Test Camp

I spent the weekend practising camping.

It wasn't too far from civilisation; a wooded communal garden on the outskirts of town. It was quiet and removed, there was plenty of firewood, but it also featured a series of limitations (no emergency food/water sources, nowhere to put rubbish or food, no lights to illuminate the terrain at night, etc.) that made the isolation feel more genuine.

It went well enough, and certainly taught me a few important things. Far better to learn them now than to overlook them later.

• Triple check you have everything you need
• Bring back-up tools in case the equipment you are using isn't up to the task
• Don't bring any more trappings than you need
• String is invaluable
• You are going to need more firewood than you think... a lot more
• Small fires are better than big fires
• Bring something like a thick cloth to handle hot metal

There were some other things, but they're too inconsequential to mention. One thing I must mull over is the most efficient way to pack my gear; my backpack was almost full to the brim and there was still some kit that I left behind.

It was good fun though, if tiring thanks to the inescapable roots under the tent. I'll have to look for more opportunities to do this before I start doing it seriously.