lightweight walking – Page 8

Walking to Woodhall Spa from Coningsby pt1

14 April 2012 / Backpacking, Camping, Lincolnshire, Outdoor Gear, Photography, Technology, Walking / backpacking, backpacking gear, Golite Jam 2, iPhone, iPhone camera apps, iPhone photography, lightweight camping, lightweight walking, outdoor gear, walking

This weekend I have a short walk planned with a couple of friends – it is a gear try out before we go wild camping next month.

Following the trip a couple of week ago, I spent last night making a better job of packing my rucksack and I have got my sleeping mat packed inside the Golite Jam, rather than hanging on the outside. The new compression sack and making a better job of fold/rolling my tent made this possible.

I have a new bit of gear for this weekend. Diana bought me a case to protect my iPhone from the elements as the Watatait Case failed on me whilst away in Scotland in January. I contacted Haglofs, who took the faulty case back and then quickly replaced it – however they did not have my model in stock and so supplied me with a larger pouch which does not have the transparent back panel so I cannot use the camera whilst in the case. However it is a good waterproof case and I will find a use for it in the future.

The new case is less “hi-tech” than the previous cases I have used, but it is lighter and smaller. It has a velcro roll top and a padded interior to give a little more protection to the iPhone and has that vital transparent back so I can use the camera in the rain. However, contrary to the instructions I do not think it is 100% waterproof – but 100% weather proof – I would not submerse this case but I would carry it in my pocket and use it in the rain.

I added the paracord and cord grip for security.

Walking to Woodhall Spa from Coningsby pt1 Read More »

Camping Trip pt2

1 April 2012 / Backpacking, Camping, Lincolnshire, Photography, Walking / coffee, iPhone camera apps, lightweight camping, lightweight walking, MSR titanium mug, outdoor gear, tea

It was a reasonably cold night – which was a good test for my new sleeping bag. It kept me warm but I was glad I brought my long sleeved under shirt and long johns with me to sleep in.

When I woke up it was bright and clear – and ideal for having tea in bed.

Preparing breakfast, with my titanium mug with lid and the coffee maker – it is a plastic tea strainer from Asda into which I pack the ground coffee and then pour hot water through. I have to take some care not to pour the water in too quickly compared to a commercial unit. However this coffee maker weighs only grams and cost me less than 20p.

I left the campsite at about 10.30am – but due to work commitments I can only walk for about 3 hours today, so the plan is to get to Southrey via the Viking Way.

This image is for those people who are asking why I use Pro HDR so much? It is an unprocessed shot taken with Camera+.

lunch – small brew kit and titanium mug with lid

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Camping Trip

31 March 2012 / Backpacking, Camping, Lincolnshire, Outdoor Gear, Photography, Travel, Walking / coffee, England, lightweight camping, lightweight walking, MSR titanium mug, outdoor gear, tea

Today is grey and overcast – having had a week of going to work in the brilliant sunshine! Jeremy had great weather for his trip to the Peak District on Thursday and Friday.

I started off from Fiskerton footbridge at about 8.30am and followed the Viking Way across the Witham and up across the fields.

The path goes through the grounds of the ruins of Barlings Abbey – where a local farmer is grazing a herd of cows with very sharp looking horns.

Just past the abbey was another herd of slightly less fierce looking cows – who lined up for a photo.

At about 10am I found a convenient log to sit on to have a break, coffee and half a bag of cashew nuts. Sitting quietly there was a lot of varied bird song around me and I saw some grey squirrels and rabbits.

I followed the Viking Way to Bardney..

On leaving Bardney I changed onto the Water Rail Way. Mainly I changed paths as there are a number of seats along the river suitable for a lunch stop. The table I found had a metal SusTrans logo set in it an ideal place to set up my stove.

I got to the campsite at about 5.30pm – there had been a few spots of rain during the day, but not enough to get my waterproof out, and there were occasional sunny spells but mainly it was a grey cold day. I had a similar pitch as before next to the pond and between the trees. I was glad to get the tent up and my pack emptied so I could get a hot drink made. My little tent is very cosy when I have a hot mug of tea, the mesh door down and the fly sheet open, so I can see out (I had also bought a bar of chocolate at the reception to have with the tea).

I did not start cooking my evening meal until about 7.30pm, which gave me an opportunity to photograph my stove burning, where the meths flames can be seen.

this is my titanium mug with the lid, that was made for me by The Little Frog Group, standing on a vented stand that they also made (there is a link in the side bar to their website)./em>

This is a better shot of the vented ring that holds the mug away from the burner, so it works more efficiently and allows for the heat to get under the mug.

I am going to send both of these photos along to Mark at the Little Frog Group so he can see his work in action.

