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Buttermere

Buttermere is one of those places in the Lake District that many people, and pretty much every hiker knows about, but it never seems too busy. Probably because it’s actually a bit of a pain to get to, the roads into the area are all very narrow, full of twist and turns, and a great many edges to drive off. So consequently, even during the busy periods it never seems crowded. And so, it was back to Buttermere for this walk.

Friday’s drive to the Lakes was the usual punishing 8 hours of hard work dodging idiots and poor road surfaces, but this drive had the added bonus of temperatures that hit 30 degrees, and without air con the drive was long and hot. By the time I arrived two hours after the sat nav said I would I was glad to get out of the van and have a stretch in the clean air and amazing views. My walking partner was already there, so after a quick catch up and yet another ‘sorting of the kit’ we headed out in the heat around Fleetwith Pike and the climb up to our pitch for the night.

Behind Fleetwith Pike looking towards Haystacks

It was up the hill slightly behind Blackbeck tarn that we finally found a pitch where the ground wasn’t sodden, surprising really as it all looked pretty good from a distance, but I guess it was just one of those areas that holds the water like a sponge. However, we found this one spot big enough for both our tents and a little room between and so we pitched up. As soon as that was done it was time to eat, time had slipped by quickly and at this point it was fast approaching 10pm and hunger was hitting hard, chow time. Food was prepped and the bar was opened, for me a nice Chianti, and my buddy had 0% beer at hand, and we began to relax and enjoy the views in the lingering light of a fine June evening.

One of the things I’ve really come to enjoy is company on my walks, and spending the rest of the evening chatting away over a wine and a beer in fantastic surroundings that command spectacular views has come to be one of life’s great pleasures. But all good things…….so when the tiredness began to take full effect it was time to hit the hay, so we headed off to the solitude of our respective tents and a solid night’s sleep.

Unfortunately, that did not turn out to be the case and I only managed to get four hours sleep, waking up at 4ish am to the earliest light, and my buddy having stayed awake a little longer than me slept a little later but still only managed about the same amount of time. Oh well! One of those things I guess, so all we could do was to have breakfast and get packed up for the days walk that lay ahead of us.

We headed out towards Innonimate tarn with the intention of restocking our water supplies before continuing on to Haystacks and beyond. We navigated (I say we) to what we thought was the tarn, but it didn’t look like I remembered from the last time I was there, it looked for all the world like it had dried up quite a lot. At the time of writing this has been one of the driest springs on record, and so we thought it had just lost a lot of its content. We filtered from the cleanest water that was there and filled every container we had, the temperatures for the day were due to hit the high twenties again so we needed as much as we could carry to stay hydrated. The part we collected from looked to be teaming with life including frogs and newts, which means that the water quality had to be good. So, with bladders and bottles filled we set off to find the path we needed. Unfortunately for my ego, not 50m further on we found the real Innonimate tarn, glistening away in the bright sunlight filled to the brim and boasting a decent population of water lilies. It looked gorgeous. One corner and 50m off course meant we missed filling up where we had intended. A lesson in navigation and why you shouldn’t assume anything, if ever there was one.

Anyway, after a little banter coming in my direction about this slight miscalculation we carried on, following the obvious path over Haystacks and down the other side. This was a hard section of the walk due to steep rocky scrambles while carrying heavy packs, so the going was fairly strenuous. We decided that once we got to the bottom, we would take a rest break and get something to eat and drink. The sun was hot, the grass was soft, and eyelids were heavy………….

Fifty minutes later we woke up!

While we were napping like children….again….the weather had started to turn and heavy rain was beginning to fall sporadically. We had spoken to another walker earlier who had told us that the forecast was for heavy weather coming in from the west, and that the area we were planning to pitch up was likely to be a bit wet anyway. With the weather turning and what was already a fairly wet prospect to the end of the day, we made the decision to head back the way we had come, to the pitch of the previous night. And it turned out to be a good thing we did.

Walking back over Haystacks and all those rocky scrambles in rain showers that were accompanied by blowing wind was particularly pleasurable, and I made sure to mention the fact that walking on rocks was my favourite kind of terrain (again). However, after a bit of walking in various directions we made it back to the same spot as the night before, got pitched up and set about getting some food on the go.

A view from the pitch before the cloud came in

It’s usually my favourite time of day for any walk, you’ve had a solid day of walking and exercise, you’ve usually seen many things, and by the end of the day it’s time to pitch up, settle down with a good meal (and a mug of red) and to simply relax and enjoy the surroundings. It’s a good time to reflect on the day and life in general, as well as any specific issues that might be playing on the mind. It’s also a good time to just simply empty the mind and spend an entire evening in a state of mindfulness if that’s what you want.

It’s also a good opportunity to watch the world as day turns to night, and in this case witness a bank of cloud flow between the peaks in the distance and merge in the valley next to us and begin to amass. The shapes and forms cloud can take when it’s pushed by wind but facing obstructions can be fascinating to watch, and this particular evening was a cracking example of just that. We managed to take a few decent pictures as the cloud moved and swirled towards us before it overcame the camp, and it didn’t take long to do so. Not long after that the rain started to fall, so we decided to hit the tents and settle in for the night. But that was definitely not the end of it.

I’m not sure how much time had passed, but before long the thunder started, at first it was a little distant, but not too far. And then the lightening came, again, not too close, but before long we were right underneath a substantial storm that crashed and flashed in a fairly epic way, and we were there, right slap bang in the middle of it. Everyone knows that being in the hills during a storm is not a good idea for obvious reasons, but it would have been worse to try and bail. So we stayed, safe in the knowledge that if the worst were to happen we wouldn’t know much about it. There was only one thing to do, enjoy the light show, such as it was from inside the tent (it was raining hard), and try to get some sleep.

The following morning was the usual breakfast and packing up routine. Once we had gotten ourselves set we headed down off the hill, following what was an interesting direction to the path we needed to follow (yet more of my favourite rocky terrain), to get to the where we had parked up.

This was a planned walk with a planned route, we knew where we were going and pretty much knew what to expect. But as with all good plans sometimes you just have to adapt to whatever the changing circumstances demand, and this was no exception. We changed our plans and ended up having a different kind of trip to the one we expected, but no lees enjoyable for it.

If anything, this particular walk gave me the opportunity to really analyse a question I’ve been pondering over for several years. Recently it came up again during a zoom call where it was suggested that I follow a course of action that would ultimately lead to building a business around leading walks in the hills and mountains. I’ve considered doing this from time to time but never put anything into action, I’ve always procrastinated and ended up doing nothing about it, and now I truly understand why. I have managed to put this particular question to bed once and for all.

Once again our plans went slightly awry, but it didn’t matter, what really matters is what you take away from the trip, and in this case we had a good walk in both harsh sun and lashing rain, we slept in the middle of a wild thunder and lightning storm in the hills, and as usual when walking with my buddy, we enjoyed good conversation and a bit of banter. I also settled a long standing issue.

