Hi Giles and once again a wonderful tour of the Southern England trails and forests. It's been more than thirty years, I worked it out to be, since I tramped some of those hills and they still look as glorious now as I remember them. Great to see you finding different ways to keep warm and comfortable and I'm sure as Spring continues to march forward, the nights will be less cold. I have rather lazily watched this adventure from the comfort of my poly-cotton tent in the rolling Suffolk countryside, and thankfully, my journey back will have less uphills than yours had! 😁 Thanks again Giles, all the best, Paul 🙏🏻
Thank kindly once again Paul. Really appreciate your very nice comment. Glad to hear you are out in the Suffolk countryside, I’m sure it is very beautiful there - I have heard so and seen it on the TV too. Wishing you great camping Buddy 👍
@@gilesbinyon Thank you Giles, I got back from Suffolk today, it's a lovely county with so much to offer with a glorious coastline and an equally wonderful hinterland. I wonder if you have considered or are able to enjoy a coastal camp along the South Coast? Maybe there are too many people... in any event, your forest camps and walks are awesome - I'll watch them any day. Take care, Paul 🙏🏻
@@paulwildcamper hoping your trip was great Paul. It sounds like a beautiful part of the world. Yes, most of the south coast is highly developed. I should think any attempt at camping would have to be hardcore stealth. Have a good week. Cheers👍
Wonderful video Giles. You' ve certainly made me reconsider what is actually essential gear. I'm amazed by your minimal sleeping equipment. Certainly inspiring, I'm just off to re-evaluate my set up. Look forward to your next adventure, it's a paper bag full of calm in a rubbish filled world.
Ahh, the good old missus drop off & collection. We've all done it at least once😂👍 Another thoroughly enjoyable trip out. Thx for taking us along for the journey Giles
That’s a brilliant stew, looks very nourishing. I am watching your videos from the beginning and they certainly are encouraging me to get out in the wilds. Phil S. 🇬🇧
Great to see our local patch in all its glory. I was able to follow you all the way and knew almost the whole route. Nice work. Looking forward to seeing more.
Is there anything better than being out in the wilds of nature ? The smell of the earth and the wood smoke and to round a day off with a pint (or more ) of real ale ! Love your videos Giles. Thanks for taking us back to a very much more relaxed world.
Hi Giles been watching your vids again and you have definitely motivated me to reduce my plastic. I will probably still use my dd tarp as this is a very good bit of kit I have had mine 8 years now and always use it. The bag I have chosen is a British army 30ltr pack it has minimal plastic and the size I need I have been making leather storage pouches and metal screw lid tins. I don't do many camping vids on TH-cam but i am going to start putting short vids up thanks for the inspiration and I will keep trying to reduce my plastics keep the vids coming there great atb Jay 👌🙏✌
Thanks very much Jay. Always appreciate you watching and thanks for that great comment. Yeah, I have watched the DD tarp used many times on YT and it looks like a brilliant bit of kit. And it’s really difficult to camp free of synthetics- it’s always a compromise. But it’s brilliant to hear you are aiming in that direction. That 30L pack sounds interesting too and you probably keep your kit to a minimum like I do because 30L is not that big - compared to the packs some guys use on YT. I am subbed to you and will look out for your next YT camp. Cheers Buddy ⛺️😊👍
Hi Giles the pack I have is canvas it's just the pocket and main compartment that has plastic clips I also work with leather so I'm going to fit it with leather and metal straps to make it 100% free of plastic. I have just received my swedish water bottle and I have a stainless steel 1300ml which is great as I normally carry 2ltrs. I have also found a cotton and down sleeping bag by nature hike which only weighs 750g which is lighter than most wool blankets I'll do a vid on my load out I'm out this Saturday at a permission woodland for a trial run. I also wanted to ask you if you would like a catapult free of charge not sure if it's your thing but they are great for a camp target practise while relaxing would happily send you on many thanks Jay
@@jay3825 thanks again Jay. It sounds like your are putting together some excellent kit there and I wish you a great test camp this weekend - half the fun of camping is tweaking the gear and this is a continuous process so it’s always an interesting challenge. And thanks very much indeed for the kind offer of a catapult. I’ve seen some on your eBay shop and they are beautiful. I love the handcrafting and the timber you name and use. But as I don’t think I could incorporate it into a video i would feel unfair to take up your kind offer. But I hope our paths do cross sometime in the ‘outdoors lifestyle’ community and I will deffo buy one from you and give it a go but then put it up in my house as a lovely woods crafted item. Anyway, thanks again and good camping Buddy ⛺️👍
Thank you Giles I don't think I watch this one all the way through actually but I've watched many your videos over and over LOL. I hope everything is okay with you cannot wait to your next video! Arizona Dave
Thank you very much Dave, it’s nice to hear you have watched some videos more than once ! I hope you are doing okay. I’ve been away a lot these last weeks but now able to get out again 😁. As always great to hear from you and take care 😊👍
You certainly are an inspiration Giles and although I have wild camped locally a few times ive never done it how you do and I'd love to give it a go. Cheers 👍
Thank you very much Dave. Glad you enjoyed the vid and thank you for those kind words. You never know - you may try to have a go at something similar perhaps. Cheers 😊👍
Really enjoy what you do Giles, and recognised some of those trails as being local to me. I shamefully admit to having never before thought about the synthetic nature of my kit and all its ramifications. I guess we can't all just ditch our synthetic gear as we'd then be adding to the problem. Reusing and repairing and generally prolonging the life of gear that we already have is the best way we can limit the impact it has on the environment. But thanks to your videos, myself and no doubt numerous others will look towards natural fibres when refining our kit in the future. 👍
Thank you very much Gary. Yes, you are spot on. Not just cost but the difficulty in sourcing non-synthetic means having to use up and repair (👍) existing stuff. Cheers 👍
Yes i think i know were he’s walking but obviously don’t want to let the cat out of the bag. I’ve done a section of it which was 64 miles in 24 hours back when i was a scout lol a very long time ago. Great video thank you.
