View Full Version : Lessons from a night out
I decided to do the lone night thing last weekend. My chosen venue was an isolated few acres of wood - an under used back end to my nearest scout camp site where I was helping with a cub weekend.
1) Setting up a rain shelter. I took 2 tarps with me, one for my hammock and one for my fire. It had never really occurred to me until then how to suspend a tarp above head height. It took a couple of minutes (as the cogs turned slowly) to conclude that I needed to tie a stick to a long length of cordage and throw it over a high branch for each corner of the tarp and secure it low down.
2) Getting into a hammock. Having set up my hammock fairly tightly at about shoulder height how on earth was I going to get into it? It took me at least 5 minutes to work out I could jump backwards into it first pulling down the edge fairly firmly.
3) What to do with my boots? Very muddy boots - no way coming into my hammock. No way standing on the muddy ground without them. Leave them on the ground? No way, Hosay. What might crawl in? Final solution: leap into hammock rear end first, undo laces, tie both boots together with laces, hang boots over the rope supporting one end of the hammock, ready for those night time trips to the local bush for a relief. I must have cut a comical figure hobbling to and from my hammock in the night with my boots still tied together.
4) Cooking after dark with limited light. Keep it simple. I was going to do a savoury millet, but in the poor light I risked tipping it over. So I opted for bannock - a safer bet. And very nice and filling it was too - crab apple cut into it.
5) What to do after dark when on your own. I went to bed at 9pm for want of something to do with little light. Got a great night's sleep with the occ noise of showers on my tarp and owls hooting all about me.
6) How to catch a rabbit. You must be joking. I must have scared them off with my crashing about. Mind you I dreamt up a few impractical ideas.
7) Ligting fires in the wet. Well I tried out my damp tinder technique but was narrowly defeated on points by the conditions. I hit on a simple reliable backup. Light a night-light candle with a match and build a wigwam of kindling sticks over it. Worked a treat once I stopped the twigs falling on the candle and putting it out.
8) You need less kit than you think. I took along an axe and a folding saw (edited out "knife": the folding knife was useful, but there was no point having the sheath knife as well.) But I didn't use them. My fire tarp was far too big and bulky. A much smaller one would have been better for a lone night out.
9) WH Smith's diaries are indistructible, invisible if black but not needed for survival. I dropped my diary and it lay on the wet/ rainy woodland floor for about 24 hours until I found it again. It was dry as anything. Next time I won't take it though, or my wallet, my work keys.........
Sounds like you had fun.
Why did you rig the tarp & hammock so high?
Tom
yes i bet you did have fun
leon
weekender
03-10-2006, 11:10
Hi Rich sounds like you had a good night.
I had a saturday night out and the lesson i learned is when trying out new kit (the underblanket) try and get set up BEFORE it gets dark, i think it will make life a lot easier in the future. :rolleyes:
Sounds like you had fun.
Why did you rig the tarp & hammock so high?
TomI am open to suggestions. I guess I wanted to be sure I did not hit rock bottom.
wentworth
03-10-2006, 12:24
Each to his own, but I always set up my hammock fairly low, so that if any part of it fails, I won't have far to fall. It also means I can reach any of my gear easily.
dommyracer
03-10-2006, 12:57
I'm sure you had fun rich!
I like to set up my hammock so its just above waist height.
That way I can get in by standing with my back to it, pushing the edge down with my hands and hopping up into it in a sitting position.
As for the boots, I get up to my hammock with my boots on, having already stuck two fairly long sticks in the ground nearby (under the tarp, but not under the hammock).
Once I'm sitting in my hammock I take the boots off and put the boots upside down on the sticks - suspending from the ground keeps them away from buglies and upside down means that the insides won't get wet.
I get everything up of the ground, including my bergen. I have heard the boars running about late at night in the woods I frequent, and also pine martens which will eat anything!!
I get everything up of the ground, including my bergen. I have heard the boars running about late at night in the woods I frequent, and also pine martens which will eat anything!! So do you use a hammock, and if so how high do you put it to be out or reach of the boar?
I always enjoy reading your thoughts Rich.....I agree with Dommy about the boot sticks and the hammock at just above waist height. Another way of keeping your gear off the ground is to take another hammock (just a cheap net one, that rolls up to about the size of your fist) and hang it below your sleeping hammock and put your rucksack etc into that.
