Thanks.There are loads of places to stay around Glenridding and Patterdale. The YHA in Patterdale and Side Farm up the road for camping are decent. There is the Patterdale Hotel and a few other places depending on the level of comfort you want! I'd be tempted to stay a bit further away around Ambleside as there is a bit more to do at night. The camp site at Rydal Hall is good but there are loads of BnBs in Ambleside which is only a 10min drive away from Glenridding.
With regards to busy times, it can be totally hit and miss. I took the dog for a walk up Striding Edge last summer on a Saturday in the school hols and there was barely anyone else there, I've done it on random week days and it's been busy. Generally though, it's busier in school holidays and quieter on days of sub optimal weather!
Hiking, backpacking, trekking, mountaineering...
- Thread starter Col_M
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I have a pair of micro spikes (second link) and use them fairly regularly in when hiking in the mountains in winter. They’re very good at what they’re designed for, hiking up trails on hardpack and ice and realistically unless you’re going mountaineering then you don’t really need a full set of crampons. If you’re likely to start needing to kick in or going off path then they’re probably not the equipment needed...
I’ll get flamed but realistically you’re likely to be fine with them. As seen in the Everest Base camp thread people tend to err on the extreme “safe”/overkill side of advice on this forum!
That said only you know your limits and experience...
I like my Mountain Equipment Lhotse, but they have just released a few more at about that price range. For example this one is in the sale at Cotswold - https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/p/mountain-equipment-mens-quarrel-jacket-A1114593.html?colour=1957 (if you can deal with the colour)
Was about to suggest the same. Got my Lhotse 4 years ago on sale from snow and rock and it's an amazing bit of kit. Has withstood some absolutely mental weather!
Although it was just a morning thing, I recommend the Mount Batur mountain hike in Bali to anyone who's in the Ubud region of Bali anytime soon. You'll climb the mountain in darkness by torchlight to reach the summit in time for sunrise several hours later. The views are incredible, and on a clear night the night sky looks amazing as there's minimal light pollution.
Thank you. As much as I thought, really. Tried to micro spikes on my boots yesterday and they fit well. Going to be freezing up there next week, but we'll be sticking to the paths and steps rather than heading off the beaten tracks.
Underboss
mine looks like that one too
i have a mountain equipment shivling (Gore Tex Pro) but that looks like it could be its replacement
EDIT//
This is mine :
https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/p/mountain-equipment-men-s-shivling-jacket-A1113499.html?colour=123
(£300)
We had aday out doing Tower Ridge on the Ben yesterday. It was pretty much perfect alpine conditions apart from the wind which was giving some savage wind chill. We left the car park at 6am to try and get on the ridge early so as not to get held up or hold up other teams but it was still pretty busy. Luckily we only got stuck behind teams at a couple points and had the ridge to ourselves for most of the day. I've got some fantastic photos I need to sort through this week and my mate grabbed this one about halfway up..
Well worth the 11 hours of driving!
Well worth the 11 hours of driving!
Soldato
Nice Street. The one and only time I've done Ben Nevis is via the CMD with my three dogs. Would love to do some proper climbing one day. What kind of training/experience would you need for that?
I started out hill walking then moved onto easy scrambles and built up experience from that. I booked a couple days with an MIC to learn ropework years ago and did a winter skills weekend to learn the essentials. From that I was winter hill walking and doing harder scrambles, eventually I started rock climbing and doing easier graded winter routes and gullies then harder winter stuff. I'm only a mid grade punter though, watching people on some of the high grade winter routes is impressive. Having a high tolerance for suffering is handy for winter climbing too!
Soldato
Nice, thanks for that. I've done plenty of scrambles and in the depths of winter (Did Snowdon a couple weeks back). I'm very adept at suffering, I'm the nutter who never uses a hood or hat and just takes it as it comes, I love it.
I'm going to try some indoor bouldering at some point I think and advance it from there. I love getting up in the mountains but when it comes to the UK it's very much a case of done it all so long as ropes aren't needed. I want bigger challenges and to learn more skills although it'll be weird not taking the dogs with me.
Associate
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[QUOTE="Also, any recommendations for good sunglasses suited to hiking in sunnier climes? Preferably some brand that won't make me look any more of a dork and/or douche.[/QUOTE]
lol. I live near the Alps and for me Oakley is a prety solid brand. They're made for sport so they stya on your face when you get a bit hot and sweaty, and they have good antiglare lenses (which for the snow in the mountains is pretty important but also just for general glare)
lol. I live near the Alps and for me Oakley is a prety solid brand. They're made for sport so they stya on your face when you get a bit hot and sweaty, and they have good antiglare lenses (which for the snow in the mountains is pretty important but also just for general glare)
Soldato
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Cheers, they seem like a popular choice alright.
Only just saw this. I made the switch to hammocks about 5 years ago and haven't looked back since. I would genuinely only consider taking a ground set up if I absolutely knew there were no trees where I was going. The night's sleep I get in a good hammock just doesn't even compare to a tent. A decent hammock set up is hands down comfier than sleeping in a tent. I actually sleep better in my hammock than I do my bed at home. I've managed to convert everyone I've gone camping with bar one person who won't even try it. Once you try a decent set up I doubt you'd want to go back to a tent.
I could write an essay as just a basic introduction however it's probably easier if you have a rough budget or any questions and I'd be happy to help. I suppose it's like anything else in that you really get what you pay for. Don't be put off by all the jargon and set up options. It can be as simple or as complicated as you choose to make it but I'm happy to advise on the pros and cons of any aspect of it. Ask away.