All in all another good weekend.

Bannau Brycheiniog

A great weekend in Brecon

The bank holiday weekend of 24^th of May was booked for a trip to Brecon (Bannau Brycheiniog), and specifically to quieter area in the west, mainly to avoid the bank holiday crowds, but also to re-visit a stunning spot that we’d been to before. The idea was to do more of a previous walk and then explore the paths on top of the escarpment that runs south north towards Llyn Y Fan Fawr and then west to Llyn Y Fan Fach.

It’s a round robin walk that starts at the southern end of the escarpment and climbs steadily to the top of the ridge, where the path continues close to the escarpments edge all the way to the far end and then turns sharply west before heading down to the first of the lakes. From there it contours round eastwards before turning south and heading for the second of the lakes and then continues south along the foot of the escarpment all the way back to the start.

It’s a very neat route that seems to have most of what you want from any kind of walk in the hills, decent climbs, great views, and plenty of clean fresh air, and I was joined again by my mate Mark, who’s always good company on these walks.

The plan was to start the route going anti clockwise walking at the base of the escarpment towards LLyn Y Fan Fawr where we’d spend the night pitched up next to what is an incredibly beautiful lake with great views. It’s about 5k from where we had parked and was easily achievable in the time we had set aside, given that we were due to set off at around 5pm. However, in what has recently become the norm for my walks, not much had quite gone as planned.

It took an extra two and a half hours for me to travel to my destination after several sat nav re-routes and some fairly heavy bank holiday traffic, and my walking compatriot didn’t manage to arrive until just after 7pm (you’ve gotta love bank holiday travelers). I know in the grand scheme of things that we were part of the problem given that we were traveling as well, but knowing that trite little fact didn’t help one little bit.

Well, after finally meeting up and discussing what we were going to do at such a late hour we decided that the best thing would be to start the route in the other direction and go clockwise. This meant that we could make a short ascent up the southern end of the escarpment to a slight plateau where we could pitch for the night. Although it wasn’t far from the start and it was only a short ascent, it was still quite steep, and after huffing and puffing hard for a while we hit the plateau in late dusk light and managed to pitch before complete darkness, which in anybody’s book has to be counted as a win.

It wasn’t long before the stoves were fired up and food was on the go, and once the hunger had been satisfied, I felt that a small mug of red was in order, so given that it’s almost the law that’s what I had, and my buddy had one of his beers. I don’t think it was long after that we had both hit the hay. It had been a long day and a late night and both of us were flagging.

We knew that the weather forecast for the weekend wasn’t good, and was in fact promising rain and wind of decent proportions for the duration. Never one’s to be perturbed by such things we were prepared for it. However, come the morning despite finding ourselves in the cloud base the rain was nothing like what we were expecting, not much more than occasional heavy drizzle, and the overnight wind was nothing to write home about either, although that was going to change.

Cloud falling over the edge of the escarpment

The morning light brought with it a view of the cloud as it moved across the land and then hit the edge of the escarpment where the wind worked its magic and created a wonderful swirling effect as the cloud cascaded over the edge. You don’t see that every day or in every location. But the day had to start, and after a good cuppa and some breakfast we broke camp, packed up, and headed off on the route along the top of the escarpment.

As we set off and lost the shelter of where we had pitched the wind began to make itself felt. It was a combination of a fairly strong wind and the exposed nature of where we were that made it quite bracing. It wasn’t particularly cold or wet, but given that the hillslope dropped to the west, which is where the wind was coming from, and the fact that we walking a ridge meant that we got the full effect of what mother nature had to offer on that particular day.

What this meant was that as we made our way along the ridge we were being constantly hit on our left hand side by the cloud laden wind that made our left side damp but left the right side dry, an interesting feeling for sure. However, unperturbed by the conditions we were making good time as we walked north along the path that ran very close to the edge on occasions.

It continued on this way for a while until we got to the trig point on Fan Brechyniog where we took the obligatory selfie and then carried on towards the end of the straight section where we had to turn left before sweeping back round clockwise and dropping down towards Llyn Y Fan Fach. However, before we did that there were one or two very quick breaks in the cloud where we were teased with what we would have seen on a clearer day. One of the reasons for doing this particular walk was to capture the unbroken views across Brecon that are available from the top of the escarpment. Unfortunately, the cloud put paid to that, but we did get a few glimpses where the cloud parted briefly at which point the phones came out toot sweet and we got as many pics as we could.

Anyway, after making our way down to the lake we decided to take a break for a while, make a brew and get something to eat while we gave our poor old bones a bit of a rest. The escarpment may look fairly level, but it’s not at all. There are a few hill sections to climb and some of them are fairly steep, and doing these while carrying a load on your back can be taxing to say the least, but despite that we had made exceptionally good time so the rest was well deserved.

After an amount of time (I’m honestly not sure exactly how long we were there) packs were hoisted, poles attached to hands, and off we went following the path that contoured around the base of the escarpment. This part of the path had some pretty interesting features along the way, features that I won’t bore you with here, but Mark had to put up with me getting a bit over excited about geomorphological anomalies and the such (he does that a lot).

We continued on our way guessing at how far it was to the area we were going to pitch for the night, me being wildly wrong on several occasions and Mark getting it mostly right. I’m like a broken clock, right at least twice a day, but no more than that. We finally arrived at Llyn Y Fan Fawr to be met by a very bracing wind as we rounded the corner that the escarpment had sheltered us from. Time to seek a spot for the night.

After the usual roaming around looking for the best location, we finally settled on what we thought was the best option and made camp. The wind continued, and the rain came sporadically meaning that the best option was to get fed, have a quick mug of wine and get an early night. To be fair I know I was fairly knackered, and I think Mark was too. My only concern that night was for the stability of my tent, not that wind is much an issue for it even in much stronger wind than we had that night, but it’s a trekking pole tent and as such is held up by the tension created by the fly being pegged out tightly at the base. With well seated pegs and the guys from the top being pulled tight this tent can take a battering, but we were pitched on thin soil with plenty of buried stones and my pegs were not as well seated as would normally like them to be. My concerns turned out to be unwarranted though, because despite the high wind and gusting that hit us all night the tent pegs remained secure, and so did I in my trusty Lanshan.

Morning came, breakfast was had along with a hot brew, and we packed up in the wind which is always fun.

From where we were it was about a 5k walk back to the cars, and once again we made good time, but as we made our way back the weather improved step by step, so we decided to take break and just enjoy what was becoming a beautiful day. We sat at a lovely spot next to a small waterfall overlooking the land as it dropped away in front of us and relished the small amount of sunlight breaking through the clouds as it warmed the air.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the reason we go on these mini adventures is to simply enjoy the sights and sounds, the views, and to relax in what is an amazing environment while being able to take a break from the lives we lead day to day. In short, to recharge the mind body and soul. Sometimes conditions cause you to work your way along a route as if on a route march, and this was one of those occasions. The wind and low cloud made the route something to do rather than something to enjoy. This is not to say that it wasn’t a good thing to do, far from it, I really like getting out in harsh conditions and pushing on, but not all the time.

