A 2 night camp with minimal kit.

[Kit Mac]

Though I'd share my weekend's activities, I was doing a 'Daniel Boone Challenge' over on BcUK. But the basic premise was to spend 2 nights camping with minimal low tech kit. I chose to do it as a solo venture.

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Set of after work on Friday, parked up and walked a couple of miles up into the forest. Couldn't ask for more from the weather, sunny with a light breeze. Nice views from the forest edge...

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Had a wander around, collected some birch bark and tried to scout out a camp site. Found my spot for the night, a nice grove of Beech tucked in among the plantation pine.

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First up my tarp, just went for a lean-to set up with a little cover from a huge pine.

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The Czech army bed roll is just a blanket bag really thought I'd better get some extra insulation under me. Used my poncho to collect some nice springy browse.
My bed for the night, it struck me how much time saving modern kit allows. A modern sleeping pad is so quick to set-up you don't even consider it but it took me 40 mins (admittedly I was only taking a little from each tree) to gather just enough for a mild spring night.

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Next up to set up my pot hanger and gather wood,

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Prepped my stew before getting the fire lit as I like to just sit and relax once the its going. Beef stew was on the menu

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No ale to go in it sadly, but water and a stock cube should do the trick.

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Time for this flint and steel malarky. I'd had a practise in the garden and had success with prepared tinder. I'd brought with me some charcloth and a few cramp balls and found some bark on a fallen birch on my way into camp.

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Now I'd love to say I had success but after several attempts I just couldn't get my coal to ignite my birch bark, maybe it was a little damp but I had a pocket full I hoped would be dry by morning.
Poor tinder prep on my part, lesson learned.
So with dark looming and my belly rumbling I reached for the lighter in my FAK.

Still even a failure is a success if you learn something right? So on with the fire and dinner on the Waigan stick.

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My candle lantern, a friend in the forest.

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Tried my best to get a decent shot of my dinner but it was nearly 10.30 before it was ready and dark. Suffice to say it was delicious.
Turned in around 11.30 and slept like a log. I was really pleased with the bed roll, really warm in combination with the browse bed, and I was happy to just kick off my boots and climb in without worrying about damaging it. If your in two minds about getting one, I can guarantee is £10 well spent!

I woke around 5.30 to a beautiful morning with the birds singing.
So on with breakfast and another crack at the flint and steel. The birch bark had dried nicely in my pocket over night and a feathered a few sticks for good measure. And Im pleased to report, success!

Bacon, bannock and coffee. A proper bushy breakfast. The lid of a Tatonka 1.6l makes a perfect portion of bannock for one.

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Had my breakfast then sat around reading for an hour while the embers cooled and enjoed the morning.

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Had a tidy up and got ready to set off for a few miles walk around the forest. My first objective was to head down to the southern edge where some streams were marked on my map.

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Most of this place is old plantation but with some deciduous on the fringes.

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Headed back north through the forest, on the search for a camping spot. After much bushwacking and working my way through the undergrowth I spotted some broad leaf tree's up in the canopy. Pushed my through the pines to find... My previous nights campsite! Shows how easy it is to get turned around in the woods even with a compass. Still the afternoon was drawing on and I thought it a good spot for another night.
I'd slept in the piney side of the clearing last night so thought it good to set-up among the Ash tree's for my last night. I guess with the trip down to the car I covered about 6 miles.

First thing first though, I needed a brew so got the honey out (the only time I used it). I'd got the hang of the flint and steel so I was enjoying a brew in short order.

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On with the shelter, set-up to give good coverage if it started raining again.

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Dinner tonight would be a bit of chorizo and spoczek gumbo.

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On with the fire and dinner...

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Early to bed, woke up around 2 with the rain pounding on my tarp. Staggered around in the dark to drop my tarp down, definitely missed my head torch in that moment. Not as comfy a nights sleep without a browse bed but I wasn't particularly cold more just a bit hard on the back.

Woke to a wet morning, grabbed a quick coffee and bite of bread then headed back to the car.

Well I hope you enjoyed my ramblings, not sure if blow by blow accounts are boring but well I wrote at as it happened.
I really enjoyed using a simple kit list and its certainly rewarding having to work a bit harder for your comforts.

[Kit Mac]

And my kit list, I swapped the LK35 rucksack for a Forces 44 in the end and added a poncho.