I'm new to your videos Giles but so glad I found them. Love your approach to camping and cooking whilst on the trail, really inspiring. Thanks for posting the videos and please keep up the great work 👍🏼
unfortunately a number of the other bushcrafters i've been watching have drifted off into being "my new gear" obsessed. well, Giles did bring a cabbage this time. :D lovely work Giles and an excellent outing. 👍👍
Good Morning Giles .. 👍👍👍A great watch .. thanks. Any walk .. irrespective of the terrain configuration and respective distances .. the ups feel like 7.5's and downs a measly 2.5 😏. You Pot. First time I've seen one like it on You Tube. Got mine (the exact same .. came in a 3-pot stackable set with lids) back in the early 80's. My favourite of the set, the self-same as yours (my goto 'Soup Pot' 😊). Aluminium Foldable Wind Screens. Beside shielding from the wind, their surface makes for a surprisingly effect 'reflector' .. channelling heat from the fire towards one .. unlike the ineffective wood 'reflectors' that many You Tubers demonstrate. Some reading on the dynamics of heat transfer beforehand would perhaps curb unnecessary harvesting of wood resources in this regard. Herewith some 'Useless Info' .. I don't make 'open fires' in our local forests except in dedicated fire pits provided by the local 'Forstamt'. The Swiss don't have much of a sense of humour regarding offenders w.r.t. forest fires even if 'accidental' with eye-watering fines being the order of the day. They are tolerant of 'wild fires' .. provided it's not during 'fire ban' periods and one is responsible, exercises good judgement and common sense. I normally make my fires in a Bushbox LF Foldable SS Wood Stove or an IKEA home-grown Hobo Stove .. with a folding concertina Windscreen (Pelican brand circa '80's) behind. A Carbon Heat-Resistant Mat as a base takes care of ground protection and if necessary, I put the stove into a Military Issue 'Dixie' or a Tatonka 18cm SS Bowl. A bit of water inside takes care of any hot coal spillage and such. There .. blah, blah over 🙄😏. Your folding fire bowl is a good idea .. well worth consideration. My local IKEA has them in stock. Once again .. thanks for the share. If I may please, 'Dehydrated Veggies' and such. Since you have gone this route, do you have any tips, 'how and not to's' regarding. I'm looking at this, starting with Bananas .. my favourite in my morning outdoor breakfast oats. Like yourself with veggie stew, if I was allowed to, I would have my oats porridge concoction for dinner too 😊. Take care .. Tommy
Thank you very much Tommy. Your comment and salient points are much appreciated. And it was my mum who found that cook pot a little while ago in a secondhand shop !!! I learnt about dehydrating trail food from books some years ago. They were all US hiking publications - they seem to have perfected this method of carrying out hiking food (there are probably many TH-cam vids on the subject now!). A dehydrator varies but mine is very basic and came in at about £70 some 15 years ago (about 85 euros). Thx again 👍
"We're gonna do that coz we're crazy" "Yeah, no more. We're not that crazy" 🤣🤣 made me chuckle! Great idea of how to brace the wood under the knee to cut it. It's a tip I'll be using. Fab video as always. The music instantly cheers me up 😊
All great videos, Giles. I'm amazed at the way you deal with the cold. Re: the water in churchyards. I'd judge that the water you got at 29:13 was drained from the roof, or at least stored in a standing tank. There could be 'consequences'. :) I'd only take it at mains pressure, to feel safe, or filter or sterilise it in one of the various ways. Just my thoughts ... ;) So many lovely church shots in your videos. I'm hoping that one day I'll recognise one. :) Your approach also reminds me so much of my days in the Scouts, way before Camping Gaz stoves. Cooking on wood fires, smelling of smoke, getting it in your eyes and making them sore. Lol! Hunting for fuel in the woods. Occasionally having a wash! Great days. Laugh!
Thanks very much Ray. Appreciate your very kind comment. And I totally agree about the drinking water. From a church yard it would be sensible to bring it to a rolling boil before use. In this instance I used it in cooking and tea I seem to remember - which although better than straight-from-the-tap, is certainly still a bit of a gamble !!! Thx again 👍
I love all the history here, natural and manmade. I see that European beech is indeed a solitary tree, still stately, still a magnet for graffiti. American beech is so different, often holding its leaves over winter on a lower branch or two and there are myriad root sprouts, one tree quickly becomes a group of variously-aged saplings. The onesie....wool is always your friend, even when wet. As always, enjoying your eco-mindful style and beautiful camp meals in such gorgeous country.
Thank you so much once again Lucy. Yeah, some of the beech specimens around here are just oozing character. And I agree wool is often overlooked as a sustainable product 👍
Cracking vid Giles, I always find rehydrating in the pub is the best option, funny went round that roundabout today where you was dropped off, that's a lovely area have cycled that section of national trail a few times ,was good to see the conditions as pretty muddy up on the tops at moment. All best Will 🍻👍just a thought on your cold feet, you've got your metal water bottle, I fill mine up and use as hot water bottle it's better than rubber hot water bottle as you can still use the water once it cools down, I put it in a spare sock as it's a bit too hot but lasts a fair while though night.
Good evening Giles, a truly stunning video! I always feel transported to a bygone era when I watch your video’s. It reminds me of a fantastic book I read called “The gentle are of tramping” by Stephen Graham. The respect and harmony you have for nature is a beautiful thing. Thank you for sharing you experiences on here, Jamie
Thank so very much indeed for that lovely comment. And yes, I have read that book too. Thinking back, I suppose it has had an influence on what I am trying to do. Thx for watching the vids and the great comments 👍
A big thank you from Holland. Thank you for your inspirational videos on minimalistic wild camping ! Got my self a plash aswell and hopefully I can try it out in the near future ! Can't wait on more videos to come and keep up the good work ! Thank you so much !! Greetings from Holland
Thank you kindly for your really nice comment, it is much appreciated. Glad you have got your shelter. Try it out in different configurations first to see which you prefer. Happy camping ! 🇳🇱🇬🇧👍
First time watching Giles. Great video and really enjoyed it. I think we all get too fixated on modern materials and forget perfectly good ones that have been used for years. Thanks... I will tune in again.
Thanks very much, your comment is most appreciated. And I totally agree with your sentiments - modern materials perhaps should only replace more traditional ones if they can first be shown to be just as safe to us and the environment 👍
Thank you so much for taking us with you on your adventure. I don't think we have much of an idea how much work it is to produce one of these videos. Thank you.
Thank you very much Craig - it’s appreciated. Yes, I suppose I would get more distance covered without the camera (phone) but the camera adds a lot to a trip also and sharing stuff is always great for both parties too 😊👍
Thanks very much - appreciate you watching and commenting. Yeah, apart from weight, natural fibre stuff can compete quite well against the modern plastic equivalents. Try ex-Warsaw Pact Military gear - good and cheap (ish) too 👍
Thanks for another relaxing time. I'll have Saint Anne's going around in my head for a couple of days again, I've been practicing it a bit since watching your videos. I've been patiently waiting for your next one, and then it came sooner than I thought it would. I love your style, keeping it simple, humble and honest. I haven't switched to a non-synthetic tarp yet, looking into it though. A sheepskin is also on my list. It is so difficult to get hold of natural materials these days. I don't think you can trust what the advertising/labeling says, half the time. I find it a bit hard to reserve time for sleep outs, as I've a full-time job and children. Thanks again, from mid-Wales.
