View Full Version : Hammock Camping in Yorkshire...
Hi all..
Since I'll be receiving a new DD hammock in the next week or so (subject to the vagaries of British banks), I'm keen to get out and try it.. I'm based in York, and quite keen to hear if anyone can recommend a decent local-ish camp-site with support for hammocks (pun intended :D), as the ones I usually use are pretty tree-less..
Alternatively, if anyone knows a good suitable wild-camp location, up to 5miles from a safe car parking spot... (Feel free to PM if you don't want to broadcast!)
No intention of setting a fire - I'll use a stove for cooking...
Thanks in advance :)
Matt Weir
16-01-2008, 19:22
Dave,
Do you have an underblanket as well as sufficient wrappings? If not then I recommend you postpone winter hammock camping until you do otherwise it can be quite an ordeal that could put you off somewhat.
Matt,
I was going to try it with my thermarest and a closed-cell pad. I have a wool blanket along with sleeping bag and a silk liner..
That said, I was going to be paying a keen eye on the weather - I won't risk going out in ridiculous weather (we've had a few milder nights recently).. (Plus I'd take my tent along with me, just in case for the first sojourn!) ;)
Thanks for the warning though :)
For more comfort, I am planning to pick up an underblanket, but I am also keen to explore other options to see how they work...
Even if the weather remains pretty foul until I've gotten an underblanket though, the query still stands - I'm really not sure where some good spots to use it might be, at least not around Yorkshire (I've never really spent time looking for handily spaced trees before now... :D)
Have a look at some of your local Scout camps Dave.
Many of them are quite open to us bushfollk and so there`s no harm in trying them first. The majority have fireplaces and wood supplies on site so open fires are usually okay. Tell them you`ll leave no trace and see what they think
http://www.glswscouts.org.uk/campsites/search?q=SE273569
I`ve got a couple of permissions from getting in touch with them by phone and email.
With it being winter you`ll find that many of them are closed for scouts and activity days, as they`re sat empty it`s easier to get on during the weekend.
Rich
Dave,
My first night in a (DD) hammock was with an underblanket of my own design. It cost about £15-£20 and 3 hours to make and it was toasty warm.
My advice - read, make and try. Failing that - take your sleeping bag back to your car!!
Chris
Surrey Yeoman
16-01-2008, 22:07
UKHaiku,
Haven't tried this one myself yet but it looks promising - allows fires too!
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/babrarukin/campsite.htm
Thanks very much for the link Rich.. There are a couple of sites there that look very interesting :)
Yeoman - not sure how the page is configured, but it breaks Firefox, and I can only see the main page before it breaks IE as well :confused:
lottie.lou
17-01-2008, 09:23
Matt,
I was going to try it with my thermarest and a closed-cell pad. I have a wool blanket along with sleeping bag and a silk liner..
That said, I was going to be paying a keen eye on the weather - I won't risk going out in ridiculous weather (we've had a few milder nights recently).. (Plus I'd take my tent along with me, just in case for the first sojourn!) ;)
Thanks for the warning though :)
For more comfort, I am planning to pick up an underblanket, but I am also keen to explore other options to see how they work...
Even if the weather remains pretty foul until I've gotten an underblanket though, the query still stands - I'm really not sure where some good spots to use it might be, at least not around Yorkshire (I've never really spent time looking for handily spaced trees before now... :D)
The first time I slept in my hammock I was terribly uncomfortable, the thermarest kept slipping about. If you have a bivi bag you may want to try having a practise and see if you can get your thermarest in there with you, it stops it slipping about and cuts out the wind.
It also might be an idea to put your mat and wool blanket in-between the layers of your new DD, with the blanket topmost. Condensation/sweat can collect on the surface of mats especially when it's cold. The wool blanket might help reduce that and also help to prevent the mats slipping, though TBH I've never had that particular problem.
I slept out in november in my DD with a sleeping bag, wool banket and sleeping bag inner. i woke up a bit cold, so wrapped myself in a silver sheet. Condensation is a massive problem with those sheets, but the wool blanket seemed to me stop me feeling that. I am not keen on using a mat with DD because it can make it feel small. I was prefectly warm once I sorted myself out, i am generally very nesh, and sleep cold.
litefoot
17-01-2008, 14:59
Word of the day to Xylaria.......nesh,suseptable to the cold.Not heard that before.
Litefoot.:)
Surrey Yeoman
17-01-2008, 19:09
Yeoman - not sure how the page is configured, but it breaks Firefox, and I can only see the main page before it breaks IE as well :confused:
Beats me! I'm going in via aol and not having any problems at all. Just tried going in via MS IE and again, no problems. You have to click twice on the buttons to make them work......have you tried that?
Thanks for the posts folks :)
My plan is to put the closed-cell in the gap between the 2 layers, then wrap the blanket around my sleeping bag and thermarest...
Thanks for the posts folks :)
My plan is to put the closed-cell in the gap between the 2 layers, then wrap the blanket around my sleeping bag and thermarest...
Should be fine, good luck and let us know how you get on :D