Lightweight Overnighter

[Shewie]

Managed to squeeze a quick overnighter in one of my favourite valleys in the Lakes this weekend, not particularly bushcrafty but I wanted to get out and test some new kit. I've been getting back into the hills again this year so I've been slowly putting together some lightweight gear again after selling all my old stuff when I got into bushcraft shenanigans.
I met up with Tony (Peterlee_Paddler) around lunchtime on Saturday and took the easy 4.5 mile trail round to a stealthy camp site I knew about. I'm still not 100% and didn't fancy any big hills this weekend so I planned a nice flat route along the shoreline instead. We didn't get up to much apart from exploring the surroundings and chilling out around camp, we decided to have a fire later on so we went foraging for dead standing in one of the plantations nearby. We used an old fire scar and sat by the fire sipping Jura for an hour, by 11 o'clock we were both pretty knackered so called it a day.

Some pics ...



My new Trailstar tarp shelter, with an annoyingly close young pine, I didn't have a clue how big the footprint was going to be


A palace for one


Tony getting set up


I've not seen the water as low as this for a long time, parts of the old village were starting to appear in places. It happens quite regularly I think but I always seem to miss it.







One of the local Reds had been down for a drink recently




A nice relaxed night under the stars, cheers for coming along Tony

Kit list for those interested ...

ULA CDT Pack
MLD Trailstar tarp shelter and pegs
MLD Superlight Bivvy
UKHammocks summer top quilt
TAR NeoAir short mat
TAR inflatable sit mat
Polycryo groundsheeet
Mini Atomic stove
Titanium pot
Caldera Cone
4oz of meths
Gore-tex paclite waterproof jacket and trews
Montane Windshirt
Rab Generator vest
Cap
1L rollup water bottle
Drinksafe Supalite gravity filter bag
Long handled ti spoon
2 x dehydrated meals
Peppered Beef sandwiches, chocolate raisins & biscuits
Brew kit (Kenco 3-in-1, Bovril stock cubes, Galaxy drinking chocolate, cherry KoolAid for cold drinks)
Camera
Ipod
Torch
Gerber mini tool
FAK
1L drinking water for walk in
Gsi hip flask containing a nip of Jura Superstition
Pacer Poles

Total weight = 7.3kgs

[gsfgaz]

That,s the way to do it ,, Rich , great pics

[shogun]

excellent pics Rich you get to some cracking places...atb Allan

[JAG009]

Are you sure that was big Tony that was walking with you ? cos i have only ever seen him walking from his car to his canoe !

Jason

[Shewie]

That,s the way to do it ,, Rich , great pics

Cheers bud

excellent pics Rich you get to some cracking places...atb Allan

Cheers Allan, I do seem to be cramming a few in this year. I must be doing something right to keep getting the passes out from the mrs

[Shewie]

Are you sure that was big Tony that was walking with you ? cos i have only ever seen him walking from his car to his canoe !

Jason

yeah he was definitely there bud, I got some great tales about you and Col, mostly Col to be honest

Canoe capsizing and Col's new walking technique come to mind

[Teepee]

Great pics as always, I'm still not convinced that you don't have a photographer following you around!

Looks like a good trip mate, I'm lovin' the MLD tarp-gotta have a crack at a copy.

Thanks for sharing mate.

[Shewie]

Great pics as always, I'm still not convinced that you don't have a photographer following you around!

Looks like a good trip mate, I'm lovin' the MLD tarp-gotta have a crack at a copy.

Thanks for sharing mate.

Cheers mate, let me know if you want the measurements at some point. There's a thread knocking about somewhere on BPL of somebody trying to copy it, some good tips about getting the angles right from what I remember. I think they just started with five equally sized panels which didn't work too well, eventually they cracked it though.

[beenn]

Lovely pictures and looks a lovely place to be

Thanks for sharing

[Teepee]

Cheers mate, let me know if you want the measurements at some point. There's a thread knocking about somewhere on BPL of somebody trying to copy it, some good tips about getting the angles right from what I remember. I think they just started with five equally sized panels which didn't work too well, eventually they cracked it though.

That would be ace bud, I like the shape for a ground tarp. This maybe the push I need to eventually sign up on BPL

[Gill]

That looks fantastic Rich , i have been dreaming of getting back into my hillwalking days for some time maybe one day ! You can get amazing camp spots on the hills as you have there buddy nice one .

[bilmo-p5]

Trailstar looks good, Rich. Thanks for posting.

TP; I've been thinking about a copy for a while; a regular hexagon of 7' side with one panel removed looks like it might be a reasonable starting point. Try a scale paper model of this and see what you think.

[Shewie]

That looks fantastic Rich , i have been dreaming of getting back into my hillwalking days for some time maybe one day ! You can get amazing camp spots on the hills as you have there buddy nice one .

I think there's quite a few of us getting back into it again bud, all those lazy evenings sat round a fire eating and drinking is catching up with us. I've missed getting the miles in a camping up high so I've made a bit of an effort again this year.

[Gill]

I think there's quite a few of us getting back into it again bud, all those lazy evenings sat round a fire eating and drinking is catching up with us. I've missed getting the miles in a camping up high so I've made a bit of an effort again this year.

I,ve missed it too bud that is what i was into for years before bushcraft and canoeing ,i hardley walk the length of myself now

[Shewie]

I,ve missed it too bud that is what i was into for years before bushcraft and canoeing ,i hardley walk the length of myself now

If you fancy something steady around D&G one weekend then I'm up for it

[Gill]

That sounds great buddy , ive had a debilitating year so far buddy but i need out badly .

