Brownsea Island

Well, I’m currently on an island that is way bigger than I thought, in my tent, with way less food than I need. I have packed very light, at least that’s what I thought. I have a front and back pack, so that I can wander around the island with some supplies without having to take a full pack. However, as it’s quite warm, being sandwiched between the two bags has been incredibly hot and uncomfortable.

Train journey was uneventful, and when alighting at Poole station, I tabbed to the dock to catch the ferry. There were a lot of people waiting. Decided that queuing was the best plan rather than going to buy supplies. Got onto boat, boat floated, boat arrived.

When I got to the island I dropped my big bag off to be taken across the island in a cart. I then started my walk to the campsite. Everything here is just stunning. So I meandered off course a few times until the campsite had to call me to check I hadn’t fallen off a cliff.

Got to campsite after ignoring their instructions and getting lost again. Picked a pitch, met Noisy Nigel, pictured below, and got settled.

I had food, one third of my supplies, so now chilling in my tent, listening to nothing but birdsong.

I will update later or tomorrow, peace all.

So much for updating on Sundays

I felt it was a very photogenic cherry, and it was the only one that survived the Blackfly onslaught. In other news, nothing has been achieved and nothing productive has taken place. Minecraft has been played, doggies have had bellies scratched, but otherwise, nothing.

I have prepped my bag for camping next week, as I can camp light without cooking stuff to weigh me down. Actually feels way too light, but I’m sure that will change once I start adding food and clothes.

Some stuff has grown but most has not. Still awaiting a tomato. Strawberries have run their race so seems that it’s just the possibility of a few toms that I’m waiting on.

The fatty pigeon was quite amusing, as he squatted in the flowerpot for a while not quite knowing what to do. You know I’ve run out of interesting stuff in my life if I’m posting noodles, so will update next week when I’m on an island somewhere.

Late again

Another week of doggies and work and not much else. The pups definitely get in the way of any camping expeditions, which is kinda sad. Had the excitement of a 48 hour heart monitor being strapped onto me on Tuesday, which gave me an unrivalled chance to travel. When I got home I checked Cheech, the smaller cherry tree, and he’s being ravaged by Blackfly again.

Returned heart monitor on Friday, amidst huge numbers of hassle, including trying to book a car to hire and a prick who tried to run into the side of the car on a roundabout. It’s been warm, so been nice walking the various doggies, but very tiring. Hope I can keep enough energy for camping in July. Got a new hard drive which is still installing, 2 days later. Otherwise, to be frank, there is actually nothing interesting to put here, except for overdoing Minecraft and continually spraying the garden for blackfly. Ooooh I have bought a load of nematodes to finish off the slugs, although I now feel the sun is probably doing that. Haven’t sprayed them yet, but will get around to it. As always I’ll add a few pics in lieu of anything interesting to say.

Now I added the pics I realise that there has been interesting stuff. Got a new shelving unit for the kitchen which is awesome. Put down an outdoor rug in the greenhouse from its previous home on the lawn. I am gonna let that area of lawn go to wild, which might be exciting. I have seed bombs arriving to spread there.

There seems to be a new couple of pigeons in town, they are braver, but not quite as bright. One of the newer calla lilies is starting to shoot up. And tomatoes are starting to flower.

Well whaddayaknow, seems I did have stuff to say after all.

I feel awful

It seems like I’ve kind of fallen off the wagon as far as posting to the blog is concerned, however there has not been a huge amount of activity over the last week

A lot of the previous fortnight has been mainly looking after other people’s doggoes, but as I don’t have their permission to post them here, that kinda rules out 90% of my photo album. Have started a new Minecraft world, and been messing with that in my spare time, when not being barked at. Have a visit to Brownsea Island in the planning stage, so quite excited by that, despite the extortionate expense. I will try to get back to getting these updates out on time, and will try to lead a more exciting life so it’s more interesting to read.

In positive news, tomato plants are starting to think about flowering, so looks like they will get to fruiting sometime soon. New rose is sprouting shoots too, even if it won’t flower this year, it definitely looks healthy. Anyway, I have some weird work hours this week, so will catch you soon.

A week of horizontality

Okay so I’m very much aware that I promised to update you in the morning, however, physical debilitation has prevented this, so I will make it up to you now.

The morning was pretty peaceful, after a fairly noisy night and that car right in front of the tent putting its headlights on every so often throughout the night. The tiny pillow was comfy and didn’t use big blue pillow at all. Got up and made a cuppa, but had forgotten to pack brekkie. Usual morning stuff, got myself sorted and packed up. Due to Uber train ticket bollocksing up my ticket, I had to get a train to Dorchester before then turning around and coming back towards home.

Made a friend with a random stranger on the train, who got off at Southampton, and I got back home by about 1300. Had a bit of a walk but back was kinda giving me a twinge. By Monday I was pretty much immobile.

Sooo as I have basically done nothing really since camping, due to spending the majority of my time laying on my back whilst I was 80% painkillers, I will just share those pics in the hope it seems like I’ve done something worth writing about, even though I patently haven’t.