Czech army bedroll with a carrying sling
DD 3x3 Tarp
Tregor Puukko
Laplander
flint and steel.
tinder box - Mint tin of charcloth
Osprey bottle and a 2qt bottle
Tatonka 1.6 kettle
Crusader
Spoon
Food bags - Didn't manage to make period rations but I've got some veg, fresh meat and some bannock mix so I need to actually cook. Brew wise I've got some proper grounds to make cowboy coffee. Trail food is some bread, cheese and dried fruit.
Candle lantern and spare candle
Millbank bag
Rucksack

Taking a honey stove for brew stops.

safety items - In a dry bag
Phone.
First aid kit
Camera to take photos
Head torch in case I sever something in the dark!
Hand sanitiser
Map and compass

Wool jumper
Norgie
Shemargh
Snowsled smock
Spare socks and boxers.
Wool gloves
Possum hat

Hip flask of single malt and probably a book.

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[Silverback]

T^ cracking write up thanks for sharing

[snowleopard]

Looks like you had a good time!T^

Joel

[TheOutdoorist]

Looks a great time out! Thanks for sharing

T^

[freedom]

excellent write up, you have inspired me to have ago maybe one night to start off.

[Ehecatl]

Great post - thanks!

M@

[Stamp]

That was really good, thanks. I have two of those bed rolls now for me and my boy, great bit of kit!

[David_JAFO]

hello,
Now that's what Survival is all about. Thanks for sharing :wink:
T^
Regards
David

[f0rm4t]

Nice one!
Will look to do one of these myself at some stage :)

Thanks for the inspiration and for taking the time to post!
T^

[Kit Mac]

Cheers guys :D

[Realearner]

Great write up and lovely pictures, and fair play to you for a two nighter solo.
T^

[butchthedog]

t^ cracking write up thanks for sharing

+1 t^

[palerider]

fantastic! this what i hope to achieve in the future T^

[ADz]

Brilliant! I really enjoy reading/seeing pics in these kind of topics. Hopefully have chance to do my own soon. Thnx for sharing bud :)

T^

[OakAshandThorn]

T^ Got to agree with Adz...your writings and photos are fantastic. ;)
Thanks for sharing your experience :D.

[baitman]

good stuff.

[shepherd]

great post... really love your candle lantern and your food was making my mouth water... thanks for sharing matey.

[alvino78]

spot on write up!!!! looking forward to the next!T^:happy-clapping:

[suggy]

Thanks for sharing your trip :)

[Dan XF]

Not sure if it's boring? It's a great read mate. I really enjoyed it. I have to stay at home to work when the family go away at the end of the month and I have 2 nights off in that time. I'm hoping to get out and about for at least one of them. I'll be in my hammock and carrying my hobo stove and hope to have a simple and rewarding few nights. I wouldn't have faith in my carving skills to make a pot hanger so it'll have to be a hobo stove or maybe a white box. I'll be honest and say I'm hoping to get a camper van this year to get my kids a little more interested in holidays with a bit of outdoors thrown in but the idea of minimal camping and LNT is still the basis for my ideal stay in the country.
A great write up and some good pics, I'd be very proud of that post if I'd done it.

[ian c]

That is a good write up and like the photo's also where you have taken them of the kit you took with you, thank you.

[EJS]

brilliant, thanks for sharing that...see pm

[AdrianRose]

Absolutely superb write up there fella. Looks like the camp was everything that you wanted it to be.

Well done to you sir.

Ade

[Thumbcrusher]

Brilliant! Really enjoyed reading that and it looks like you had a great time! That countryside looks fantastic. Can you say where it is?:confused2:

[Kernowek Scouser]

Great write up fella, thanks for sharing
T^

[WaywardWildman]

Sweet!
thanks for the motivation mate ive been planning on doing the same thing at the Bushcraftshow later this week once I find a nice bit of the woodland to call my own for the weekend when I get there

Great pictures too :)

[SilverBinder]

Good job! Next time try scraping your bark to make some fine shaving. More surface area equals better chances with your bird's nest. I constantly pick up likely tinder and keep it in a small linen bag in my pocket or in my haversack. Good luck!


"This is Liberty Hall = you can spit on the mat and call the 'cat' a b*st*rd!"

[Mouse040]

Stunning location as always mac you eat better in the woods than I do at home
T^

[MadZ]

awesome man, love that way of camping out, maybe a bit more minimal for me but only as i dont have the kit for it yet, small bag of gear and me knife and flint, with a kettle is about as far as you'll find my gear goes at the moment, rough and ready style i call it

cheers for sharing your experience

all the best

Madz

[Ashley Cawley]

Great read & photos, thanks for sharing!

Yeah with the bark scrape or shred it depending on what it's like. It's also worth remembering that you can make fine curls from wood that will actually light off a large crampball or charcloth, see our feathers stick video for idea of curl thickness, certainly a skill worth practicing.