2014 has been another exceedingly enjoyable year on the hills and mountains in this small corner of the internet called Backpackingbongos. I continue to manage to spend many days and nights in the wild places, getting out as much as possible. It would be a bit pointless having an outdoor blog if I did not get myself out of the door. Going through my increasingly full big book of trips I have spent a grand total of 78 days in the hills, valleys, mountains, coast and moors. 50 of these were backpacking, still the best way to explore an area in my opinion.
Thanks everyone who has stuck around and continued to read and comment over the past year. If it was not for you I would not be approaching my virtual sixth birthday.
Anyway I thought that I would start 2015 with a brief diary of last years trips. I have basically taken one photo from each trip and put them in date order. A brief flavour of that outing.
January
The first sunrise of the year was seen from a remote spot on the Ardmeanach peninsular on the Isle of Mull. The Bongo was home to Reuben and myself for a week around New Year.
Mid January saw Reuben and I heading to the hills of Mid Wales for a four day backpack around the Elan Valley. With the nights being long and cold we spent three nights in three different bothies.
February
Snow put in an appearance during a three day backpack around Grasmere in the Lake District. It’s always a shock just how cold and damp it can be camping in snow.
March
The Bongo provided a suitable home for exploring the hills of Shropshire for a long weekend. A rather overlooked part of the country.
There is nothing better than wild camping with a wood burning stove in your shelter. My Kifaru Megatarp provided a warm and cosy shelter for a night wild camping in the North Pennines.
The third trip of March was a backpack in the Peak District with Chrissie, Rich and Yuri. Reuben and Dixie provided the canine company. A great pitch on Kinder Scout.
April
Another backpack and wild camp in the Peak District, this time in the vicinity of Black Hill.
Easter, my birthday and some excellent weather all fell on the same weekend in 2014. I therefore headed to the wonderful Monadhliath mountains on my own for a glorious five day backpack.
May
Another Peak District backpack saw Rich, Chrissie, Reuben and myself head for a wild spot above the upper Derwent valley.
I have long wanted to visit Harris and Lewis and I finally got to spend a week there in May. The Bongo provided superb accommodation for a week. The scenery was out of this world, somewhere to return and backpack next time.
June
The Peak District called yet again so I headed onto Bleaklow with Reuben and my Trailstar for a wild camp. Great weather and an even better pitch.
The trusty Akto got dusted down for a three day backpack around the Black Mountain in the Brecon Beacons National Park. There is a sense of space and wildness there and it’s hard to believe that the populated valleys are only a stones throw away.
My third backpack in June took me to the wilds of the North Pennines for a three day circuit round the head of Teesdale. It was midsummer and barely a soul was seen.
July
At the beginning of the month I camped once again on Bleaklow. The weather was awful, a good test for my new Wickiup 3 tent. It was so bad that I did not get my camera out for both days. Reuben was less than impressed by the whole thing. The Wickiup did prove itself though and I decided that it would accompany me to Sarek the following month.
A week later I was back wild camping yet again on Bleaklow with Geoff. A superb spot right on the plateau only spoilt for both of us with an almost lethal dose of hay fever.
August
A short and sharp two day backpack in the Black Mountains girded my loins for the main event later on in the month.
The big event this year was an eleven day solo trek through the Arctic wilderness of Sarek in Sweden. It has been an ambition to visit for several years now and the place did not disappoint. It was so good that I have already booked my flights to return later this year.
September
An exceptionally warm September weekend saw Reuben and I backpacking in the eastern Lake District for three days. The place was strangely deserted.
October
A couple of nights were spent in the Bongo alongside Chrissie and Geoff in their palace on wheels at a deserted campsite in the Peak District. Chrome hill never disappoints.
Once again the Bongo was home for a week, this time in the far north of Scotland. The weather was awful and a couple of bothies with roaring fires provided drier interludes.
November
Wild camping in the Peak District has been a bit of a theme this year. Being within an hour or two of home it provides a quick and easy hill fix. A night was spent camped on the Kinder plateau with Chrissie and Reuben.
Another theme this year has been an increasing amount of time spent in the Bongo. The end of November saw myself and Reuben meeting up with Geoff and Chrissie in the Cheviots for three nights. Their palace on wheels provided a warm sanctuary from the long nights whilst Geoff filled my belly with a hot meal each night.
December
The New Year week involved booking a cottage with my lovely wife in the tiny village of Greenhaugh in Northumberland. A perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the holiday period.
Happy New Year!
Backpackingbongos 