Walkhighlands

Having nabbed Green Crag on the way in and enjoyed a burger and a pint and the Wasdale Head Inn it was now time to head off to bed. Which tonight was on Illgill Head - my first wild camping experience.
The route up is quite straight forward, although I really felt the difference carry 9kgs instead of the usual 4-5kgs. Original plan was to camp somewhere near the tarns between the two tops, however once on Illgill Head there was a nice spot near the summit so I quickly pitched there, and wandered over to Whin Rigg and back carrying just a water bottle. Got back to the tent just before sunset, made coffee and settled in for the night. Woke just after 4 and popped out of the tent to take a couple of pre-dawn pics then back to bed until 6:45. Had breakfast, then packed up and returned to Wasdale to ready myself for the Mosdale Horseshoe.

Pics here: https://plus.google.com/photos/106459429880001195754/albums/6160190835043750609

(N.B Track and stats don't include the descent).

950m of ascent with double your usual loading must have been a grunt, worth it though by the look of those pics, lovely wildcamp spot (congrats of getting your first in.....will there be more?)

There will be more - not that often perhaps - but it does make a great way of bagging the lower a tops and squeezing the most out of my limited time in the area. If I hadn't been going down with the cold I would have camped on Lingmoor rather than the NT site below it.

P.S. Some of the 950m was the jaunt out to Whin Rig and back without the rucksack, after pitching the tent

Alteknacker was wondering how I kept the weight down to 9kg (that includes a tent) and it's all in a Deuter 26L pack. I reckon I could get below 8kg with a new pack (the Deuter is heavy at 1.6kg) and there scope for a bit of weight savings elsewhere as well. This is basically a minimum overnight setup though - no change of clothes, need a water source to top up for breakfast - but I did have half a dozen brunch bars so could have gone a fair way the next day.

Contents

From top left (in sort of zig-zag)
Sleeping bag (Vango Ultralite 600 - synthetic)
Waterproof ttrousers and jacket
Lightweight insulated jacket
Sleeping mat (inflatable)
Tent
Gloves
Hat
Balaclava
Emergency bivvy
Brunch bars, Vaseline, head torch
Mug
Porridge
Gas and Pan (spare head torch and batteries)
Water bottles
Spork
Sterilising tablets
Burner and lighter
Loo roll
First aid stuff
Pen knife
Other emergency bits

Inflatable pillow and battery pack for phone is missing from the photo.

Basically tent stands in the bag and the sleeping bag fits across what's left of the bottom (v.tight). Then jackets and the pan. Most of the smaller stuff goes in the lid pockets and side pockets.

stevesey wrote:Alteknacker was wondering how I kept the weight down to 9kg (that includes a tent) and it's all in a Deuter 26L pack......

Thanks for the inf. I'll take a careful look at what I take next time. I'm impressed at how small the bag packs down. I have a very warm synthetic, but it's huge; so I ended up getting a down bag.

Looks like you had a perfect night for a wild camp

Alteknacker wrote:

stevesey wrote:Alteknacker was wondering how I kept the weight down to 9kg (that includes a tent) and it's all in a Deuter 26L pack......

Thanks for the inf. I'll take a careful look at what I take next time. I'm impressed at how small the bag packs down. I have a very warm synthetic, but it's huge; so I ended up getting a down bag.

Looks like you had a perfect night for a wild camp

Spent a while looking at bags - the Ultralite 600 did seem to come out well ahead of anything else (synthetic) in terms of size vs warmth (and only £52 with go-outdoors -10% price match). Realistically it's more of a two season bag - but that suits me at present - can always slip the insulated jacket on as well. It was fine that night and it was cold enough that my gas canister was sluggish in the morning and needed warming by hand before it would give a strong flame (should have put in in the sleeping bag with me).