Thank you for that really nice comment Adrian, it is very much appreciated. Yeah, it’s a slow process trying to source cost effective natural fibres. Don’t let it stop you getting out though - there is always a compromise and you/we can keep improving our gear over a period of time aiming for 100% at some point (hopefully). Meantime get out into the beautiful countryside of Wales if you ever get the time - I know what it’s like working and young kids (mine are grown up now - well nearly - so it’s easier now)👍
@@gilesbinyon Ha! I'm a glutton for punishment, after my first two grew up, I had some more, so it'll be a while before I get complete freedom again. I do get to go out, though, every few weeks for a night or two. There's lot's of possibility around here, though the terrain can be very rough and the woodlands very thick with thorn and undergrowth, but that all adds to the fun, and to the likelihood of peace.
Love the old school kit and although I appreciate it's not the lightest I can't help thinking a larger tarp would be better for sleeping under. As you seem to be Southern based, the jurassic coast would be an interesting hike/camp.
Thank you very much for your comment. Luckily I can squeeze under these small military capes because I’m short (and they’re cheap to buy also) !!! Point taken about Jurassic coast - I’ve done plenty of hiking there with family - it is beautiful 😊👍
I really enjoyed the video. As usual you have managed to convey both a sense of peaceful adventure in the nature and a view of the places you have visited. Greetings from Italy.
Simple and really really enjoyable. Excellent video mate keep up the good work, interesting and informative, I always pick up a few tips, thanks for taking us along with you. Big thumbs up.
Great video Giles! Really like your sharing. It is interesting to know your feelings and ideas. For the hydration issue, you may consider to use a MSR water storage bag (4L) to replace the water bottle. It allows you carry more water and carry the weight more comfortably by placing it close to your back. The water bag also becomes smaller after you used some water.
Thanks for your kind comment Kevin. And also your suggestion. I totally understand there are advantages to a ‘water bladder’ type of system as you point out. I need to do more research but I think that obtaining a plastic free version could be very difficult 😐👍
Such a welcome video, especially in these times. If I'm right we live at the western end of this 'certain national trail' and often walk out along parts of it.
Hi Giles. I’ve just come across your channel by chance & have been enjoying your adventures that I’ve subscribed. I’m Andy & I’m from Sussex, the landscape of you walk is very familiar to me. I enjoy wild camping & bushcraft in general to. I think if you keep these adventures up you’ll soon have a huge following. All the best. Andy
Hi Giles, I've really enjoyed watching all of your videos. It goes to show that you don't need huge amounts of kit to camp outdoors. Are you planning on doing any more adventures?
Thanks very much Paul and sorry slow reply. Appreciate you watching the videos. Not sure when I will be uploading again - sorry. Yeah, it’s not too hard to reduce kit to minimum. A little bit harder without using synthetics. Cheers 😊👍
Very refreshing viewing Giles (new subscriber) A truly wonderful glimpse into practical simplicity. Thank you for sharing the walk with us . ATVB2U . Scott Somerset
Cracking video Giles I always look forward to seeing your video's mate the curry looked great on the second night I used to own a set of the pots your using until my camp was found they are light and cheap but great for what we do and hold a lot of food keep the video's coming mate atvb Jimmy 😎😎👍👍
Thank very much once again Jimmy. Your comments are much appreciated. Amazingly my mum found that cook pot in a secondhand shop quite recently!!! It’s ally but seems to distribute the heat quite well so far. Keep getting’ out my friend 👍
Hey Jimmy I’m sorry I have only just found a very kind posting about me which you made 8 days ago. I think it’s called the community tab and I didn’t pick up on it because I am pretty s***t at all things TH-cam. I’m really sorry but can I say a very big belated thank you for that kind of support which I don’t deserve. I am honoured that an experienced camper and TH-camr like yourself is being helpful to me. Thanks again. Giles
@@gilesbinyon Hi Giles your very welcome mate I really enjoy watching your video's and I like to share other channels with my subscribers when I come across great channels like yourself keep up the great content and just being yourself I'm just a middle aged bloke that likes getting out camping with my mate but thanks for the kind words 😎😎👍👍
Three days, mate. Nice! Some really fantastic views, too. You do have some very interesting trees over there. Does the National Trail you were on run the length of the UK? Is that “onese” you wear at night a full body suit like, or just trousers? That was a nice pub you stopped at. Moving your fire a little more into your shelter was a good idea. Something you can play with. Also, sealing the edge of your shelter with leaf debris was another good idea 👍. I’ve done a lot of kayak/canoe camping and backpacking, and the rule we always followed was, “If you packed it in, you packed it out.”. Looking forward to the next one. Cheers!
Thanks as always Steven. There are many National and Recreational Trails here. I don’t think there is one definitive trail for the whole length of the country even though many people travel ‘Lands End to John O Groats’ - there are recommended routes. The wooden ‘onesie’ is an ex military under garment which I wear as a full body type of suit. Cheers Bud - good luck with the gardening 😊👍
@@gilesbinyon Had some strong wind today. Almost time to have a lawn crew clean my yard and haul the leaves away. Sounds like you have a lot of trails to hike on. My favorite hike was on Isle Royale, a National Park, which is a large island in Lake Superior. The island is inhabited by wolves and moose and various lesser creatures. The 56 mile trail runs from Rock Harbor to Washington Harbor, with various side trails you can take. Beautiful country and we actually saw a cow moose with a calf and heard wolves howl. Great trip.
@@gilesbinyon It WAS! We spent 5-6 days hiking the length of the island and then flew back to Rock Harbor in a twin engine float plane. There we picked up the 11’ Zodiac inflatable we had brought with us and spent 3-4 days exploring that end of the island, before we had to board ferry that took us back to the mainland. That was a several hour voyage. Great trip.
Hello Giles, another stonkingly good video, sir! Good idea grabbing water from the churches. I bet you keep warm at night exuding the musical veg, if you catch my drift 😁 I give you a shoutout on my latest vid giving credit for the fire bowl. I love it and thanks for sharing yours with us all. ATB sir 👋🏼
Thanks again Tim, your kind words are appreciated. And thx for the mention on your latest vid which I’ve only just been catching up on. I saw Richards first go up that tower. And I knew he would get yous twos to go with him for the over overnighter ! Ha! Great stuff 👍
Wonderful entertainment as ever - such a beautiful part of the country I will have to head that way one day. I am sure you are inspiring a lot of people to head outdoors. Keep up the good work :)
I notice that you enjoy moving at a fast pace. You could move even faster If you adjust your shoulder straps so that your pack (all of it) is above your hips. You will regain your basic pace speed. The majority of outdoor sport backpacks eliminate ones basic pace speed due to the length of a pack sitting at the hips or lower. You can reduce your fatigue by placing your heaviest gear particularly your water at the center of your back. Your spine is the center of your torsos' rotation. Placing heavy gear at the sides of a pack such as water forces the pack to move side ways and back due to the bio-mechanical motion of your body. You expend energy thrusting the pack out and back. All of your light gear should be either side of your heavy gear. Enjoy.
