or striking camp, feeding yourself, and general camp admin. With organised kit kept in good order (your SRS) you can do anything, go anywhere. Without it you’ll be stumbling around in disarray potentially putting yourself in danger, but at the very least it will be much more of a struggle both in camp and while travelling, as it is in life.

And just like life, consistent application of solid SRS practices has huge benefits. This in itself promotes self confidence and the feeling of self worth. In terms of literally everything we do in life, it’s huge.The list of parallels between hiking/camping and life in general is immense, these are just a few of the key points, and I could quite literally go on all day about it going into more detail about every single aspect and how it all relates to everything we try to achieve in life.

But I won’t, I think I’ve run on quite enough.

As an old hiking campaigner I’ve known about these benefits for many years, but it wasn’t until about 18 months ago that I made the obvious link between what we do to improve our lives in terms of having a structured existence, and the benefits of competently heading out for a few days on your own. It’s an obvious link when you actually think about it, but one I had never made until then.

However, once I did make the connection, I started to relate to this activity in a way I hadn’t before, using it to become more structured in my life, strengthening my SRS, and becoming 100% consistent with my actions ever since. This in turn has improved my life beyond measure. Imagine being 100% consistent for 18 months, I feel like I’ve won the golden ticket to the chocolate factory.

And that’s why I wrote this, I want to encourage everyone to seek the same benefits I have. But here’s the kicker. This isn’t something you can read about and gain all the benefits from, you have to actually do it.

It’s a little like talking about driving, you can talk about it all you like but unless you sit in the driver’s seat and actually start driving you just don’t know.

You have to be in the environment looking at your destination and thinking to yourself “I just need to get to the next point”, that tree in the distance, that pile of rocks, or whatever it is, and then the next one, and the next, and so on, step by step until you reach your destination. You have to think about where you’re going, plan for it, and then execute the plan, allowing for changes and challenges along the way. But above all, above everything else, you have to actually do it.

You have to show up in life, as much as you do when going for a hike, and do what you said you were going to do. It all means nothing if you don’t.

My apologies for having rambled on for so long, and if you’ve made it this far then you must have nothing better to do with your time.

What to do when you need a poo!

How does one go about making use of the facilities when out and about on a camp?
i.e. where and how do you go for a poo? After all, we all need to do it, and it’s unhealthy to try and delay or avoid it. So what do you do?

I don’t come across this particular question too often, probably because of the delicate/embarrassing nature of the subject, but every now and again it does crop up.
So here’s my take on how best to deal with this issue, and please allow for the fact that I may not be too delicate.

First and foremost we should all bear in mind the camping credo of “Leave no trace”. That basically means that you should never just drop your kecks and leave one there to be found by all, even if you think you’ve been discreet in a secluded spot. You can pretty much guarantee there will be others that will see the same spot and think the same thing as you.

Too often these days it’s possible to go somewhere even quite remote and find a little something left behind by a previous traveller. I myself have encountered human generated organic material left exposed for all to see, used tissue strewn all over the place, and even bags containing used tissue left behind by inconsiderate ‘others’ that couldn’t bring themselves to carry it away, despite actually putting it in a bag ????? WTF?.

So how does one “leave no trace”?

Well, like almost every any other aspect of camping you need a kit to deal with it, and a method of using it.

You need a poo kit! And every good camper should have one.

Mine consists of a trowel to dig a small hole, wet wipes, small plastic bags for the used wipes (I use plastic nappy sacks), hand sanitiser, and a small dry sack/bag to keep it all together.

The first thing you need to do is to find a suitable locaton to dig your useable hole in the ground as soon as you pitch up. Doing this means that you won’t be running around in a hurry trying to find somewhere just when you need it most. You can either cut your latrine straightaway, or leave it until you need it. It generally doesn’t take long so either is fine.

Now to the important bit.
Start by cutting three sides of a square into the turf with your trowel, I usually cut something about one square foot in size. Then using the trowel peel the turf back exposing the soil beneath.

