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As we settle comfortably into autumn, I wistfully think back to Canadian wilderness adventures, and camping.
So I pulled this picture up (NOT mine! Lifted from Google images somewhere), of someone camping in a provincial park that I, myself, used to frequent. It depicts a fairly typical scene from the Canadian Shield (Boreal Forest), in that you get the almost melancholic spruce trees, the sculpted rock, and the reflective waters.
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And now that I have shown you one, it's your turn. 8)
In Glen Affric, before I'd even heard of "bikepacking"
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3029/2845611376_4baa3c9907_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3029/2845611376_4baa3c9907_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/5ksv87 ]Camp spot, Glen Affric[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/druidh2000/ ]Colin Cadden[/url], on Flickr
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Norway
Doesn't look like any campsite I've ever stayed in unfortunately!
Norway, only place flat that was not covered in water.
[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2341/2237469108_ee95d90021_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2341/2237469108_ee95d90021_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/4pHBBA ]Prekestolen[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/83246699@N00/ ]msh_sco[/url], on Flickr
Mt Rainier
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3218/5870770595_28c469c53f_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3218/5870770595_28c469c53f_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/9WMeyF ]flats camp[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/83246699@N00/ ]msh_sco[/url], on Flickr
Choy oyu base camp. Well as near s we could work out that it was
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8084/8340185782_f56f3853cb_h.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8084/8340185782_f56f3853cb_h.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/dGZCEA ]Sue at Cho Oyo base camp[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/john_clinch/ ]John Clinch[/url], on Flickr
Along time ago now
[url= https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6203/6073846838_81212650b3_b.jpg [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/afJ44d ]DSC_0087.jpg" target="_blank">https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6203/6073846838_81212650b3_b.jpg [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/afJ44d ]DSC_0087.jpg"/> [/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/john_clinch/ ]John Clinch[/url], on Flickr
A more recent one at Englands best campsite.I actually got told of for trolling at work the other day for trolling. So yes its meant to be a contoversial statement
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Some sweet camping spots there, I'm looking forward to a camp next week, not decided where yet. This one was on our last trip.
arrghhh can people put where these are taken please... 😀
Sorry, mine was on a small loch connected to Loch Veyatie at the end of the portage from Loch Scionasaig.
Loch Rannoch south side, a few years ago.
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Saxonrider - amazing looks almost identical to the spot I camped at in Finland the other week. The lake was bigger, so no shot from the same angle, but I did a double take it's so similar!
Repovesi National Park.
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Greenland
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Wait....did someone say camping?? 🙂
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Grizedale tarn at the w/e.
Awesome riding doing the Lakeland 200.
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not sure why the image is not displaying - https://goo.gl/photos/bBP8tAfd9eouAyg38
double post. so here's another instead
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Bill, It's not keen on letting you share it, is it? 🙂
Free site on the Danish west coast, part of the North Sea cycle route
[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2573/3912130443_1fc1f736c4_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2573/3912130443_1fc1f736c4_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/6XGG5T ]cycletrip 045[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/83246699@N00/ ]msh_sco[/url], on Flickr
Hill of Stakes
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/102/272402617_86821c200a_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/102/272402617_86821c200a_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/q58NR ]Billede 060[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/83246699@N00/ ]msh_sco[/url], on Flickr
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Beinn Alligin and Baosbheinn, Torridon.
[img][url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8768/17550415572_ba4369f209_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8768/17550415572_ba4369f209_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/sJSt6W ]Loch Dubh from Sron nan Laogh 9th May 2015[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/31623992@N05/ ]paul.newman4279[/url], on Flickr[/img][img][url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7678/17550338612_d81f2ecdfb_c.jp g" target="_blank">
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7678/17550338612_d81f2ecdfb_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/sJS5e3 ]Early morning sun on Loch Dubh 9th May 2015[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/31623992@N05/ ]paul.newman4279[/url], on Flickr[/img]
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Gokyo lake, Everest region.
Some stunning images there.....
Peterfile - love the first photo!
Cheers Elshalimo, I do post it pretty regularly on here though (mainly because it reminds of of a wonderful night!).
