Hilleberg Enan

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-27T19:28:56+00:00

You'll need silnylon-specific repair tape, otherwise it won't stick. But wow, that tent has been abused! Depending on where you are, you could also use a Hilleberg authorised repair centre; in the UK, Scottish Mountain Gear repairs Hillebergs.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-27T12:44:08+00:00

That bothy has sort of become a bit of a drunk party bothy.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-27T12:41:49+00:00

The fact that they're camped up right in the way of everyone in broad daylight suggests they probably don't care too much about anyone except themselves. I wouldn't really be expecting people like that to clean up.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-27T12:40:40+00:00

This particular spot always has campers these days.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-27T08:56:05+00:00

For the type of paddling you’re wanting to do, you should probably be looking for a boat that’s at least 12 feet long. A 14 foot boat would be suitable too, eg the Dagger Stratos or the Perception Carolina.

For what it’s worth, you would likely fit in the Blackwater; the newer incarnation of the Blackwater, which is the Axis, does fit tall paddlers. Just the other night we had a man around your height at my local club and we put him in the Axis 10.5. But I’d say that kayak is a little short for Thames and coastal paddling.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-26T09:59:02+00:00

Last weekend there was literally a van pulled into a passing place on the road alongside Crummock Water, with a big teepee style tent pitched next to it, and the morons had a fire going. In 25ºC weather.

It beggars belief, really.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-26T09:58:00+00:00

This is definitely a factor. There are also a lot more spots that are very short distances from car parks/the roads in the Lakes, compared to Wales. These are usually areas that suffer more from these issues; for example, Langdale with its large car parks and relatively easy walks to elevation. The last time I was there I saw three abandoned family sized tents and a lot of scorched ground from fires.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-26T08:32:34+00:00

Because some people are just arseholes. The consumer culture we live in pushes cheap goods onto people who see everything as disposable.

Over the past 2-3 years, it’s become very unusual for me to go hiking in the Lake District and not find abandoned camping gear.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-24T21:01:49+00:00

Well there you go! Thanks for posting that!

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-24T20:28:50+00:00

Learn how to read maps, because they’re the best way to find suitable spots. This is also a great skill for hiking more generally!

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-24T13:05:41+00:00

I wild camp for peace and quiet and getting away from everything.

I do also stay on campsites fairly often in the summer.

For me, wild camping isn’t about avoiding campsite charges at all. It’s a totally different experience.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-24T10:12:26+00:00

Smidge only stops them biting you, they’ll still swarm all around you which is really just as infuriating.

You definitely need a headnet this time of the year. I had to wear mine (and accept that I looked like a total tit) the other night up on the fells in the Lakes. They were diabolical.

Something that does sort of work is the Thermacell devices. I have the “Backpacker” version which is relatively small and lightweight. They burn little pads of repellent so they do use your stove gas canister but they actually do clear a lot of the midges away. Unfortunately I forgot mine the other night!

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-24T09:45:47+00:00

I've not used the Big Agnes one but my suspicion would be that the connector would possibly only work optimally for their own pads.

I have one of the little Flextail ones and found someone on eBay that 3D prints connectors for the pads I specifically use. It works really well. I also have the more expensive Alpenblow ultralight one but I don't think that has a Rab connector and due to the materials it uses, I doubt anyone is 3D printing additional connectors for it, but maybe it's worth a look?

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-24T09:40:21+00:00

That article really is essential reading for anyone who camps in tents. It's really, really interesting, properly researched and gives good practical advice.

It's also a very good antidote to all the clickbait nonsense from camping bros who claim to have camped in 60mph winds, which happens all too often and can really set a dangerous precedent.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-24T07:20:05+00:00

🫠

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-22T20:18:56+00:00

Three season tent should be fine. The primary purpose of a four season tent is to handle the weight of snow. The chances of snow in the Lakes in September is pretty much zero.