Sat in the sun relaxing in such a lovely spot we were reminded of that fact. That we should find more opportunities to just pause, sit, and take in the view. There is so much to see when you take the time to look.

The next camp is going to be a ridiculously easy one with very little distance to cover, but it was purposely planned that way a while ago. However, after that one we are returning to Buttermere for some unfinished business, and that walk is going to be a solid walk over two days covering some fairly hard terrain and some solid hillwork. But, after the lesson learned at Lyn Y Fan Fawr I think we will be pausing more often and taking a good look at what is around us.

A Local Stroll and a Little Reminder

Bank holiday weekends are always a bonus, an extra day added to the weekend is a thing of joy, especially if the weather is good.

And last bank holiday weekend the weather was good. So Boudica decided that as a little treat we would go for a walk in a local spot that (much to my shame) I had never been to before. It’s a wooded area on the side of a hill and is part of a reserve where a certain amount of re-wilding has been taking place over the last few years. A few species of fauna have been reintroduced in a fenced off area and left to make their own way in life, much like the rest of us. But this time they are being protected from hunting and abuse from we humans. A good thing in my book.

Anyway, the area that Boudica was taking me to is adjacent to the reserve and is laced with paths, both official and ad hoc. She and her other warrior queens have visited this place several times before, usually accompanied by a dog or two, and I was now being inducted into the club but with me as the dog this time.

We parked up and headed out, complete with coffee in hand ready for the bench at the top of the hill where we were planning to sit and enjoy the view through the trees and across the marshes to the sea. And we did. We sat on the bench, we drank our coffees, we viewed the sea through the trees. We even took a few selfies. But the thing that really struck us was the noise, the sound of all the birds in the trees was louder than I expected, much louder. But what a great noise to be surrounded by.

I think my surprise came from the fact that usually when I get out and about it’s into the hills, and while there are any number of birds around to listen to, it’s definitely not in the same order of magnitude. We also live in a very rural environment, but even here it’s not the same as it is in the woods.

Well, after taking in the surroundings, listening to the birds, and finishing our coffees, we set off deeper into the heart of the woods following one of the more established paths. All the usual suspects were present, Ash, Beech, Oak, and quite a few others as well. All in all a very well established patch of old woodland that has clearly been around for a very long time.It was a lovely walk through the dappled sunlight that was breaking through the canopy as we headed off to the far end of the woods. The idea was to go pretty much as far as we could and then take one of the other paths back in a round robin fashion.

However, Boudica noticed that she had dropped something somewhere earlier, so we headed back the way we had come to search for the missing thing. We had a fairly good idea where it was and to be honest it didn’t take too long to find it. Once it was successfully retrieved we decided to take one of the many paths that spider web their way across the area with a view to getting back to where we had parked the car. And this is where we went a little off piste as it were.

Now, I’m a silver award navigator (according to the NNAS), actually I’m a mountain leader which means having to hold a gold award, but I qualified a very long long time ago in the dim and distant past, so about two years ago I did a refresher at silver level. Great!What this really means is that I can usually tell when I’m going off course, so when Boudica suggested that we head off in a certain direction I agreed thinking that it was the right way. After all the OS Maps app was telling me all was fine (I generally use it as a quick and easy way to keep an eye on things), and I believed it, why not?

However, it didn’t take long for me to realise that we seemed to be going in the wrong direction, in fact 180 degrees wrong. Despite pushing on in the direction of choice, the further we went the more I became convinced that things were not all that they seemed and that the app was lying to me.

And that’s the thing isn’t it? We all rely on technology in our daily lives to an ever increasing level, and the apps we use to tell us where we are and we’re going are especially important. I myself use the OS Maps app whenever I’m out and about because it’s convenient and easy, and it’s usually very good. But I never rely on it as my only method of navigation, I always take a map and compass on any walk that takes me more than a couple of miles away from civilisation.

But as I was starkly reminded during this walk, the techy options are not as reliable as we would like them to be. Batteries can drain, it gets dropped, it gets wet, or it can just simply fail in any number of ways.So back to our walk.After a little bit of discussion and rationalisation with regards to our current location and the dubious nature of the app, we decided to make our way back the way we had come, but via a slightly different path.

Not too discouraged by the diversion we were still able to enjoy the rest of the walk back to the car, even though Boudica was now very ready to get back to the comfort of the upholstered seats.Despite both of the unintended diversions it was a lovely walk through the trees in lovely company, and I enjoyed it immensely. I now plan to go on further walks with the Iceni one, it was nice to reconnect in such a wonderful spot and as a couple in a long, long term relationship it’s nice to do things together.

However, the real moral of the story is this; always check your bearings as you go, and never, ever, rely on on tech as your only form of navigation.

Until next time.

Reasons to reflect on the Nantlle Ridge

The Nantlle Ridge was the route planned for this walk. Four of us were going to ascend Y Garn in Eryri (Snowdonia) and walk the ridge to the far end, spend the night near the last peak, descend the far side in the morning and walk the valley back to the start point. A solid walk for sure of 25k in total, and a camp at summit, not too shabby.

However, “The best laid schemes ‘o mice and men gang aft agley”, but I’m getting slightly ahead of myself.

The weather forecast showed that we would have a low cloud base at 400m on Saturday (well below the peak), meaning that we would be walking in cloud on the ridge. Not too much of an issue as navigating in conditions like that is fairly straightforward if you can use a map and compass, or even a mapping app. Most of the time you can just follow the path that goes in the general direction you need go, as there’s nearly always a reasonable amount of visibility, at least enough to see the path 20m ahead.

One of us had to drop out early due to illness (completely understandable) nobody needs to be up a hill in a remote location if you’re not well enough for it, which left three us.

Excited for the trip Mark and I met up the night before the walk for a cheeky nights camp out next to the lake (llyn) at the foot of Y Garn. After a little bit of scoping the local area we found the perfect spot to pitch up and settle in for the night. Being in one of the quieter areas of the national park, after a certain hour there was literally nobody around and the only company we had was a pair of geese, three ducks, and a cuckoo that we never got to see. Apart from the above there was absolute peace and quiet, a very real palpable calm.

Saturday morning came with yet more of the same peace and quiet, and after the usual ablutions and breakfast we packed up and headed off to meet the third member of the walk. However, being in an area with virtually no mobile signal we had no idea that the fourth had also fallen ill and wasn’t coming. Again, it’s no good being in the hills with a case of flu, so it was the right call not to come. We did finally get the message after mooching around for a bit of signal for an hour, and the concern we had that he might just be late due to traffic or just being lost in a remote area was over, and we had confirmation all was well, if not healthy.