Camping Trip Read More »

“Clik Clak” Stove

5 February 2012 / Camping, Outdoor Gear, Walking / Crusader Cook Set, Crusader Mug, lightweight walking, outdoor gear

I have been using the meths burner from my Vargo Triad stove with my Crusader stove. They work well in this combination and it allows me to use cleaner meths fuel with the Crusader unit. I’d like to have a meths burner permanently stored in the Crusader case and was planning to make a drink can stove – but whilst walking last week I had an idea for an alternative meths burner.

A while back we had been given a small tin of mints as a business freebie and I thought it might make a good burner.

The lid design gives holes for the meths vapour to get out of the tin.

Time to experiment.

I filled the Clik Clak tin to just under the rolled lip – the tin is not as big as the Triad burner so I wanted to maximise the burn time – and then carefully clicked the lid on.

I put the tin and the primer meths (about 3mm deep) into the Crusader Stove fuel bowl, lit it, and put 250ml of water on to heat in the Crusader Mug with my metal lid.

It did work, the water just reached the rolling boil before the fuel ran out. The next test is to try it outdoors, rather than in the still air conditions indoors.

For my latest lightweight cooking gear set up – click here.

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Pennine Way Route – .gpx

7 January 2012 / Backpacking, Outdoor Gear, Technology, Walking / backpacking, Edale, GPS, IT Support for Lincolnshire, Kirk Yetholm, lightweight backpacking, lightweight walking, Memory-Map, navigation, Octagon Technology, Pennine Way, technology, walking

Pennine Way Route

Pennine Way Route gpx file is available on the Downloads page. This route was created using Memory Map on my laptop and then used in the field on my smartphone – read more about my backpacking tech here.

This English National Trail connects Edale to Kirk Yetholm crossing the backbone of the country, passing through a number of National Parks. Near Keld it also crosses Wainwright’s Coast to Coast path.

Fifty Years of the Pennine Way

Free Downloads

I have a selection routes, in GPX format and a lightweight backpacking gear list spread sheet available for free download – see here.

Loading gpx Files into Memory Map on the iPhone

Read my article – here – on how I keep my Memory Map files in Microsoft OneDrive so they are available on my iPhone.

This article is sponsored by Octagon Technology – suppliers of hosted secure email compatible with CJSM Secure eMail – Criminal Justice Secure eMail

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Walking to Woodhall Spa – Day Two

11 September 2011 / Camping, Outdoor Gear, Photography, Travel, Walking / Camping and Caravan Club, coffee, Golite Jam 2, iPhone photography, lightweight camping, lightweight walking, outdoor gear, walking, Woodhall Spa

The weather was good when I was packing up – which was lucky as packing the new Golite Jam 2, did not go as easily as it did when I packed it at home. I had put the tent in the large outside pocket but this was a mistake as that pocket has to be packed before the main bag. Both pockets share the same volume – packing the main pocket reduces the size of the outside pocket. This means the tent needs to be packed first – when actually, when packing up, it is the last thing to go in the bag. This morning, I simply piled my gear up on a small tarp I had with me, took the tent down and then packed, but it was dry and sunny. So I need a new packing plan.

I ended up meeting both Richards in Bardney – one had had walked there from Lincoln city centre the other drove – and we went for coffee. So that was the end of the walking, we got a lift home.

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At the Campsite

11 September 2011 / Camping, Outdoor Gear, Photography, Travel, Walking / Camping and Caravan Club, iPhone photography, lightweight camping, lightweight walking, outdoor gear, tea, walking, Woodhall Spa

I camped in the same spot as I did a couple of months back – but with no ducks.

I have added a wing nut handle to my mug lid – it has proved to awkward to lift the lid off with my Leatherman. The wing nut arrangement means the handle can come off for packing, with the wing nut being stored in the same neoprene case I keep my milk powder, tea bags and lighter in.

To save washing up I made my instant custard in the packet, using the mug only to hold it in and to save burning my hands as I ate it.

I really like Indian tea, but I like it with plenty of milk in (or better still made with condensed milk) – this means it uses a lot of my limited store of dried milk. Yesterday one of my clients gave me some milk sticks, for use this walk but they have all ended up in the same drink. I make the tea the all in way, milk, cold water, Indian tea bag and two brown sugars all in the mug and bring to the boil – then I take half the tea out to drink top up with more cold water and bring back to the boil. Excellent. However this adds to my washing up as the titanium mug/kettle is a mess when finished and it gets worse if it boils over as it did during my Scotish trip last month.

This morning the weather is fine – with a nice sunrise right into my tent as I make some tea.

The bad weather did not materialise here, infect when I woke up there was no wind at all and my tent was perfectly still. However I have asked Diana to check the TV weather and call me.

Breakfast is simple here this morning, plenty of tea and granola bars – many walkers have bars for breakfast so I thought I would try it today.

At the Campsite Read More »