Bell' Buys

Here's the list from the Bellingham meet.

Footwear

X-Socks Air Force 1 (2 pairs) - this follows the Southern Upland Way, where my 1000 mile socks were my spare, and started to wear through.

Gehwol refreshing balm - I use this a lot, especially as it is similar to the fore-head anti-migraine rubs you buy in chemists.

These items were ordered from Backpackinglight.co.uk, and I asked them to take the order to Bellingham to save me on the postage (hmm, 10 hour round trip, and I save 3 quid, ach well, every little helps).

Cook System

White Box Alcohol Stove - I had a wee trangia, but was put off by the size of the meths container. I'd never really used it seriously, just a few times when I was in the TA for a very short period of time after this photo was taken. Hearing Bob's podcast and seeing his demonstration on Saturday hooked me in. I hope to try it out this weekend coming. (podcast, YouTube review, pdf manual)

Nalgene medium travel kit - this contains lots of wee bottles. I'll rephrase that for non-Scots readers: "this contains lots of small bottles." If I can break down the fuel into small containers, then I can take just what I need for the trip.

Aloksak (pack of various sizes) - to store items in. Not sure what yet, but I watched the Glen van Pleski "Lighten Up" dvd, and then had the opportunity to raid it for ideas. The main one being to only take what you need. Heck, I carry things like bug juice in the bottle it comes in, when I could decant it into something smaller. Ditto for toothpaste, etc. On the whole quite small, but put together with other things, the weight and bulk adds up. I'm lucky to be a wargamer, so I have lots of small ziplock bags around for tea bags, whitener, etc.

Cosy and windshield kit - to make a pot cosy out of. I've tried keeping food warm without one, but no joy, so I'll rig up a cosy for the weekend and give it a try. Good tips from Bob's demonstration. (link)

Drytech meals (two) from Expedition Foods - until I get the dehydrator in production, these are great treats. I seem to have eaten one for dinner on Saturday night. Hey ho.

Others

A small ultralite MSR packtowl (link) - folds down smaller than my mobile phone. Opens up to a useful size - about half the size of the PackTowl I've been using for over a year.

Alpkit tent pegs (link) - having tried them on Saturday night, I think I'll replace 6 of the Akto pegs with 6 of these 'tikes', and leave the original 4 'pins' for the lower corners (they have a hook to secure the base rings to).

The main idea then is only to take what I need. Why carry a box of 12 Bovril cubes when you're going away for a long weekend? Just take what you need. Same with food containers - I could decant some tinned food into the Aloksaks. or dehydrate tinned meals and then bag them. Lots of options, minimising bulk, minimising weight. Hours of endless fun, and who wants to rough it? Sod that, the outdoors are for living in, not suffering through.

Thoughts for next one

Okay, so I said I wasn't going to suggest modifications, but I've had a busy day, so sod it:

• A bring and buy - an idea lifted straight from wargames shows.
• DVD presentations, talks, etc - I'd certainly have paid a non-members fee to get in.

Great show, great first event, I'd love to attend another one that was as good as Saturday.

Spot the Paddy

Oops, that sounds a bit racist. There's a Paddy Dillon hidden in this photo, can you spot him?

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Bell' end

Just back from Bellingham, and find "The Adventure Show" is on tv. Cameron McNeish pops up to Lochnagar. Hmm, if I'd thought about it earlier, I wonder if I could have got an hour of Cameron's walks out of the tv series that he occasionally appears on.

--

The posts that finally got through have had the photos stripped off them before being added to my blog. Sorry.

--

Backpacker Magazine has a YouTube channel (link). I'll need to raid these later.

--

Photos posted now.

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Bell'm 2. 0110

Sanchia

Bell'm 1.1100

Had a saunter round the stalls at the campsite.

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Mainly Bob's kingdom, with the demure Rose keeping the money coming in when Bob's got an audience.
Picked up some gear.

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Bell'm 2.1111

Written in a layby on A68 near Otterburn.

7 pints of John Smiths extra cold, with Paul and Sanchia, talking gear and experiences in different terrain. San' climbs, so talks about ridges and walking on slate, Paul describes sections of the Wainwright coast-to-coast, he's also done the Southern Upland Way. We've all completed the West Highland Way. At various points we realise how sad our conversations may sound to others. Then we carry on anyway.

