Freezer Bag Cooking Order

The winner of yesterday's lottery is: Sarah from Freezer Bag Cooking.

So, what do I get to play with this weekend? Well, there's the starter pack with

• the book "Freezer Bag Cooking: Trail Food Made Simple" by Sarah Svien Kirkconnell. I'll be reading this and giving it a go. There are also lots of recipes on her website (as well as well-photographed trip reports and trees).
• cozy. I went for the desert camo one. I thought a subdued one suited me, but not so subdued that I couldn't find it in the heather. Just tried it with a Wayfarer's dinner pack, and it fits it perfectly.
• GSI long handled spoon. That's for the outdoor cutlery box, even though it has a spoon end and a "scraper tip". That's the non-spoon end. And in between, there is a handle - wow, they've thought of everything ;-)
• 2 ziploc bags. These are, with good planning, the right size for the cozy.
• Not in the starter pack is the GSI nesting mug and bowl. The mug has an insulated layer, and sipping gaps at two of the sides of the triangular-sectioned. Both are marked in ml and fl oz. The mug's lid could be used as a strainer for the bowl.

I'm off to swap out my Nalgene 'mug' (visible behind the stove in this shot, wrapped in an insulated layer) and put the cozy into a waterproof bag. My mug normally holds the makings for beverages, i.e. ziplock bag with tea bags, a Nalgene container with coffee, an old film canister with whitener and finally a slim container of sweeteners.

Note - the cozy mentioned above is not a pot cozy (home-made one photographed). The idea is that you put the food into the cozy instead of using your stove to simmer it. Here's a link to Sarah's interview with Practical Backpacking. It is where I first heard of this. I was at Geldie Lodge in, 2006, I think. Link.

And Sarah's also got a YouTube channel.

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PS: as an ex-pat Doonhamer, it would be "unbelievable" (as someone's just said on the radio) if Queen of the South beat Rangers this afternoon in the Scottish Cup Final.

Happy 1st Birthday, OBF

The Outdoor Bloggers Forum is one year old today.

Happy birthday, and thanks for setting up the safe haven, Lay.

I've Tax to Pay - Yippee

Dead and taxes are said to be unavoidable. But we have a 2nd rate system of handling import duty in the UK. I've written about it in the past so won't waste my time mentioning this Victorian random handling of taxes. Just to say that it seems to be a cheap way for the post office to make about 8 quid out of me. Not their fault. They are subcontracted from the Government. Previous article: immature-customs

So, why am I happy? Well, it means that there's a package from the USA waiting for me. Either my order from Sarah at Freezer Bag Cooking or Tinny at Mini Bull Design. And I'm off to meet George in the Cairngorms for an overnighter at the Corrour Bothy at the start of the Lairig Ghru.

If I am lucky, the package is waiting for me at the sorting office - all shiny and new and waiting for me to collect it and take it with me.

Sadly, this idyllic image is spoilt by the fact that I've a dentist appointment beforehand. As some people know, I'm a big woose when it comes to these things. So the happy thoughts of shiny new gear should help me get a good night's sleep.

Here's the view last summer. The bothy's off to the left side of the shot. (maplink)

Trail End

The new edition of "Trail" magazine came through the door. There's a photo of Claire Maxted wild camping on the front cover. Inside there is an article on lightweight hiking (PTC*'s first full length article, I think), and the promotion of gear reviewer, Graham Thompson to a lightweight guru.

But, with one day left before the ePetition calling upon the government to legalise wild camping in England and Wales, I scoured the pages to find any reference to it.

There it was on page 50.

Amazing.

Really amazing.

4 1/2 column inches of "Eco-Savvy wild camping". Did it cover recycling gas canisters? Nope. Did it talk abut using public transport instead of cars, or trekking at home rather than flying away for a weekend? Nope. It states the following:

...

Well, you know what. I really can't be bothered writing what they say before they write about the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

For me, their inability to state clearly where you can legally wild camp in England and Wales is just poor hake. Even if they do not agree with the campaign, they could have mentioned it in their roll as outdoor journalists. But it is the nail in the coffin for my readership. As I'm not their target readership, it is no great loss all round.

--

Today's the last chance to add your name to the ePetition. The more names, the more right we have to move to Stage Two of the campaign. With your support, we can make it work. Despite the ignorance of the "UK's best-selling hill-walking magazine"

Add your name to the petition here: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/wildcamp/

Read the background at the official website: http://www.legalisewildcamping.com/ - you'll also find out what Trail aren't telling you about where you can legally wild camp already in England and Wales.

Strangely Drawn

I'm strangely drawn to this advert. Well planned and executed.

Sadly my dancing is more wooden than that :(

Being Scottish

Okay, so it is an advert, but it is for "our other national drink", and sums up many things about this nation:

Share and enjoy.

1900th name on ePetition

The pro-wild camping ePetition has just reached its 1900th signature. It finishes on the 24th of May, so not long to go.

Add your name to the petition here: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/wildcamp/

Read the background at the official website: http://www.legalisewildcamping.com/

Good call, Cameron

Cameron McNeish of TGO has posted a video interview with Dane, Niels Vinther, here on his blog. If you caught the news recently, Niels was the chap who was rescued after punching out the Spot tracking system whilst on the TGO cross-Scotland challenge. Or, if you read Trail magazine, it was a cross-Scotland walk.

Farewell to Arms

With resupply pack collected and extra maps and reading material (hiking book for Dawn; Commando comics for Darren), i leave the pair heading back to the Fife Arms to have a discussion on the route. Long and 'easy' or short and brutal. The terms are relative. If you think it's a long way to the corner shop... oops, that's what i get for listening to H2G2 in the car as i set off for the drive home and the post office tomorrow to return items south. Darren has kindly dropped off some hiking food for me to try. Thanks. Happy trails to all and sundry.