Thanks very much Stuart - your informative comment is much appreciated. Yeah, the pack does hang low. And there is no waist strap to spread the weight. I’ve considered customising the straps but as it has been comfortable (so far) I have left it as per manufacture. I suppose it also helps that I only carry around 10 kg (22 lbs). It is an ex-military haversack and I’m not sure it was designed for the amount of mileage I’m putting on it. I will bear in mind your points - thanks again 👍
@@gilesbinyon Giles, Outdoor sport backpacks and there like have 5 to 8 bio-mechanical inefficiencies. I can describe them to you if you’re interested. You can correct a number of them.
@@ULperformance thank you very much. Quite a few people following the vids have asked where to get this small backpack and so now may be dealing with the same inefficiencies. Bearing in mind this is probably ‘Cold War’ era cotton canvas kit - but any advice/pointers will be most gratefully received - thank you 👍
Another great vid Giles have you considered the Dutch army tent the canvas one you can get a one man version reasonably light just a thought as has ground sheet doors and you could have a fire in front of it I think it's great how you do things 10kg is a light bag mine is around 17kg and that's using this so called light weight gear to be honest the equipment is not that lightweight as they claim lol atb Jay
Thank you very much Jay. I will look into the canvas Dutch one man tent you mention. Yes, if you go with the minimal amount of kit (and a little discomfort!) you can keep pack weight and size down 👍
Seeing this makes me appreciate that we have over 3000 miles of hiking and wilderness trails within two hours. Some are too good not to repeatedly visit, so I've only managed a bit over half of them.
Thank you very much for your comment. Wow, over half that amount is still a lot of miles - where abouts are you (if you don’t mind me asking)?. Cheers👍
@@gilesbinyon I'm based in East Tennessee. The Great Smokey Mountains national park with over 900 miles of trails is visible from my kitchen window. Surrounding the park are several national forests with over a million and a half acres and hundreds of miles of trails. About an hour north of that are several more national forests. I've hiked all of the trails on the Smokeys map at least twice. There's even a "900 Miler Club" that records each time you've completed a map. We also have about a thousand miles of mountain bike trails, about a dozen whitewater kayaking rivers and a dozen lakes. Outside of the national park, there aren't any reservations, fees or designated camp sites. Many of the less popular trails might see only a few dozen hikers a year.
@@wisenber wow - that sounds fantastic. You live in a lovely location. The UK is very small and (the south) very crowded. Thx for the info and keep enjoying and hiking ! Cheers👍
Thanks for your kind comment. Yeah, it does sit low and I was thinking of customising it. However, it seems pretty comfortable so far so I will leave it for now and see how it goes 👍cheers
Giles having found you very recently I've watched all your videos and have been inspired to try your plough point setup for myself, but with a wet night I was glad of a bivi bag because of swirling winds, I wondered if you have tried a single small Polish lavvu as this would give you more space upto 8ft in width and would possibly work better with the fire and the small size is easier to get hold of and much more affordable, looking forward to your next video all the best Bill
Thank you very much Bill. Really appreciate your comment and ideas too. Yes, I have thought about using one half of the lavvu (I have one) and I agree with the advantages you mention. Couple things have put me off up till now. One is that the cape is also my wet weather hiking gear (although I have only tested the Zeltbahn/plash palatka in ‘anger’ once - so needs to be fully tested before final conclusions), and being short even the small lavvu is a bit big for me. The other thing is that the ‘plough point’ does provide a peak over the fire for poor weather - I’m not sure this would occur with the lavvu (although it may be possible to bring the fire in and under the shelter). Methinks I need to do a few trials in the garden - thx again 👍
Hi Giles Great video thank you. You could save water by just standing on your fire ash after it’s gone out. Plus if it’s not a conifer wood you can grub out a hole then kick the ash into it. That’s what I’ve always done. Great video’s i love trying to guess were you are. My Closest city is Chichester. 🤔🤔🤔
Thank you very much Ed - comment is appreciated and your points about fires are taken on board. I suppose it’s best to go a little bit OTT when filming to show the best examples, just in case more than a few people watch the video and get some ideas from it 🤔👍
@@gilesbinyon yes i see your point we don’t want lots of people wrecking our Beautiful countryside. I used to be a woodsman for the National Trust and we would have to tidy up after some people had camped were they shouldn’t. Do you ever worry about deer stalker’s when you choose were to set up camp ?
@@gilesbinyon yes be careful because there are some trigger happy stalkers that take a shot with the woods as a backstop. As a hammock camper it’s something I always think of when wild camping. Stay safe. 👍👍🍺🍺
10.5kg pack well done. Just my food for 3 days would weigh as much. You don't need a reason to stop at a pub? I stop at every one while hiking through Exmoor so I don't get very far haha. How come you don't collect your own water with a filter or milbank bag? You have a metal bottle to hang over the fire your good to go.
Ha! You’re a man after my own heart ! 🍻🍺 I have a millbank bag but I’m so lazy I won’t set up a good fire to boil up when I’m out on the trail 😕 but I will have to one day !!! Thanks for the comments 👍
Thanks very much. Yeah, I should take on more of a foragers role really - that’s a good point. I would need to learn more and better plant recognition. Thx again for watching 👍
Another cracking video Giles thanks.Glad you're using the suggestion I made a couple of months back re water from churches. These churches are often built on ancient pagan sites so we're really just taking what's already ours,same as wild/stealth camping is (temporary) reclaiming common land taken from us by the ruling classes I've just bought a vegetable steamer (£5.75 from Sainsbury's) inspired by your videos but still need a reflective windshield,do you recall where yours is from?
