Hiking, backpacking, trekking, mountaineering...

Glaucus said:
didn't get a permit :(.
has anyone done Hadrians wall and is so how many camp sites are there along the route and is it easy to get transport back to the start?

also anyone done any trials in Europe which take around 2 weeks?
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Walked a big chunk of it last year. Yup plenty of places to camp. Also depending where you actually start and finish it's very easy to get to the other end. If you finish in Newcastle you can just hop on a train or bus. It extends past Newcastle but there's plenty of public transport to get you to the city.
 
I suppose I've not seen so much off the beaten track.
I've just been interested in the wild camping scene, and love the travelling light idea.
I'd planned to go with others, who'd have a tent, and if it went wrong I could pile in :p
 
Large parts of scotland have some dense woodland areas: Abernethy forest, around the foothills of the cairngorms, etc. But most of the wild land in Scotland is moorland with no trees at all.
If you do decide to take a hammock to somewhere you havn't been before, I'd take a bivi also so you're not stuck if there isn't anywhere to hang it.

I've done a lot of camping with a bivi, I like how light it is and easy to pack/set up. My whole sleeping setup (bivi, sleeping bag, mat, tarp) is under 2kg and fits in a small bag on the handlebars of my bike. Although, these days you can get a tent which is just as light as a bivi.
I'd definitely recommend either a bivi with an integrated net or a separate midge net to wear over your head whilst you're sleeping!
 
Yeah, I've seen some super light tents, also seen the price :p

I bought a new tent last year for camping with my son, it was good, but a bit heavy/bulky for when I'm solo so was looking for something lighter and possible not as expensive as a whole new tent haha

Have people got any suggestions for hammocks? I saw on another forum people discussing finding sticks wherever they go to build a stand for a hammock without trees, but I think there must be no wind wherever they live :p
 
GiraffePencils said:
I saw on another forum people discussing finding sticks wherever they go to build a stand for a hammock without trees, but I think there must be no wind wherever they live :p
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If there's no trees around then there isn't likely to be any sticks either.

I've looked into DD Hammocks before. I was looking at down quilts rather than hammocks though but when researching the company they seemed to be well recommended.
For the weight and pack size of a hammock, you'd be as well taking one along with your normal bivi and see what the area is like when you decide to stop.
 
touch said:
If there's no trees around then there isn't likely to be any sticks either.

I've looked into DD Hammocks before. I was looking at down quilts rather than hammocks though but when researching the company they seemed to be well recommended.
For the weight and pack size of a hammock, you'd be as well taking one along with your normal bivi and see what the area is like when you decide to stop.
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I think they meant they picked them up along the way, seemed a lot of hassle.

I saw them, amazed at the wizardry of their 'hammock stand' :o I was brought to it by an article where a guy had taken that idea and made it an adaptation to his treking poles!

Sounds like hammock and bivvy combo is looking good, probably need a new mat to fit inside the bivvy? like the mummy shaped ones
Or would I be ok with my current one (square) on a bit of Tarp?
 
I like to have the mat inside the bivi. It stops me from rolling off it in the night. My bivi is very wide though so I have loads of room for a mat inside. I can bend my knees up around my chest so I can get changed inside the bivi which is nice. It's very slack when i'm lying straight though which means water pools on it sometimes.
 
Glaucus said:
have a look at the sixmoons lunar solo, its what I got. cheap and very light and pretty big for its weight. I would like something bigger, but struggling to find anything.
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This is the sort of thing i'll be going for next.
I know lots of people like a bivi for the "sleeping under the stars" feeling but for me it's purely about weight/pack size and I'd prefer a tent if they were equal weight (and I could afford it :p).
The only problem with that tent is that it uses a hiking pole and I dont do any hiking - just cycling. I'd need to find an alternative pole.
 
touch said:
If there's no trees around then there isn't likely to be any sticks either.

I've looked into DD Hammocks before. I was looking at down quilts rather than hammocks though but when researching the company they seemed to be well recommended.
For the weight and pack size of a hammock, you'd be as well taking one along with your normal bivi and see what the area is like when you decide to stop.
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I have a DD Hammock and ultralite tarp, it's really well made and well engineered. I highly recommend them.
 
touch said:
This is the sort of thing i'll be going for next.
I know lots of people like a bivi for the "sleeping under the stars" feeling but for me it's purely about weight/pack size and I'd prefer a tent if they were equal weight (and I could afford it :p).
The only problem with that tent is that it uses a hiking pole and I dont do any hiking - just cycling. I'd need to find an alternative pole.
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then you buy a carbon fiber pole for a few pounds. Pretty sure they even offer them or you can pick one up easily of the bay etc. I got a carbon fibre pole from ebay iirc.
 
Reading this thread is making want to go hiking again, shall have to do some soon. Cant wait for my kids to be big enough to decent hiking, camping and so on.
 
Anyone recommend a decent sub 1.5kg tents that fits me 6'6" and a long 9cm thick mat my pack and dog , tried all the usual tents and they are pretty crap Wild Country Zephros 2 , Vango Banshee 2 .
Pitch outer 1st or both together is a main requirement as well ,
Currently using a Vango Mirage 200 , awesome tent that has stood up to some impressive weather but at 3kg its a bit overkill for a one nighter.
No hammocks or tarps done all that , like my tents better.

£150 ish budget.
 
leemk said:
Anyone recommend a decent sub 1.5kg tents that fits me 6'6" and a long 9cm thick mat my pack and dog , tried all the usual tents and they are pretty crap Wild Country Zephros 2 , Vango Banshee 2 .
Pitch outer 1st or both together is a main requirement as well ,
Currently using a Vango Mirage 200 , awesome tent that has stood up to some impressive weather but at 3kg its a bit overkill for a one nighter.
No hammocks or tarps done all that , like my tents better.

£150 ish budget.
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Your going to struggle to get a tent for £150 as you have already looked at Zephros 2 and Banshee 2.

The next jump is in the £300-450 for what you need or maybe look at 2nd hand tent.
 
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