All I can really say about the next part is that it would be useful to practice your squats and strengthen your legs and knees, your aim will also improve over time, and with practice.

I’m quite sure you don’t need me to tell you what to do with the wipes, except to say that after use they need to be put into the plastic bag/nappy sack and then tied up to seal it. I do this by putting my hand inside the bag and grabbing hold of the wipes, then turning the bag inside out which can then be tied off without touching the used wipe. They can then be safely placed into a separate bag used for any rubbish created in camp, which is then simply carried out with you.

SANITISE YOU’RE HANDS !! Nobody has ever said that a case of Dehli Belly while out camping was a good thing. Sanitising your hands will cut down the chance of suffering any such problems.
Pack up your kit and you’re done.

The final act is to fold the turf back into it’s original position, thus covering your deposit where it will biodegrade as naturally as possible. And if you do it well, then no one will ever know you were there.

Some will suggest using standard toilet tissue and burying that along with the organic matter, believing that it will degrade naturally and save you from carrying it out. My issue with this is that it’s probably bleached, dyed, or scented in some fashion, either way it’s a chemically treated material that has been introduced into a delicate ecosystem.

Now, this is how I tackle the issue, others may suggest a slightly different approach, and you will probably find the method that suits you best, but the important thing to remember is that the only thing you should ever leave behind is organic.

I’m a firm believer in ‘if you carry it in, you carry it out’.

Anyway, however you choose to deal with this most basic of human activities while away from home, just be sure to do the right thing and ‘leave no trace’.

A Shropshire Tale

Well……what to say about this one?

In many ways (in fact every way) I’m glad that I went solo on this one. As much as I like the company on these little adventures, as it turned out I don’t think anyone else would have enjoyed this one.

I know I didn’t.

Eventually found a spot to pitch my repaired Taiji 2

First off I arrived about half an hour before it started to get dark, so I had to find a pitch fairly quickly or face pitching in darkness. This wouldn’t normally be an issue except for the fact that the whole area seemed to be covered in heather. Heather sounds nice I hear you say. To look at yes, to smell it’s scent yes, but to pitch a tent on, definitely not. It’s stems are hard and woody and will perforate your tent in no time. So the search went on. However, I did get lucky and found a patch of clear ground just big enough to get my tent on. Phew!!

Darkness fell, I made myself a well deserved brew, I had some scoff, and then decided to just chill for the night. Unfortunately, because of the aforementioned timing issue I had to pitch only a short distance from where I had parked, about 400m as the crow flies.

But this meant that when another vehicle parked up in the car park with headlights beaming out and making lots of clunking noises that carried in the night, I immediately thought the worst and made surprisingly good time across the pitch black moorland, back to the scene of where the imagined car rape was taking place.

Thankfully though it turned out to be a radio ham in a van setting up their arial and getting ready for a night of chat with folks as far away as Canada. Apparently it’s a good spot for them. Well, after pretending to get something small from my van in an effort to innocently explain why I suddenly emerged from the undergrowth in a hurry, I had a nice chat with the folks there and learned something about their culture (radio hams) and chatted about mine (camping). I then headed back to my tent feeling a little foolish for my over reaction and my pathetic attempt to cover it.

However, a little later I could hear the sounds of motors going up and down the road at fairly regular intervals, but from the sound of them I could tell it was the rangers looking for the bastard that thought he could camp on their turf. You see the very nice radio ham people had informed me that there were a couple of particularly irritable rangers in their mini flatbed agricultural vehicles that took great delight in harassing anyone that dared to lurk around after dark.

The tent I was using that night blended very well into the surrounding foliage, and the descending mist covered me from view, and so I remained undetected. I eventually settled down for the night, had some more scoff, drank some very nice wine, and actually ended up having a very pleasant evening.

The real problems began the following morning. The mist had really closed in with total visibility down to a maximum of 30m.

After breakfast I packed up and headed back to my van and the scene of my embarrasment, only to find one of the rangers in his dinky little van waiting for the disrespectful little bastard to return from his illicit night out so that he could excoriate him fully.
After what was a lesson in why wildcamping is a bad thing I thought the best thing I could do was to head into town and get another breakfast, wait for a short while and then head back up.
The full english breakfast was good! I can honestly say it was really good!

