Sunset and Sunrise on Swatte Fell

[meangarry]

After having two days off ruined by sheet (read ee as i) grey skies and constant rain I decided to take a chance and head out for my first wild camp of sorts. The forecast was for a chance of light rain showers clearing around 3am and for sunshine on wednesday morning. As soon as I had finished work and wolfed down some dinner my girlfriend kindly dropped me off just past Moffat water hall on the A708 after roundstonefoot. It was from there I set off up my usual route following the quad tracks up the long and sometimes steep rabbit brae. It was more of an effort than usual, either the extra weight, evening start time or a day of serving putters and boaters at the park tired my legs. Anyways, I trudged onwards passing several bemused sheep and eventually reached the electric fence above nether coomb craig. I hoyed the tent and bag over and high jumped the fence where a mound of grass makes it less of an effort. Just as I had landed and gathered my stuff a glimmer of red light shone from behind hart fell.

Swatte Fell sunset

The sun which had been absent for the last two days had mustered enough power to display the most fantastic red sunset.

Looking into Blackhope and Hart fell

I had only brought my small digital camera to save weight and I immediately regretted leaving my dslr at home. Oh well, I thought, at least I was afforded this beautiful sight. As soon as it had shown itself the sun quickly disappeared, I suddenly realised how dark it had become and I still had to pitch my old titp veteran tent. I wandered along onto the point above birnock cloves and searched for a flat patch of grass. The wind picked up and pitching my old dome tent was a struggle. It started to rain and did so well into the night. I made a cup of hot chocolate on my irn bru can stove and settled down to the sound of the rain battering against the outside of the tent. I hoped that I wouldn't wake up in a puddle during the night! During the night I did wake although not to rain, but to near silence only broken by the flap of tent and faint rumble of a lonley lorry on the motorway. I peeked out at the twinkling lights of Moffat and towns beyond before returning to sleep. Morning and my alarm clock came quickly and so did the boiling water for my coffee.

Boots and Breakfast

Who needs a jetboil eh?

Old tent and saddle yoke peeking out.

After packing up my kit and then the tent I got a quick photo of me on the point and set off for Nuberry Moss and Blue Cairn.

On the point between Birnock Cloves

The going was unsurprisingly mossy. Great. I should have went down Pirnie Rig onto the forestry track and saved alot of hard legwork! The morning sun was fairly strong and I was sweating buckets. I rested by the cairn on Greygill Head before heading down past Blaebeck and onto the road into Moffat and eventually home.

High Torr cairn on Greygill Head and Queensberry in the distance

For my first time camping out in the hills it was a good one. I'll be looking to purchase a banshee 200 and maybe a bigger rucksack as my freeflow 30+6 was a tad small for all the added kit and I'll not be leaving my dslr at home unless its chucking it down! It was great to be out at sunset and I can't wait til the next time!

Birnock Cloves, I picthed right on the wee point in the middle.

[Gavin99]

That looks a nice trip , a lovely sunset. The Irn bru can stove looks interesting , how exactly does that work and would Carlsberg special brew work just as well ?

[meangarry]

Bru kit. Meths burning homemade stove.

Its just a home made meths burning stove with a tin around it to shield the wind. Early days of experimenting really. Search for them on youtube, soda can stoves or such. After picking up a jetboil in store I realised its nothing special and thought I'd have a go at making one of these with the scottish twist.

Packed up in a tin. Cuppa soups, hot chocolate and coffee sachets packed in the pot. The burner and stuff in the tin.