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A kindly lass digs out some cold pizza left over from the club's AGM. She was the caterer. Once more I find it strange that I'd forgotten how nice people are in the north (of England). I've lived north of England, so I shouldn't be taken aback by the kindness of strangers.

We see Bob, Rose and Cameron at another table. I wonder what new plans they are discussing.

We few, we merry few, tab it back to the campsite. A recently murdered cat is laid to rest at the side of the road that killed it. Another sign of speeding and inattentiveness.

Slightly less merry, we end up back at mine for coffee and snacks. Who says staying in a tent means roughing it? Not I. Afterwards, I sleep soundly on my new insul sleep mat.

In the morning, greetings and goodbyes are said to people around, Frank - the other Akto owner who found some Swedish army surplus gear useful. Ian from Aberdeen, who owns an earlier Akto, and was born in Ettrick. Keith who is in a Nallo, who was woken by engines of campervans leaving early, but not us talking - maybe he was being polite. We are all at different stages of breaking camp.

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Leaving Bellingham with 4 pork pies and some lucozade. I'd had breakfast already, but thought i'd earned this treat after section hiking part of the Pennine Way.

Bell'm 1.1515

So, i'm standing there, telling Cameron how great this event has been for me. The voice of Paddy is off to my left, and in walks Chris T and John Manning. It's like being inside my own live TGO magazine. Smashing.
Decided to try and get a pitch on the non-bpc campsite. Any suggestions that this change of plan has something to do with the cheap price of beer here is utterly founded.
Is there a collective term for a group of walkers all using PacerPoles? 
It isn't Paddy, but the voice is familiar. Andy? I daren't stare any longer, he's talking to other people and might get the wrong idea.

Bell'm 1.1155

Photo of gincall from N.W. Fort Taku China, presented to town. As I take down these notes about and nose around the piece, I recognise Chris Townsend's voice as 2 people walk by. It's okay, I'm mostly harmless.

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Grabbing some air after watching a couple of videos presented by Cameron McNeish. The views of his walls in the lakes were stunning, and the lighten up info with Glen van Pleski was useful (link).

Bell'm 1.0900

Walking back to Bellingham along the Pennine Way. Okay, so the section is less than 1/2 a mile long, but it must count for something?

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Bell'm 1.0800

Breakfast bought over a couple of shops. The Boer War memorial has had the bayonet bent, but the original stonework had been skillfully carried out, down to a turnback on a belt-bag.

Walking off to a riverside walk and to find a place to scoff, I get caught out by the friendliness of people. 'grand morning', 'fine morning' gets greeted from me with a pre-breakfast 'oh, yes, it is'. There's a rescue landy and a car sporting the alpkit.com logo.

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Bell'm 1.0730

Drove through Bellingham last night to find a place to sleep in the national park. Pulled off road in to the Ridley Stokoe car park and slept in back of car.
In the cold light of morning, the place looks so different. If i hadn't been tired, i'd have found a few places to pitch. But i'm uncomfortable enough sleeping in the back of the car, concerned in case the police turn up and tell me to move on. I'd be even more nervous in a tent at the edge me the car park. But that's just me.

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Pre Bell'm

All went well until i took a wrong lane in roadworks after the Forth Road Bridge. I end up in Leith. Junctions with no signs to guide me. I try and steer south. Decide not to ask the ladies standing on the streets. End up on the A1. Passing familiar names. Cove. Pease Bay. Cockburnspath. Even saw the SUW crossing of A1. Didn't get to Ikea. Off to Berwick, then SW across country to join A68.

preBellingham

Getting ready for the Bellingham meet. I'm still keeping Saturday night free, and will either be at the Brown Rigg camp site or off somewhere in Kielder Forest. See what's what.

--

Trying out the dehydrator that came on Tuesday from QVC - making some beef jerky. Seems simple enough for my chuck-it-all-in 'style' of cooking. £2.60's worth of thin cut beef has filled two 13" diameter drying trays when sliced and soaked.

The dehydrator doesn't have a timer on it, so I've cunningly rigged it to one of those timer switches that plugs into the wall-socket. Set for 8 hours, it'll switch itself off at 2am. Hopefully. If not, I can use the results to make some wargames buildings.

--

Amazon delivered a bundle to a neighbour for me, I'll take them (and some other books) down to Bellingham...along with some snacks.