After what I thought was a reasonable amount of time I headed back up to find another parking spot that I could head out from.
Unfortunately the universe had other plans. Part way up the very narrow single track road that leads to the upland, another driver decided not to wait and passed by me far too close and obliterated my wing mirror. After a bit of a discussion about the incident, the other driver accepted his fault and decided not to involve the insurance companies, and payed me in cash for the damage instead. That was something I guess.

So once again I set off up the hill to find a spot to park up, which thankfully I did. However, visibility had not improved one bit, and I was looking at about the same 30m of land in whichever direction I looked. Undeterred I was going through my kit when I heard the familiar sound from the night before, the sound of a tiny flatbed carrying what I have come to think of as a tiny tinpot Hitler with an ego complex. Without so much as a word he pulled up close by and just sat there watching me. Clearly I was not going to start out from there.

I got in my van and drove off under the watchful gaze of my new best friend.
After a short drive (the Long Mynd isn’t that big), I found somewhere else to park up and started again. At this point the mist was clearing in pockets giving some stunning views of the sharp hills in the distance, but only lasting a few minutes before it closed in again.

A very brief view of the hills as the mist cleared for a few minutes.

I did manage to take some pics in this time which I was glad of, but it also allowed my friend to make his way towards me and once again disrupt my plans.

Once again I boarded my chariot and headed out searching for the solitude of one.
I found another decent spot to park up, only this time I wasn’t hanging around. However, the familiar sound once again broke the silence as soon as I opened the back of the van, but it wasn’t my best friend, it was my best friends mate. They were working as a team and had started to tag team me.
It was at this point that I accepted I wasn’t going to win and decided that I had to ‘retire from the field of combat’.

My plans, like my van, were bruised and battered and lay in pieces all around me. There was only one thing I could do…..go home.

On Being Bullied By The Weather

So the first thing to say is that I had a great weekend in the Buttermere area of the Lake District, but not exactly the one I thought I was going to get.

I had planned what I thought was a great walk from Honister to Floutern tarn for Saturday, a reasonably demanding walk but nothing too difficult. I was joined by my mate and now stalwart of these little adventures Mark S.
The idea was to meet up on Friday and have a quick overnight camp on Buttermere moss, which involved a short but very steep climb past Moss Force waterfall onto the top and then pitch for the night, ready to get an early start for the main event the following day.

But that’s where it all started to go a little off course.

First off, after visiting the falls we decided to make our way up via a route of our own choosing, rather than taking the sane option of a clearly worn path. That would have been far too easy. Instead we very carefully made our way up the short and incredibly steep moss covered hillside, clinging on where we could, and leaning into the hill as we went. It probably wasn’t the sanest choice, but what’s life without a little adventure?

Eventually though, we happily hit the top and walked to the other side of the fell to where we decided to pitch up for the night.
That’s when it hit us, full in the face, with an open hand, slapping us right across the chops (well, me at least). What we thought would be a fairly breezy night that we had prepared ourselves for, in fact turned out to be a gusty battle of wills that we eventually lost (I eventually lost) due to wind speeds of up to 48 mph as measured with my natty little nemometer.

I had wanted to test out one of my tents that I hadn’t really used much, and thought this would be a good opportunity to do just that.
Unfortunately, my 7001 grade aluminium alloy tent poles couldn’t take the strain the wind was putting on them and folded like so much wet paper. A bit of an exaggeration for sure, but they did bend out of shape, and there was no way they were going to hold up for the night. So after a bit of judicious straightening with the aid of a strong knee, I packed them up along with the rest of the tent and we headed back over what was now a very dark fell, and back down the hillside (this time via the path), it was very dark after all.
Mark hilariously said that it was like taking my tent on a first date, only to get it slapped in the face as we walked into the pub without even making it to the bar.

Once down we eventually pitched up a short distance from where we had parked. made a hot meal and then settled in for what was an incredibly rainy and windy night.