Now we knew that it was just us we headed out to pick up our gear and set off up Y Garn. It’s not a particularly high hill, but it is dramatic, and very steep. Pictures do not do it any kind of justice at all, and to say it was a hard slog to get to the top is not an exaggeration. I always knew this was the section that was going to need the most physical effort to complete, and it did not let me down. But we eventually made it, and climbing up into the cloud base and losing sight of the views below the land took on an ethereal feel, especially as towards the top the land became strewn with rock and boulders giving a very different look to what we had just walked over.

After a short stop and a refuel at the top we headed off along the ridge. And this is where it gets interesting. The next section of the walk was an arete, or col, I can never really remember the difference, and in real terms it’s only a technicality because ultimately, it’s a narrow ridge between two peaks.

It takes a certain amount of mettle to take on any kind of arete at the best of times, usually because any path will naturally be fairly close to the edge, but in this case the edge was mostly an abyss, a steep drop into nothing, and in the cloud it becomes that much more dangerous. Despite this we made our way along the arete picking our way across the rocks and navigating a few scrambles along the narrow ridge, and we made fairly good progress considering the conditions.

However, it was at one of these scrambles that we hit a point at which we could not justifiably go any further. It was a moment of disappointment for sure, but most definitely the right decision. The scramble at this point was either over the top which meant climbing up high sections of rock face with a definite drop either side, or a very narrow ledge slightly lower down that needed you to cling tightly to the rock face. Either way was going to need a lot of effort and concentration, but in low visibility and what was becoming increasingly slippery rock surface because of the wet from the cloud, plus the heavy packs we were carrying, meant that on this occasion it was simply just too dangerous to continue any further.

Despite the disappointment of having to turn back, as I said before, it was absolutely the right decision, and even if we had successfully continued onwards, it would have been more luck than judgement that would have kept us from potential tragedy.

So, with this in mind we literally headed back the way we came until we reached the peak of Y Garn, where we took shelter in a cairn and rested for a short time while we refueled. After a suitable period of time spent eating and chatting, we headed downhill, very much with the assistance of gravity helping to speed our descent all the way down, which meant going down was a lot quicker than going up. And if not for the hiking poles we used, I suspect it would have been even more rapid.

As we exited the cloud base the view opened up before our eyes revealing a clear vista across the valley and the llyn that was going to be our home again for the second night. We had made it down safely. A short walk, and about an hour later we had pitched up and got the stove on the go ready for a brew, some food, and a well deserved rest. It really was a lovely spot to pitch and simply take the time to soak it all up, and just be in the moment.

After a long day and a huge amount of effort climbing and then descending one of the steepest hills in the area it was nice to hang out at the camp, chat about anything and everything with Mark, sip away on a mug of red, and simply relax before hitting the sack for a much needed good night’s sleep.

The following morning was the usual process of ablutions, tea, breakfast, and packing up before heading off to the vehicles and the long drive home. But not before once again taking in the natural beauty of where we were and appreciating it fully for what it is.

One thing that the the Stoics encourages us to do is to practice gratitude, and this weekend made me reflect on that practice more than most. So, here’s the list of things that I’m particularly grateful for.

The many opportunities to go away camping given to me by my long suffering wife. The beauty of the places I get to see and explore. The strength to walk in these places. The opportunity to face the challenges in front of me. To rest and sleep in some truly awesome places. To share these amazing experiences in the company of a good friend, and any others that wish to experience the same. I’m grateful for the thrill I get from being ‘out there’ somewhere remote and away from the rest of the world. And I’m grateful for the wisdom to know when not to put others in a difficult or dangerous situation just to fulfil a desire to complete a planned route.

I’m also incredibly grateful for my two best friends, my trusty hiking poles, that not only help to keep me walking, but also keep my tent up.

This weekend certainly didn’t go exactly according to plan, but make no mistake, it was still a great weekend full of adventure, exercise and effort, a few challenges, great company and a lot of laughs. It was a shame that two of us failed to make it, they would have had a great time as well, but the two that remained had a good time and will return to finish the job at the earliest possible convenience.

The mountain isn’t going anywhere.

Back to Derbyshire

Last weekend was one of my planned walks that I open up to all members of the coaching group that I belong to, in the hopes that some of them might find the benefits of getting out into the fresh air in good company useful.

Well, on this occasion I had only one taker, and that was my old stalwart walking buddy Mark. And I think he would wholeheartedly agree that they all missed a cracker of a weekend. In fact it was one of the best camping trips I’ve had in a long time, and that’s saying quite a lot considering some of the walks we’ve been on this, and last year.

So which mountain did we climb up I hear you ask? None is the answer.
Well then, was it a long walk, covering a lot of interesting and varied terrain? No.
But you must have got plenty of exercise carrying those heavy packs over distance? Not unless you call a twenty minute walk to the camp site a lot of exercise (but the packs were quite heavy though).

In fact it was quite literally one of the laziest and relaxing camps ever, but still one of the best, and here’s why.

The plan was always to have a fairly chilled weekend, giving the kit a bit of a shakedown before the seasons proper hard work begins, and to just unwind, relax, and have a bit of a reset. And why not?
So Friday evening comes and we meet up at the agreed spot in a car park (sounds dodgy, but perfectly normal for campers) where we sorted our kit and then headed out for the first of two nights wild camping.

It was a grinding and arduous trek full of effort striding up the lane carrying our heavy loads for about ten minutes before turning right and heading into the moor for another difficult ten minutes of hard effort traversing the wild moorland of Derbyshire.
After such a long hike we were both ready for a well earned rest, but no rest came, we had to set up camp first!!
Ten minutes later we had the tents up, bedding all laid out, and packs emptied, the wine was poured and we stood there looking at the magnificent location that was our campsite for the night, and feeling a little smug if I’m honest.

Derbyshire was the location of choice for this weekend, easy to get to for both of us, not too far, and right next to the car park, you simply couldn’t ask for easier.
The chosen campsite was a little spot within an area of ancient quarrying that has now re-wilded. It’s a labyrinth of old works with passages and open excavations on different levels making it the perfect spot to setup, knowing that you couldn’t be seen or heard unless someone was very close by.
Which is why it was the perfect opportunity to christen a little folding fire pit/stove thingy that I’ve had for some time and never used. I don’t normally condone an open fire while wild camping for obvious reasons, but as there was already an existing firepit complete with stone surround, and I had this fire thingy that kept everything contained I thought why not?

We had the dramatic architecture of the old quarrying, trees all around us, a fire, and a nearly full moon with a completely clear sky. You simply couldn’t have got better if you had ordered and paid for it.
This weekend there was no agenda, no timescale, so no need to go to bed early, which probably explains why we sat on our camping seats next to the fire chatting away, me with my red wine and Mark with his 0% beers, until about 1am. Given that we were so tucked away there was no need to get up early to get under way, so it was decided to have a steady start to the day….no rush.

