God, I won!

Today I had an exciting box arrive from Germany containing a Steripen - a hi-tech device for killing bugs in water. A quick blast from the UV light and it's safe to drink.

This is going to perfect when I am out for the day with my boys,

This wonderful gadget came from Roman, who blogs as Lighthiker and is the 5th in a series of competitions that he runs with some fantastic prizes including a Caldera Cone and a Gossamer Gear G6!

Roman's is one of the 3 or 4 outdoor blogs that I check every day - this guys is a true gear nut, a man after my own heart!

Check out his blog and get ready for the next competition. Thank you Roman!

iPeak District

The Peak District is my home from home as my sister and mum and dad live just on the outskirts of the National Park. We normally get up there about two or three times a year for a week or two.

The 'Moors for the Future Partnership' have launched a series of 'Audio Trails' - guided walks that you can listen to on your iPod (or anything that can play MP3 files).

There are 13 guided (and graded) walks including Bleaklow, Edale and Kinder Scout. They also give you maps, GPS waypoints, grid ref's, travel info and a selection of photos so you know what to expect.

I really like this idea. It's all too easy to quickly stomp around a good walk without knowing about the history and geology that surrounds you.

Other National Parks take note.

When the knees give up...

Who said caravanning wasn't cool.

Forget cheap sticky-backed veneers and floral patterned cushions. This is what I'm talking about.

Anyone remember Laura Ingalls?

More at Uncooped.

Justifying my Katadyn filter

Now that drinking bottled water is immoral and the eco-backlash gathers momentum (and not a moment too soon), did you know that it takes seven litres of water and 162g of oil to create a one litre plastic bottle [Observer].

It takes the same energy to drive half a km as it does to produce about a pint of bottled water. Ouch.

This is only the tip of the statistical iceberg.

Carry a filter and dip into a puddle to quench that thirst.

That petition

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the petition that most of the outdoor bloggers seem so preoccupied with at the moment.

Sure, I understand that it would be nice to be able to wildcamp 'legally', so I have put my name to it, but...

1. I have never been arrested
2. I doubt if any other wildcamping backpackers have either (0% research done here)
3. 'If it ain't broke'...
4. If you own land, why the hell should you let people camp on it?
5. Now the whole world will know that people like us do actually wildcamp. The scallies will hit the hills in their droves to rob us of our ridiculously expensive titanium cooking gear and down puffa jackets at knife point to buy crack and bass tubes. Ignorance was bliss.

I promise I'll never mention this again.

Anyway, look at these cool sandals from Reef with a bottle opener built into the sole [from The Goat].

Hot Dogs in the Woods

I took my two eldest boys to Parc le Breos today, for lunch in the woods. The weather was perfect, the boys were full of pent up energy so we went and got muddy.

The BushBuddy amused the kids after it cooked their veggie dogs. I let them carefully feed the fire - they both have a very healthy respect for flame, from camping trips and our garden firepit.

We then went to explore Cathole Cave, high up on the side of the wooded valley.

Joe (2) had been watching the Ray Mears Wild Food series on TV, but hadn't quite got the hang of foraging.

Roll on summer.

How not to get caught...

... wildcamping.

Get one of these...

Airport Express

I installed an Apple Airport Express today, just for pushing my iTunes playlists from my XP PC through to my stereo. The wireless was crap (low signal, because my house is made of bricks, not plasterboard), but I installed CAT5 into my lounge last year and it works a treat.

I have been meaning to do this for ages and was wandering around PC World and there it was, calling out to me. It took hours to find the info via various forums for using Ethernet cable instead of wireless, but eventually, it all fell into place. I am now waiting for a posh optical cable to connect the AE to my amp.

I have tried another 'Media Adaptor', but it wouldn't work with iTunes playlists, so that will be on £Bay soon.

On another totally unrelated matter, my wife has a friend who works in Next - do you know they have competitions for the best 'looking' employees? How crass is that!

Orange Peel Fungus?

I took my boys for a muddy ramble around our local woods yesterday, and these little red cups were everywhere.

I thought they may be Orange Peel Fungus, which is edible, but looking at their uniform cup like shape, now I am not too sure.

Does anyone have any ideas?

UPDATE: Mum came to the rescue - it looks like a Scarlet Cup Fungus!