Work… not. Exciting plans, though.

I was meant to be at work tonight, but really didn’t feel like dragging myself out into the frozen wastes of coastal North West England. I did, though, only to learn that they didn’t need me after all. Rob asked if I minded not working. I didn’t really mind at all, and so I pocketed last week’s wages and trotted back home. It’s less than 5 minutes in the car, so no problem. At least he’s now taken a note of my phone number *g*

Wee Piggly is lying on the floor, here, bored. She doesn’t yet know, though, that we have exciting walking plans coming up.

Next weekend she and I are travelling North to walk with Challenge pals Ali and Sue, and their respective wee doggies. Ali has a Border Terrier–Pearl–so Piglet will be in her element.

After that, we’re off to the Dales for about 5 days with Colin–he of the tarp, and the handbag, and the over-worked sewing machine. Colin has plotted a cunning route that takes in pubs (hic!) for food (Piglet insisted on that), as well as wild camps in desolate, snowy places. I’m quite excited!

Piggly will be sporting a new harness, and prolly also a new coat: this is the one I have in mind. I know it’s possible to get shoes for dogs, but I’m hoping she won’t need them… I’ll take some cream for her wee paws, though, and monitor them daily, as we’re expecting snow and foul conditions.

Tomorrow I must take a look at my car. I know it needs some new windscreen wipery stuff as a little light has come on to tell me so, and Mango Terrier has advised me to keep an eye on the oil levels so I’ll be whipping out the manual to find out how to do that. I may even wash it!

Ooh! If it’s going to be *really* cold next week I might take my Paramo Salopettes. I’ve not worn them since… can’t remember! At least 18 months, I think. I rather like them, though, and they’re terribly snuggly.

Chally writeup — finally finished!

Phew! I’ve finally finished writing it up. Hopefully somebody will enjoy it

If you take a look and find anything broken then please do let me know, so that I can fix it ♥

Brilliant service from Bob and Rose at backpackinglight.co.uk again

Bobs and Rose have made a speciality of going the extra mile on the service front since their business opened a few years ago now, but every time they come up trumps it brings a big smile to my face.

I bought a NeoAir just before the Chally, and it was wonderful until quite recently, when it suddenly ‘blew’ (Bob tells me that’s the technical term), with a couple of chambers beginning to merge into one. It still works but I was concerned that the problem might get worse, so I dropped a line to Bob to ask whether T-Rest would still be willing to exchange it at this stage.

Almost instantly I got a friendly email back telling me that this had been an acknowledged problem with the first batch (I had the last one of Bob’s first batch), and telling me also that they’d stick a replacement in the post for me that very afternoon. They did, and the following day my shiny new NeoAir arrived, complete with bag of Jelly Babies (consumed immediately–yum!) and a lovely little keyring with folding bag and hand-written note from Rose. Rose rang today to check that all was well, but I was out and so I missed her.

I know that many of us around here consider Bobs and Rose to be friends, but it’s clear from reading testimonials all over the web over the course of the last few years that Bobs and Rose provide this level of service to absolutely *all* of their customers, and every single time. I have no idea how they manage to keep it all together between the two of them, with all the other demanding stuff they get up to, but I do know that every time I think of adding something interesting to my backpacking kit backpackinglight.co.uk is the very first place I look. Long may they continue!

Thanks again to both of them ♥

Further packing update–almost finished

Okay, now most of it is in the bag. The only reason the spare phone and camera batteries aren’t also in there is that I forgot to put them in *g* I haven’t got a book yet, but I’ve never managed to get out of the Grasmere book shop without buying several so I’m sure I’ll be able to find something excellent there.

Still no sign of Caroline and Piglet

So, here’s what I’m taking (the bones of it, anyway).

Tent etc
Laser Competition
Atmos (larger than the Exos)
Neoair
PHD Minimus sleeping bag
Equinox Mummy bivy bag
Ajungilac pillow

Clothes
Salomon Women’s 3D Fastpacker Mid GTX boots (with custom Superfeets)
Paramo Viento jacket
Cioch ladies trousers (Paramo material)
PHD down trousers for bed (hee!)
Spare lightweight trousers (for B&Bs etc)
Shorts (just in case…)
Icebreaker merino long-sleeved base
Helly H. long-sleeved base (for B&Bs etc)
Klattermusen down smock
Lowe Alpine Mountain hat
Baseball cap
Thin gloves
Warm Salomon waterproof (ish) gloves
2 Buffs (one for B&Bs)
3 pairs of socks
PHD down booties (for bed)
3 pairs of knickers
3 bras (’s not fair that you blokes don’t have to carry these! *g*)

Cooking
Kettley thing (with cozy)
Kettley mug (with cozy)
Primus Micron stove
Windshield
Gas
7 days’ food to start with (dehydrated meals, hot choccy, soup, granola bars and GORP)