After what was for me a fairly disturbed nights sleep (Mark aparently slept quite soundly), I woke early to a bright moonlit morning and thankfully no wind or rain.
A decent brew and a short walk with a trowel later, it became clear to me that I was in no condition to take on what was supposed to be a solid days walk. Unfortunately my left knee was giving me a fair amount of pain. I think it must have been the ridiculously steep climb the night before that unsettled something in my hip, and was displacing the pain to my knee. I’ve recently come to learn about such things.

Anyway, that pretty much put paid to the planned walk, so we decided to pack up and head out to Honister Slate Mine for what tuned out to be a great sausage in a bun, and a much needed coffee.
At some point during this fine morning repast we hatched a plan that took us back to Buttermere where we parked up, and then went to a pub where I treated us to lunch and a pint by way of apology for messing up the day.

So, we needed another plan, and it struck me that we could go to a little spot I’d found on a previous trip earlier in the year. It wasn’t far so we took a bimble that way to check it out as a prospect for a camp that night. Having found it more than acceptable we headed back to the vehicles to get our gear packed and then went back to what was in truth a lovely spot to pitch for a night.

Because we had got there quite early for a normal wildcamp, we knew we could just chillout and use the time to relax and simply enjoy being in such a naturally beautiful spot, and the fine weather of the day continued into the evening.

We’d perched ourselves on the edge of a small hill overlooking the lake, with a dramatic background being provided by the magnificent hills surrounding us. It was to be fair, an idylic spot.
Having set up and settled in, it was now time for a drop of the red stuff and a good meal. Well, I say good meal, but what I really mean is the MRE’s that we had with us, but as strange as it is I’ve always liked them, and this time there was pudding as well. So by any measure it was a good meal.
We chatted away into the night enjoying the changing light of the night as it drew in, and the creepy red eyes of the sheep that were watching us, until well after campers midnight, and then later as the wine and food took effect, we headed off to our respective doss bags and a good nights sleep.

However, the following morning brought about a return to the kind of weather we’d seen earlier on Friday night. As we packed away our kit and took our tents down we were being battered by strong winds again that only seemed to be getting stronger, and of course my poles got bent once again.

By the time we were packing away the last of our kit the rain had started and was joining forces with the wind to make sure that we weren’t going to stick around much longer, we were being told to leave in no uncertain terms. The walk back to our vehicles was an uncomfortable one, with icy cold rain stinging our faces all the way, but eventually we made it and were glad to be able to get changed into a set of dry clothes.

And that marked the end of what was a completely different weekend to the one planned, but it was still a good one nevertheless.

The route I had originally planned was a good one, it has some technical aspects, a mix of terrain, great views and locations, and a suitable distance to cover to get to the overnight pitch at the tarn.
However, despite a complete change to the planned itinerary, the unnecessary and violent bullying of the weather, and the failure of my tent to hold it’s own, I was in good company, and all in all we still had a good weekend.

P.S. I’m not giving up the tent, I think it’s a good tent, It’s spacious, lightweight, very easy to pitch, and I’ve ordered a new set of poles for it, plus I’ve also figured out how to modify the guy out points to provide a lot more stability in the wind.
Even if it turns out not to be storm worthy, it still handled the blustery conditions lower down, and it did so with bent poles, so with the mods and new poles it should be able to stand most conditions that I’m likely to be out in. We’ll see in time I guess.

The importance of flexibility in daily life.

The background.

As a younger man I considered myself to be a pretty physically fit individual, able to carry heavy loads over long distances, and in fairly short order. I never really suffered with the usual training injuries of pulled muscles, strained ligaments etc, and consider myself quite lucky in that regard. Lucky that I never had any issues with my physical health (outside of injuries caused), which gave me a sense of indestructibility that later on would lead me to be short sighted and disregard the long term effects of proper care and maintenance.

You see, 25 years ago, when I moved to Norfolk to start my family, I stopped all forms of training and exercise, not gradually over time with a warm down period, but quite literally overnight. I should have known better, in fact I did know better, but I didn’t pay much attention to the better part of my judgement and experience, I had other, newer concerns on my mind.