And no rush it was.
A very easy and relaxed start the next morning meant that we didn’t get packed up until about….I’m not sure really, but we made it back to the cars to drop off our kit at about 11 – 11.30 ish I think.
It was that kind of weekend, and we maintained that red hot, full tilt, maximum pace for the rest of the day.
With our kit safely stored away in the cars we headed off downhill on a path through a wooded area that took us past a pub (more on that later) and the start of a pleasant walk to Robin Hoods Stride and Hermits Cave. It’s an interesting rock formation that stands proud of the surrounding landscape and is a magnet for those that like to do something called ‘bouldering’.
Personally I think it’s just an excuse to carry a mattress around on your back, but each to their own I guess.

Anyway, after the thirty or so minute slog it took to get to our destination we intrepid explorers climbed the summit of Robin Hoods Stride and took our rightful places overseeing the hoi palloy below us.
After a few minutes of admiring the views and taking the requisite number of selfies we decided almost as one mind to make our way down and head towards what was a most inviting area of shade underneath the boughs of some very lovely trees.
The sun was shining, it was warm, and the grass was oh so comfortable. There was only one thing to do….nap. Yes, I said it, nap.
I stayed awake only just long enough to take a picture of the branches above from my now horizontal position and a selfie of me lying down, and that was all she wrote. Out like a light!

After what was a glorious hour napping in warm sunshine beneath the boughs of several trees, I awoke to the sounds of a jeolous Mark berrating me for the fact the he wasn’t able to sleep as well as I was. Not rancourous in any way whatsoever.
A Cheery Mark and myself then made our way back along the gruelling route to our destination, the aforementioned pub that we had passed earlier.

It was here that we decided to stop for a much needed rest, a pint or two, and a hot meal to stave off dehydration and what had become a close call with starvation. Beef shin pie with mash, and a fish and chips with mushy peas saved us from a close call with nutritional disaster, so we decided to rest up for a while to regather our energy before the long ten minute haul uphill back to where the vehicles were parked to collect our gear for the second of our two night trial of endurance.

Once again, with our heavy packs lifted we started out on our trecherous journey of twenty minutes hard marching across tough ground to reach the same spot we had camped in the previous night. The arduous task of setting up camp then began, and after what seemed like an eternity of ten minutes we were set up and unpacking the wine and beer, and not befor time either, I’m not entirely sure that either of us coukd have taken any more punishment. The effects of such a hard day were beggining to make themselves known, so we decided to make things a litle easier for ourselves (because we obviously desrved a break) and make the camp fire and pour the wine.

We didn’t have the same moon or clear sky that we had the previous night, but it was still nice to sit around the fire with a drink and just chat away with biscuits and Jaffa cakes until late in the evening, reviewing all of the hard effort that had gone into the day just gone. All in all not a bad effort.

Those of you who know, understand that I love getting out into the hills and fells etc to experience not only the the views and fresh air, but also the peace and soothing effect on the mind that being out in the hills can bring. The ability to leave behind all that plays on the mind, all the obligations we have, all of the baggage we carry; to leave behind everything we don’t need or want can be a rewarding and cathartic experience, just allowing yourself to be in that moment and in that place.

For me it’s my pace of zen, whether it’s cold wet and windy, or warm and sunny with the slightests of breezes, I love it all.
But it turns out that you can achieve the same results by simply taking it easy on yourself. The greatest of stoics amongst us can achieve this same state of peace wherever they are because they understand that true peace and balance comes from understanding the difference between internal and external influences, and how to manage them.

However, for the rest of us that haven’t yet reached this particular state of nirvana, removing ourselves from the day to day can help us make the mindset shift required to accept the mental reset that we seek from time to time. Does it have to be while pushing yourself physically, ascending some hill somewhere with a heavy pack on your back, and being miles and miles away from the nearest evidence of civilisation? No it doesn’t.

You can do the same almost anywhere, the key is taking the time to move yourself to a different location (helping with the mindset shift) and then allowing yourself to be in the moment and just take it easy.

We all get so caught up in our obligations, lists of things to do, and everything else we set for ourselves that we can easily forget how to let go of them, even for just a short amount of time, and give ourselves permission to take it easy and have a break from the daily pressures of life.
Is life for living? Or is life for doing? Or perhaps a little of both?

The answer to that question is a personal one, and will depend upon your own beliefs and circumstances. One thing is for sure though, we all need a break from time to time, and going for a bit of a camp somewhere and not worrying about things too much, or putting yourself under too much pressure to perform is a very good way of doing that.

So even though my place of zen will always be up in the hills, not everybody has to do the same to get the same benefits. Having a bit of a camp somewhere out of the way, going for a bit of a stroll in the open countryside, getting some fresh air, and spending time in the company of good people is a good thing to do.

It’s a very good thing indeed.

Stay tuned folks!!! Next time I’ll be reporting about a walk along the Nantlle Ridge in Snowdonia, it’s going to be a very different walk indeed.

Take Heed!

This is a post I really didn’t want to write because I’m probably going to come off sounding a little preachy, I promise I’m not trying to be, but given today’s subject I don’t think it could go any other way, so strap in I’m going for it.

So I’ll start at the beginning, and the beginning was in December last year when I was reading through a few posts on FaceF**k. I occasionally trawl through a few camping groups that I registered with a while back, just to keep in touch with the hot topics of the day, that kind of thing.

Anyway, I happened to stumble upon one which was asking for a recommendation, nothing unusual there, there are dozens of such posts each day asking for advice on this that and the other. However, this one was from somebody who admitted to being a complete newbie asking for a recommendation for a tent that was storm worthy enough to stand against high winds on the peaks? WTF? I mean WTF?

This guy wanted to go on his first wildcamping experience into the hills and peaks in the depths of winter looking for bad weather in a tent he didn’t know how to choose for himself, and probably with just as much of an idea about the other kit he’d need to survive the night.

And this got me thinking. Thinking about what is actually required to take part in this great activity that we call wildcamping.
I’m a great believer in the fact that as many people as possible should get off their sofas and into the great outdoors and experience what this country has to offer in terms of wide open spaces and the benefits to health and mental wellbeing that come from it.
BUT, and this is a big old fat BUT, you have to do it safely, and that means two things, having the right kit, and having the right knowledge.

Nobody is saying that you have to be Lofty Wiseman (showing my age there) or Bear Grylls (for the younger readers) in order to enjoy hiking and camping out. You don’t need to be able to navigate in the pitch black of night using nothing more than a compass and pace counting (although it can help), but you should at least be able to use a map adequately enough to know where you are and where you’re going, and actually take a map. And you don’t need specialist equipment to enjoy a few nights out on the hills, but you do need the appropriate kit, even if it’s not the expensive kind.
But more importantly you need to know how to use it, and how to dress accordingly.