Navigation/Comms
Phone/blogging thing/GPS–all in one
BMC 1:40k Lakes map (plus two laminated Quo print-outs)
4 x OS 1:25k maps
2 x Ortlieb map cases
Yellow marker for marking up OS maps when I get to Grasmere

Misc
MP3 players with audiobooks and music
2 pairs of headphones (since one broke on the Chally: never again…)
Dictaphone thingy
Wash kit
First aid kit (minimal)
Bag of bits and pieces (torch, spare batteries, notebook & pen, dosh, tape for heels (just in case), tape for clothes and tent, other stuff I can’t remember right now)
Camera (with 2 cards)
Pacer Poles

Exclusively for Piglet
Cut-down foam mat
Equafleece sleeping suit
PHD gilet (mine) to use as sleeping bag
Equafleece tankie for cold, drizzly days
Ruffwear Cloud Chaser softshell for very wet and miserable weather
Vast quantities of kibble
Chews with glucosamine and chondroitin (1 for lunch each day)
Liver biscuits
Favourite chew
A tent peg to tie her to as I put up the tent
Folding bowl

If anyone spots any obvious omissions then please do say. I may have forgotten to write them down, or then again I may have forgotten to pack them! *g*

Almost time to go… feeling a bit nervous!

There’s a frenzy of last-minute preparation going on here, as tomorrow morning I plan to take Piss-Piss to the cattery and jump on a train with Piglet to Windermere.

My route planning hasn’t been as successful as I’d hoped. I did about a quarter of it but then the Phone Dilemma intervened, and since then it’s all been a bit hit-and-miss, as I’ve been trying to work out how the GPS mapping works without a manual.

I’ve planned my first 3 days’ walking–the ones from Grasmere (where I have to go, in order to be able to watch the Masterchef: The Professionals finals week)–and I’m going to take the little Joss Naylor booklet that KateC very helpfully recommended (thank you, Kate!), as it lists the order in which he did the fells. I’ll have the BMC 1:40k map on which I’ve marked all the Wainwrights (the ones that fall within its ambit) plus a couple of laminated print-outs from Quo which show the rest of them. If I don’t miraculously manage to plot and print out the rest of it later today then I’ll have to take the 4 OS 1:25s as well, but I’m trying not to do that because I’d much rather carry a couple of pages in my smallest Ortlieb and shove it into a pocket, than have to navigate on a daily basis with the larger maps: they’re just less easy to manage.

On the food front, I’ve bought a ton of my favourite instant hot chocolate, packet soups and granola bars, some Beanfeast and Smash and a large bag of quick cook pasta and sachets of cheese sauce with which to pad out the food I’ve managed to dehydrate. I made some mushroom risotto to Ali’s recipe (thanks, Ali!) and some lovely chicken and barley and veggie soup, so thick and unctuous that I was able to get it to lie on the little mesh trays of the dehydrator without dripping through.

For Piglet I’ve got a large sack of her favourite kibble, and a month’s supply of yummy chews impregnated with glucosamine and chondroitin. I’ve also baked her a large bag of her favourite liver and garlic biscuits, and set aside her favourite Nylabone for evening chewing. We’ll be supplementing her usual diet with some extra protein in the form of things like sardines and chicken, whenever we can get them. Piglet is quite excited about that!

I bought two spare batteries for my camera, and 3 spare batteries for my phone. Unfortunately one of the spares is faulty and will have to go back, but I’m hoping that 3 phone batteries will be enough to carry me through, with the charger. I’ve started putting audiobooks and music onto my collection of little Creative Muvo MP3 players, and at some stage today I’ll dig out a book.

I’ve washed and re-proofed my Cioch trousers (I’d have preferred to take my Paramo Cascadas, but one of the zips is broken and there wasn’t time to get it replaced) and my Paramo Viento jacket. The rest of my backpacking clothes are stuffed into a drawer somewhere, so soon I’ll start digging some out and packing them.

Now that I’ve started packing the rucksack, I realise I’ve mislaid my little yellow Exped food bag. It’s most odd, because–naturally enough–it normally lives in my pack between trips. Still, it seems to have gone missing. Not to worry: I’ve got lots of little Exped bags somewhere or other. For sentimental reasons, though, I’ll be sorry to go without it, as I’ve been using it for several years now. And how will I find my food in the pack if it’s not in a yellow bag? Hopefully I’ve not mislaid anything else, but if I have I suppose I’ll find out about it soon enough.

One major logistical problem that I haven’t yet solved is what to do with spare food. Normally I’d send it ahead in boxes, but because I’m not yet sure where I’m going to be, when, I’ve not done that. I was thinking I’d ask the B&B in Grasmere if I could leave it there, and jump on a bus for re-supply once a week or so. Thinking again, though, I’m not sure how well that will work, because, although one’s never very far from Grasmere in the Lake District, many of the places I’ll be camping are remote, and getting buses to and from Grasmere might turn out to be a bit of a problem. I’m still not sure what to do about it. Possibly I will send some boxes ahead to Post Offices (or maybe Youth Hostels) after all. I’ll keep mulling it over as I get through the rest of today’s tasks.