Thank you very much Sarah, much appreciated. And the ‘church water’ too 😊 The wind shield I have is very old and I can’t remember where I got it. But I see they are readily available online eg eBay. They are aluminium and extremely light. And as you say, they act as a great heat reflector to increase the effect of a small fire. They will get a bit smokey but can be cleaned with a bit of methylated spirit or alcohol hand sanitiser after each trip. Also I painted one side of mine with a can of stove spray paint (any other heat resistant paint would do) in order to make it a little bit more stealthy 👍
Giles between that bloody music and the way you craft and drive in the stakes I think we can safely say you are safe from Vampires at night when camping 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thank you very much for your kind comment. I use an iPhone for filming (and editing) and wonder if there is any kind of mic windshield for that. Filming on one small phone will probably keep audio and film quality quite low but keeps things simple and lightweight on the trail 🙄👍thx again
@@gilesbinyon that’s very impressive that you are using your phone. The quality is really good . You can get a small mic with wind shield for iPhone . It runs off lightning port . The other route is when editing is to pull the low frequencies down from 60Hz -200Hz. Not sure if editing within a phone is possible. Wind is always going to be an issue with outdoor themed video. Thanks for the reply . I love how honest your approach is to these videos. And actually , the wind is not really a big deal in light of that . I’m South Coast based too. And love trying to figure out where you are walking .
@@RogerThat2021 thx very much for your reply and info about a possible mic add-on. I will look into it. I suppose my ‘minimal gear’ approach is even encroaching on to my filming gear - ha! But it is great to have all my filming gear, navigation/maps, communications, news updates, internet info searches, evening entertainment (signal allowing!) and even emergency light in one small handheld device !!! The wonder of this kind of technology never ceases to amaze me. But I know it does contain plastics and also heavy metals as well as probably other undesirable stuff. Oh boy- it’s always a compromise 😐 cheers and thx again
Thank you very much. Yeah, I only carry a bit less than 2 litres. So I have to collect some on multi-day camps. I think I may have stopped off at a Church graveyard for some in this video (if I remember correctly). Cheers 😊👍
Highly commendable, you have made some fantastic videos and very thought-provoking.. I will have to review my kit. Although I have always kept away from making fires and always used alcohol stoves for food, mainly for stealth, I will definitely start removing plastics. I too am a vegetarian, Dahl lentils are quick to use (protein) and will thicken any stew. Question: My kit is very lightweight for long-distance hikes (coastal paths, Scotland and the lake District) how would you adapt your kit for being away from the woods in more open areas?
Thanks Andrew. Appreciate you watching and your comment. Yeah, I’ve thought about your question for a while. I would have to carry in some kind of stick (hiking poles are usually full of plastic trim pieces) and also pegs. This would be easier when not filming due to carrying the camera at the ready all the time. As you mention a fire would become much less tenable. Although a twig stove/small fire pit for dinner may work. But without the fire at night would mean summer only camping. So it could (and should) be tried. Cheers 👍
Thank you very much. I really appreciate you watching the videos. I can’t quite remember what I ordered in the Pub this day. But a quick look at the video tells me it was something like cheesey pasta and vegetables. A kind of standard Pub veggie dish. Cheers 🍺🍺👍
Very impressive, a little bit of everything really. Great to see the old Red GPO Telephone Box, I can remember when they had directories in them. The Pub looked the business and I have lived in Tidworth and Andover so not so far away from your neck of the woods. BTW, what APP do you edit your videos in on your 'old' iPhone? I edit on a laptop and even that is a struggle for 8Gb RAM?
Thanks very much Robert. Great to hear from you and hope you’re doing okay. Yeah, I’ve only tried a couple of editing apps and I’m certainly no expert in this kind of thing. But I discovered ‘CapCut’ on a Google search. It was FREE from App Store and I reckon you could get it for any other devices free too probably. I think it’s great and if a buffoon like me can get the hang of it then it must be very user friendly. Worth a try deffo. Cheers and thx again
You'd sleep warmer if you were better insulated from the ground. Maybe scrape up a heap of those dead leaves before you pitch the shelter, and put your groundsheet on top of it.
Thank you for the comment and that’s a very good point. I do leave any leaf debris under the ground sheet and this seems enough with the sheepskin rug (so far!) 👍
@@gilesbinyon I used to go to the Elefant rally in Germany, a lot of years ago. We'd be camping in the snow at -15°C overnight. The local organisers had a huge stack of straw bales on site for a couple of euros each. One of those spread on the ground before you pitched your tent made a huge difference.
What a treat Giles. Thank you for taking the time to share your adventures with us all. So pleased to see your subs steadily rising. 😀
Thank you very much Rick, your kind words are appreciated 👍
Hi Giles and once again a wonderful tour of the Southern England trails and forests. It's been more than thirty years, I worked it out to be, since I tramped some of those hills and they still look as glorious now as I remember them. Great to see you finding different ways to keep warm and comfortable and I'm sure as Spring continues to march forward, the nights will be less cold. I have rather lazily watched this adventure from the comfort of my poly-cotton tent in the rolling Suffolk countryside, and thankfully, my journey back will have less uphills than yours had! 😁 Thanks again Giles, all the best, Paul 🙏🏻
Thank kindly once again Paul. Really appreciate your very nice comment. Glad to hear you are out in the Suffolk countryside, I’m sure it is very beautiful there - I have heard so and seen it on the TV too. Wishing you great camping Buddy 👍
@@gilesbinyon Thank you Giles, I got back from Suffolk today, it's a lovely county with so much to offer with a glorious coastline and an equally wonderful hinterland. I wonder if you have considered or are able to enjoy a coastal camp along the South Coast? Maybe there are too many people... in any event, your forest camps and walks are awesome - I'll watch them any day. Take care, Paul 🙏🏻
@@paulwildcamper hoping your trip was great Paul. It sounds like a beautiful part of the world. Yes, most of the south coast is highly developed. I should think any attempt at camping would have to be hardcore stealth. Have a good week. Cheers👍
Wonderful video Giles. You' ve certainly made me reconsider what is actually essential gear. I'm amazed by your minimal sleeping equipment. Certainly inspiring, I'm just off to re-evaluate my set up. Look forward to your next adventure, it's a paper bag full of calm in a rubbish filled world.
Thank you Dougy, your kind comment is much appreciated cheers 👍
agreed .
I am totally falling in love with the simplicity of this historical gear and these outings of yours, Giles. Thanks for posting.
Thank you that lovely comment Rick. Cheers👍
Ahh, the good old missus drop off & collection. We've all done it at least once😂👍 Another thoroughly enjoyable trip out. Thx for taking us along for the journey Giles
Thanks very much. Yes, missus helped out greatly on this one, as you say we’ve all done that drop off/collection request 😊Cheers 👍
That’s a brilliant stew, looks very nourishing. I am watching your videos from the beginning and they certainly are encouraging me to get out in the wilds. Phil S. 🇬🇧
Thanks very much for watching the videos Phil. And appreciate the kind comment too 🌲⛺️😊👍
It's refreshing to watch your videos of 'back to the basics' camping.