Setting up the tarp over the fire.........Find which way the wind is blowing, once you have the tarp up, and make sure you build your fire on the side, where the wind is blowing to, so you can sit in comfort, behind the smoke but in the dry and next to the fire.
Cooking in the dark......This is where the head torches work really well I find........
Nightwalker
03-10-2006, 18:24
Good to hear you got out and had some solo-experience Rich. Sounded a little damp but im sure you had fun. :) I've not yet camped out on my own, but since I've found this community and have been gaining a little more knowledge and kit its been on my mind a lot, must give it a try!
East Scout
03-10-2006, 19:17
I agree.Sounds like a great time.....I prefer going out alone and have many times. Night land nav practice is quite interesting as well..
ES
Nightwalker
03-10-2006, 19:42
Going solo for a day or two must give you that last bit of true freedom to do what you will. You can go off for hours trying new things without having to worry if your partner or friend is bored with the activity or what not.
East Scout
03-10-2006, 19:44
Going solo for a day or two must give you that last bit of true freedom to do what you will. You can go off for hours trying new things without having to worry if your partner or friend is bored with the activity or what not.
INDEED!............
Squidders
03-10-2006, 19:53
I also set my hammock up at about (or just above) waist height but I have since purchased a hennessy and will be setting this up at the recommended "seat height".
It's very easy to pack light for one night in the woods but I like to take more mostly so I can become more familiar with the things I have and also, in time, refine not only the ammount I take out but also the specific items (ie a 3m x 3m tatonka tarp and not a british army basha) although I suspect that the day I find my perfect kit list, my requirements will change and it'll all need changing again.
One handy hint I can give is to stash all your kit not by the side of the hammock but either at the head or foot end... this will allow easy access/exit and, well, there's no subtle way to say this so i'll just come out and say it... when it's hammering it down with rain at 2am and you need to pee, you can actually do this from half sitting on the edge of the hammock... by the morning you wouldn't know anyway ;)
You raise an interesting point about not needing the knife or axe and I think you are spot on. When we wander in to the woods, we have, in our heads, a list of things we want to do. We should ask ourselves things like "i'm going to be eating dinner, sleeping and eating breakfast, do I need an axe?". When our activities are few, our requirements also diminish.
Lighting a fire in the wet can be a pig and is best approached by drying your tinder close to your body while you pile effort in to shelter to then build your fire under or behind... many times have I failed though, i'm still using luck rather than judgement. :lmao:
I recently purchased a little Uco candle lantern that uses tea lights instead of the larger candles that can stick and melt all over the innards of your lantern, it's great for providing just enough light but not too much.
Anyway, thanks for your post Rich, it's always nice to hear positive experiences and I can't wait to get out this weekend. :D
Thanks for a good read rich59. My only observation is that if you pitch your tarp too far above your hammock you may run the risk of the rain being driven in if it's windy.
Swyn.
I decided to do the lone night thing last weekend. My chosen venue was an isolated few acres of wood - an under used back end to my nearest scout camp site where I was helping with a cub weekend.
1) Setting up a rain shelter. I took 2 tarps with me, one for my hammock and one for my fire. It had never really occurred to me until then how to suspend a tarp above head height. It took a couple of minutes (as the cogs turned slowly) to conclude that I needed to tie a stick to a long length of cordage and throw it over a high branch for each corner of the tarp and secure it low down.
2) Getting into a hammock. Having set up my hammock fairly tightly at about shoulder height how on earth was I going to get into it? It took me at least 5 minutes to work out I could jump backwards into it first pulling down the edge fairly firmly.
3) What to do with my boots? Very muddy boots - no way coming into my hammock. No way standing on the muddy ground without them. Leave them on the ground? No way, Hosay. What might crawl in? Final solution: leap into hammock rear end first, undo laces, tie both boots together with laces, hang boots over the rope supporting one end of the hammock, ready for those night time trips to the local bush for a relief. I must have cut a comical figure hobbling to and from my hammock in the night with my boots still tied together.
4) Cooking after dark with limited light. Keep it simple. I was going to do a savoury millet, but in the poor light I risked tipping it over. So I opted for bannock - a safer bet. And very nice and filling it was too - crab apple cut into it.
