Bush Chair

One thing I miss when out in the wilds is somewhere to sit, especially when overnighting. I try and find a chunk of tree big enough to roll up to the fire and sit on but its not always possible. So I've been keeping my eyes open for a suitable DIY solution - this is what I have so far. It's a small piece of Nylon with rolls at either end with a length of cord through each end. Essentially a mini hammock. You need three poles about head height to bind together to give you a tripod - the top of your chair is suspended from the top, the lower edge tied off at a comfortable height (about knee height). So far I'm pretty happy with it - I will report back on its comfort and degree of success once I've properly field tested it.
Oh, and apologies for not having a photo of me sat in it - it's not easy to take a photograph of yourself relaxing in a chair :)

DIY Hex Tarptent

Hi Folks
I've been using a Tarp as a shelter over the last year - I like the freedom it gives you and the fact that you are out under the stars at night (while still being able to shelter from the rain!). But you do need trees to be able to erect a tarp easily. I've been thinking about doing some overnighters on the beach so would like to have an alternative when there are no trees to sling a ridge line. I do have a Polish Lavvu which is a great little shelter - the pyramid shape is stable and it needs only a centre pole and a few pegs to put up. But the Lavvu weighs 3.5kg and I really don't fancy lugging that for miles on my back with my Winter sleeping bag and gear. So I planned my perfect shelter......... and this is what I came up with.

It weighs only 950 grams and, due to offsetting the position of the pole, has a nice large area for me to sleep without touching the walls. I used PU Nylon (in Danish camo pattern) and it came out pretty well. There is more information and a dimensions on the BushcraftUK forum HERE

Not to get out there and give it a proper workout!.

Woodgas Stove

I've been intrigued by reviews of the "woodgas stove" - not having to carry fuel for your stove sounds like a big advantage to me. You just burn twigs and sticks, which are in plentiful supply. I paid my £13 and it soon arrived - it is made from stainless steel and folds down to reasonably small size. On my walkabout today I got to try it in anger and it boiled up a mug of water in about five minutes from unpacking it - that's as good as my Trangia but cost nothing to run!

The stove has a double skinned wall which pulls additional air up and into the top of the stove, providing a secondary burn of waste gases. Bottom line, it burns hot and fast - you can see the gas jets in the photo's coming out under the rim.
So I look forward to getting much more use out of my stove - I'll report back on my experiences.

Solo Overnighter

Did my first proper solo overnighter in a favourite spot of mine recently. Unfortunately my usual bushcrafting companion was taken ill at the last minute so I decided to go out on my own anyway. It was an excellent experience - lighting a fire became a much larger worry on my own as it was below freezing and the area I was in was sodden with water. Thankfully I got it up and burning happily - I split some smaller branches in half lengthwise which revealed their inner dry faces.

I have gone over to using a tarp instead of a tent for the last year - it gives you more freedom in where you can set up. And you really can't beat sleeping under the stars - open your eyes and you can see the sky above you and sometimes catch the occasional inquisitive bird or animal checking you out.

A blazing fire - camp TV! There is nothing better :)

On my way back out the next day I passed a few shelters that had been made from natural foliage. I must check them out in more detail next time I am in the area.
I learned a lot on this night out. Being on your own means you must be in control of yourself  and what you are doing. You also need to keep your mind in check - it's easy to worry about things when you are on your own. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to my next trip out.
Cheers
Phil

Water

It's pretty wet out there - we had a little rain last night and with the ground being so saturated it is flowing in rivers over the ground.

The sun was shining brightly and threw some lovely reflections on the pool at the lower end of the local wood.

Fresh!

It was freezing cold this morning then it rained......good thing I had wrapped up well. The woods are totally saturated and sticking to a decent path was essential or you ended up having to backtrack due to the depth of the mud.

Watch out for them Widowmakers!

Grabbed another brew while out wandering - love the way the steam floats off in this pic. Found another fallen tree that looked pretty rotten when it fell - check out the stump!