First solo overnight

[FarNightjar]

Been wanting to go for a while but the night before i planned to go turned out to be pretty wet, but i went for it anyway.

I had a goal of the trip, i wanted to improve on some skill areas that i am weaker in so i chose tracking.

tried to do some tracking before choosing camp and managed to find some deer tracks?I followed the tracks for around 200m before the trail broke up.
It's interesting being able to see the way the animal moves around, it's like the tracks tell a story.
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Also made some tent pegs which i had wanted to do!
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Was slightly worried about it raining and the nearby puddle causing a problem so i made sure to mark the water level
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had a great time, does anyone have any advice for me?

Thanks for reading!

[moontanboy]

I still have find memories of my first solo overnighter. The one piece of advice I would give is check the topography (contours) in relation to adjacent farmland, I nearly set up on the side of a field so I could get a widescreen view of the sunrise from my hammock in the morning. Eventually I thought better of it and went deeper into the wood and found a spot below a small incline and above a ridge. When Mr Farmer was out rabbiting with a shotgun at about 11.30pm I was glad I steered clear of the field edge!

Also, of course leave no trace of your stay.

[paulthefish2009]

well done mate,where abouts are you? those woods look strangely familiar. Paul

[Ashley Cawley]

Lovely, thanks for sharing. How did you sleep, nice and dry? Roll-mat, bivvi-bag & sleeping bag?

[alvino78]

great camp pics fella!!! you not tried a hammock?T^

[biker-bri]

First night over and done, so when's the next one then.
Cheers Bri

[Likantropo]

That is great. I can only say, keep doing it, try different set-ups for shelter and sleeping, experience will tell you what works better for you. Maybe try to tie the tarp to the pegs with some cord and lift the tarp off the ground a little bit more, and if you can, use some kind of insulation to keep you from contact with the ground, because it can get cold very fast, and in the dark it will be very difficult to try something else. Use dry leaves, grass, maybe even some bark chips from felled or standing dead trees, use them as a "mat" to insulate you from the ground, cover them with some plastic bag, the garbage drum type of bags, and then that will keep you insulated. Just keep it up, and thanks for sharing.

[FarNightjar]

moontanboy, thank you for the advice i will keep it inmind.

paulthefish2009, thank you for the kind words, I'm a long way from where you are at pal :)

Ashley Cawley, thank you for the videos you upload and I used a thermarest mat, a plastic "survival" bag and a sleeping bag on this night.

alvino78, thanks! no i never have, money isn't on my side at the moment the tarp i got from ebay for a few pounds. maybe i will go to a meet one day and try out a hammock :)

biker-bri, the sooner the better mate ;)

likantropo, thanks for the tarp idea, i will try it out for sure!

[moontanboy]

Don't forget you can get a decent hammock for around the £30 mark, but if you have a choice make sure the nylon is breathable

[David_JAFO]

hello,
IMO you will learn a lot from your first over night minus all the Gucci Gear.
In a real survival situation you would only have the bare essentials anyway if your lucky,
only what you forage. You done well on a shoe string budget.
Keep at it & first & foremost be safe :wink:
Regards
David


moontanboy, thank you for the advice i will keep it inmind.

paulthefish2009, thank you for the kind words, I'm a long way from where you are at pal :)

Ashley Cawley, thank you for the videos you upload and I used a thermarest mat, a plastic "survival" bag and a sleeping bag on this night.

alvino78, thanks! no i never have, money isn't on my side at the moment the tarp i got from ebay for a few pounds. maybe i will go to a meet one day and try out a hammock :)biker-bri, the sooner the better mate ;)

likantropo, thanks for the tarp idea, i will try it out for sure!