5) What to do after dark when on your own. I went to bed at 9pm for want of something to do with little light. Got a great night's sleep with the occ noise of showers on my tarp and owls hooting all about me.
6) How to catch a rabbit. You must be joking. I must have scared them off with my crashing about. Mind you I dreamt up a few impractical ideas.
7) Ligting fires in the wet. Well I tried out my damp tinder technique but was narrowly defeated on points by the conditions. I hit on a simple reliable backup. Light a night-light candle with a match and build a wigwam of kindling sticks over it. Worked a treat once I stopped the twigs falling on the candle and putting it out.
8) You need less kit than you think. I took along an axe and a folding saw (edited out "knife": the folding knife was useful, but there was no point having the sheath knife as well.) But I didn't use them. My fire tarp was far too big and bulky. A much smaller one would have been better for a lone night out.
9) WH Smith's diaries are indistructible, invisible if black but not needed for survival. I dropped my diary and it lay on the wet/ rainy woodland floor for about 24 hours until I found it again. It was dry as anything. Next time I won't take it though, or my wallet, my work keys.........
good stuff :You_Rock_
after reading this think I might take myself off on my own :)
I all ways take lots of water to put the fire out when I brake camp
dommyracer
03-10-2006, 22:51
I'm hoping to get a solo weekend away in the bag before christmas.
But where to go.......?
I all ways take lots of water to put the fire out when I brake camp
I just tend to drink lots, so I can put out the fire............. :D
Hi Rich et al,
Like many of you I set my hammock up at waist height so I can easily sit on it (especially during the day if I want to be lazy) and then swing my legs in.
I also use two sticks for my boots.
I have cut a piece of old foam roll mat about 18 inches square which I use as a sit mat if the ground is damp or a kneeling mat whilst cooking. I also use it at night. I place it at the centre of hammock to stand on once I've taken my boots off and it's also nice not getting leaves and twigs inside my sleeping bag. Of course in the morning my feet are insulated from the damp ground whilst I'm putting my boots on.
One last thing I notice a lot of folks hang their hammocks taught. I hang mine so that it forms a C shape, this allows me to sleep more diagonally and therefore flatter.
Got to be comfy :D
David
weekender
04-10-2006, 11:17
hi moduser
i like the tip on hanging your hammock looser to form a C shape, i hang mine taught and have had not trouble but problems getting myself just right to go off to sleep, how much of a C shape do you go for, everyones different but a starting point would be good.
Also i find that if i have the hammock to loose i start at waist height and end up almost on the floor by the morning, anybody else have this prob or is it just me :(
Ogri the trog
04-10-2006, 11:22
This diagonal hammocking malarkey has got me intrigued.
Does anyone/can anyone post a photo of a hammock unoccupied and occupied so I can see just what the situation is. Up to now I've bee a straight up and down hammocker and not yet got to grips with the diagonal thing.
ATB
Ogri the trog
Montivagus
04-10-2006, 11:32
This diagonal hammocking malarkey has got me intrigued.
Does anyone/can anyone post a photo of a hammock unoccupied and occupied so I can see just what the situation is. Up to now I've bee a straight up and down hammocker and not yet got to grips with the diagonal thing.
ATB
Ogri the trog
Having taken up your banana shape in the hammock, simply move your head towards one edge, one way and your feet towards the opposite edge or even hang them just off the edge so your ankles are on the edge ....you'll end up more diagonal across the hammock and a bit flatter. :)
I don't have any picks of my current hammock rig - must get some.
The C shape of my hang has the centre of the hammock about 12-18" lower than the ends.
I'm short at just over 5'4" so experimentation is the key here.
Also worth noting I'm using the group buy hammock which is quite long at nearly 3m. I can't hang my DD hammock the same way as it's quite a bit shorter. For the DD I tend to hang that fairly taught.
Regarding the hammock sagging after it's initial hang, that's quite common. I just hang it, get in so that the tapes stretch out and then tighten it up if necessary.
david
So do you use a hammock, and if so how high do you put it to be out or reach of the boar?