Every year Mountain Rescue Teams throughout Britain are called out hundreds of times to rescue people that have either had an unfortunate accident that could not have been avoided, or more often than not to help misguided individuls and groups that have ventured out completely unprepared for what they are about to face.
The truth is, that despite the incredible beauty of the hills and mountains they are relentlessly dangerous places to be. From loose rocks and steep narrow paths, to boggy areas that can suck you in, and water hazards that can potentially sweep you away. And that’s not even to mention the drops and edges that are so easy to fall off if you’re not very careful. These are just a few of the many dangers that await any walker, no matter how experienced you are. Even experienced campers can succumb to the creeping death that is hypothermia.

And then there is the greatest danger of all…..ingnorance!
Failing to check the weather before heading out is one of the biggest and most common mistakes, that and underestimating the prevailing conditions, and then failing to prepare for them by not taking the appropriate clothing to cope with the changeable nature of mountain weather.

Lack of food and drink comes high on the list as well, the number of people who manage to return from a hike cold and hungry, or hot and dehydrated because they have failed to adequately consider the requirements of exerting so much energy while hiking with a load, being far too high for reason.

Not adequately understanding the route taken and any hazards along the way, not knowing if there are any bail out points along the route if things don’t go your way, or having a plan in case you get caught in a whitout are all things that can lead to a disastrous outcome if you’re unlucky.

And then there is the guy that started all of this rant, you know, the one that wants to find a tent that will keep him safe and sound in stormy weather at the top of a large hill/mountain during his first wildcamp. He’s the one that overestimates his own abilities and that of his kit, thinking that having the kit is what will keep him alive. All the gear and no idea!!

Kit does not replace wit.

As I said before, you don’t have to be a survival expert to successfully enjoy camping out somewhere remote, but a bit of knowledge goes a long way. Let me give you an example.
A hilleberg tent designed specifically for robust conditions if pitched poorly, or in just the wrong location, can fail and let you down just like any other tent can. However, a cheap £65 tent can easily be adapted to withstand much harsher conditions than it was designed for if you know how to do it, and if you give consideration to where you pitch up.

I’ve seen expensive storm tents collapse in only relatively bad weather because of piss poor pitching, and dirt cheap tents stand up unscathed in 50mph gusts because it was pitched with double guys and additional peg points using tarp clips to attach to the fly.
A little knowledge can go a long way towards keeping you safe.

Again, YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A SURVIVAL EXPERT!!
But you do need to at least have some knowledge of your limitations, abilities, conditions and kit. In short you need common sense. And this applies equally whether you’re an old hand of forty years, or just starting out on your adventures.

Go out, go safe, and enjoy.

Rant over.

The Lindisfarne Trip

I love my camping, I love my camping a lot, no great surprises given that this is my website about camping and all things related, and I get to go on quite a few camping trips because my wife (from here on out referred to as Boudica because she’s definitely Celtic in nature, and because she is my queen), and she allows me the time to go away on these various mini adventures.

Having planned a few dates for this year I thought it was only reasonable
to include Boudica in a few trips as well, the only problem being that she doesn’t like sleeping in the middle of nowhere after walking hard terrain and then eating camp food as much as I do. In fact I’d go as far to say that she really has no interest in it in any way whatsoever. And that’s putting it mildly. So how to include her?
Easy, find somewhere she want’s to go and then book a cottage nearby for a couple of nights. Done!

For the first of what I hope will be many such trips, the Holy island of Lindisfarne was chosen for the reason that it’s a place she has wanted to visit for a very long time, and given that it was her birthday the choice was hers.

We set off on the long drive Friday morning heading north towards Lindisfarne, and just like magic, six and a half hours later we arrived at the cottage we had booked in Belford, a village not far away from our ultimate destination.
There are two pubs in Belford, and by complete accident we happened to choose the one that not only had the best food, but possibly the best beer as well, so having driven for such a long time we filled ourselves with good food and a rather tasty local beer, and once sated we set off back to the cottage for an early night of well deserved rest to get ready for the following days activity.

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne:
The island has a long and fascinating history of occupation and use, but I’m not going to go into much detail about it here, there’s far too much of it to write about in this post. I would recommend a little bit of research about the island though, if you like history, because in terms of British history it is actually quite significant.
Anyway, the day began with travelling across the causeway over to the island, which was an interesting drive as we passed the incredible dune network of The Snook. It’s a huge area of well established large sand dunes covered in Marram grass extending out to the other side of that part of the island.
The road continued on to the village of Lindisfarne itself where we parked up and immediately made our way to a cafe (it was early morning) for a breakfast. Boudica had a vegetarian sausage bap, and I had a kipper roll complete with dripping butter, utterly awesome! After washing them down with a good coffee we headed off to the ruins of the world famous priory.

Being a trained archaeologist I was in hog heaven, loving every moment and examining every aspect of what was left of this magnificent priory. However, this was a place that Boudica had wanted to visit for many years and was probably more exited than I was. As I say, I’m not going to recount it’s history here, there is far too much to do it any kind of justice, and it’s a story that deserves to be read in full, or at least as full as we can given the lack of direct evidence.

Well, after a good look around, and having taken a huge number of pictures we headed out to the Heugh. An outcrop of whitstone upon which the remains of a small fortification and chapel of different periods stand. An interesting spot for sure, but in the distance we could see the intriguing sight of Lindisfarne castle in the distance, sitting atop a rocky prominence and beckoning us onward.

The view of Lindisfarne castle from across the bay

The walk around the bay to the castle was filled with exitement, because as you approach this small but perfectly formed castle you start to appreciate just how beautiful this structure is, and how perfectly positioned it is. It’s definitely not the largest castle in the world, nor is it the oldest, but it has everything you want a castle to have.

In the early twentieth century it was sold to a private owner who had a lot of renovation work carried out, in order to turn it into a private residence. However, all of the work was sympathetically carried out, and despite it being a home (of sorts) it is still very definitely a castle in every sense of the word. For the past seventy years it has been in the hands of the National Trust, so as members of the public we can visit this fantastic place time and time again.
The accompanying garden designed by Gertrude Jeckyll is well worth a look too.

A walk back to the village, and another coffee on arrival, meant that of course we had to visit the Lindisfarne Winery, home of the world famous Lindisfarne mead.
Carrying two bottles of mead and an assortment of other goods we made our way back to the car, unloaded our goodies, and headed back across the causeway to the little cottage we were staying in.
A good meal at a local eatery later and we were ready for bed and a good nights sleep.

Sunday was another day, and another trip to another castle was called for, but this time it was the turn of the mighty Bambugh Castle.
Just a few short miles from both the cottage and Lindisfarne, it was a no brainer to make a day of it at one of the finest castles in the country.

