Moorish Microadventure
Sunday, 24 May 2015
Monday, 29 December 2014
Midwinter #microadventure - Dartmoor on the coldest night of the year.
I had planned to go on winter solstice #microadventure. This would have been a nice contrast to our Dad and Lad summer solstice trip, but with Christmas so close, parental responsibilities meant we were visiting relatives.
Christmas came and went in a blur, a lot of fun and happiness, then the opportunity for one last chance to make a trip out to sleep under the starts arose. I grabbed the chance and went for it.
This time, The Lad stayed a home and played with his new lightsabre
Originally, I planned to head out on the Saturday night, but the forecast for Sunday looked a lot drier,so Saturday was spent painting the banisters while the family were away visiting. Sunday morning I packed my bags and headed north to the moor once again, where it looked to be a little cooler than for the other trip's I'd made this year, the BBC forecasting an overnight low of -7 C.
Christmas came and went in a blur, a lot of fun and happiness, then the opportunity for one last chance to make a trip out to sleep under the starts arose. I grabbed the chance and went for it.
This time, The Lad stayed a home and played with his new lightsabre
Originally, I planned to head out on the Saturday night, but the forecast for Sunday looked a lot drier,so Saturday was spent painting the banisters while the family were away visiting. Sunday morning I packed my bags and headed north to the moor once again, where it looked to be a little cooler than for the other trip's I'd made this year, the BBC forecasting an overnight low of -7 C.
In deference to the conditions I packed my tent as well as my bivi-bag, along with my biggest fattest behemoth of a sleeping bag and a small radio to while away the long winter night.
Despite the sunshine, it was very cold with the wind blowing in from the East.
As usual, the views were spectacular; few clouds in the sky.
The quarry that the Dad and Lad threw stones into during on the day of the Solstice was completely iced over.
With the moon rising not long after 3pm, I picked up the pace and headed south towards Oak Tor.
Oak Tor lies within one of the army's artillery ranges, but these were open to the public today with no firing taking place, so on I plodded.
By this stage, it was getting close to sunset and I was in need of refilling my water bottles, so I descended to Steeperton Gorge to fill up. By the time that job was done, the light was noticeably fading and I wanted to ascend to the ridge again, to escape the valley floor which looked like a certain frost pocket for the night.
With a suitable perch found, I pitched the tent as the light faded and started to cook my evening meanwhile tuned out to be a foul, disgusting, glutinous, tasty, bland, lump of sludge. And available for a small fee in an outdoor shop near you. Next time, I will stick with homemade. Nuff said.
By now it was cold and dark, but for the light of the half-moon. Time to get into the sleeping bag and snooze to the comforting tones of Radio 4 as the wind buffeted the tent . After a couple of hours, it was time to admire the view of the night sky. By now the tent, my water bottle inside the tent and my boots were starting to ice up.
It was time to sleep with my boots!
Up just before dawn. It's still VERY cold.
Walking was easy because the boggy areas had all frozen solid.
The sun was a welcome sight, but it took a while for the frost to clear.
Time to get home for breakfast.
Back to the car to find the water I had left inside had frozen solid in the night.
Back home it was time to hang things up to dry. I found that I really should have spent more time shaking the ice off the tent.
But the breakfast more than made up for that.
Labels:
belstone,
microadventure,
winter
Location:
Belstone, Okehampton, Devon EX20, UK
Friday, 25 July 2014
Another trip out to Belstone
After the summer solstice bivi on the hill with The Lad, I returned for a quick solo trip one very hot summer's evening.
Leaving home at 1845, I was walking out of Belstone within the hour, pleased to find it a lot cooler there than it had been at home. Leaving the car, the temperature gauge was showing 30 C but at the top of Belstone Tor there was a very pleasant cooling breeze.
Despite this being a beautiful still evening there was only one other walker out, who soon turned back. I continued walking until about 2145, then I started looming for somewhere to set up camp.
Finding a comfortable spot took a while due to the boulders,, but one of the great things about bivi bags is, of course, that they need very little room. Setting up camp took at least twenty seconds after which it was time to get the stove on for tea.Tonight's meal was a Adventure Foods Cashew Nasi. So, pan on my cat food can food stove and we are good to go, head torch and bug head net on as the light fades and the bugs begin to bite.
During the night, the broth bit back as I awoke desperate for the loo. Again, bivi bags have a great advantage here as there are no zips to deal with. Despite the annoyance of waking in the middle of the night, being able to drink in the majesty of the night sky in its full glory, miles away from the city lights is one I will never tire of. A truly spectacular sight.
The morning view was not too bad either.
Leaving home at 1845, I was walking out of Belstone within the hour, pleased to find it a lot cooler there than it had been at home. Leaving the car, the temperature gauge was showing 30 C but at the top of Belstone Tor there was a very pleasant cooling breeze.
Despite this being a beautiful still evening there was only one other walker out, who soon turned back. I continued walking until about 2145, then I started looming for somewhere to set up camp.
The morning view was not too bad either.
Time to air things
Then time for a quick brew
Before packing up and heading home.
Another great #microadventure.
Sunday, 29 June 2014
Summer Solstice 2014

We waited until the end of the afternoon, then headed north to Dartmoor for The Lad's first experience of microadevnturing.

.

Standard equipment for any microadvanture is, of course, a luxury item.
I opted for a pillow.
The Lad opted for a lightsabre.

After some time The Lad decided he needed to be more nimble.
I acquire his bag to carry as well as mine.
All is well. I get to carry the extra weight, but I also get to have a go with the lightsabre.
Great rocks block our path, but The Lad leads us successfully through the boulder field.




So, the longest day ends and the shortest night begins
Next day, we are up just after 5am. It is time to read while sitting on a rock.

As the new day dawns, The Lad heads up the next hill




Fueled by M&M's, the breakfast of choice.
A fitting end to our little adventure.
Refreshed, thrilled and invigorated with the spirit of microadventure.
The next one is already being planned.
Labels:
dad and lad,
dartmoor,
microadventure
Location:
Dartmoor National Park, Devon, UK
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