Saturday, 30 June 2012

Is... Is that a Gelert Solo?!

Why I Own A Gelert Solo + My New Footprint Design

If you have read my last wild camp (here) you will know that two of my mates took Gelert Solo's, the conditions were terrible - strong winds/hail/heavy snow, but both tents stood up to the challenge. For £30 you are protected from the elements. That's all I need (especially since I don't have enough money to waste on a fancier tent). Which is why I am the owner of a Gelert Solo. 


There are a few downsides to this bargain tent, the main one being space, which is why I made a footprint (to the right). It's basically the shape of the inner, only larger, with an elongated area left at the entrance, this serves a few purposes. When it's dry, I am are able to sit on it; to cook, take my boots off and do anything else that I am unable to do once in the small bivvy like tent, the eyelets allow the sheet to be pegged down in slightly windy scenarios. 


Sunday, 24 June 2012

Ingleborough: First Wild Camp

Camping in 'The heaviest April snowfall in Yorkshire for 30 years'
April 2nd to April 4th

This is only a brief summary of my two night stay, mainly because it was a few months ago... But I'm trying to record all my wild camping trips on this blog, so I am able to look back through them in the future.


Photograph by Jacob Hammond
We arrived at Horton-in-Ribblesdale after a 4 hour train journey, it was myself and 3 mates (Jacob, Dan and Tom) - I had planned the first day route; walking south along the River Ribble to the Dry Rig Quarry, then walking along Moughton Scars to Gaping Gill and then up Ingleborough to set up for the night. After reaching the Scars it became clear how unfit we all were, it was apparent we weren't going to make it up Ingleborough that day... And I had became 'the wanker that took us the long way round', we pitched at the foot of Ingleborough, hoping that we'd be able to get up there the next day... HA.


Before we had left, the weather predictions were slight rain, and possible sleet - I don't know how many of you reading remember 'The heaviest April snowfall in Yorkshire for 30 years' But that's what we got caught in, and we were not prepared.