After a year of adding to my outdoor kit, I thought it was time to try out some of it in Wintery snowy conditions. I knew that sleeping out in below zero conditions was all about staying warm, as I had learnt that during a snow-holing trip to the Cairngorms in January of this year.
I decided as there was a fair amount of snow on Cheviot, that It was worth just staying local. I packed my 65 litre sack with everything I would need, which included to name but part.
1. Rab Ascent 500 down sleeping bag
2. Exped 5 down filled sleeping mat
3. Alpkit Hukka Bivvy bag
4. Jet Boil
5. Wolfskin Gossamer Bivvy tent
6. Snow Shovel
7. Grivel Ice axe
8. Petzl Nao headtorch
9. Petzl Helmet
10. various other stuff including food and wine.
I decided as there was a fair amount of snow on Cheviot, that It was worth just staying local. I packed my 65 litre sack with everything I would need, which included to name but part.
1. Rab Ascent 500 down sleeping bag
2. Exped 5 down filled sleeping mat
3. Alpkit Hukka Bivvy bag
4. Jet Boil
5. Wolfskin Gossamer Bivvy tent
6. Snow Shovel
7. Grivel Ice axe
8. Petzl Nao headtorch
9. Petzl Helmet
10. various other stuff including food and wine.
I walked from Wooler to the summit of Cheviot (7 miles) in snow that got deeper the higher I walked. And then from the summit across the plateau and down from Auchope Cairn towards the Mountain Refuge hut (Just incase it got too cold)
I arrived at the spot just 20 minutes after dark, but didn”t need the head torch as the sky was bright with stars and the moon. I pitched the tent, made a cup of coffee and then ate a pretty crappy Mug Shot. As the hours passed the temperture dropped to what felt like about -10. I watched a documentry on Everest (Very apt) and climbed inside my sleeping bag.
Three things I need to add to my kit is a waterproof pair of thin gloves to wear under my main gloves, so when I need to do something I am not exposing my skin to the cold air, as my hands and feet lose heat very quickly. A hot water bottle would also be handy to speed up the warming of feet once inside sleeping bag.
Three things I need to add to my kit is a waterproof pair of thin gloves to wear under my main gloves, so when I need to do something I am not exposing my skin to the cold air, as my hands and feet lose heat very quickly. A hot water bottle would also be handy to speed up the warming of feet once inside sleeping bag.
I slept fairly well considering the cold outside, think I managed from 11pm until 6am, which is no worse that my own bed at home.
Got up the morning had some porridge and then headed to the ravine called Henhole for some exploring and scrambling in the gullies and rocks.
Got up the morning had some porridge and then headed to the ravine called Henhole for some exploring and scrambling in the gullies and rocks.
The fog and mist had filled Henhole so the views were not great, but it is still a place that fascinates me.
After a bit of playing I ascended out of the ravine, which is no easy task as it bottom is about 300 metres and the top abour 650 all in about quarter of a mile!
The walk back across the windswept plateau of Cheviot was really hard as I had not enough food to keep myself topped up with and just as a car I didn’t go very well without fuel! 7 miles further, and at the bottom of the Harthope Valley I saw a shepherd I know who I scrounged a lift back to Wooler with, well why not!
Lessons learnt, and gear tried out I was very happy with the 36 hours I spent in my local Hills, and got some good photos also. (See Below).
The walk back across the windswept plateau of Cheviot was really hard as I had not enough food to keep myself topped up with and just as a car I didn’t go very well without fuel! 7 miles further, and at the bottom of the Harthope Valley I saw a shepherd I know who I scrounged a lift back to Wooler with, well why not!
Lessons learnt, and gear tried out I was very happy with the 36 hours I spent in my local Hills, and got some good photos also. (See Below).