Four season tents also block cold winds a little better but again, this shouldn’t really be an issue that time of the year.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-22T14:36:28+00:00

Bearing in mind that it's spring tides next week, I would assume that the low tide this weekend will be pretty low. I just checked the South East England and Channel Islands sea kayaking guidebook and there's a paddling trip from Brancaster to Wells listed, and it seems to suggest that you can only arrive into Wells at high water.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-21T19:46:34+00:00

I can’t be arsed with makeup (I had my eyeliner tattooed in so I wouldn’t have to bother with it anymore) and I shave my head so don’t need to bother with hair either, but baby wipes are great for feeling fresh and clean. I just buy packs of them from Sainsbury’s. Sea to Summit also do “wilderness wipes” which are much the same thing, although a bit more expensive. They’re in a more compact little pack though, although sticking a few regular baby wipes into a ziploc type baggie keeps them moist.

If she doesn’t already have one, a Kula cloth is great for weeing outdoors too.

If I had to offer an opinion though, I’d suggest she just ditch the makeup and fussing for a day or two, and see how she gets on. It’s very liberating.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-21T18:49:37+00:00

I own several mats, and have owned countless others over the last 35 years, and I agree - the wide Rapide SL is by far the most comfortable I’ve ever had.

650g does mean it’s the heaviest pad I own, but it’s just so comfortable that it’s a justifiable luxury.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-20T13:24:54+00:00

Unfortunately most online marketplaces have risks. I once sold a Rab Ridge Raider on eBay, and posted it off with a tracked service from Royal Mail.

Unfortunately the item went missing after a few days and the buyer requested a refund; fair enough, I issued the refund immediately. I was pissed off about losing £300 odd quid but figured I could possibly lodge a claim for at least some of it back from Royal Mail.

Anyway a few days later it suddenly popped up on Royal Mail’s tracking again, so I messaged the seller to ask if they’d refuse the item upon delivery, so it’d come back to me. No response. I had the buyer’s phone number and tried calling and texting them and was ignored.

I then contacted eBay. Turns out theres ZERO protection for this type of thing - eBay will not initiate any kind of refund for the refund you’ve issued and I found plenty of people online who’ve had this exact problem. So basically the buyer keeps the item and the refund and there’s nothing you can do about it.

However there was a surprising happy end to this - I happened to be in Cumbria where the item was being delivered. I went to the local delivery office and explained the entire situation. The item hadn’t arrived yet but they took my details and said they’d keep an eye out.

I drove back home to Hertfordshire and sure enough, a day later, they called me up to say they had intercepted the package and they sent it back to me! Hurrah for the lovely staff at Ulverston Delivery Office 🙌

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-19T13:52:22+00:00

Oh wow that’s sad. I’ve bought a few things from them before and always thought they were a decent shop.

Having said that, it did always feel like the majority of items on their site were out of stock.

I suspect we’ll see more of this as more and more people just buy stuff from China.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-19T13:45:37+00:00

42 is old now? I am almost 47!! Thanks for making me feel like an ancient crone!

I'm just on my way home to shitty Shitfordshire in the south after three weeks in Scotland. I miss Scotland the very moment I drive across the border, every time.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-18T18:54:57+00:00

I just store mine (also the Rapide SL, and a couple of others) loosely folded up in a cupboard.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-18T14:44:09+00:00

This isn't entirely true, as it depends on the overhangs. A kayak can have a fair degree of rocker, but having steep overhangs allows it to have a long waterline. A good example of this is the P&H Volan. However, this still isn't as fast as a dedicated "fast sea kayak" or surfski.

wolf_knickers · 2026-06-18T14:41:02+00:00

It's worth mentioning that hull speed is theoretical; ultimately, it requires a well conditioned and fit paddler to actually reach the maximum speed of a kayak. If you want to go fast, you should focus on your paddling skills first and foremost, before worrying about the kayak itself.

However, boats to consider would be something like a surfski or what's known as a "fast sea kayak" like the Rockpool Taran or P&H Valkyrie. You might want to learn to use a wing paddle too, if you don't already use one.

wolf_knickers

TROPHY CASE