Well that’s enough procrastination for now *g* I’d best get on. I’ll post another progress report later this evening.

Piglet gets a softshell!

Piggly in Ruffwear Cloud Chaser softshell, and Huurta padded harness

Although Piggly has a nice Equafleece tankie for bombing around in cold, wet weather, I was a little concerned that it mightn’t be enough to protect her should the weather turn truly foul.

I was also keen to get her a harness, partly so’s not to be pulling on her soft little neck, and partly because it’d be very helfpul to be able to lift her easily over streams and up scrambly things.

Anyway, I drove over to Camddwr Canine, today, in Wales, and now she’s kitted out in lovely comfy things to keep her warm, dry and safe. She chose a Ruffwear Cloud Chaser Softshell, and a Hurtta padded harness.

She seems to have good taste in kit. I haven’t seen any other dogs wearing softshells on the hills… *g*

Another blogging/GPS question…

Wow, this is complicated…

Phil and Alan y/day pointed out that it’s not a good idea to rely on one device for both blogging and GPS, and of course I agree with that.

However… I didn’t make clear earlier that I’m taking Quo printouts (and a compass, of course), and only want the mapping GPS as a backup. I wouldn’t be using it all the time: I’d just want to switch it on from time to time to check my position, much as I currently use my little Garmin 315 i.e. just in extremis. (Okay, and maybe for a bit of a play while I get used to the novelty of having it…)

Bearing that in mind, d’y'all think that makes it any more feasible to use just the one device? If not then it currently seems that I’d need to buy, or enter into contracts for, two new devices, and that would be expensive at a time when I’m trying to conserve money. I suppose what I’m really asking about is how much of a hit on the battery would be likely to be involved in using the GPS function in that way.

Hmmm… I’m now spending more time agonising over gadgets than I am plotting routes! Doh…

Another question… blogging on the go?

I’m totally ignorant of all the cunning wee devices now available to help people to blog on the go. Any suggestions for something inexpensive to run, efficient and light, but easy to type on? Something which incorporates, or for which it’s possible to get hold of, a fold-out keyboard of some sort would be particularly welcome.

Thanks for any help, peeps!

Edited to add: I’d also like it to come with GPS so I can take my Quo maps and do digital mapping… otherwise Piglet and I may never return!

Recommend dog-friendly accommodation in Lakes?

Rufty-tufty little backpacking dog as she is, Piglet does enjoy snuggling up at home.

If anybody knows of any dog-friendly accommodation in the Lakes then please mention it here. I can find B&Bs and stuff online, but I’m wondering whether it’s possible for dogs to stay in any hostels or camping barns. I’m also wondering whether peeps know of any walking or climbing clubs that have barns etc up there. I could join if Piglet could stay. It’d be useful to use something like that as a bit of a base for a couple of/a few days. Ideas welcome ♥

Exciting Plans!

Pulling faces with Piglet on top of Scafell Pike

Hi peeps.

I mentioned a week or so ago a plan to get out and do something exciting, and I’m now in the process of planning it. It’s not the right time of year to try LEJOG or the GR10, but I reckon I’ve got just enough time to embark upon a continuous round of… the Wainwrights

I’ve never been a peak bagger, so I’ve no idea how many Wainwrights I’ve done in the past. I’m hoping it might be possible for me to get round them in less than a month, though, with little Piglet, starting in a couple of weeks’ time. I know it’s been done before, but not by me, and if we succeed then Piggly will almost certainly be the only dog to have completed them all before she’s a year old.

It’ll have to depend upon the weather, to some extent: Piggly’s not rufty tufty enough yet to plough on and on in foul conditions, day after day, and I’m not a sufficiently accomplished navigator to lead her safely round them if we’re struck with a month of thick fog. We’ll give it our best shot, though, crubeens allowing.

And to celebrate, this morning I ordered a pair of PHD down trousers, having read about them on Darren’s site. Thank you, Darren! I’ve spoken to PHD and they hope to have them ready for me to collect from Ambleside in a couple of weeks. I already have some PHD down booties, and these days they’re just about my favourite piece of backpacking equipment. Agonisingly cold feet in the tent at dead of night are now a distant memory.

I’ve started drawing up routes on Quo (I’m very impressed with Quo, by the way, now that I’ve got over the initial unfamiliarity of it–many thanks to Colin for suggesting it to me), but route planning is not exactly my forte and so it’s taking me some time. Now that I’ve more-or-less nominated a start date, though, I’ll have to press on with it. Any tips on fitting the highest number of Wainwrights into the shortest possible number of days most welcome

I really hope it might be possible to meet up with some of you, if you’re going to be in the Lakes while Piggly and I are there. I’ll post more about my intended schedule as it falls into place, but it would be brilliant to walk with pals from time to time, and I can promise any takers a thorough licking from Piglet.

Right! Off to take Piggly to the woods, and then to press on with the route planning.