Welcome to my website all about the outdoors. The idea is to create a site that balances gear talk/reviews with trip reports and more general discussion of outdoor activities in the UK and abroad (if the chance arises). I’m unashamedly hooked on all things gadgety, so I’m sure there will be a bias, at least to start with, on gear and tech. All those gadgets and gizmos certainly increase my enjoyment of camping, however I find that when I’m out walking the technology tends to fade into the background, which is how it should be.
Early Experiences
My first adventures were with the Duke of Edinburgh’s award in my early teens, and whilst DofE increased my love for the outdoors, it definitely dissuaded me from multi-day trips. Our group were the stereotypical bunch of kids carrying massive rucksacks with everything including the kitchen sink in them; foam mats tied to the outside (mine got shredded by a thorny tree on my Bronze practice), tents that weighed half a ton, and Trangias with enough meths for about 2 weeks – we were a sight to behold. If that was what multi-day hiking was like, then it wasn’t for me. I’ve no idea why our instructors didn’t suggest a lighter approach. Perhaps they did in one way or another, but we just didn’t understand (or listen). Perhaps that’s just how ‘things were done’ back then – and “then” wasn’t even that long ago! By our Gold expedition we’d lightened the load considerably, but it was still uncomfortably heavy (mostly due to my 16 year old palate not coping well with dehydrated food, so taking 5 days worth of Wayfarer meals). All this rather put me off, and it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I discovered the world of lightweight camping. (I’m sure there was lighter gear around when we were doing DofE, so I assume it’s a combination of continued innovation on the part of manufacturers and my increased liquidity since gaining an income.)
Back in the Saddle
For the last year or so I’ve been venturing back out into the wilds of the Lakes and Snowdonia, and I’ve enjoyed every minute. As I’ve grown in experience and confidence I’ve ventured further afield, and new lightweight gear has enabled me to go further and stay out longer. Wild camping is the next challenge on the list and I’m sure it will be a steep learning curve, but practice makes perfect, and I now savour the thought of getting out and about for a few days’ exploring without having to plan trips around particular campsites.