Bambugh Castle:
Once again there is quite simply too much history to satisfactorily go into here, but suffice it to say that the site has been occupied in some form for three thousand years. However, what stands there today is largely a reconstruction of what may have stood there before most of the medieval castle was destroyed during the wars of the roses, and the Keep is the only major structure that remains intact from that period. But there was definitetely a Saxon fortification of major significance on the site that predates the medieval castle, and current archaeological excavations are revealing some of those details. It is also known to be the site of Bebbenburgh, an early saxon kingdom that was the inspiration for the tv series The Last Kingdom.

However, despite the extensive remodelling and reconstruction it remains a stunning place to visit with a lot to see and take in.

Well, after a full day of expoloring Bamburgh castle it was time to head back to the cottage for a well earned pizza, a cuppa, three rounds of Chinese patience with Boudica (who thrashed me soundly 3-0) and a chilled evening relaxing with a glass of wine and a good film.

Unbelievably most of what you see here dates from the victorian period.

All in all it was a great weekend visiting a wonderful part of the country and exploring some of the more significant history of the area, and I got to do it all in the company of queen Boudica, who could possibly ask for more?

Not every trip has to be in a tent.
‘Till next time.

A Relaxing Weekend in Derbyshire

I wanted to have a bit of an easier walk this time, nothing too strenuous or arduous, more of a relaxed easy and chilled out time.
So instead of heading out to my usual hilly spots I decided to go to a place that I hadn’t been to for quite some time, it was a place I was familiar with, having spent several summers in consecutive years camping in the area with my children when they were very young.

The area around Stanton Moor in Derbyshire has a great deal to offer, paths litter the area, and there are several natural features to explore as well as several stone circles. An ideal spot to have a walk, a camp, and to just relax in lovely surroundings.

I began my walk on Saturday morning in the village of Birchover, and headed downhill on a path that lead through some old woodland to the main road where I crossed over and and then headed back uphill. The path took me to the Hermits Cave area and also to Robin Hood’s Stride, both geological formations that stand proud of the surrounding landscape. After spending some time exploring both of these features, chatting to a couple of fellas I met there, a spot of lunch and a brew, I headed back out on a circular walk that brought me full circle back to the path I had started on in Birchover.

After a rather nice refreshing pint of a local brew in The Druid, I headed back uphill to where I had parked to pick up my kit so that I could head back out to find a decent spot to pitch up for the night. It was still fairly early in the afternoon, but that was ok because I wanted to have a bit of an explore of the area and go back to the Nine Ladies stone circle I have visited many times before.

As the afternoon wore on I began pitch hunting in a part of the moor I hadn’t been to before, but unfortunately had no luck, but onwards and upwards as they say. I ended up in some very old, and now overgrown quarries. The area is a labrynth of twists and turns, and sharp drops which are potentially very dangerous if you were to lose your footing. Definitely not an area to walk around in the dark for sure.

However, after some exploration I managed to find what I thought was the perfect spot in the bottom of one of these old quarries to pitch the Lanshan for the night, and settle in before it got too dark. Once pitched the first order of business is always to get a brew on the go while bedding etc gets sorted. Personally I like to get the pitch sorted and ready for sleep asap so that I can relax with a hot cuppa and take in the events of the day, and just enjoy the surroundings.
As the sun started to set hunger made it’s presence known, so I got my dinner on the go and opened the collapsible bottle of red wine I usually bring with me, and poured myself a mug of Nero D’Avola (a nice Sicilian wine) to drink as I watched the light diminish around the campsite.

This is very often my favourite time of any camp, pitching is done, camp is set up, food on the go, and a nice drink of a good red……time to relax and take it all in. Nothing to do but listen to the sounds of the night, and if possible a little bit of stargazing while tuning in to your own thoughts and reflecting on the day just gone.

Most of the time I sleep like a baby when I’m in a tent, after all these years I’m still not sure why, but this was no exception and I felt relaxed and refreshed when I woke in the early hours of Sunday morning.
It’s not unusual for me to wake long before sunrise, probably because I sleep so well, but at 4am ish I woke, took care of morning routine, and got a brew on the go. After watching the sun rise through a cloudy sky with my brew in hand, I had breakfast and then explored a few of the twisting passages between the old quarries in the dim light of dawn.

An interesting area for sure, and one I’m going back to very soon. During my exploration of the area that morning I found several spots for a pitch that are not only a bit further out of the way, but a little prettier than the one I was in as well. I think that this is now one of my favourite spots for a quick gettaway and an easy relaxed camp. An awesome place for sure.

Having geolocated the camp in my navigation apps, I packed up, made sure I had left no trace, and headed out across the moor to where I had parked, and with a great sense of peace I began the journey home, having had exactly what I had wanted from the start.
I intended to have a nice relaxing walk and camp, and that is exactly what I got.

Until next time.

Stress and the Art of Living

Stress….we’ve all experienced it in some form or another at some point in our lives. For some of us it’s a regular thing, for others it may happen only rarely. It can range in intensity from nothing more than something irritating, to a full blown melt down.

It’s pointless trying to go into the causes of stress as there are as many reasons as there people on the planet. We all act and react to different stimuli in different ways, so understanding the cause becomes less important than understanding our reaction to it.

For the most part stress is the result of an uncontrolled emotional reaction to something we find offensive, or to something that we have no control over. And this is where understanding comes into play, along with perception, specifically our perception of what can and can’t be done to either deal with the situation, or to simply accept what is.

How we deal with stress I believe is far more important than the cause of the stress, or the stress itself. Most people will understandibly try to mask the stress by diverting their attention to other things, to try and find something to distract them from whatever is causing the issue. This may work in the short term, and is absolutely fine if the cause is temporary, finding something that will divert the mind is a good thing.

But what if there is a longer term issue at play, what if the short term distraction is not enough, what then?
This is where awareness and understanding come very much to the fore, and are key in finding the best way to deal with it.
As mentioned, stress is a response to unresolved emotional reaction to a given situation of some kind. Therefore, it would seem reasonable to believe that the answer also lies within the realm of emotion and how we not only percieve that emotion, but our response to it.

The Stoic philosophers of ancient Greece and Rome believed that the world is divided into those things that are outside of our control, and those things that are within it. Sounds reasonable so far. But here’s the thing, they also knew that ultimately the only thing we have any real control over is our own perception and reactions. Think of it like this, we cannot control politics, warfare, economics, social media, or even our own bodies. We have no control over the decision to contract a serious illness, breaking a leg, or even whether we get a cold.

However, what we do have control over is our reaction to the emotions we feel and whether we fall into a pity party at having contracted man flu, or the fact that we can’t play football for a few weeks because of the leg. We can also rant and rave about the state of the economy, but no amount of shouting and yelling will do the slightest bit of good because we cannot control or influence it in any way, so why do it? Does it actually help in any way? will it reduce our anxiety levels? or does it release the frustration we might be feeling at the stupidity of those in charge? I would suggest not. So I ask again, why do it?

