Well it's been a while and the hands on the clock keep turning.

 

The last couple of weeks have been busy, with outdoors once again taking priority in life. From gear testing to climbing, Coniston to Kathmandu it's been non stop - but at last the time has come for rest and recovery before the challenge ahead.

 

Mild camping was a revelation. A motley crew from around the country congregated at Coniston for an unofficial OM meet. There was Stu and Jules in the overheating Vortex, Dawn, Cherie - the one in pink fluffy PJs and Matt and myself for the full weekend. A flying visit from the Cruxster family (Drew and Jo), Frank for a couple of days, and Iain and kirsten for a night.

 

Bank Holiday Friday saw Me, Matt, Stu, Jules, Cherie and dawn take a mainly off track route over Brim Fell and The Old Man in stunning weather. From Low Water we took the stream off to the right then an impromptu self designed scramble up the ridge to Brim Fell summit. The views were amongst the best I've been fortunate to have in the Lakes - on a par with the Mosedale Horseshoe walk and the Esk Hause wild camp. From there the logical route was to the summit of the Old Man, where the views were good but not quite of the same standard. OK Brim Fell may not be a realistic mountain in its own right, and simply a hump between the Old man and Swirl How but you can see why Wainwright devoted a chapter to it for its views alone.

 

The evenings, as is now the tradition, consisted of wine, whisky and good banter - enlivened by the appearance of some girls from Liverpool. Saturday morning saw a field test of a different kind with real life testing of flame retardent material. A moments lack of attention to help Matt lift the 25 litre water container saw the frying pan burst into flame and put a new window in the side wall of the tent! The good news was that the fire was restricted to just where the flames hit the fabric - proving that the material really is flame retardent. A quick patch with enclosed kit and the hole was sealed - so all in all a lucky escape.

 

After Coniston came Kathmandu, with a trip in the new Land Rover Disco to cjheck out digital road mapping in practise, A quick trip with as much time flying as working - but it was great to be back out there at last and it's renewed the desire to return for a decent period.

 

Last weekend was back to hands on - literally, with a day on Windgather with Stu, Jules and Max. OK the routes weren't spectacularly difficult at V.Diff and the location was its usual windswept self, but it was good to get back to the vertical. Compared to the last time there we all fairly flew up the routes before us, showing the difference a year and some added confidence makes. Maybe it's time to start going back on some more serious rock! Itb was also good to walk all over something called Heather instead of the other way round for once lol.

 

Now the attention switches to the TGO. With the month's workload already finished there's a week to get some R&R and a bit of training in. Darren's done a sterling job sorting out pre-departure accommodation at Mallaig - where 50 of the 300 will depart from, and the lifts each way are all arranged. The final items of kit are tested, weighed and space allocated now the Minim's been found up to the job and checked in combination with the Z lite. The main training left now looks like being a 30 mile weekend with 8000ft of ascent in the lakes with Drew - carrying the full Scotland kit. Times closing in, and it's now a mix of apprehension at the task ahead and excitement at the prospect. 18 days from now ad we'll be on our way :)  A month today and it'll all be over

 

Well, after a couple of weeks of rediscovery and the odd inward look, it's time for a change of direction.

 

This weekend sees our first forays into the world of mild camping. Yes, after years of crawling into a lowline tent at the end of the day, and scrunching up cross legged with a small stove in the Akto, it's time for some luxury. Maybe it's an age thing, or maybe it's a confidence thing, but I've re-examined camping so much over the last couple of years and perhaps it's time for a bit more logic. The TGO Challenge has made me take a serious look at kit, and a move to a more lightweight style for the long and self contained trips. Titanium's moved in and pushed good old aluminium out of the picture as grams have been shaved here and there. Everything I carry must be guaranteed a use, and preferably two.The minimilist approach, within reason, is undoubtedly the right approach when you're carrying everything, and the choice comes down to practicality, although this hasn'#t always been the case.

 

There's something of a whiff of reverse snobbery, however, when it comes to camping. I'm as guilty as anyone, so no immunity, but when you're pitching your nice little Akto or F10 on a "proper" site there's a tendancy to look on some of the larger "family" tents with disdain. Not for you the trappings of home under canvas - you wouldn't be a "real" camper then would you? The fact that you've arrived on site by car, will make regular use of the shower, undercover washing up area, and probably the pub don't assimilate you into "them". But why not? If you're going to arrive by car then why not make life easier?

