Soapbox

I realised I have never done a solo trip into the wilds so I am about to rectify that. A week or so in a rough and difficult to reach area in Scotland. I have very little experience of Scottish highlands so its doubly interesting to me.

Anyway, I'll be going light and I'd quite fancy spending the whole week in the hills. Never having done a solo trip apart from one overnighter which was literally just a short walk from the car pitch, sleep then walk back to the car to continue the journey so I kinda ignore that night.

So my question is, what should I take to keep me sane from just my own company? I have the basics covered, food, water, shelter, warmth, etc. What I am wondering about is entertainment when static. Book? MP3 player? Whiskey (popular choice I'm sure)? What to take that is light but keep me entertained when stuck in a tarp or tent for some time?

I usually take an MP3 player as its so small and light. I have taken a book but only when wild camping near a car.  I often take cards but find them impractical since I can't sit up in a tent or tarp as I'm quite tall. Whiskey is really only fun  if you share with a mate or two. Drinking on your own kinda not working for me as a solution

Also anyone know what means to keep a smart phone charged for a week? Powermonkey explorer with solar charger perhaps??

Lost in Lancashire wrote (see)

So my question is, what should I take to keep me sane from just my own company?

Some sufficiently strong booze to prevent any chance of introspection?

I usually take some sort of reading material to give me something to do if I end up stuck in a tent in the rain, but aside from that I'm usually doing stuff, like walking or sleeping or eating or photographising. I accept I'm possibly unusal in this respect.

Lost in Lancashire wrote (see)

Also anyone know what means to keep a smart phone charged for a week? Powermonkey explorer with solar charger perhaps??

I guess you're using it for navigation?  On the assumption that you'll be out of phone signal range most of the time, I'd suggest sticking it in aeroplane mode. Check ahead of time that the idiots who designed the thing didn't make 'turn off all transmitters' also turn off GPS, but if they weren't totally useless this should be an easy way to squeeze another day of battery use out of a full charge.

You won't really need it turned on all the time unless you want to keep a full track log. Even then, running it for only 8 hours a day when you're moving with the GSM radio turned off should get you a big chunk of the week. Might be easiest just to take a spare battery or two; phone batteries are tiny and lightweight and you might find a reasonably priced one online if you're lucky. They're useful things to have anyway.

I wouldn't rely on a solar charger in the UK, I'd only use it for holidays in sunny places and suchlike.

Maybe you could take a knife ans some para cord, make some random wooden things.Take a wild food book and try and make your meals more interesting ( providing you don't kill yourself).Audio book for your ipod. You could take some dry bannock ingredients, although weighty it can give you something nice to do.

If you think about it by the time you've cooked and cleaned up, washed and cleaned your teeth, gathered water, there wont be much time to kill. Providing you are spending most of the day walking.

I seldom find that after a longish day I have much time on my hands; pitch, look at views, wash (if possible), eat, look at views, look at next days route, wander around a bit, look at views - sleep.

Keep your phone off in the day and just use it when you need to.

I disagree with camp side of things. Not sure If I'm kinda efficient in that side of things but when I pitch I can be tent up, bag and mat down, dinner cooked and eaten and in my bag in a pretty short timescale. Its not like I can walk all hours of daylight as I do need to rest and recover. Anyway, I personally find I have the camp stuff done quickly and am left with spare time. I don't get on with just sitting there and admiring the view. Kind of a restless guy needing to have something to do all the time. I also can't sleep until late on so I reckon at least 3 hours twiddling my thumbs. I have a tealight candle lantern for light so can go into the dark hours twiddling my thumbs. Just would like something more constructive or entertaining than twiddling my thumbs.

I have spent a few nights over the years listening to my MP3 player. So much that I can now sing all the words to all the tracks on the player. Funny thing is I really enjoy stuff under my tarp that I'd never get on with when in civilisation. Johnny Cash. Makes me laugh when under tarp but really dull any other time.

There must be something. Think I ,ight just take my MP3 player, small and light book (real page turner one) and a pack of cards too. Been looking at the hip flask in BPL-UK but the only one is 330ml. I don't think that would last long really. One thing that is fun if in a group is the pass the pigs game which Alpkit sell. not good solo though.

Will keep searching for late night hill entertainment.

Radio 4 keeps me entertained otherwise same as Ed really, once I'm finished with the mundane business (I generally pitch as late as possible anyway), I generally don't have much left in the tank for much and the surroundings do tend to keem interested for a bit.

I find it impossible to read a book (and I read a lot in other situations...) when I'm out, I just get the map out if I need a read really, an OS map can tell you so many tales....

Radio 4, mp3/media player (I catch up on classic films) and catch up on sleep for me. 

I managed to get a signal to phone the missus from the grey corries ridge over easter, she asked me what I was doing and was surprised when I said I was in bed listening to music and looking at the view out the door, it was 6:30.  I'm on a mountain on me own, not sure what else she expected, maybe I should have carried a few chores up with me!!

I was thinking perhaps a bit of sewing or getting a remote controlled lawnmower.  I suppose I could have done the accounts with a 3g laptop and a signal.

I don't think she 'gets it' IYKWIM, this outdoors stuff!

Steve D

I got a new phone at the weekend that is more powerful than the laptop work gives me to use for business! It's dual core 1.2GHz processor! I've got a crappy celeron that's not even dual core and the processor is actually slower!! Yet they won't replace it. Gives me an excuse to work slowly!!

One day the military drone technology will filter down to lawnmowers and vacuum cleaners. Then you will be able to cut the lawns and clean the house from your tent in the hills. Just make sure you use the right controller or you could cut the carpets and vacuum the lawn. Brownie points would not come for that!!

I realy don't know what I am doing this trip. First one where it hasn't been planned. I like the idea of picking an area I have never been to, put fell shoes on feet, pack on back, lock the car up and just go. Go where?? Nowhere and everywhere the inclination takes me.

I've said for years that I wanted to do a trip where I just set off up a hill then look out around me to see what looks most interesting then just go there.

Don't get me wrong I do like the planned trips but at the same time I like just putting my kit in the car and drive. I used to do that. Just drive off to walk up one set of hills then part way up decide to hang a left and go somewhere else. Plan is Knoydart but I could end up anywhere TBH. Is it Fisherfield? Or Apple summat. Have car will travel. DO have 50k map for Knoydart (33 IIRC) though so would be a shame to waste it.

I reckon the post pitch walk might be a good idea. I've done that before now in the Lakes. Up with mates but got bored when all they did was sit down and chill so I just start to walk up and around the hills near the pitch.

Getting excited now.