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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.

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. 

Thence to Belstone, for the third time this year, then onto the moor heading south.

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.

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.

Time to air things 

Then time for a quick brew

Before packing up and heading home. 

Another great #microadventure.

Summer Solstice 2014

Saturday had dawned bright and sunny. The bags were packed and ready to go. One for Dad and one for Lad. It was time for a microadventure.

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

After walking through the lovely village of Belstone, a gate marks the boundary of open access land

.

Standard equipment for any microadvanture is, of course, a luxury item. 

I opted for a pillow. 

The Lad opted for a lightsabre.

 The Force is strong in this one as he leads the way.

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.

The sky shows a lot more blue than it did a year ago.

Eventually, well after normal bed time, The Lad finds his home for the night.

 And the sun starts to set

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.

 Our bed for the night. PADI SCUBA divers are taught "take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but bubbles". We leave nothing but slightly trampled grass. 

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

 A-haaaaaaaa!

 An interesting addition to a dry stone wall

 The road leads us back to Belstone

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.