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Edinburgh
Kenmore and Loch Tay
Before sunrise Loch Tay from Kenmore Resort
Aberfeldy
Wade’s Bridge, Aberfeldy
Craigellachie National Nature Reserve
Loch Morlich
Frozen right across – the temperature was -5c as I was taking these photos.
Some more photos from my recent trip to Scotland Read More »
I have been working all day at Jeremy’s flat on his laptop. Last week, one of our suppliers failed to complete their part of a project on time, so I had to complete the Octagon part today. We will deliver the work to the client on schedule. It took all day as I also had to write a manual as I went along, so Jeremy did my shopping and provided lunch and dinner. But I did get the job done.
When I got back to the campsite, I knew rain was on the way, I’d driven through it, so I quickly settled into my tent.
It is now gently raining on the tent and time for some tea and a book.
I have been tweaking my lightweight backpacking cooking kit.
I have replaced my Alpkit Kraku stove with the latest version. I bought one of the original models when they were released in December 2013 and it has done excellent service, but the o-ring seal became unreliable in September last year. Alpkit sent me some replacement rings but they kept failing – the latest design has a higher valve assembly and a different type of o-ring. So it was time for a new stove.
I have changed my tea-towel for a lightweight pack towel, replaced the battered homemade windshield for another homemade windshield and found an even lighter lid to use as a chopping board.
Updated website image Read More »
Sunday
Walking out form the campsite.
A murder of crows
Hill Fort and Settlement
Monday
Tuesday
After the snow I went into a snowless Edinburgh.
Wednesday
Lauder Common
Because of an afternoon conference call for a client, I only had time for a short morning walk.
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There was a convenient bench up in the hills for a tea break.
I had packed my titanium meths stove for this trip – my Alpkit gas stove o-ring seal has been giving me some problems. It was completely still, when I came to make some tea later in the evening, so I sat at the picnic table and brewed up.
Thursday
Lauder
And a “VR”.
I spent a showery afternoon, in the car, drinking tea and watching videos on my iPhone.
Friday – on the way to Lincoln!
Jedburgh Abbey
A68 South of the Border
Photos from my trip to Scotland Read More »
Lauder Campsite – April snow
I woke during the night to hear the patter of snow on my tent, but as I was warm in my goose down sleeping bag, I went back to sleep.
I woke up again at about 5am, made some coffee and shot this view from my tent, whilst still warm in my sleeping bag.
The view from my tent at 5am – hot coffee in hand Read More »
I am off to Scotland tomorrow, camping. As I am dropping Jeremy off at Herriot Watt University, on the way, I need some extra luggage room for the MX-5. So my tent, food, sleeping gear and a few other bits of gear are going into the 50l Boot Bag.
Packed – MX-5 Boot Bag Read More »
Time to try out some new backpacking cookware.
Having spent the morning working on Octagon time sheets, spread sheets and presentations, I headed off at lunch time for a walk across the Lincolnshire fields.
A couple of weeks back, I bought an Alpkit MytiPot 900 and thought I would give it a try out today. I packed a homemade ready meal (fresh pasta, homemade Italian tomato sauce with mushrooms), and my lightweight Alpkit cooking gear.
The walk was grey, wet, cold and muddy underfoot but it was away from my laptop. I took my mind off the weather with “The Girl who Played with Fire” audiobook on my iPod.
In a small wood near the village I found a fallen tree that made a good seat for lunch. I boiled the water for my coffee in the titanium mug first, then heated the pasta in the Alpkit MytiPot, stirring it well.
I carried the backpacking cookware in a Finnish gas mask bag
Titanium backpacking cookware is excellent if all you consider is the weight and strength. The problems come with the cost and cooking in a thin walled pot. Alpkit helps with the cost – their prices are lower than other suppliers and they have a comprehensive selection of backpacking cookware.
My top tip if you use your titanium backpacking cookware for more than just boiling water, is stir the food well… very well. The titanium conducts the heat efficiently, but hot spots easily form and then the food burns. I stirred my lunch constantly and moved the pot over the burner and still some food caught. You can see the results below, not a disaster, but if I had stopped stirring things could have gone very badly. If it burns too much is may also spoil the food.
Backpacking cookware – walking in the cold and rain – and lunch @Alpkit Read More »