The next 20 years or so saw me take on a completely different life as I built and grew my family, foregoing any consideration as to my own physical well being. Well, to cut a long story short, and following a few further injuries caused, I have since come to learn the true cost of my ignorance, folly, and flagrant disregard for my own wellbeing.

On to today.

In the last few years as part of my personal growth and development, I began engaging in some basic physical fitness training. For a while all was well as I gradually built myself up and started to train on a regular basis. But it didn’t last. At this point I have to say that I do suffer with a mild case of osteoarthritis in my hips and knees. This does cause me a certain amount of pain and discomfort when exerting myself, but for a long time I mistakenly believed that it was the only cause.

The last two years has been filled with a huge number of pulls, strains, and other various injuries.However, It transpires that some of the pain I’ve been feeling is not from the arthritis, but from the fact that I’ve lost an amazing amount of strength and mobility in the complex structure that makes up my hips and connected structure. In the normal course of daily life I don’t generally experience any issues outside the low level ache of what the arthritis causes. However, a return to exercise has highlighted the shocking lack of mobility and muscle tightness that causes a lot of the pain I feel when they’re activated through stretching or exercise, and I’ve had to deal with quite a lot of pain in doing so.

So why write this, why talk about my issues like this? As an excuse? As a reason to bemoan my situation to garner a little sympathy? In short, no.

It’s to highlight the fact that with only a basic amount of stretching incorporated into any training or exercise regime you can easily avoid many of the issues that will cause you pain and injury. Not only that, but it will make you stronger in the long run (no pun intended).

Talking to, and reading about, what many of us guys do to exercise, it’s become clear to me that many of us neglect the stretching aspect of exercise in favour of strength and endurance. This is fine, but only to a point. Without proper flexibility we become linear and unidirectional in movement, and therefore strength, limiting our bodies to a reduced range of movement, and therefore increasing the risk of injury as we move outside that range when circumstances demand or cause it.

From my own personal experience I have come to learn this lesson far too late, and at a cost to my personal health. However, it’s never too late to try and do something about it, and the sooner you start the better.

I’m 54 years old now, and any progress for me will inevitably be slow and arduous because of my previous short sightedness and folly, believing that I still held on to some of my former glory. I didn’t.

I would urge in the strongest terms possible for anybody reading this to carefully consider this aspect of their physical training. To include some form of mobility and stretching regime into whatever form of exercise you do. And if you don’t do any other exercise at all then at least just stretch, your body will thank you for it later, that much is guaranteed.

Ten to fifteen minutes of quality stretching every other day is all it takes to keep you from suffering with tightness in the neck and shoulders, reducing the likelihood of tension headaches, and to open up your hip mobility giving you greater ease of movement preventing you from becoming stiff and tight, and reducing the likelihood of any training injuries.

Given that we engage in an activity that requires us to walk long distances over uneven and rugged terrain, and very often with heavy packs, it makes sense to look after our physical health. Having strong and flexible hips, knees, and ankles, will also increase back strength and stability, all the things we require to engage in the activity we call hiking.

So come on guys……..stretch 🧘🧎

A Chilled Weekend

Last weekend was a return to Bannau Brycheiniog, this time to the west of Pen Y Fan for a very chilled overnight camp under the trees on Friday, followed by the four waterfalls walk Saturday, and then on to Llyn Y Fan Fawr for another overnight camp at what turned out to be a stunning spot.

I’d been looking forward to this particular walk ever since Mark, a friend of mine, and I talked about it during the last walk we went on.
Plans were made, locations chosen, and a watchful eye was kept on the weather.

Mark, Alex, another friend, and myself met up at a remote car park Friday afternoon and made our way the short distance to the spot chosen for that night. The intention was for it to be just a very relaxed and chilled camp before the following days walk. And to be fair, that’s exactly what we got.

Hidden away in a small conifer wood next to a foresters track, were three tents pitched up underneath a clear sky full of stars, and the tall trees providing the perfect frame.