It's Beinn a Chrulaiste, looking on to the Buachaille (but you probably worked that out already!).
Got up for around 4pm. Slightly unsettled weather, wasn't looking good. Tent pitched quickly as the wind was picking up. Wind got quite bad from around 8pm to 1am (it felt like much, much longer).
Then at 1am....nothing. Absolutely nothing. Perfect silence in the tent. Opened the door and it was just amazing. Clear skies and able to see for miles in every direction thanks to a good moon.
It was stupidly cold though (you can see that the tent is completely frozen in the pic above).
I took this one of mrs PF sleeping. Such a bizarre situation - middle of winter, on top of mountain, her sleeping peacefully sheltered only by a sleeping bag and a couple of mm of tent fabric 🙂
The isolation on nights like that is mind blowing (in a good way), it feels otherworldly.
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Some crackers there Peterfile!
I think we have the same tent too- is that a Lightwave T2 in some of them?
Aye, it's the T2 Ultra mrsalmon (super light version of the T2, only 2kg).
It's 4 season and we use it as such, but due to design it's obviously not first choice for pitching on deep snow/ice/rock.
Cracking tent though, we love it, but you can't beat the Quasar for when things get a bit hairy.
Obligatory stw woodburning stove...
*take note of my large chopper
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Bivy trip a few weeks ago.
[img][url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5688/22005232038_9b4b225a42_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5688/22005232038_9b4b225a42_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/zwwyQo ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/126516346@N08/ ]Phillip Dalton[/url], on Flickr[/img]
[img][url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/703/21570236704_8e0d171da4_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/703/21570236704_8e0d171da4_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/yS66SQ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/126516346@N08/ ]Phillip Dalton[/url], on Flickr[/img]
And we have camping in the garden
[img][url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5727/21441861890_f44dba9390_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5727/21441861890_f44dba9390_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/yEK9vY ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/126516346@N08/ ]Phillip Dalton[/url], on Flickr[/img]
Loving the back garden shot sandwicheater, it's where it all begins 🙂
I couldn't decide if it was Beinn a Chrulaiste or above the Devil's Staircase
It's a great photo, I love the frost on the flysheet and the ethereal feel to it. It's a kind of "if you blink, it'll be dark again and you'll miss it" moment.
And one from my last "bivvy" trip
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Findhorn Beach
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3034/2944728205_81f05c86f6_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3034/2944728205_81f05c86f6_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Islay - fat bike distillery tour
[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5481/14390721251_996491c20b_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5481/14390721251_996491c20b_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/nVEd4D ]Islay-Fat-Bike-31[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/99percentchimp/ ]99percentchimp[/url], on Flickr
first bike bivvy
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3873/14622396775_5df070bca6_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3873/14622396775_5df070bca6_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/oh8B8e ]Strike-Bivi-2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/99percentchimp/ ]99percentchimp[/url], on Flickr
So much win on this page.
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8100/8622025001_b61ba10368_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8100/8622025001_b61ba10368_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/e8U8Dt ]P1050486[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/druidh2000/ ]Colin Cadden[/url], on Flickr
Glen Ogle
Great, all of them.
What are these tent things?
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7729/18057277678_c88a80e634_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7729/18057277678_c88a80e634_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/tvEgxL ]Testing out Cae Du[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/19705521@N00/ ]DaveyBoyWonder[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5729/20162769324_561a359c61_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5729/20162769324_561a359c61_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/wHHsRS ]Marlborough camping[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/19705521@N00/ ]DaveyBoyWonder[/url], on Flickr
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Some of these look absolutely idyllic, then I cross reference this with the midges thread, shudder, and stick to enjoying them in 2d only.
I'm enjoying this thread! Great pics! Here's a couple from Norway:
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and a couple from Canada
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Bivvi done properly.
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8138128117_4185a14d29_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8138128117_4185a14d29_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/dp92XK ]Canoe river Spey[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr
Bivvi done properly.
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8138128117_4185a14d29_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8138128117_4185a14d29_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/dp92XK ]Canoe river Spey[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr
Work.The majority of my camps for the last 20 years, so few pics.