I use a home made hammock made from two panels from a parachute. I also had a mosi net that I cut up and hangs from the hammock lines on a ridgeline, but below the basha. We get pretty ferocious mozzies around here!
I try to get the hammock up as high as I can, but I'm still not much over mid chest height. The boar would probably still be able to get at me, but it makes me feel slightly more secure!!
I have decided that it is getting a bit too cold for the hammock at the moment, and I haven't got an underblanket for it, so I am gonna go back to ground dwelling for the next few months. I tend to build a small bed from downed branches and any bracken I can find, before putting my dosbag and thermarest down. It keeps me warm. As to the boars, i will coral myself in with downed trees, there are always a few pine trees that have been cut down around here, so I drag them around were I want to kip and they stay away or I hear them coming!! :eek:
3) What to do with my boots? Very muddy boots - no way coming into my hammock. No way standing on the muddy ground without them. Leave them on the ground? No way, Hosay. What might crawl in? Final solution: leap into hammock rear end first, undo laces, tie both boots together with laces, hang boots over the rope supporting one end of the hammock, ready for those night time trips to the local bush for a relief. I must have cut a comical figure hobbling to and from my hammock in the night with my boots still tied together.
4) Cooking after dark with limited light. Keep it simple. I was going to do a savoury millet, but in the poor light I risked tipping it over. So I opted for bannock - a safer bet. And very nice and filling it was too - crab apple cut into it.
I usually leave my boots on the ground but put my hat over them to keep them dry. Never had a bug problem but I always shake them out anyway.
As for "night time trips to the local bush" I don't bother, I have a wide necked naglene bottle that I keep handy for the job and it also makes a good hot water bottle if required. Just make sure you don't mix it up with your drinks bottle... :yuck:
Another useful bit of kit is one of the old string mini hammocks. I usually fix this up just under the tarp and it makes a great storage area that stays dry but can be reached from your hammock if you need anything.
As for cooking in the dark, the usual problem I get is looking into the pot because the light of the fire is behind it. A nice shiny pot lid helps here, when you lift the lid to check your food, hold it so it blocks the light from your eyes but if you get it right it can reflect some of that light down into the pot.
That last bit sounds complicated but I hope you get what I mean.
gregorach
04-10-2006, 12:24
I leave my boots on the ground, in such a position that my feet naturally find them when I swing my legs across to get out of the hammock. I don't worry about them getting wet - they're wet on the outside anyway, and they're not likely to get rain inside as they're almost under my hammock. In the UK, there aren't really any bugs you need to worry about - you're not going to find scorpions or dangerous spiders lurking in there.
I like my hammock low enough that I can sit in it with my feet flat on the ground.
Good tip with the pot lid Wayland! :)
C_Claycomb
04-10-2006, 12:33
In a Hennessey, if your boot laces are long enough, I find it best to tie them to the ridgeline. I sit in the hammock, dangling my feet, take off one boot at a time, bring the laces up and over the ridge line, (one lace on each side of the ridge line, so they cross over each other at the top), then do a simple, 1/2 overhand knot with the ends of the laces under the ridgeline. It is very simple and the boots own weight keeps the knot secure, to release, I just lift the boot a bit to take the weight off, and the knot almost unravels by itself.
As for clothing, I tend to put my trousers, day shirt, coat, and whatever, in my sleeping bag stuff sack and in cold weather shove them down to the foot end of my sleeping bag.
As for clothing, I tend to put my trousers, day shirt, coat, and whatever, in my sleeping bag stuff sack and in cold weather shove them down to the foot end of my sleeping bag.
Why not use them as a pillow?
dommyracer
04-10-2006, 12:58
Why not use them as a pillow?
Thats what I do - put them inside a small stuff sack....
What a useful lot of practical ideas.
Being a minimalist I usually look for the least kit approach to things.
I noted at meetups that a lot of folk use tapes rather than rope to hang their hammock. Is that to protect the tree? I currently use a commercial plastic rope and place twigs vertically under it at points around the tree trunks so that the rope is only actually touching the twigs.
Graham_S
04-10-2006, 14:29
you guessed it, the tape is kinder to the tree, spreadng the load so as not to damage the bark.
C_Claycomb
04-10-2006, 17:07
Why not use them as a pillow?