We made a brew, drank alcohol free beer, sipped at a rather fruity red with firm tannins, ate packet food, and stood around looking at the night sky chatting away in what was a very mild night for three middle aged men hanging around in a dark wood. I’d like to think that we were the scariest thing in the woods that night, but I think that honour probably went to a badger.

The following morning saw us strike camp after breakfast and make our way back along the foresters track to the car park and our cars. However, despite only being a couple of miles away from the meeting point with Mike Lawrence, we somehow managed to be twenty minutes late (I can only apologise again for the tardiness), and after the introductions and hello’s, it was off down the path to the four waterfalls.

The kind of picture I can take will never do justice to the natural beauty and feeling of power that exudes from these wonders of nature, but I took a whole bunch of pictures and videos anyway. I’ve always been a sucker for a good waterfall.

The four of us made our way round the walk visiting each fall in turn, each with it’s own particular charm and character, but for me the best was the one we could all walk behind. I visited this one some years ago when my boys were still very young, and I remember carrying each of them in turn behind it, which they still remember to this day.

However, this time I was accompanied by three other very excited middle aged teenagers, and after putting on our waterproof jackets we made our way towards, and then behind the curtain of water thunderously cascading down.

Pictures were taken, giggles were had, and after a thoroughly good soaking from the spray, we made our way back to the steps leading upwards to the main circular path.
Mike was only with us for the day, a day which seemed to pass fairly quickly. Despite this, it was really good to meet with Mike and chat about all sorts of things, including his love of trig points, and one trig point in particular. Such an incredibly heartwarming story.
After a coffee and something to eat at a kiosk near the waterfalls walk, Mark, Alex, and myself, said goodbye to Mike (who I believe would have earned a few brownie points with an early return home), and made our way by car to the next part of the weekend.

Now, this next part should, in theory, have been an easy walk. There were no steep inclines, no hard terrain, and it was a low level walk leading to Llyn Y Fan Fawr and the campsite. However, for Mark and myself it turned out to be something of a trial of will. For some reason the 5k Sunday stroll was one of the hardest walks I’ve done in a long time, the sheer effort it took to make our way to the campsite was tremendous. Not so for the waggy tailed Labrador accompanying us, oh no, he was fairly hop skip and jumping his way along while Mark and myself were feeling every step, like a pair of knackered old pit ponies.

It was postulated by Mark that it was because of the earlier walk around the waterfalls and the energy expended doing it, but personally I think that the mountain fairies gave us only just enough energy to complete the walk in front of us and nothing more. Who was right we’ll never know, but eventually we made it, knackered and exhausted.

It was worth it though, the Llyn is a magnificent spot with great views, perched below a steep escarpment on one side, and a big vista of the varied landscape on the other. When dusk fell the view across the Llyn gave a truly atmospheric feel to a hard won camp.

We all pitched up and then set about eating huge numbers of calories to make up for the earlier loss, and once sated, and after another social, we settled in for the night.

The following morning after breakfast we packed up and headed back the way we came, back to where our cars were parked. Oddly, it didn’t seem as difficult as the day before. Perhaps the mountain fairies were feeling generous.

We decided to find a local cafe for a coffee and breakfast, and by complete accident we seemed to find the very best in the area. Great coffee, and a gourmet sausage roll.

This marked the end of what was a great weekend of camping in good company.

It’s no secret that I love getting out in the hills and camping out whenever I can. The feeling of freedom is incredible, not to mention the psychological, emotional, and physical benefits, but these are something I have generally experienced on my own.
However, recently I’ve enjoyed having company on these walks, the company of interesting men looking to experience the same benefits. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the people I walk with, their past, their present, and their planned futures. And I like to think that I’ve made at least one good friend along the way.

Who could ask for more?

Water Purification

Recently I’ve had to answer several questions about purifying water while out camping. So I thought I’d give my thoughts on the subject here.

If you’re going to find a natural source of water for drinking and cooking, it basically comes down to using one or all, of three different methods. Purification tablets, boiling, and filtration.