Thank you for taking the time to comment Orraman, it is appreciated 👍
Great to see our local patch in all its glory. I was able to follow you all the way and knew almost the whole route. Nice work. Looking forward to seeing more.
Thank you very much Rob glad you enjoyed (Sussex 😉😉) 👍
Nice one Giles. Catching up watching them all. Regards.
Thank you very much Paul. Hope you enjoy them 👍
Is there anything better than being out in the wilds of nature ? The smell of the earth and the wood smoke and to round a day off with a pint (or more ) of real ale ! Love your videos Giles. Thanks for taking us back to a very much more relaxed world.
Thanks so much for those kind words Martyn. Totally agree with your sentiments there 👍
I found this because you brought it to mind...
"" What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare? ""
thank you 😊😎
Thank you kindly Jim. I think that definitely captures some of the ethos of wild camping 👍
Your videos always give me a feeling of nostalgia for when I lived in that part of the country, another beautiful video thanks!
Thank you kindly for your comment Benjamin 👍
Hi Giles been watching your vids again and you have definitely motivated me to reduce my plastic. I will probably still use my dd tarp as this is a very good bit of kit I have had mine 8 years now and always use it. The bag I have chosen is a British army 30ltr pack it has minimal plastic and the size I need I have been making leather storage pouches and metal screw lid tins. I don't do many camping vids on TH-cam but i am going to start putting short vids up thanks for the inspiration and I will keep trying to reduce my plastics keep the vids coming there great atb Jay 👌🙏✌
Thanks very much Jay. Always appreciate you watching and thanks for that great comment. Yeah, I have watched the DD tarp used many times on YT and it looks like a brilliant bit of kit. And it’s really difficult to camp free of synthetics- it’s always a compromise. But it’s brilliant to hear you are aiming in that direction. That 30L pack sounds interesting too and you probably keep your kit to a minimum like I do because 30L is not that big - compared to the packs some guys use on YT.
I am subbed to you and will look out for your next YT camp. Cheers Buddy ⛺️😊👍
Hi Giles the pack I have is canvas it's just the pocket and main compartment that has plastic clips I also work with leather so I'm going to fit it with leather and metal straps to make it 100% free of plastic. I have just received my swedish water bottle and I have a stainless steel 1300ml which is great as I normally carry 2ltrs. I have also found a cotton and down sleeping bag by nature hike which only weighs 750g which is lighter than most wool blankets I'll do a vid on my load out I'm out this Saturday at a permission woodland for a trial run. I also wanted to ask you if you would like a catapult free of charge not sure if it's your thing but they are great for a camp target practise while relaxing would happily send you on many thanks Jay
@@jay3825 thanks again Jay. It sounds like your are putting together some excellent kit there and I wish you a great test camp this weekend - half the fun of camping is tweaking the gear and this is a continuous process so it’s always an interesting challenge. And thanks very much indeed for the kind offer of a catapult. I’ve seen some on your eBay shop and they are beautiful. I love the handcrafting and the timber you name and use. But as I don’t think I could incorporate it into a video i would feel unfair to take up your kind offer. But I hope our paths do cross sometime in the ‘outdoors lifestyle’ community and I will deffo buy one from you and give it a go but then put it up in my house as a lovely woods crafted item. Anyway, thanks again and good camping Buddy ⛺️👍
Mick Sterbs, a very tasty musician. Best wishes from the hills of West Yorkshire.
Thanks John. Enjoy those beautiful West Yorkshire hills 👍
A clean and functional red telephone box is a rare find these days,
great video👍
Thank you very much John. Yes, I haven’t seen a functional phone box for ages. Cheers 👍
Thank you Giles I don't think I watch this one all the way through actually but I've watched many your videos over and over LOL. I hope everything is okay with you cannot wait to your next video! Arizona Dave
Thank you very much Dave, it’s nice to hear you have watched some videos more than once ! I hope you are doing okay. I’ve been away a lot these last weeks but now able to get out again 😁. As always great to hear from you and take care 😊👍
You certainly are an inspiration Giles and although I have wild camped locally a few times ive never done it how you do and I'd love to give it a go.
Cheers 👍
Thank you very much Dave. Glad you enjoyed the vid and thank you for those kind words. You never know - you may try to have a go at something similar perhaps. Cheers 😊👍
Really enjoy what you do Giles, and recognised some of those trails as being local to me. I shamefully admit to having never before thought about the synthetic nature of my kit and all its ramifications. I guess we can't all just ditch our synthetic gear as we'd then be adding to the problem. Reusing and repairing and generally prolonging the life of gear that we already have is the best way we can limit the impact it has on the environment. But thanks to your videos, myself and no doubt numerous others will look towards natural fibres when refining our kit in the future. 👍
Thank you very much Gary. Yes, you are spot on. Not just cost but the difficulty in sourcing non-synthetic means having to use up and repair (👍) existing stuff. Cheers 👍
Yes i think i know were he’s walking but obviously don’t want to let the cat out of the bag. I’ve done a section of it which was 64 miles in 24 hours back when i was a scout lol a very long time ago. Great video thank you.
I'm new to your videos Giles but so glad I found them. Love your approach to camping and cooking whilst on the trail, really inspiring. Thanks for posting the videos and please keep up the great work 👍🏼
Thanks very much Jake. Really appreciate you watching and making that kind comment. Cheers 👍
unfortunately a number of the other bushcrafters i've been watching have drifted off into being "my new gear" obsessed. well, Giles did bring a cabbage this time. :D lovely work Giles and an excellent outing. 👍👍
Ha! Thank you very much Tee Eff. 😂 I must try out a different vegetable next time too !!! Cheers 😄👍
Starts being Glamping rather than bush-crafting after a bit.
Good Morning Giles ..
👍👍👍A great watch .. thanks.
Any walk .. irrespective of the terrain configuration and respective distances .. the ups feel like 7.5's and downs a measly 2.5 😏.
You Pot. First time I've seen one like it on You Tube. Got mine (the exact same .. came in a 3-pot stackable set with lids) back in the early 80's. My favourite of the set, the self-same as yours (my goto 'Soup Pot' 😊).
Aluminium Foldable Wind Screens. Beside shielding from the wind, their surface makes for a surprisingly effect 'reflector' .. channelling heat from the fire towards one .. unlike the ineffective wood 'reflectors' that many You Tubers demonstrate. Some reading on the dynamics of heat transfer beforehand would perhaps curb unnecessary harvesting of wood resources in this regard.
Herewith some 'Useless Info' ..