'Cause my neck was not made to be kinked forward that way :rolleyes: I tried it only once and had a monumental headache the following morning :banghead: never again...
Also, my winter bag has a boot section at the foot that just seems like a good place.
I just tend to drink lots, so I can put out the fire............. :D :lmao: :lmao: LOL
i cant sleep without a pillow on the ground but in a hammock i dnt need one
leon
weekender
04-10-2006, 21:07
I don't have any picks of my current hammock rig - must get some.
The C shape of my hang has the centre of the hammock about 12-18" lower than the ends.
I'm short at just over 5'4" so experimentation is the key here.
Also worth noting I'm using the group buy hammock which is quite long at nearly 3m. I can't hang my DD hammock the same way as it's quite a bit shorter. For the DD I tend to hang that fairly taught.
Regarding the hammock sagging after it's initial hang, that's quite common. I just hang it, get in so that the tapes stretch out and then tighten it up if necessary.
david
thanks for the tip i will try it out like you say its all about trying these things out, some good ideas for what to do with your other bits of kit, ive always kept a poly bag inside the hammock and put my boots in that or left them in the small gear hammock outside.
i cant sleep without a pillow on the ground but in a hammock i dnt need one
leon
I need a pillow of sorts anywhere I sleep..........
Congrats on 1000 btw......
Some of you appear to be asking me if it was a fun night out. Well, yes it was a good event, but I can't get my head around "fun". Cool, fulfilling, confidence boosting... Yes.
I'll give a bit more detail - moving on from the learning points for me -
I travelled independantly to the rest of the cub/ scout pack and got off a bus about 2 miles from the destination. That is why I was thinking about what I carried that I did not use. I was delighted that I could walk that distance with a pack without much difficulty.
Nearing the destination I spotted a crab apple tree with ripe fruit (and not sour) and filled my pockets.
Having made contact with the hut dwellers (who gave me lunch let us not forget) I set off up the hill and made camp in the light (and relatively dry) afternoon. Then I joined up with the team again and we did some fire lighting (still one of my favourite activities). I was pleased to note that the matchless team got a fire going well ahead of the match people.
Then I made my escape. With evening drawing on I had to work hard to get - water, wood, kindling, light, fire all sorted. It turned out had camped in a spot really short of dead wood so I had my work cut out.
The rabbits I knew of usually set up camp in a certain clearing, but there was a scout camp there this time, so no chance of boiled bunny on my menu this time. I had been thinking of poking down some holes with bramble, or having a go at any rabbit crouching in the brambles. Never having knowingly actively killed anything bigger than a wasp I was interested to test out how I would feel actually killing my food. I figured that as a meat eater I should face the act of killing so as to be more aware of what happens routinely to provide me with a meal.
With light I wanted to experiment with variations on Wayland's idea of a candle in an old milk carton. I brought along some cheap night lights. I found I could pack the bottom with soil so there was no chance of melting the plastic with the bottom heat. It glowed nicely onced lit, but next time I will cram in 2 or 3 to see if it is practical to get more light without risking the plastic sides. I stood my light on the floor - stabilising it with twigs.
Being woefully short of dead wood there wasn't even a practical log to sit on. But a plastic bag made a good protection to sitting on the ground.
I was surprised how warm I was at night in a hammock. I think my setup with a tarp very close over the top of the hammock was a major contribution to this - trapping warm air. Also I put my tarp over me diagonally so that 2 corners go down to guys pegged to the ground. This seems to eliminate sidways drafts. My back was the coolest part, but not at all uncomfortable. Only towards dawn did I need to do my sleeping bag right up and never needed to think about hat and gloves (my usualy camping standby). I am sure i was much warmer than I would have been in a tent.
I kept breakfast very simple - muesli with powdered milk stirred in, so all I had to do was add water. But then when I joined the troop again I got another breakfast!
My drinking needs are simple as I don't drink much tea or coffee, so water was fine any time.
I didn't get washing up figured really and just brought my dirty stuff home. Any advice on this?
Any recommendations for a good basic mess kit? I use cutlery I find in the drawer at home and use an old aluminium billy and lid for everything. Oh and a plastic mug. It's a bit bulky and fiddly sometimes. The lid is getting pretty brown from repeated cookings of bannock in it (after oiling and heating it to stop sticking). The dishwasher won't move the colour, but then I probably doesn't matter.
stuart f
04-10-2006, 22:59
I didn't get washing up figured really and just brought my dirty stuff home. Any advice on this?