I’ll go through them in order.

There are several good brands of purification tabs, and apart from residual taste, each one doing pretty much the same as the next, killing off all the nasty organisms that can cause issues. Purification tablets are a very effective way of killing the vast majority of bacteria, viruses, cysts etc. However, what they don’t do is remove the nasties themselves, they get left behind along with any other suspended material.

Which is exactly the same as boiling water does. However, just bringing water to the boil is not enough, to do the job properly you need to leave it on the boil for around three minutes to kill the hardier variety of nasty that can lurk in water, but it’s also very effective at sterilisation.

Water filters however, do have the advantage of removing particulate matter as well as the nasties such as bacteria, cysts etc. Here’s the thing though, while filter manufacturers can’t legally claim to remove viruses because of their tiny size being smaller than the filter can remove. Some filters can remove the host material that viruses need to survive. You see viruses cannot survive in water without attaching to something, and that’s how a filter can remove viruses, by removing the host material.

The problem with filters is that some are better than others. All of the major brands will meet basic minimum standards, but some go far beyond that. Choosing the filter to suit your requirements can be a bit of a headache.

A note on water sources.

Obviously every natural source of water has its own considerations, how clean it is in terms of particulate content, potential infection levels, standing water such as a tarn or lake, free running such as a stream etc, and location, upland or lowland. A little experience can help you a lot here, most of which is common sense, but more on this in another post I think. For now, it is this last point I would like to quickly address.

Free running water from a mountain stream is usually pretty good to go as it is, but any of the above methods will ensure trouble free drinking and cooking. However, lowland water, especially if it’s in an area of arable farming, will almost certainly contain a level of agrochemicals in varying amounts. No amount of boiling, tabbing, or filtering will remove these. I don’t personally think that there is a great amount of danger per se, but it’s certainly worth bearing in mind if you prefer to camp in or around farmland.

Until next time, happy camping.

Staying Warm at Night

I read a post on FB the other day, a page for beginners to wildcamping, asking for any tips on how to stay warm at night. So this is pretty much the same answer I gave there.

You’ll lose more heat to the ground, even in summer, than you do to the atmosphere. So the first thing you should do is make sure you can insulate yourself with a suitable sleeping mat. Once you’ve done that then try some of the following.

A decent sleeping bag liner can add an extra 5c plus if you need some extra insulation.

Wear thermal long johns and top, just make sure you wear synthetic materials, not cotton. Cotton loses it’s insulating properties when it gets damp, which it can do from sweating while you sleep (yes even in winter you can sweat). Top up with good socks, a fleece and hat if needed. Layers are your friend, the same as while you’re walking during the day.

Eat/drink something warm half an hour before you tuck yourself up, it can make a big difference.

Have a pee last thing, again it can make a big difference to how much heat you can retain.

Do a few exercises just before you get into your bag, the extra body heat generated will help keep you cosy. Do these just after peeing.

Always remember that the only heat source you have is body heat, therefore if you don’t generate it, and then retain it, you will not be warm.

There is no such thing as a warmer tent!!!

Tents do not keep you warm regardless of what some might say. It’s a fallacy, a myth. Less than 1mm thickness of material is not a good insulator, and therefore will NOT keep you warm. Tents do two things, they keep the rain off you, and they shelter you from wind, that’s it. Some will argue that a tent that reduces wind will help you stay warmer, that’s nonsense. All it means is that wind chill is reduced, but that’s not the same thing at all, do not be confused by this. If the wind stops and the temperature drops, will you remain just as warm? No, you won’t. I’ve known experienced campers fall foul of this particular fallacy because they believed their superior tent would save them and help keep them warm. It did not!

Basically it comes down to this, anything that can help insulate you or retain body heat will help keep you warm. The best way to do this is with layers. A mat is a layer, as is the part of the sleeping bag you lie on, the clothing you wear in your bag, and the liner you use inside it, and the part of your bag that is on top of you, they all form part of a layering system that will delay or reduce loss from the only heat source you have, body heat.

Hope this helps.