I don't make 'open fires' in our local forests except in dedicated fire pits provided by the local 'Forstamt'. The Swiss don't have much of a sense of humour regarding offenders w.r.t. forest fires even if 'accidental' with eye-watering fines being the order of the day. They are tolerant of 'wild fires' .. provided it's not during 'fire ban' periods and one is responsible, exercises good judgement and common sense. I normally make my fires in a Bushbox LF Foldable SS Wood Stove or an IKEA home-grown Hobo Stove .. with a folding concertina Windscreen (Pelican brand circa '80's) behind. A Carbon Heat-Resistant Mat as a base takes care of ground protection and if necessary, I put the stove into a Military Issue 'Dixie' or a Tatonka 18cm SS Bowl. A bit of water inside takes care of any hot coal spillage and such. There .. blah, blah over 🙄😏.
Your folding fire bowl is a good idea .. well worth consideration. My local IKEA has them in stock.
Once again .. thanks for the share. If I may please, 'Dehydrated Veggies' and such. Since you have gone this route, do you have any tips, 'how and not to's' regarding. I'm looking at this, starting with Bananas .. my favourite in my morning outdoor breakfast oats. Like yourself with veggie stew, if I was allowed to, I would have my oats porridge concoction for dinner too 😊.
Take care .. Tommy
Thank you very much Tommy. Your comment and salient points are much appreciated. And it was my mum who found that cook pot a little while ago in a secondhand shop !!!
I learnt about dehydrating trail food from books some years ago. They were all US hiking publications - they seem to have perfected this method of carrying out hiking food (there are probably many TH-cam vids on the subject now!). A dehydrator varies but mine is very basic and came in at about £70 some 15 years ago (about 85 euros). Thx again 👍
👍
"We're gonna do that coz we're crazy"
"Yeah, no more. We're not that crazy" 🤣🤣 made me chuckle!
Great idea of how to brace the wood under the knee to cut it. It's a tip I'll be using.
Fab video as always. The music instantly cheers me up 😊
Thank you very much Georgina. Glad you picked up an idea from it too. Us ‘crazy’ campers need to exchange our knowledge 🤪😄👍
Some bush crafters call this the 'Plumbers' Brace'. It is always handy when needed.
Great video thanks! Your comment about 'rehydrating' at the pub did make me chuckle though. Will have to use that one with the Mrs.
Thank you very much Oliver. And yeah, must always stress the importance of ‘hydration’ to the spouse before heading off into the hills 😉😉😉🍺🍺🍺👍🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for sharing Giles, calm and relaxing as always.
Thank you, as always, ultrarunner 😊👍
All great videos, Giles. I'm amazed at the way you deal with the cold. Re: the water in churchyards. I'd judge that the water you got at 29:13 was drained from the roof, or at least stored in a standing tank. There could be 'consequences'. :) I'd only take it at mains pressure, to feel safe, or filter or sterilise it in one of the various ways. Just my thoughts ... ;)
So many lovely church shots in your videos. I'm hoping that one day I'll recognise one. :)
Your approach also reminds me so much of my days in the Scouts, way before Camping Gaz stoves. Cooking on wood fires, smelling of smoke, getting it in your eyes and making them sore. Lol! Hunting for fuel in the woods. Occasionally having a wash! Great days. Laugh!
Thanks very much Ray. Appreciate your very kind comment. And I totally agree about the drinking water. From a church yard it would be sensible to bring it to a rolling boil before use. In this instance I used it in cooking and tea I seem to remember - which although better than straight-from-the-tap, is certainly still a bit of a gamble !!! Thx again 👍
Another fantastic video Giles 👍thank you. Glad you've found a way to keep a bit warmer at night 🙂
Thank you very much David- yeah, staying warm at night has always been my bugbear !!!👍
I love all the history here, natural and manmade. I see that European beech is indeed a solitary tree, still stately, still a magnet for graffiti. American beech is so different, often holding its leaves over winter on a lower branch or two and there are myriad root sprouts, one tree quickly becomes a group of variously-aged saplings.
The onesie....wool is always your friend, even when wet. As always, enjoying your eco-mindful style and beautiful camp meals in such gorgeous country.
Thank you so much once again Lucy. Yeah, some of the beech specimens around here are just oozing character. And I agree wool is often overlooked as a sustainable product 👍
Brilliant videos mate
Thank you once again for your kind and speedy comment. And I’m hoping to check out your latest offering later tonight - love them. Cheers Buddy 👍
@@gilesbinyon I watched it. While prepping cabbage at work took my mind off the tedious task. Haha.
Ha! I knew I would always end up playing second fiddle to a cabbage 🥬😂🤪😅👍
Simply excellent mate.
Thank you kindly Martin - appreciated 😊🌲🏕️🔥
Cracking vid Giles, I always find rehydrating in the pub is the best option, funny went round that roundabout today where you was dropped off, that's a lovely area have cycled that section of national trail a few times ,was good to see the conditions as pretty muddy up on the tops at moment. All best Will 🍻👍just a thought on your cold feet, you've got your metal water bottle, I fill mine up and use as hot water bottle it's better than rubber hot water bottle as you can still use the water once it cools down, I put it in a spare sock as it's a bit too hot but lasts a fair while though night.
Thank you very much Will. Keep up the biking! Cheers 👍
Very nice thank you so much missing that country side of Wiltshire and Gloucester wind and clouds so atmospheric all the best from Arizona
Thanks again Dean. Hoping you can get out in Arizona 👍
Another brilliant adventure Giles.
Thanks 😊👍
great video giles..an easy quick set up you have...all the best mick in orkney...
Thank you very much for checking this video out Mick. Yeah, it is definitely a quicker setup the less stuff you have I reckon. Cheers 😊👍
Good evening Giles, a truly stunning video! I always feel transported to a bygone era when I watch your video’s. It reminds me of a fantastic book I read called “The gentle are of tramping” by Stephen Graham. The respect and harmony you have for nature is a beautiful thing. Thank you for sharing you experiences on here, Jamie
Thank so very much indeed for that lovely comment. And yes, I have read that book too. Thinking back, I suppose it has had an influence on what I am trying to do. Thx for watching the vids and the great comments 👍
A big thank you from Holland. Thank you for your inspirational videos on minimalistic wild camping !
Got my self a plash aswell and hopefully I can try it out in the near future ! Can't wait on more videos to come and keep up the good work ! Thank you so much !!
Greetings from Holland
Thank you kindly for your really nice comment, it is much appreciated. Glad you have got your shelter. Try it out in different configurations first to see which you prefer. Happy camping ! 🇳🇱🇬🇧👍
Thankyou Giles for another very enjoyable video.
Cheers, thanks for the comment 👍
Great upload!! Loved it, music is perfect here.
Thank you so much, your kind words are much appreciated 👍
Great video. Love the them, St Anne's reel if not mistaken!