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/128/328499851_7ced9c1547_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/128/328499851_7ced9c1547_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/v2Dyx ]walesmay06008[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr
These really are awesome guys! 🙂
Some of these look absolutely idyllic, then I cross reference this with the midges thread, shudder, and stick to enjoying them in 2d only.
One word....winter.
There is a bit of an initial outlay for getting reasonably good kit, but once you've got a decent tent, bag and mat, you open up a whole new side to this fair island. For us, once we had a decent "system" going, the whole experience went for being a bit of a pain to being easy and exciting. I'm not a fan of camping in summer.
No midges, very few people, incredible scenery...it opens up things that you wouldn't normally get to experience.
It's not without its challenges, but it's worth it (most of the time!). Extremely satisfying in more senses than you'd think.
Coldest 24 hours of last winter...trying to make coffee at 8am. Constantly trying to keep the stove clear and hide from the debilitating wind, still bleary eyed, but genuinely the best cup of coffee you'll ever taste.
We had 2 bottles on mulled wine on the stove the night before while wrapped in the bags and staring out over moonlit mountainscapes and countless stars. It's the little things 🙂
Waking up places like that when you probably shouldn't be there...it's addictive.
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Massively impressed with some of these.
Just makes me impatient for my 3 month old to be able to come with me on trips.
fail
What sleeping mats are you using for the winter camping?
Exped Synmat.
Almost bought the Downmat, but there was only a difference of 1 in R value, same weight...but the Synmat was much cheaper and IMO more robust to the occasional blowing up by mouth if needed. Plus we use the mats in summer too and the slightly lower R value is appreciated on warm nights.
I camp on snow and frozen ground a lot and never had a cold back.
To date, the best money we've spent on outdoor kit. I've gone from restlessness and being fairly uncomfortable to being really comfortable and sleeping well. That's about the best money you can spend on camping kit!
The exped down mat is fantastic. Nothing better than if you have to get up for a pee. When you get back in the mat is still warm.
Love these camping shots. Especially the winter ones. Usually find packing for winter a real struggle. Once i have a winter bag, winter tent and mat in the rucksack I pretty much have no room for anything else. How are you guys getting this stuff up the mountain?
For proper wild winter camping / bivi I still use a winter rated closed cell foam mat. Everything else 3/4 thermarest / fat-airic
How are you guys getting this stuff up the mountain?
Bigger rucsac.
Loving this thread. Don't get to camp as often as I like but I've a weekend free over Halloween so planning on going out either in the Peak or (hopefully) the Lakes.
Overlooking Snowdon a few years back:
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8436/7768624328_0c117b0ce2_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8436/7768624328_0c117b0ce2_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/cQuemL ]IMG_0177[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/willslater/ ]Will Slater[/url], on Flickr
How are you guys getting this stuff up the mountain?
often with some protest 🙂
Between two:
4.5kg tent
2.8kg sleeping bags
1.5kg mats
0.7kg wine
4kg packs
2kg water
1kg food
0.7kg stove, pot and fuel
0.5kg camera stuff
2kg other stuff (mostly hers!)
19.7kg - about 10kg each.
We could lighten the load quite a bit (and often do for longer/higher routes), but winter can be very uncomfortable if you sacrifice too many "nice to haves".
We're there because we want to be, not because we have to be, so nice things are non negotiable 🙂
If I'm on a winter climbing trip my camping kit gets stripped right back to bare essentials because I've got a ton of extra stuff to factor in.
Off for a on/off road bivi adventure this weekend, hopefully something like these:
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I see all your lightweight setups and raise you.
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tHe mothership, About 50kg dry, about 100kg wet. Masses of space for when the weather isn't great. Could probably sleep about 12 with room to spare.
Thankyou. I need to get the scales out.
Me on top of Suiliven. It was freezing 😀
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It was also about 11pm in mid June. The midges were kept away by the howling gale coming in off the sea.
arrghhh can people put where these are taken please...
My previous were Red Tarn, Helvellyn and disaster in my Sister's £50 Argos tent lower Styhead Gill, Seathwaite.
on the banks of Grenz Glacier, Gornergrat, nr Zermatt (Saunders tent, which was brilliant lightweight 2 man, don't think they exist anymore?)
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