Below is my current Winter set up.
Soldato
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Thanks man, appreciate it. Yeah, the comfort is a big draw - I never sleep well on the ground, so was hoping hammocking would improve the kip I get out on the trail! How lightweight can your gear get, say for a regular three-season set-up? Is underquilt the way to go?
To give you an idea of weights my current rig is broken down below. Sorry for the quick response...hopefully it makes some sense given how quickly I'm typing it up.
Warbonnet Superfly -Full cover tarp with doors - sil nylon 550g
Warbonnet Wooki -15c Underquilt 700g (3 season expect 500g)
UKHammocks Winter top quilt -15c 710g (3 season expect 500g)
Warbonnet Blackbird XLC Hammock slightly less than 1kg (3 season 600g)
Underquilts are pretty much essential for hammocks. Putting a pad in there just isn't comfortable or easy. It very much works against you and it's a fight to stay on one, even between layers, and coverage is also an issue. Best to just avoid them and bite the bullet for an underquilt. It's the one thing I wish I'd done right from the start. When looking at the quilts think of the weights as top quilt and underquilt being directly comparable to your sleeping bag plus sleeping pad weights. The underquilt is essentially the hammock's replacement of the sleeping pad for insulation from below. That's also where you'll most lose your heat from if not properly insutated. I've got a fairly light set up however it's possible to go much lighter. My hammock isn't the lightest but it's a large and extremely comfortable one. The underquilt is also a full length winter one so again weight can be saved there. You could have a much lighter tarp as well but I love having the doors on mine. Even in summer they can be useful to block a breeze of the sun.
Soldato
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Great info, thanks! It has swayed me towards definitely taking the plunge (after some more research, of course). Any good resources you'd recommend? I've heard of some forum being popular, but can't remember the exact name.
No worries!
hammockforums.net is the go to place for all things hammock camping related. It's an amazing resource of information with a really helpful community. It's based in the States however so are nearly all of the good makers of hammock equipment. Trek-lite.com is UK based and has a small hammock section however ask anything hammock related in there and someone, most likely Gadget, will respond quickly and with good information.
If you want some good videos with someone describing and reviewing all aspects of hammocking then you have to check out Shugemery on YouTube. He's somewhat eccentric but once you get used to that he's an absolute fountain of knowledge on hammocks and he's almost guaranteed to have a video on whatever aspect of the subject you want to know about. He's got some really good videos explaining and breaking down a lot of the different types of set up which is really helpful if you're not familiar with some of the jargon used on the forums.
I'll give you list of some of the most popular retailers and brief description of why they're considered the go-to option for their specific products.
www.dutchware.com - Dutch makes the best hardware for hammocks going. He uses small titanium shapes which eliminate the need for tying a lot of knots. They're amazing. It will instantly mean you don't have to get confused by people talking about a million different knots. I can tie all the knots needed in many different ways but dutchware is a far better solution. When you're cold, tired etc then I've been very thankful to have various pieces of his gear. He also makes decent hammocks (the Chameleon) and sells everything you could possibly need for D.I.Y. kit from Argon fabric to down filling etc.
www.warbonnetoutdoors.com - The go-to gold standard for hammocks and tarps. Most hammocks are very similar however some patents do separate some of them. Warbonnet hammocks have patented what they call a foot-box which allows for a far flatter lay than most other hammocks. It essentially is created by a shaped bug net which creates a fold or dip in the fabric at the foot end of the hammock on one side so as you lie asymmetrically allows your feet to remain in line with the rest of your body. They also have a shelf inside the hammock which I can't imagine being without. They offer 2 main and distinctly different types of hammock. One is a gathered end hammock (Blackbird) and one is a bridge hammock (Ridge-Runner). I've used both and they are both amazing and would happily have either. The XLC is the bigger blackbird at a foot longer than the regular. This makes a huge amount of difference to the comfort. The ridge-runner is probably the only hammock where using a pad wouldn't be too bad. They have less options for underquilts though so could be pricey. That being said the Warbonnet quilts are made to fit and are the easiest quilt to fit in the field going. There's absolutely no fiddle factor unlike other brands.
www.hammockgear.com - Hammock Gear make some amazing quilts both top and under. They not long ago introduced the Econ series of quilts which are markedly cheaper than the regular quilts as they use duck down instead of goose down and use a slightly heavier fabric than the Argon. They are seriously good value for money and the workmanship is excellent. If you go for a top quilt in the end then if you get a "wide" version then you can also use it for ground camping as it will strap around your pad. I can't tell you what a difference it was going from a sleeping bag to a top quilt. For both hammocks and tents it's been a game changer for me. 500g for a quilt which will take you to -5c is very light compared to a similarly spec'd sleeping bag.
www.ddhammocks.com - A cheap introduction to the world of hammocks. Their tarps are pretty decent if not the most lightweight. I've had a few of their hammocks, tarps and quilts over the years and they now belong to the kids and my Wife.lol They're cheap but I find it hard to recommend their hammocks after a lot of mixed experiences with them. They're not very spacious and they don't really provide much of a flat lay but there's nothing else at that price so they're still worth a mention as they're still comfier than a tent. Just avoid the travel hammock as it's got a waterproof base which you absolutely do not want in a hammock as it just creates massive condensation problems.
One thing to note....stay clear of UKHammocks. They've seriously gone down hill and there's a lot of very unhappy customers of theirs.
Good luck with the research. If you've got any questions just fire away.
