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Camping

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WUHEI! QS has survived 5 nights WILD CAMPING with 2 kids and a teenager, I ROCK!

22 replies

QuintessentialShadows · 10/08/2008 16:52

I did it.

5 nights tenting in the wild.

Will be back after dinner.

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QuintessentialShadows · 10/08/2008 19:48

Right. I am sure you are all desperate to hear how it went.

The only gadget we brought with us was an solar powered mobile phone charger, and a coolbox which I had filled with cold foods and ice packs, one bone fire pot, Matches, a small spade and yes, that was it. Clothes, bread, an inflatable dinghy for the kids, plenty of buckets for picking wild blueberries, thermarests, a few wool blankets and our sleeping bags, oh, fishing rods, life vests and a knife. That was it.

We had 12 degrees centigrade in the day, it was colder at night. But we survived, and the kids had such fun.

I would get up in the morning, light the bonfire, fetch water in the river for coffee, make sandwiches for breakfast, and the kids would spill out one by one to sit on the picnic blanket for their breakfasts, and then dh. While I enjoyed a peaceful coffee, he would kit them out to go on the dinghy. They were totally entertaining themselves by the sea, throwing stones, picking shells, fishing for crab. We were fishing for cod and mackerell and coalfish from a nearby pier. (Have a pretty tall fishing story, too!) They were climbing trees, picking wild berries, searching for wood for the fire, and generally enjoyed themselves immensly. All meals were cooked on the bonfire.

I must say. My dh has seen me in a totally different light. After 15 years in London, he was reluctant to go wild camping. I refused a campsite. I think he thought I couldnt cope. Well I can. So there.

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sarah293 · 10/08/2008 19:51

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Slubberdegullion · 10/08/2008 19:51

Wow, I am so impressed. That sounds totally fabulous. What a wonderful experience for your DC.

Cooking on a campfire

I have to say I am looking at our overfilled to the brim with stuff car now a little shame face-edly after your rather more minimalist list.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 10/08/2008 19:52

QS how amazing

What is the fishy tale??

QuintessentialShadows · 10/08/2008 19:58

After the kids had gone to bed, I took my niece (13) who came with us to the pier for a spot of peaceful 10 pm fishing. The sea was clear and calm like oil. The sea gulls were circling not so far away. The mountains were half hidden in nighttime fog.

We threw the line out, it went 8 or so meters out, started realing in. And, I could feal I had something really strong fighting me. The fishing rod was like in a U bend. My niece shouted "I can see it, I can see it, it looks like it is a meter long!". Then Snap. Off it went, hook hard lure and all. And I was left with nothing but nylon.....
Of course, we stayed a few hours, vowed we would get our lure back! But no.

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QuintessentialShadows · 10/08/2008 19:58

Riven, we are in the North of Norway.

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Slubberdegullion · 10/08/2008 20:03

oooh that's a good fishy tale. You might need to embellish it with some sort of fin, or giant tenticle or cavernous mouth filled with hideous teeth that appeared momentarily before your lure was taken.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 10/08/2008 20:04

Crikey, must have been a big one.

Slubberdegullion · 10/08/2008 20:05

So the new tent was more to your liking then? Bigger and less green?

QuintessentialShadows · 10/08/2008 20:15

THIS was our new tent, and I love it!

SG, where are you off to?

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Slubberdegullion · 10/08/2008 20:26

ooh good tent. Glad to hear the £30 pound stopper flourescent jobby has been upgraded

We are returning to the Lleyn Peninsula (N Wales) for 5 nights.

serin · 11/08/2008 00:11

Do you get wolves and bears in Norway?

QuintessentialShadows · 11/08/2008 00:14

Serin, yes, but not by the coast.
We have plenty of reindeer though. And sheep.

SG - have a great trip to Wales!

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Overmydeadbody · 11/08/2008 00:15

is there a lot of scope for wild camping in Norway then? I would love that.

QuintessentialShadows · 11/08/2008 00:16

OMDB - There is. You just need to know where to go if you want to find a secluded beauty spot with lots of stuff to do.

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Overmydeadbody · 11/08/2008 00:18

wow. sounds fab. My dad and brother are off backpacking around scandanavia on tuesday and they'd rather avoid campsites. Can you recommend anywhere? they have no itinerary yet, just a map and a lot of enthusiasm so will be open to suggestions!

QuintessentialShadows · 11/08/2008 00:20

They have to be extremely cautious in Sweden.
There are "road pirates". They pretend to have broken down, you stop to help, and get robbed. Also, wild camping not good in south sweden, due to robberies. Tents have been knifed.

Aside from that, I dont really know.

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Overmydeadbody · 11/08/2008 00:26

thank you Quint, that is good to know! I will pass it on.

sallystrawberry · 11/08/2008 00:30

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QuintessentialShadows · 11/08/2008 00:33

Not a problem to fit 5. The sleeping compartment was really roomy. Fitted a 13, 6 and 3 year old, and two grown ups just fine.

And yes, coffee from river water. Good old ground coffee. Not for cafetiers or coffee makers, but the kind you poor into boiled water, and leave on the side for a bit while you wait for the grut to sink down. Yummy!

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sarah293 · 11/08/2008 08:46

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QuintessentialShadows · 11/08/2008 10:04

Behind rocks. Dig a hole with a spade, poo, cover, put stone on top. tis great....

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