[Shewie]

That sounds great buddy , ive had a debilitating year so far buddy but i need out badly .

It's probably going to be a few weeks until I can get up but we'll get something sorted

[Gill]

sounds good Rich i will get into training

[Shewie]

Trailstar looks good, Rich. Thanks for posting.

TP; I've been thinking about a copy for a while; a regular hexagon of 7' side with one panel removed looks like it might be a reasonable starting point. Try a scale paper model of this and see what you think.

Glad you like the pics Ian

I think I read in that thread on BPL that the guy used a flat hexagon to start with but it wouldn't pitch right. When it's laid down flat there seems to be a lot more fabric in the centre, almost like a witches hat if that makes sense.

I reckon sil nylon is best suited if you're gonna try one Pete, it needs a certain amount of stretch to pitch well. Some folk have asked Ron at MLD if he'll make a cuben version but he says it wont work due to the lack of stretch.

I'll try and find out the weight of the material if I can

[johnnyneuro]

Does Tony have a Solar? Love that tent, but then I would say that as I've got one.

Out of interest, how would your tarp, groundsheet and bivvy compare weight wise with the Solar?

[Shewie]

Does Tony have a Solar? Love that tent, but then I would say that as I've got one.

Out of interest, how would your tarp, groundsheet and bivvy compare weight wise with the Solar?

I think Tony's tent was a Macpac Microlight, twenty odd years old. The Trailstar is 425g, the bivvy is 225g and the ground sheet around 100g at a guess. Tony's tent was around 2kg I think.

[Paul_B]

Macpac Microlight if I'm not mistaken. Trailstar's looking good. Won't work with cuben due to it needing the stretch to pitch right. Think I got it from the guy himself either on his site or in reply to an email enquiry.

I know where exactly you were. I've wandered round that way no too long ago but didn't stop the night. Never really thought about camping in that valley. Kind of got the idea of it being United Utilities owned land supplying water to Manchester, kind of not nice somehow. Having said that half our family's from Liverpool so think I will now!!

Need some of those hills behind your spot and the ones on the other side of the valley too. Might have to make it a weekend or series of exploratory weekends. Don't really know that side too well. BTW if anyone fancies getting out in the Lakes (or anywhere) I'm always up for it. I tend to do as much as I can either on own or with anyone I can drag out. Really can't see the point of weekends unless out and about.

As far as getting back into stuff I'm getting back into using meths stoves. Still trying to go lightweight. Currently my kit ranges from mid to high 20s to as low as 7.5kg all in (food and 1litre of water). Good kitlist that Shewie. Envious of that trailstar. Really need to see one up sometime to see how good they are. ALthough it probably isn't wise as I'll only want one more.

[Paul_B]

Nice pics BTW. Really good photographer Shewie.

One question about the Trailstar, have you tried other styles of pitching it? I thought you could vary the pitch slightly or is it more tarptent like than tarp like in that it has one pitch style? I know you can lift different edges for the entrance but are there any variations possible?

[Shewie]

Nice pics BTW. Really good photographer Shewie.

One question about the Trailstar, have you tried other styles of pitching it? I thought you could vary the pitch slightly or is it more tarptent like than tarp like in that it has one pitch style? I know you can lift different edges for the entrance but are there any variations possible?

I only know of two pitches Paul, either high or low. I think I had mine somewhere in between. If it's higher then there's more headroom and less floor space, lower it sheds the wind better and you get a bigger footprint. We had a few big gusts coming in now and then and it never budged an inch.

Let me know when you're playing out and I'll see if I can join you, I'm not up for any big hills just yet but let me know what you've got planned.

[Teepee]

I think I read in that thread on BPL that the guy used a flat hexagon to start with but it wouldn't pitch right. When it's laid down flat there seems to be a lot more fabric in the centre, almost like a witches hat if that makes sense.

I reckon sil nylon is best suited if you're gonna try one Pete, it needs a certain amount of stretch to pitch well. Some folk have asked Ron at MLD if he'll make a cuben version but he says it wont work due to the lack of stretch.

I'll try and find out the weight of the material if I can

Very useful info mate

Silnylon seems perfect for the tear resistance needed-I would think spinn might rip in a gale.

@Bilmo- Good thinking on a paper model, sounds like a plan

[bilmo-p5]

Paper models are useful but its worth bearing in mind that paper may not behave quite the same way as cloth would, eg, paper will hold a fold, mid panel, where the cloth would not. The paper gives absolutely no indication what a bit of stretch might achieve either.

[warthog1981]

Very nice thanks for sharing

[Peterlee_Paddler]

Thankyou to Rich for the good company, makes a nice change from me going solo.

It is a Macpac Microlight (1st generation!), billed as 1.9 KG when I bought it twenty years ago. Still works like new!

We had great weather and no midges.

Paul, and anyone else interested, I'm always up for Lakes walking. It would have to be a weekend though.
Let me know.

Cheers.

Btw; Yeah Jason, Ha Ha. I was backpacking whilst yer mum was still lacing-up ya school shoes

[morch]

Looks like a fantastic wee trip Rich, cheers for the pics.. Love the look of the Trailstar

atb

Dave

[Grooveski]

Nice one mate!
Glad you made it out.