• "Lighten Up!: A Complete Handbook for Light and Ultralight Backpacking" by Don Ladigin (link)
• "Lightweight Backpacking & Camping: A Field Guide to Wilderness Hiking Equipment, Technique & Style" edited by Ryan Jordan (Backpacking Light) (link)
• "Backpack Gourmet: Good Hot Grub You Can Make at Home, Dehydrate, and Pack for Quick, Easy and Healthy Eating on the Trail" by Linda Frederick Yaffe (link)
• "Trail Food: Drying and Cooking Food for Backpackers and Paddlers" by Alan Kesselheim (link)

All look like they are packed with interesting facts and hints and tips. I need a new bookcase - or rather, I have an ingo that has some empty wall-space that would be suitable for a narrow bookcase. Hmm, I'll be passing Ikea-Edinburgh on the way to Bellingham. I'll have a skeg round their site.

--

Poor BG caught Lymes Disease from a tick. Unlucky, Stef :( He was such a nice chap too. Hmm, I'll need to fumigate the sleepmat he sent me on - which might be at the Sorting Office just now. I came home to find a "we called, but you were working" cards. I'm supposed to wait until 10.30 of Friday, but I'll be at work, so I'm up for some anarchy - turning up only 20.5 - 21 hours later to see how long it takes for someone to correctly file an undelivered packet.

It sounds petty, but I've seen the haradrin at the Sorting Office refuse to even go and look if a customer dares to come in a few hours early. Of course, she may know that the delivery people didn't have time to sort yesterday's undelivered packets and they are all in bags all over the shop. Or whatever the technicalities of it are.

If it is the Insul Mat Max Thermo Lite sleeping pad, and I get it on Friday, I'll take it to Bellingham (sorry, I'm stating the bleedin' obvious there). Some good photos from BG - oops, just found his email from Monday. Strange that his 'long' packs smaller than my 'regular' mat. Hey ho, all part of life's rich tapestry. I'm looking forward to comparing it with sleeping on the 3/4 length ThermaRest. If you don't get a good night's sleep, I found that it knocks you out for the next day.

--

And then the Ben Starav group the weekend after with Simon Parke. We're meeting in the Kingshouse. I suppose I should wear a pink dehydrated carnation and carry a copy of TGO so he'll recognise me.

--

Drive to/from Peterhead this morning was brightened by swathes of yellow oil-seed plants that have bloomed over the Easter break. Very nice.

--

Quote heard on Radio 4 on Monday: "We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us." Winston Churchill. Seemed apt.

--

And on the topic of Radio 4, their excellent "Open Country" programme was on Kinder Scout, and included a discussion about the 1932 Mass Trespass. (Link to site, with 'listen again' feature).

--

Craig from Fast & Light popped up on SkypeChat to say that the Montrail Namches are almost here. Jacket's already in. Great stuff.

Birthday Benn

A bit windy up here, but cracking effects from the birthday girl.

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Fa's like us, damn few an' they're all deid

Benn 230407

The birthday girl, Bennachie

Saxon Spotting

A big boy did it and ran away.

Vote Saxon

Bennachie 220407

I must remember not to go up Bennachie on a Sunday afternoon ever again. On the way up, someone had music playing from a portable player (mobile phone?). I gave up saying 'afternoon' to people after i stood to one side of the path i was descending to let an ascender through, and my greeting was met with silence. Civilisation? Aye, and these are just stones lying around. I made a mistake me trying to tell the kid that it was an old pre-Roman fort, but no-one heard.

Other than that, sunny. Got to top in 40mins. Lungs and heart still in need of exercise, but legs seem to be on automatic, searching out best track without using too much of the little grey cells. I need to get out more.

postSUW

Since returning from the Southern Upland Way, I've spend the week compiling the YouTube feeds and catching up with emails and action on OutdoorsMagic. The only ongoing problem with my feet are the wee toes, and then only the itch as dead skin is replaced.

As you may have gathered, something as big for me as a 2 week through-hike, is going to lead to some changes in approach and gear.

• The large pack of unused waterproofs
• Bulky food
• Repowering mobile phone
• Length of tent pole sections

Called FastAndLight and ordered a pair of Montrail Namches. As the call was on Skype, I had a good chat with Craig, and ordered a more modern lighter waterproof jacket too. I'll be back for the trousers when the 2007 stock comes in at the end of May. He told me about a diet, and I ordered the book, "The Paleo Diet for Athletes" from Amazon, as I already had a couple of dehydrator recipe books on order.

