We approached the gate tentatively, the large, snarling, barking yellow dog ensured that we weren’t going to go through it, and called through the open kitchen door to a woman washing the dishes. The barking of the yellow hound kicked off a ruckus of noise from a kennel block behind...
What seems to becoming an annual ritual is about to kick off in a few minutes – just enough time to pen this “Out of Office” for anyone interested. Tex Gore and I are off to Wales for a 3 day wander around the Arenigs – as soon as he...
I have always ummed and ahhed about taking deodorant with me when I backpack – it seems like such a luxury and I’d rather use the weight for something more luxurious to be quite honest – like a nice Scotch in a little hip flask for example. And let’s face...
I’ve spent a couple of hours with Tex this evening, bashing out routes and counter routes, options and alternatives until we finally agreed on what looks like an excellent, albeit quite tough itinerary for our first backpacking weekend. Day 1 runs from the little car park at Hawes End, just...
Tex and I both have permission from our spouses to go wandering all weekend, so we’re off to the Lakes (probably) for an overnight backpacking trip. It will be the first I’ve done since May and the first Tex has done since leaving the Cubs 🙂 Choice, as usual, is...
I write this lying in my tent on my first wild camp. Its currently 7.33pm on Thursday 5th April and I couldn’t have asked for better weather to lose my camping cherry with, the sun has shone on me all afternoon and the wind has been fairly mild. I have...
No, thats not a punctuation error in the title of this entry, its a pun, which you may spot if you read on a bit further. My kit list is looking remarkably complete, albeit virtually. I have kit on back order that still hasn’t been delivered, which is very frustrating,...
I am heartily sick of looking for a rucksack now, I am in danger of just saying “bollocks to it” and buying the next one I see. But I have steeled myself to the task in hand and will not waver in the face of overwhelming odds 🙂 My shortlist...
Selecting my sleeping bag was probably one of the easier kit selections I had to make for this backpacking equipment. It certainly had the shortest shortlist in my notebook. I decided quite early on that I wasn’t going to be able to afford a good down bag and besides, I...
With a target weight of 7.5Kg and a budget of £500, the key word that springs to mind is compromise. In general terms, the lighter the piece of kit, the more expensive it becomes. Therefore the trick is to get the balance right, as lightweight as you can possibly afford....