Back to Dorset

Had a hankering to be in a field, so hopped onto the train to Dorset again. It’s quite a chill journey albeit about ninety minutes. I didn’t take into consideration that it is a bank holiday weekend before half term, with good weather forecast. Lots of kids. Still, I have noise cancelling headphones, so while they charge around screaming, in between cans of red bull, I’ll just be laying in my tent trying to ignore them. Saw very cool cinnabar moth, and flowers have filled out since I was last here. Had a kinda Mac and cheese with some fried kielbasa for dins, and a nice hot chocolate. Went for a bit of a paddle and a walk, then got myself comfy to test out the two new pillows. This was basically the justification for this trip. I will update you in the morning on how it goes. I’m basically trying to see if the tiny purple nemo pillow is good enough. If it is, that will save a lot of space and weight, as I’m sure the big blue will be comfy, but is huge and heavy-ish.

Also took chair and table. Both are awesome, and glad to have them. I’m also experimenting with a floor to the vestibule, by attaching clips to the silver foam pad to clip it to the pegs.

Anyway, slumbers sweet embrace beckons, so see you all tomorrow.

What a long time since I last posted

So it has been a busy week. I think. Actually I’m not even sure, but just seems like ages since I last posted. I ordered so many pillows after going to Moreton, and decided to try them all and gauge which will be my forever pillow.

I went through some fairly extensive grading with all of these, testing for size, weight, comfort. Marked them all out of ten and then added it all up to determine which ones I kept and which ones went back. The top two, trekology and trail I have had too long to return anyway, but the trail is an excellent pillow for the money. Has a strap to keep it on my mattress and is the base pillow constantly. I like a high pillow so I usually use that one and another on top. I used to put both those two into a pillow case and pretend they were a real pillow.

The thermarest was a contender but was really small, I might consider one of their bigger models if I can find one, but that was returned.

The hikenture was pretty comfy, however it was too big for my sleeping bag hood, and more importantly, there is a huge pointy valve that is just too intrusive. This went back.

The vango, apart from how noisy it is, is actually a contender, especially at that price point. The fabric is basically really thick and it feels like you’re sleeping on sail canvas. I kept this, because it wasn’t bad.

Trekrite, basically a small bag with foam in it. Folded down okay but was too thin and small to be comfy. This was returned.

Sooo the two most expensive ones, the nemo fillos. Well the ultra lite is just that, weighs so little and is actually really comfy, if you can put up with the noise. It’s a little crinkly due to the plastic inner, but has a bit of foam covering to make surprisingly comfortable. Kept this so far.

The king size fillo just seems amazingly comfy. Weighs about 300g and folds up fairly small. But lots of foam over an inflatable inner so kinda feels like the real deal. Have kept this so far, pending a sleep in it.

Also picked up a new rucksack, Osprey Atmos AG 65. Seems really comfy but haven’t had a chance to take it out yet. So actually although I’ve spent a small fortune on camping stuff, I’ve not actually been anywhere.

In the garden, Cheech, one of the cherry trees, has been assaulted by Blackfly, and it doesn’t look good. Have sprayed it with washing up liquid and neem oil, so just gotta keep fingers crossed now.

Otherwise not an eventful week, but I’m sure I will keep you updated. In the meantime here’s some flowers.

Aliens ate my foot

As I sat in the garden this morning having a cup of tea I heard the throaty crackle of machine gunfire from the neighbours garden. Reaching for my browning high-power I put nine rounds down range and ended up winging an alien that had infiltrated the neighbours shed. We argued over who got to keep the body, but I ended up putting it in the garden waste bin that was picked up this morning.

In other news, the roses have come out and I have tried killing all the slugs with biological warfare.

Soggy morning and a possible leech

So the night felt colder than I expected, but I guess because I wasn’t completely cocooned in my bag as I would be when it was really cold. When I woke, the birds were giving it all they had and there were no other sounds. Until the trains started.

When I fully regained consciousness, I assessed the tent to find all the slugs that had crawled all over the tent during the night. I also spotted a wee fella making his way across the roof vent.

No idea who he was, but the first thing that sprang to mind was that he was a leech. Everything was soggy but it was a bright morning, so made a cuppa and started getting packed up.

Hopped on the train and it was already sweltering. Instead of changing trains to go one stop at the end of my journey, I decided to walk home by the lakes. It was a fairly enjoyable walk, but the heat and weight of the backpack made it tedious pretty swiftly. I did get to see goslings and cows though, so it was totally worth it.

Got home, ordered pizza and called it a day, it was an exciting 24 hours, and front garden flowers are looking amazing.

Somewhere different for a change

Sunny day and two new pillows to try out, guess I better go camping then. Definitely seemed like quite a light pack, especially as everything was inside the bag, with the exception of the foil mat and a cool bag with some frozen sausages. This time I was headed to Moreton, famous for the Top Gear episode where they set light to a caravan.

Longish train journey, but only one change, so quite chill. Campsite is about as close as you can get to the train station, and great people running it, dude wandered about with me helping me pick a pitch. Tent up and had some Mac and cheese, as I’d forgotten breakfast. Mug of hot chocolate for dessert, and went off for a wander. Met a cat on a leash, lots of cute doggoes, and saw part of a deer. Had a cheeky splash through a stream too, mainly to see how waterproof my new shoes were.

Got back to tent and cooked my sausage and mash. The mash was portioned and vacuum sealed over a year ago, so hoping I survive eating it. Dollop of brown sauce and I was done.

I have done all the washing up, got ready for bed and got myself comfortable, so obviously I now want a pee. I will let you know how that worked out in the morning.

Life, and how not to do it

Just Life