UKC

Hi
I'm new to this site, having just registered. I am 49 year resurecting my hiking days. Back in my 20's i did a lot of hiking/camping, but married life, 4 children, work etc has meant i have not had an over night hike for nearly 30 years (where did all that time go!)

Anyway, i plan to go away with my eldist son this weekend for 3 days, 2 nights hiking /walking. We want to set off from our tent on day one, walk/hike to nights camp, do the same next day and end up back at the car on day 3, Sunday lunch time ish. Obviously we are carrying tent all our kit etc (son was adement he wanted to do this!) so we don't want to walk too far per day, i was thinking 3 to 4 hours is plenty. We are fit and used to the country side, don't want anything but a grass and maybe water at the camping place (or pub) and looking for some nice seanery. I had in mind we would hike up to some sceanary and then back to small village/pub garden camping in the evening, and the same the next day type thing.

I had in mind the peak district or Yorkshire mores?

We will be driving to the location, from Bristol way, so lakes or Scotland is too far.

Does anybody out there, have any routes that might suit this?

And i will add, all out kits been aired/renewed/tested so we are all set on that front.

Thanks
John

In reply to wub:

In the Peak District this round of Edale and Kinder Scout would be hard to beat. Some people do it in one day; alex did it in two; you could probably stretch it over three if you're only walking a few hours per day: http://www.ukhillwalking.com/articles/page.php?id=7269

In reply to wub:

Up on the northwest edge of the Yorkshire Dales this long circuit around the Howgills, Orton Fells and Wild Boar Fell is superb, a fair bit wilder in places than that Edale round and more challenging too. But would logically fir a 3-day slot if you're taking a leisurely pace: http://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=171

It is quite a drive from Bristol but close to the M6 so actually pretty convenient

In reply to wub:

I don't have a route for you, but have you thought about the Brecon Beacons? Or one of the coast paths?

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

Hi this sounds great and a good tester hike for us and the new gear. As i said i'm new to this site, is there any where to find a map of that route? thanks John

In reply to wub:

The Edale round? Unfortunately we don't yet have it on the UKH Route Cards database (though there are dozens of others to give you more ideas) http://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/find.php

Ordnance Survey Landranger 110 is the map you need for it. Then find Edale in the south of the sheet. The route goes all round the high ground ringing the valley, taking in Win Hill, the southern edge of Kinder Scout, Brown Knoll, then the ridge line along from Mam Tor to Lose Hill. Bamford station would be a good point to start/finish

In reply to wub:

Alternatively Mike's suggestion of a coastal path is a good one. Along these lines I'd suggest a stretch of the South West Coast Path, maybe something like Bideford to Bude. This has a lot of attractions: beaches, fantastic cliff scenery, a decent chance of nice weather, pubs and cream teas, camp sites etc... And perhaps best of all for your purposes, the route finding is a doddle because the path is signposted the whole way. But it is still a big walk with plenty of hills (as much up-and-down as many mountain routes) so it's a proper walking trip by any standards

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

Hi

Thanks for the suggested Edale round route in the peaks, we returned last night, wet but in one piece! We arrived Thursday night and camped at the site just up from the Edale train station...... great little camp site. We literally just got the tent up, when the heavens opened and it poured on and off all night and most of Friday. So we ended up doing a half days hike, to bed us in, with the day sack. The next day we woke to sunshine and as my son was dead keen on a spot of wild camping, we packed up, and set off fully loaded, across to Barber Booth along the Pennine way and up Jacobs ladder. We went right around the Kinder scout and dropped down on the north side to some woods just by The Snake Pass Inn, as the forcast was for wind and rain and my tent was showing its age, so i decided not to risk it on the hill. Anyway had a good night by the river and woke up to, wind and rain and my Vaude tent had started to rip, so glad we did't risk it. We had a great time, really enjoyed the hike the views and the camping and have already started planning the next trip this year.

My hiking days look like they maybe back! Any reviews on lightweight 3 man tents? I really like my Vaude MK II, due to its erection speed in the rain, but wonder if there are lighter alturnitives now, as carrying it, every ounce counts at my age.

Thanks again.

In reply to wub:

Excellent, I'm glad you had a good time John, despite the weather

Here are a couple of tent reviews:

MSR Hubba Hubba NX http://www.ukhillwalking.com/gear/review.php?id=6451
Lightwave G30 Trek XT http://www.ukhillwalking.com/gear/review.php?id=4156

You could look at Alpkit's range of tents too

In reply to wub:

Hi John,

If you are based Bristol way consider Exmoor or Dartmoor. Lots of lovely circuits and wonderful wild camping on Dartmoor.

In reply to Mark Haward:

Plus 1 for Brecon Beacons, or Dartmoor - both are easy for you to get to from Bristol.

I took my sons backpacking and wild camping to both when they were about 12. We had great times.

Another great destination for wild camping and back packing is the Rhinogs, a lovely range of little mountains, approached from the A470 about 20 miles south of Porthmadog. Nothing too serious there but a nice wild feel and several remote lakes you can wild camp by.

All have loads of circular routes you can work out from the OS maps.

Enjoy! I'm envious - wild camping on a one to one basis with your young son can be a magical experience.Your just talking about it has brought back happy memories