I went with the previously mentioned Insul mat, and Stef/BG is adding it to his order. Also 'won' from eBay a new USB charge-head for my phone to replace the broken one. I noticed that GadgetsQuick sell a charge head for my phone that looks like it may fit the rotary charger that I had given away to a mate. She doesn't use it, and has will look it out (I may need to repay the tub of ice cream that was the original price).

The length of the Akto's tent pole sections, 440mm, prevents the pole/peg bag fitting anywhere else on the Osprey Atmos pack except in the main compartment. A smaller length will allow the pole/peg bag to stay in an outer pocket (i.e. one of the zipped 'side' pockets). The aim is to be able to pitch the tent quickly as soon as I stop, and that means not having to faff around with rummaging inside the main compartment.

After searching the OM forum, I went to Fibraplex.com and ordered their Akto poles, asking if they can shorten the section lengths. I'll see what happens.

I haven't been in a gear shop in 3 weeks.

Found the new WayMerks website, and emailed the creator to congratulate him on his idea, and tell him of the 3 empty kists.

Went to see the Aberdeen Students' Show "The Invasion of the Doric Snatchers" [link]. First one I've seen, and I was impressed at the professionalism of the production. A tail of superheroes and supervillains in Aberdeen, it was novel to see that the sidekick was the main character. Being mainly in Doric, it took me a couple of goes before I got the Lisa Lane name-gag. For example:

• Hello, you look nice, what's you're name?
• Lisa Lane
• Sorry for asking, I'll just go then.

Getting in the mood for Bellingham by listening to Bob's preview podcast.

Oh, emailed CamelBak about my invention. Doubt anything will come of it. I'm probably the last person in the world to figure this one out.

If anyone thinks this is overkill, well, I am looking forward to the summer, and another coast to coast (or maybe two).

SUW - The Movie

I have compiled all the previous clips into one feature length movie if you wish to sit back, grab some popcorn and enjoy the ramblings of this rambler. I'll add the usual caveat, if you enjoy the feature, please donate some money to the supported charity, the Gurkha Welfare Trust.

SUW - Gear

Epilogue (in true Quinn Martin style)

A short series of video clips, where I talk about the gear that I wore and carried along the Southern Upland Way.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

If you enjoyed the series about my 15-day, 212 mile long, Southern Upland Way trek, why not click on this link to go to the sponsorship page.

Fin

SUW Day 16

If you enjoyed the series, why not click on this link to go to the sponsorship page.

SUW Day 15

SUW Day 14

SUW Day 13

SUW Day 12

SUW Day 11

SUW Day 10

SUW Day 9

SUW Day 8

SUW Day 7

SUW Day 6

SUW Day 5

SUW Day 4

SUW Day 3

SUW Day 2

SUW Day 1

Sleeping Mat

Spent some of evening looking at replacement for the Thermarest Prolite Short. A fine mat, but I'd like to try something more comfortable. Looking at the following items:

• Insul Mat Max Thermo Lite Sleeping Pad, but Sierra Trading Post only have them in regular or long. (link)
• Big Agnes produce an insulated air core pad, and the 60" mummy shape looks fine and dandy. 18 ounces, and packs to 3.5"x8". I've just emailed them about UK shipping. (link)

With the current exchange rate, the products are even more tempting than normal. I'd gotten into the habit of using the bivvy bag to hold the sleeping mat, and then the sleeping bag together. That way, no matter which way I turned, the arrangement kept together. I didn't roll the bivvy bag all the way up, just to about knee length. Not too restrictive, and did the job.

Also doubled as a seat in the morning over breakfast, as the bivvy would protect the thermarest and the sleeping bag from the dewy grass.

I'll be rolling out items here over the next week. Today's been a slow day for me.

Monday Holiday

Local holiday here in Aberdeen. Woohoo. Rolled out of bed. Ouch ouch. Showered, didn't shave, shoulder healed nicely after being ripped in the sun when I only had a t-shirt on under the rucksack straps. Ouch ouch. Breakfasted. Gosh, lost 8 kilos; 17 pounds; 1.25 stone. Ouch ouch. put on the The Outdoors Station Podzines from The Outdoors Show and treated feet. Ouch ouch. Sooth. Started to order some gear. Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh.

