UKC

So what's the best fuel to take bothying? And is there anywhere in Aviemore to buy it?

We're currently thinking about taking those paper-packed fire logs, since:
* it's easier to take a couple each than divvy up a bag of coal
* there's no faff with firelighters etc
* there's no risk of coal dust getting everywhere
* you can buy exactly as many of them as you want / are willing to carry
but I don't know how easy they are to get hold of...

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Dunno what the best fuel is but those fire logs don't give off as much heat as coal and wood

In reply to geordiepie:

Filling station peat works for me.............

In reply to Ramblin dave: Anthracite has the highest energy content / kilo of the "normal" solid fuels. Smells nicer than coal too. Not as nice as peat or wood but then they only have around half the Joules/kg (about the same as paper logs).

Cheers,

FT.

In reply to Slugain Howff:

Is that code for petrol

In reply to Ramblin dave:
*bump*

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Get yourself down to home bargains. Firelogs are 99p there. Dont tell everyone though or theyll be none left for me.

Used them in the bothy in S Wales a few months ago and they were great.

In reply to Ramblin dave: As mentioned previously, coal gives you the most heat per kg.

In reply to Removed User:

Carried in 10kgs of coal for 3 nights last week. Easy enough if split between 3 of you.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Those paper/crackle logs are nothing more than a psychological boost.

I slept in Essan bothy in December and carried a couple of those logs to save weight. Would have been better just loading the fireplace up with tea lights

In reply to Ramblin dave: Received wisdom from all in the MBA (and we spend FAR too much time in bothies) is that the best heat source is coal. Split it up between you, wrap it well and remember the firelighters (!!!).

In reply to professionalwreckhead:
I'll back that up, I used firelogs one night in a bothy and never again, next to no heat at all.

In reply to Ramblin dave: the best fuel to take bothying is 19 of your mates from a student mountaineering club. Warm and fun.

In reply to OMR:

Brilliant, thanks all.

I don't think I've ever actually had to buy bags of coal before - do you get it from petrol stations? Or is there likely to be somewhere else in Aviemore we could pick some up?

And do you just wrap it in a load of carrier bags, or do something more clever?

In reply to Ramblin dave: Generally get it at petrol stations and wrap it up in several bin bags/carrier bags/anything handy and coal-proof.
If you're clever about it and go a lot you can go to a coal merchant and get it cheaper, but then you need somewhere to store the rest of the cwt bag. I generally go to garages.

In reply to Roberttaylor:

Aye, burning students do give off a good heat!

In reply to Fume Troll:
Anthracite has the highest energy content / kilo of the "normal" solid fuels.

Do you mean the hard little lumps you run solid fuel boilers off? I used to have a solid fuel heating system and trying to light the stuff without the aid of a blower was a nightmare. Or am I thinking of something else?
I suppose you'd probably get it to go with a bit of help from a gas stove.

In reply to Craig Mc:
Aye, burning students do give off a good heat!

I set myself on fire on a couple of occasions while I was at university and the smell was pretty bad. Does smell a bit like pork scratchings when it gets going though

In reply to Reach>Talent: Think anthracite is maybe a bit hot for bothy stoves and reduces their lifespan. Stick with ordinary coal/wood, because replacing stoves in expensive and a lot of hard work.

In reply to Reach>Talent: That's the stuff. Hard to light directly, but it will get started on a small fire of wood or other coal.

I doubt it would burn hot enough to cause any damage where it's not being actively supplied with air. The passive draw of most fireplaces and stoves wouldn't be enough.

Cheers,

Tom.

In reply to Fume Troll: I'd go for coal, but not the stuff we bought from a Teaco petrol station in Inverness a couple of weeks ago which was more like clinker. Worst coal I've seen in a long time, it really didn't want to burn!