And the partner in crime

Phil examines his spoils.

Alan behind bars

Alan Sloman in "Taste", Braemar.

Bedded blogger

Live from Rucksacks bunkhouse, Braemar. (Darren)

Braemar Sunday

Met some Challengers last night and the oft referred to but never seen, Mrs McNeish. And her husband, Mr Cameron. Mark says he's pulling out due to an old ankle injury. I felt out of place and overweight. Which i am. Next was a trip to the Hungry Highlander for a healthy whale supper. Darren hadn't tasted tablet before, so i got him 2 pieces after checking that he wasn't allergic to large amounts of sugar. We revised to the excellent bunkhouse kitchen and i think Dawn was the only one who polished off their meal. A final trip to the Fife Arms with Darren (wearing HH leggings under shorts!) and an early night. Later awoken by John, Stef et al returning in the wee small hours. I wasn't pretending to be asleep, i just refused to open my eyes. There is a difference.

Outside Braemar

Dawn and Darren walking past my parked car, just outside Braemar. Dawn reckons that she can smell the chippy already.

Braemar Saturday.

Camped out last night near Linn of Dee and was up and about at 8am, breaking camp at 9am.

leave no trace.

Red wine, not plasma, honest.

In that time there was a steady stream of eastbound walkers.

I tabbed it along the Dee, meeting and chatting to Challengers (hi Andy; who isn't John Manning).

Some people were wary of the river crossing, the one I didn't do at Easter (link).

Met Darren and Dawn at noon within site of Geldie Lodge. I didn't have to wade any watercourses, which was nice. (maplink)

We returned the way that i had come, stopping for a break at the Red House, re-meeting the couple featured in Cameron's video.

Dawn set a rapid pace and we were back at the Linn of Dee for 3pm. I could feel hot-spots on my right foot.

Leaving them to walk in to town, i was tasked with driving in to Braemar and securing accommodation. Finding the TIC who pointed me to the bunkhouse that Dawn had recalled. We got the last 3 places. By coincidence, i had driven past 3 Challengers walking in to Braemar. I drove back out to deliver the news, and to get me out of town.

After the long climb to Braemar, Darren reports in to Challenge Control.

Video ramblings:

Braemar friday

Braemar. Raining. I'll camp near Linn of Dee and head along the Dee then the Geldie tomorrow. Think I'll fight the urge to grab a bite at the Hungry Highlander. Overtaken by a couple of speeding Landies. Probably think they're Torchwood. Otherwise drive uneventful. A web2.0 infraction at work meant i didn't get away until late. We'll see how robust our new policies are. Reading Judge Dredd and studying contractual law do not make good bedfellows.

Dee valley, west of Braemar. (maplink)

Phase-shifting deer near the road outside Inverey.

Wild camping - because I choose to!

We don't do Saturdays

Just heard on Radio 4 that the Post Office Royal Mail are now proposing to stop delivering mail on Saturday. What a joke organisation this is. At what point will someone in power stand up to the mismanagement and say "enough is enough". It is just another sign that no-one cares about the public deliveries and are only interested in business deliveries.

MWIS 2.0

Just checking the forecast for the weekend in the Cairngorms, so off to the usual haunt at the Mountain Weather Information Service. And. Blam. KaPow. It's all light and cheery and all of a sudden I'm awake and there goes my chance to wind down for an early night.

If you can stand the shock to the system, if you feel lucky, punk, just click h..., but don't say that you haven't been warned...here

I'm off to meet Darren and Dawn in the National Park. Somewhere. Maybe White Bridge. Maybe Glen Feshie. Maybe Sometime. Maybe Friday evening (little chance of that). Maybe the day after. Or maybe Sunday (doubtful). I have a bag of delights and civilised treats for them - I won't say what as Darren called to remind me of something "Oi! Tell the others that I can read what's being said about me". Hopefully the Christie Curse won't affect me like it has affected those around him this year, but I'm taking some holy water with me just in case. I'm not sure if I should take the Speyside or the Islay holy water.

Wild Camping ePetition: over 1800

If you think that wild camping in England and Wales is a right worth having. That you'd follow something similar to our Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and its "Leave no trace" ethics, then why not sign up? What's the worst that can happen? We might again get ignored by politicians who listen to the scare-mongering of the landowners who thought that allowing people access to land at night was a licence for burglars.

According to the petition site:

When a serious petition closes, usually provided there are 200 signatures or more, officials at Downing Street will ensure you get a response to the issues you raise. Depending on the nature of the petition, this may be from the Prime Minister, or he may ask one of his Ministers or officials to respond.

Well, they raised 200 signatures in 72 hours. But the petition has already received a negative response from the government. They don't know how many people are interested in this. 2000 would be a nice round number, but the petition closes on the 24th of May. 10 days time.

Wild camping isn't just because people choose not to stay at official reservations, but because they can break up treks or expeditions, because the view is stunning and the noise one of nature and not of cars driving by, because they want to get a start on a hill.

Leave no trace, take only photographs.

Add your name to the petition here: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/wildcamp/

Read the background at the official website: http://www.legalisewildcamping.com/

We could grow tomatoes

As my workmate checks on shipais.com, the ship in the bay is the Navion Akarita. Mr S does like finding things out, and this site links to the history of the ship, eg it travelled from whitby yesterday, the engines it has, etc. And allows a bad joke about her being a crude tanker.