--

Ronald Turnbull's interview was good, many relevant snippets (e.g. pacing and eating). I'll be ordering his book on Ben MacDui when it comes out, by Millrace Books. I'm taken by the chap who took his service revolver with him on a hike to forage for food. I wonder if I can get a titanium Webley from anywhere?

--

All the interviews were courtesy of Andy Howell's hard work. Good chap.

--

Ordered 2 pairs of Air Force One X-Socks, and some more refreshing foot balm from BackpackingLight.co.uk.

--

Weird Darren had ordered some of Agropharm's insect repellant, so will be good to hear wheat he got and how it worked out. Sounds interesting.

--

Ordered a dehydrator from QVC (the shopping channel) for £32 inc postage. Thanks to Bearded Git for pointing that one out to me.

--

University shooting being reported in Blacksburg, Virginia. Numbers of dead being increased as news comes in. Insert your own expletive.

26,000 students on campus, says the web. I keep failing to grasp the size of these places. As ever, my sympathy to the families involved. A lockdown on start of student year, and now this.

Back in the BigCiv

And back in civilisation... 1,136 spam messages filtered out - none will be read. No doubt there will be more in the emails that made it into my inbox. Hey ho, what a bunch of sad wasters that this planet holds. Hopefully their next life will have better prospects.

--

Two weeks to generate a standard response from the Post Office:

Dear Mr Macleod
Thank you for your email about the problems you are having with your mail.
May I firstly apologise for any inconvenience you have been caused.
Our priority is to provide a good quality service, but mistakes can happen.
The service that you have received is unacceptable.
If you could please supply us with the dates of these incidents or any
further incidents. This will help us to investigate the matter further.
With regards to claims being made we now require you to fill in our missing
mail form (p58 form), which you can pick up at your local Post Office our
download on website www.royalmail.com.
I should explain that compensation claims for 'lost' items, need to be
supported by a certificate of posting. Without this I cannot pay any
compensation. I realise this reply may be disappointing, but this policy is
agreed with our regulator.
Thank you for taking the time to let us know about this problem, and I
apologise for any inconvenience we may have caused you.
I hope that you are satisfied with the action I have taken. If you still
have concerns, please get back in touch.
Regards
John Beggan
Customer Service Advisor

My alternative is to post flyers to the Post Office to inform them of who I am, where I live, and the "inconvenience" they have caused me so far in the last 6 months. It is a matter of personalising the issue, as the management seem to not care. But, hey, such is the poor excuse of a society we live in these days.

SUW 16.1940

Train over the Forth. Happy bunny.

SUW 16.1840

Love is...finding the last chocolate in your 2week old GORP. Oh, and eating it.

SUW 16.1255

Eating tuna snack outside Abbey St B. Found final merk. Pushing on to Cove and then Cockburnspath. Not sure i'll make last bus. Hey ho. Battery on phone def dodgy as that's me almost out of charge again.

SUW 16.1745

On bus from Cockburnspath. A very, very nice driver stopped for me as i sprinted - lolloped - lunged manically up the path. Sod going into Cockburnspath centre, this was my last bus outta here tonight. Job done.

SUW 15.1630

5 miles to go to Longformacus. Slow and hot day. Fell asleep whilst resting earlier. Is it still 2007, or have the faeries transported me back in time to 1973? To a time when every kist had a merk in it? Woohoo, that's my 6th merk plus 3 empty kists. One more to go. Past 2 parties of lasses doing some Duke of Edinburgh training. Though, come to think of it, some wouldn't have looked out of place on the test card! Okay, just to get past these twin nonces and off to the boozer.

Transition Extreme

I hear on Radio Scotland's "out of doors" that Transition Extreme in Aberdeen opens today. I think I recognise the voice of the climbing instructor - sounds like the guy who sold me my boots and helped kit me out for the winter skills course. Must get some climbing/scrambling practice to get over my fears.

SUW 15.0630

And the same view as last night, but now in the cold, velvety light of early morning.

SUW 14.2215

Sadly, link only plays in Internet Explorer. Well, it did when I tried it before setting out on the Way.

