My first 'solo'...

[The Big Lebowski]

Managed to finally get out and do a solo Friday night

My biggest fear was boredom really (with maybe the odd 'oribble' thing in the back of my mind LoL) but i think its the first night I've actually had time to just sit an reflect.

The weather was stunning as per forecast, so not expecting rain i found a nice gulley to keep a low profile, although i was well off the beaten track anyhooo... Not the best piccy's as just a camera phone.

Set the fireplace and got ready for darkness.

Fragrant chicken curry for tea! No nettles and acorns this time

The spirt of Sir Didymus promised to keep the 'orrible things away for the night

Time for a chill out, bottle of plonk and a toe warming...

For the last hour, i celebrated my first solo with a longfire as a treat, there was literally tons of standing deadwood and the campfire was kept to a minimum until then.

Managed to sleep from 10pm until 8am, waking a few times through-out the night, but i do that at home anyways.

Stumps where burned in the morning, and i was pleased to have survived!!

Spent two hours decamping, wetting the fireplace, scattering the cold ashes and pretty much putting every twig and leaf back. Other than damp raked leaves,
I would have never known someone had slept there just a few hours before...

All-in, it was a fantastic night and something I plan on doing again really soon.
Get out there and give it a go if you haven't already... al.

 

[Robbi]

that looks great, did you suffer from boredom at all ?

 

[coln18]

Well done mate, its a different experience isn't it, but a good one. It can take a bit of getting used to, but once done a few times it brings a new experience to your trips out doors, its not often people really get a chance to be on their own for any length of time without any distractions.

 

[Sniper]

How you feeling Col, any better?

 

[Greg]

Good job Fella, I need to start doing that again! I always used to go out on my own for the peace & quiet, but haven't done it for years.

 

[Harvestman]

Wot, no hammock? I thought you were a swinger.

Looks like a great spot, so long as it doesn't rain. I love the silence of solo camping. It makes you realise just how noisy most human activities are.

 

[ex member mick sturbs]

Well done buddy ! i do it a bit but its cheating really as 15 min walk and i am home , makes the mind work a bit though doesnt it ? good job and nice pics..

 

[persistent king]

I am keen to try this, just seems so peicefull and relaxing

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Thanks for the comments

Surprisingly, I didn't get bored at-all! I was set-up for 3pm, spent an hour or two collecting wood and exploring the surrounding area... food was from the freezer as i did a curry with my daughter in a dutch oven the week before. The fire was lit as the light started to fade and then it was just a case of scran, some prep work with the wood and then enjoying the evening and ignorning the odd noise. The wine helped with that.

The headtorch stayed in the rucksack but i did have a small led lantern hanging in the tarp. I think the only odd bit of the night was a huge chunk of rock falling off some cliffs near-by and the leaf litter becoming a mini 'tremors' once it was dark with various things scurrying around near me!

I will deffo do it again soon, and spent the fair walk home with a grin on my face and feeling that I had something special from the night, just for me.

Cheers, al.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Wot, no hammock? I thought you were a swinger.

Only in groups

I'm playing with the 'dark' side and giving ground dwelling a try, seems to be working out so far!

atb, al.

 

[PaulSanderson]

this looked like a great little spot...thanks for sharing that!

 

[redandshane]

Nice one I prefer my solo outings No pressure great for experimenting with different set ups etc without anyone watching when it goes wrong
I admire you for ground dwelling without a tent Did it once and traded on my heavy duty military goretex bags fairly soon after
The real beauty of solo trips for me is you can go places which wouldn't be possible if there were other people with you

Nice tidy up as well

 

[WeThePeoplexfbm]

great photos looks like a great time ^^ im havent done a solo yet... but i'd start talkin to my self hahah


---
Skipp

 

[SimonD]

i love going out on my own and with people but it's definitely a different experience to be solo. it's great being somewhere where i know that the chances of there being any other humans within a few miles is tiny. once my camp is set i love just sitting down and shutting up, watching and listening to the woods get dark. as coln said, its a rare occasion when you get to spend a night entirely selfishly in peace, with only yourself to look after, so i like to make the most of them. i prefer the bivvy/tarp setup when i'm on my own too, easier to tuck yourself out of sight

 

[zeBarOOn]

Good work Al, I haven't had the B**ls to do a solo trip yet! Might give it a go, although I do like having a laugh round the camp fire!

Did you see anybody near your camp walking the dog or anything?

 

[Paul_B]

Well, apart from the time I tried out a new single skin tent on my own about 30 minutes from the car in the Lakes once I have yet to really do a proper solo. So nice one, looks good.

It does look like I will be on my own for a week up in Knoydart in a month or so's time. For me that is adventurous. Going to a totally new area, for a full week, on my own and its somewhere as wild as the roiugh bounds of Knoydart!! Not offering odds on me chickening out and spending it on my own patch in the Lakes.

Anyone done much solo stuff somewhere as out of the way (for Britain) as Knoydart?

TBL - Nice one for coming over to our side. Its nicer on the ground, closer to nature!! Nice kit too. Where you get your tarp from? looks about a 2.4 x 1.5m tarp to me but could be wrong. Actually a second look makes me thing it is a hammock style of tarp in the diamond shape. DD? Hennessey? How heavy? Sorry, gear freak looking for a new UL tarp that's smaller thanmy 8' square one.

 

[rik_uk3]

Nice one chap

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Thanks again for the comments guys, appreciated

Didn't see/hear another human being the whole time i was there... managed to find a pretty vast stretch of woodlands that few people stray from the path on. There was signs of a camp (left loads of carp) just above my spot, but the tins where nearly rusted away, and the best before dates on the various glass jars left laying around where 2007. I'm taking a bin bag down next time to get rid of the rubbish after clearing it up and putting out of site, there's alway's a small percentage of numpty's trying to ruin it for everyone else- but there you go.

The tarp was just a humble DD 3x3, but at the front i used the next set of securing eye's up from the outer to give it a more diamond shape, tucking the flaps on the inside to keep it long and narrow.

I'll post a better picture later

I really, really would recommend getting out and doing it. It was the most relaxing night out I've had so far, even sleeping on the floor for a change!

The group i normally go out with are superb, but this was quite unique and something I will be doing again!

atb, al.

 

[ex-member Raikey]

Nice one Al,...

i have only done two solo's ,.....

one in the hammock and one on the ground,...

i deffo think the ground is better for solo, dont ask me why, i,m not 100% sure why.

maybe you feel less exposed,...safer?...dunno, i just know i prefer it.

you've whetted my appitite for a sneaky solo under the basha now!!

Stu

 

[Barn Owl]

Great set up.