December 2017 Wildcamp: Going Solo
A cold chill blows through the wild woodland as I wander along the trails. Blimey, this rucksack feels heavy! Aside from the obvious visual clues, that’s when you really know that the seasons have changed. The thin clothes and lightweight sleeping bag gets swapped out for the heavy and warming kit. My big, cumbersome, but oh so cozy sleeping bag greedily takes up most of the space in my rucksack and a hip flask containing a warming tipple is slipped into the side pocket. Alas, I walk into camp re-assured in the knowledge that I’m ready and equipped to deal with whatever Mother Nature has to throw at me. Bring it on! There are many reasons to dislike camping at this time of year; it’s cold, damp and the days are short. But, it’s these testing times that often bring out the best in our great country. A peace descends on the bare woodland, interrupted only by the sporadic chirping of a Blackbird or Robin and the calls of the majestic Buzzard as it swoops high up in the