I would suggest to you that It’s because we do believe it will make a difference, we believe that at the very least venting our spleen as it were, will at the very least make us feel better for having gotten it out of our system.
And there it is! The key. The answer of how to deal with stress.
It lies in how we feel and respond to the things that create an emotional reaction. But there is a better way to do it than ranting and raving, that only serves at best to place a temporary patch over it. The real answer is find a way to change not only our perception of stressful stimuli, but also how we respond to it.

To do this we must first truly understand the difference between external and internal influence, which in turn teaches us what we have control over, and what we do not.
For any situation that can cause stress we must ask ourselves one question, does this thing lie within our control? Can we influence it any meaningful way? If the answer is no then it must lie within the only thing we can control. Our own mind and our own perceptions.

As futile and powerless as this might sound, it’s actually quite the opposite. Once you get to grips with the concept it’s actually quite liberating to only be responsible for your own emotional response.

Consider this: It is our response and reaction that actually determines whether something is a cause of stress or not. For example, if we get angry at an insult, raise our voice and become involved in an arguement, then stress will ensue. However, we can choose to react differently, to see the insult for what it probably was, a bad day on the part of another, and even if it was meant as a personal slur we can choose not to react badly and potentially escalate the situation. If we do this then very often it’s possible to find a better way to deal with the issue.
Although our emotional response is an almost autonomic one, we have the power to determine how we react and respond to those emotions.

If we learn, and then practice how to do this at every available opportunity, then the world of stress inducing situations becomes far smaller, and the number of genuine stressful situations become far fewer.
Of course this is a lot easier to say than it is to do, but with consistent practice eventually you will find that the incidents that used to cause you stress are no longer of any great concern and can be dealt with far more efficiently.

I know very well that this is a cursory and limited look at the cause of stress and how to deal with it, but hopefully, if you’re inclined, then it may point the way to further study and therefore a long term solution to a better way of life.

“You shouldn’t give circumstances the power to rouse anger, for they don’t care at all” – Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 7,38

Tents

OK, this one is really for the complete novice more than anyone else, but the more experienced out there might find one or two points that might be new to them, or of interest in some small way.

I’m going to talk today about tents. Yes that’s right, tents. Why? when there are so many reviews on YouTube for just about avery tent available in todays market. It’s possible to do a quick search on YT and you’ll probably find the exact tent you’re considering buying. But I think that’s the problem isn’t it? They’re all reviews, which is fine if you’ve decided on a few tents that you think you like and might be suitable for you as a six foot six tall man with a dog and some extra kit that want to cook in a vestibule etc etc.

However, reviews in and of themselves do nothing to actually inform you of the nature of the different tent types out there and their suitablility for different occasions and uses.
Whats missing in my opinion is a basic run down of what makes a tent a good tent, and good depends entirely on it’s suitability to your own specific requirements.

THE BASICS:
Essentially a tent is a temporary structure made from fabric and supported with some form of pole.
In very basic terms thats it!

What makes the difference is how that structure is achieved, and the materials used.
Lets assume that the tents talked about here are manufactured to a decent level of quality suitable for its intended use.

In tems of structure there are several different types. There’s the old fashioned ridge tent, there’s dome tents, tunnel tents, semi geodesic and geodesic tents, and now trekking pole tents, all with their own strengths and weaknesses.

There are not too many pure ridge tents on the market these days so it seems a little redundant to go into too much detail, other than to say that they were the perennial favourite for many years because of the simplicity of design and relatively good stability in harsh conditions. But more about this later. Most tents of this type were made from canvas material and were therefore usually quite heavy and bulky, and as soon as new tech and materials allowed for inexpensive mass production they were quickly replaced by the rising star of the dome tent.

Dome tents usually have a pretty square footprint due to the nature of how the two poles cross diagonally from corner to corner and lift the outer to form a square dome (hence the name). These tents are reasonably stable in moderate wind, but as a general rule of thumb they’re not used in strong winds as they have a tendency to fold when pushed too far.
But as an addendum to this, there are now dome tents available that use three poles to produce a hexagonal footprint. This produces a much more stable tent than the standard two pole original.

Tunnel tents are just that, a tunnel formed by the poles effectively creating a hoop which holds the outer in its shape. Depending on the exact nature of the individual design, most one or two man tunnel tents will use two poles, but this can vary between one and three poles.

Semi geodesic tents on the other hand are considered to be vastly more stable in strong winds than a dome style tent despite still having the same basic design. These tents usually have a more rectangular footprint with the poles still crossing diagonally corner to but with an added pole at one end crossing side to side. This extra pole adds a huge amount of extra stability as it shores the basic structure.
A geodesic tent simply adds another pole at the other end further increasing the strength of the structure.

Trekking pole tents are fairly new addition to the mass market, and as the name suggests they use the trekking poles as the main support for the structure and simply guyed out at the base of the flysheet, with perhaps a couple of guy lines to give extra stability. These tents can come in several forms, from a pyramid shape created by using a single pole, to a ridge tent shape using two poles, and even an off centre ridge tent with an unusual staggered layout. These tents can be surprisingly stable in poor conditions if pitched well.

This is of course a very basic description of the main types of tent available on the mainstream market, and does not in any way take into account individual manufacturers specific design ‘tweaks’ etc. all of which can have a substantial effect on its performance.

Remember, this is a basic guide for the un-initiated, so all you tent officianados out there stay calm and please try not to have an aneurysm. I’m fully aware of how personal and sensitive this subject can be for some, and this is just my own personal take on it.

So if you’re new to the whole camping thing and you’re looking for your first tent, how do you choose which one to buy? Well that depends entirely upon it’s intended use. Campsites, or wildcamping, summer only or all seasons, high in the hills or woodland, long hikes or not far from the car. All of these things (and many others) will play a part in the decision making process, and as overwhelming as it may look, it’s really not as bad as it seems.

As long as you avoid buying a low end bottom of the range cheap as chips tent, then to be perfectly honest you’ll be fine in most circumstances that you’ll encounter in the Great British environment outside of winter.
I wouldnt recommend going out in winter if you’re just starting out as there are many other considerations to take into account other than just having a stable weatherproof tent.

There are other posts here that deal with staying warm at night and what kind of kit is available to do so.

My best advice on the subject of tents is to follow a couple of basic rules.

Firstly, choose a suitable location to pitch, try not to go for the most exposed and windiest spot, look for something that might give even just a little shelter from the wind. The lee of a hill, downwind of some trees, near a wall or hedgerow depending on where you are etc. This can help more than you think.
Secondly, learn how to pitch your particular tent properly first, and then figure out how to adapt or modify the pitch according to prevailing conditions. For example, don’t pitch your tunnel tent side on to wind, it will not fare as well as pitching it pointing into the wind. Also, moving your guylines around to give the best resistance to wind will help enourmously.

Having the best tent on the market is not nearly as important as having the knowledge of how best to use and make the most of what you have.

Basically choose the tent that suits you best in terms of space, ease of pitching, weight, headroom etc. and pitch it wisely. Then enjoy using it!