 

The incursions started slowly, as they do. First it was the realisation that if you're not carrying your kit then a few more grams for an extra comfortable thermarest isn't a problem. Then food gets the treatment with dehydrated being replaced by fresh. In these little stages you still keep hold of your image - you're still "hard" and "real". The transition has moved to the other end of the scale this weekend, with a BIG tent - 20ft long and with 7ft of headroo. The jetboil's redundant as the double burner takes over on its foldout kitchen and larder. Folding chairs and windbreak are in the car, and I really don't think badly of it. I'm not particularly going for the "camping" experience this time - how much of it is left anyway when camping on a commercial site? In reality all I'm after is shelter for a base from which to head out and return to each day - so yes it'll be nice to stand up, cook decent food on a stove that lets you do two things at once, sit around with mates without having to be on the ground. What matters is the days out on the hills and being with friends, and inside I'm still at heart the lightweight camper - but in its place. You can't recreate the feeling of wild camping on an organised camp site - so why try! I may not have that inner glow you have when you look down on those in the big tents as you "rough it" - but I don't need it any more. I may be in a big tent with a few luxuries, but come midday I'll still be on those same high points and keeping my link with the beauty that draws me back time after time - and that's where it matters.

 

Next weekend will be back to normal, with small and lightweight, but this weekend it's time to give it a try. Four full days without a computer is going to be a culture shock, and it's going to be strange having that feeling you're going to miss someone again. It's going to be great to catch up with Stu, Jules, Dawn, and Cherie again, and share some quality time with matt in the outdoors, but a part of me will no doubt be thinking of Scotland.

 

 

John posed a very interesting question last week about the difference between freedom and lonliness. How can something be seen in two totally different ways? The last couple of weeks in particular have made this a theme very close to my heart and provided a lot of cause for thought. In essence freedom and lonliness when it comes to hillwalking can be applied to the same practical circumstances and are essentially a frame of mind. In many ways it's down to the ways you're accustomed to and the expectations you have. If there is a dividing line between the two I think it exists within your desires rather than where you go and who with (or without). There's no doubt that we humans are basically social animals, with an inbuilt desire to seek out like minded people. This trait is exhibited in ways as diverse as gang culture to the existance of groups like Outdoors Magic. Despite this need for social interaction, however, there's no doubt that some of us have a basic need for solitude at times.

 

There's something special in looking at nayure's wonders, like the view down to the Colorado from the rim of the Grand Canyon, with someone equally special to share it with. This may just be down to the scale of the beauty, which defies a single man's ability to fully comprehend or even appreciate it - and the feeling that sharing it makes it more intellectually manageable. The flipside is that if you see it alone you get a bit of an overload and somehow never seem to be able to do the view justice except with someone else who's seen the same. It's at times like this that solitude can feel like lonliness - when you want that human social interaction but it's just not available.

 

On the other hand there's nothing like walking alone for the freedom of movement. To be able to travel without reference to another persons demands is as close as you can get to being timeless. It's not just that you don't have to come, go, stop or wait on the demands of someone else, it's a matter of total mental freedom. Even when you're not walking to the requirements of another person they're still in your mind along with thoughts of their desires and needs for rest, food, shelter etc. You may feel transfixed on your own by a particular sight, or wait for as long as it takes for the light to be "just so" for a photograph when on your own, but with someone else you're always aware they may not have that same feeling and may not want to stop - even if this remains unspoken.

 

Over the last few months I've rekindled that feeling of freedom again, and while yes there have been moments of lonliness along the way, that feeling is something to be treasured.

 

On the kit side of things the Minim finally arrived. I'm still not 100% sure if the name Minim refers to it's minimal weight or the minimal quality of the PHD customer service. It's undoubtedly an outstanding bag, and one of a kind - but the 3 week wait while they had my money in their bank and the blatant lies of their staff are probably enough to persuade me to look elsewhere in future. By Tuesday I was in direct communication with Peter himself, but even this didn't achieve much. More of this tomorrow though when I'll post some of the highlights of the Minim saga and the emails from PHD. For now, a warm bath and a comfortable bed await.