SUW 14.1845

Lauder. I said, LAUDER. Another dainty town that just needs a sign to the centre. Hint: head towards the clock instead of the police station. Young chap in grocers liked the Osprey pack, he'd been on some training courses and along some arretes. The boss takes an interest in my boots. "Total overkill for the SUW." I must say that I name-dropped in that Paddy Dillon may agree, but i couldn't guarantee the weather, nor trust my favourite terrocs to a 212 mile trek carrying 10 days of food plus kit - approx 20kg all in. I got blisters on the WHW in trail shoes, and blisters on the SUW in boots. Life goes on. Finished snack, off to tab along for another couple of hours before retiring to the AktoCave.

SUW 14.1510

Another kist found empty. That is 5 merks found, plus 3 empty kists out of 11. I failed to get nr 1, 3 and 4.

SUW 14.0925

Breakfast on the banks me the Tweed. Found Jackie Lunn's shop in Melrose. Breakfast in a bun! Cracking stuff. Choice of 4 cooked items in a bun. I ordered two. River rushing by me, chainbridge to my right, i'm sat on a park bench enjoying the mammoth task ahead of me...but i must press on and finish the second bap! "It is a far, far better thing that i do now than i have ever done." oh, and walk as far past Lauder as i can. I'll miss halliburton though 14km east of Lauder - some interesting names on the map. I wonder what 'knowe' means? Norman or saxon origins instead of the celtic (welsh or irish derived?) of the western regions.

SUW 14.0755

No longer a Youth Hostel virgin. Had a dorm to myself. Ears still attuned to nature, so heard lots of sounds. Aim to get past Lauder and camp up on land to north east before Longformacus. Roman road section too. Veni vini vici, I hope. Blisters to tape, breakfast to forage for (i.e. walk to sandwhich shop and buy 2 bacon rolls). Romani via domus!

SUW 2.2230

Beehive bothy. Father n son here and a couple in a tent. Only saw 3 dayhikers on track. Will see what can be done to recharge phone in morning.

SUW 13.2320

News of my demise has been greatly exaggerated. Reached the wonderful Melrose Youth Hostel after 170 miles of trekking. I half expect Walter Scott to burst into the room telling me that the Young Pretender's forces are heading this way. I have much footage in 'the can' and aim to youtube it all. Feet blistered, thoughts happy. Thanks to AktoMum for the last update, transcribed via a payphone. Charger purchased in Galashiels, a very nice place, as has everywhere i've been along the Way. Found 5 merks and 2 empty kists. Think i might keep the beard.

SUW 3.0943

Left bothy. Heading towards Trool.

Southern Upland Way.

You haven't heard from me for a few days so thought I would let you know the cows haven't got me yet although they follow me everywhere. Sun goes down, the cows follow me. The sun rises, the cows follow me.
Sweltering so not walking as far as I had thought. I have only managed 15 miles a day. I was expecting to do more.
Hearing meteorological planes overheard. Found bivvy bag uncomfortable so I am back in the tent. Much more comfortable.
Hoping to get a new charger and then I can get into the swing of things again.

SUW 2.1245

Hey ho. Just spent 45min lunchbreak trying to fix usb connection to charger for phone. No joy. Will try some field-soldering tonight.

SUW 2.1100

"So, where do you want the 'henge? Oh, just drop it off in the field."

SUW 2.1044

Castle Kennedy crannog. Hmm, but 2 islands? I'll read about it later. Aiming for the beehive bothy. See if i'm up for pushing on beyond that.

SUW 2.1010

Castle Kennedy. Time for a break. Cola bought from garage and the maple-coated ham that has done for yesterday's dinner and today's breakfast. Oh, the hardships i suffer. Birdcalls of every sort push out over the water. Not 'drift' but 'thunder' out. Spring time.

SUW 2.0948

Lots of overgrown brick and concrete platforms beside the trainline and forest track. Sounds of geese to the north-east. I've only seen one car today. Heard plenty of human noise.

SUW 2.0940

Crossed the Stranraer train line, now on an old military road. Noticed a shelter me some sort, probably ww2 vintage as reinforced concrete and brick.

SUW 2.0911

Stopped off to get water from pond. Sun has evaporated dew. Not all containers near track hold merks, the only one so far has held grain. And was a blue plastic barrel on a timber a-frame. But it might have been modern ironic sculpture.

SUW 2.0800

I woke up a few times in the night hearing people noises, but no shotgun toting landowner. Marked as a plantation on the map. Cold crisp morning. For that 'doh' moment, my big camera was missing this morning. Retracing my steps, i found it 10ft away from tent, where it had slipped off pack's waistbelt last night.