Any recommendations for a good basic mess kit? I use cutlery I find in the drawer at home and use an old aluminium billy and lid for everything. Oh and a plastic mug. It's a bit bulky and fiddly sometimes. The lid is getting pretty brown from repeated cookings of bannock in it (after oiling and heating it to stop sticking). The dishwasher won't move the colour, but then I probably doesn't matter.
Hi Rich, for washing up in the field i tend to just heat up some water in the cooking pot, then once warm i take a handful grass with some roots and a bit of soil still on and use it as a scourer, this scourers the cooked on food right off,then rinse with clean water.Once rinsed i stick the cooking pot back over the fire to boil off the last droplets of water ,which in turn sterilises your pot,cutlery is just the same.
As for mess kit i think the billy is fine but i would get yourself a metal mug as plastic tends to get greasy(if you've had soup in them) and is difficult to get right clean without very hot water and washing up liquid.
Hope this helps.
[QUOTE=spamel]I use a home made hammock made from two panels from a parachute. I also had a mosi net that I cut up and hangs from the hammock lines on a ridgeline, but below the basha. We get pretty ferocious mozzies around here![QUOTE=spamel]
Sounds a lot like mine. Could you post a pic? I may get a some ideas for improvement :)
BTW thanks for your post some time back on a turk's head for a Mora sheath. Followed it to do a neck hung knife
I've posted this before but it seems worth repeating.
Washing up.
If you have a fire add some ash and water to your pan.
Ash + water = alkali + gritty silica
alkali + fat = soap
soap + gritty silica + slight scrub = clean pan.
when you have washed the pan pour the water into the fireplace, this area has already been affected by the alkali.
Rinse with water and again pour it into the fireplace.
On the next rinse you can pour the water away elsewhere but not into the water source.
All too often I have seen people washing pans directly in streams or lakes only to pour the dirty water back into the clean source.
Always throw the water well back onto the land, this way the ground can filter out the organic materials, reducing contamination of your source water.
For a final rinse use clean drinking water or boil the water in the pan.
By the way, I think it only fair to say that the milk bottle lamp idea originally came from CraigM9 at the Scottish New Year Meet.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/gallery/data/500/Bottlelamp.jpg
Nightwalker
05-10-2006, 13:16
Cool Idea!
Congrats on 1000 btw......
jesus i do talk alot dont I :lmao:
Rich I know you want to keep it minimalist, but some of us use another ste of shoes for when we are in our hammocks.
You can get little sets of beach shoes (neoprene) or possibly a set of moccassins as they are lightweight and pack down small. I normally use moccassins made from deer or moosehide for wandering around in camp, they are also really nice if you have been wearing boots all day as they allow your feet to recover a bit.
[QUOTE=spamel]I use a home made hammock made from two panels from a parachute. I also had a mosi net that I cut up and hangs from the hammock lines on a ridgeline, but below the basha. We get pretty ferocious mozzies around here![QUOTE=spamel]
Sounds a lot like mine. Could you post a pic? I may get a some ideas for improvement :)
BTW thanks for your post some time back on a turk's head for a Mora sheath. Followed it to do a neck hung knife
Glad to know the turks head worked out for you, it looks quite nice I think!!
My hammock was a group buy way back from some members in my troop when I was posted in Hameln of Pied Piper fame. It was doubled over with loops at the end and tapes shoved through, but i could only just fit into it!! 1 panel wide is quite slim, and I am a skinny guy, so I unpicked the stitching and tied the ends with a simple thumb knot, big thumbs!!
The knot is substantial enough to tie some cordage around, and then tie this to your tapes to hang the hammock. I can lie assymetrically in the hammock and it is quite comfortable, I haven't heard any ripping sounds either! Also, the thin strengthening tapes along the seams are still in place, so they add to the strength.
I'd post a picture, but I haven't taken any of it. I'll se if I can get it put up soon and take some snaps, as I said I will be ground dwelling due to a lack of underblanket, and thermarests don't quite work for me in hammocks!!