Thanks for watching and commenting. And yeah, you got the music spot on 😊👍
First time watching Giles. Great video and really enjoyed it. I think we all get too fixated on modern materials and forget perfectly good ones that have been used for years. Thanks... I will tune in again.
Thanks very much, your comment is most appreciated. And I totally agree with your sentiments - modern materials perhaps should only replace more traditional ones if they can first be shown to be just as safe to us and the environment 👍
Thoroughly enjoyable Vlog, thank you. They have certainly inspired myself… keep them coming 👍
Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed and thanks for commenting 👍
Hi mate, really like the old school gear and seeing how you use it. Thanks for sharing. And please keep doing what you do 👍
Thanks very much Neal, I really appreciate your support. Cheers 👍
Fantastic again Giles. ATB
Thank you Steve- as always appreciated 👍
Liked it 👍
I just love your style of doing the camping thing. 👍
Thank you very much. Glad you like it 👍
Thank you so much for taking us with you on your adventure. I don't think we have much of an idea how much work it is to produce one of these videos. Thank you.
Thank you very much Craig - it’s appreciated. Yes, I suppose I would get more distance covered without the camera (phone) but the camera adds a lot to a trip also and sharing stuff is always great for both parties too 😊👍
Hi Giles. A fantastic video on how to keep it simple and yet get a full experience out in the outdoors. Very inspirational, thank you.
Thank you very much for that kind comment, it’s very much appreciated 👍
Your dedication to walking through the mud………then having to do it all again to recover the camera
Yeah, thanks Mike. If you look closely I actually VERY nearly went over too !!! 😂👍
Spoiling us with a lovely long video, excellent! I bet those pints went down well 🍻 loved it man look forward to the next adventure 👍
Thank you again Buddha Bushcraft. And yes, those pints did go down a treat !!! But can’t over indulge when you have a steep hike out !!! 😩thx again 👍
Really enjoying your hikes, Giles! Lite but Right, Happy Trails
Cheers Dan, your kind comment is much appreciated 👍
Nice one Giles. Thanks for sharing your adventure
Appreciate your comments as always Jon. Thank you 👍
I'm inspired Giles. Really want to get out there and do it your way. Got few natural fiber gear pieces but I can start to accumulated some. Thank you.
Thanks very much - appreciate you watching and commenting. Yeah, apart from weight, natural fibre stuff can compete quite well against the modern plastic equivalents. Try ex-Warsaw Pact Military gear - good and cheap (ish) too 👍
Thanks for another relaxing time. I'll have Saint Anne's going around in my head for a couple of days again, I've been practicing it a bit since watching your videos. I've been patiently waiting for your next one, and then it came sooner than I thought it would. I love your style, keeping it simple, humble and honest. I haven't switched to a non-synthetic tarp yet, looking into it though. A sheepskin is also on my list. It is so difficult to get hold of natural materials these days. I don't think you can trust what the advertising/labeling says, half the time. I find it a bit hard to reserve time for sleep outs, as I've a full-time job and children. Thanks again, from mid-Wales.
Thank you for that really nice comment Adrian, it is very much appreciated. Yeah, it’s a slow process trying to source cost effective natural fibres. Don’t let it stop you getting out though - there is always a compromise and you/we can keep improving our gear over a period of time aiming for 100% at some point (hopefully). Meantime get out into the beautiful countryside of Wales if you ever get the time - I know what it’s like working and young kids (mine are grown up now - well nearly - so it’s easier now)👍
@@gilesbinyon Ha! I'm a glutton for punishment, after my first two grew up, I had some more, so it'll be a while before I get complete freedom again. I do get to go out, though, every few weeks for a night or two. There's lot's of possibility around here, though the terrain can be very rough and the woodlands very thick with thorn and undergrowth, but that all adds to the fun, and to the likelihood of peace.
Love the old school kit and although I appreciate it's not the lightest I can't help thinking a larger tarp would be better for sleeping under.
As you seem to be Southern based, the jurassic coast would be an interesting hike/camp.
Thank you very much for your comment. Luckily I can squeeze under these small military capes because I’m short (and they’re cheap to buy also) !!! Point taken about Jurassic coast - I’ve done plenty of hiking there with family - it is beautiful 😊👍
Brilliant love this
Thanks for sharing some alternatives to the modern gear we normally see.
Thank you kindly Walking Kev, appreciated 👍
Love your vids
Thanks again Jane 😊🙏👍
I really enjoyed the video. As usual you have managed to convey both a sense of peaceful adventure in the nature and a view of the places you have visited.
Greetings from Italy.
Thank you so much for watching and making such a nice comment too 😊 I expect Italy has many beautiful places to wild camp 🇮🇹👍
I really enjoy your videos. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you very much Phyllis 👍
Simple and really really enjoyable. Excellent video mate keep up the good work, interesting and informative, I always pick up a few tips, thanks for taking us along with you. Big thumbs up.
Thank you kindly for your lovely comment. It’s much appreciated and glad you got something useful from the vid 👍
Great video Giles! Really like your sharing. It is interesting to know your feelings and ideas.
For the hydration issue, you may consider to use a MSR water storage bag (4L) to replace the water bottle. It allows you carry more water and carry the weight more comfortably by placing it close to your back. The water bag also becomes smaller after you used some water.
Thanks for your kind comment Kevin. And also your suggestion. I totally understand there are advantages to a ‘water bladder’ type of system as you point out. I need to do more research but I think that obtaining a plastic free version could be very difficult 😐👍
Oh yes you are right. The MSR water bag is made of nylon, probably cannot call it plastic free.
Such a welcome video, especially in these times. If I'm right we live at the western end of this 'certain national trail' and often walk out along parts of it.
Thank you again for your comment Catherine. I think you will have done much around the western end of this Trail 😉👍
Another great video Giles
Brilliant adventure, thanks for shearing. For greens that can take a bit of a beating in a bag take sprouts . Just probably not on a communal camp 🤣
Thanks very much for the comment Karl. And that’s an excellent suggestion 😊👍
Loved the video. Learn a lot from the experienced. Seem like a top man 👍
Thank you very much Billy, your comment is very kind. As you know, with bushcraft/camping we are all learning all the time 👍
Hi Giles. I’ve just come across your channel by chance & have been enjoying your adventures that I’ve subscribed. I’m Andy & I’m from Sussex, the landscape of you walk is very familiar to me. I enjoy wild camping & bushcraft in general to. I think if you keep these adventures up you’ll soon have a huge following. All the best. Andy
Thank you very much Andy, your kind comment is very much appreciated 👍
Hi Giles, I've really enjoyed watching all of your videos. It goes to show that you don't need huge amounts of kit to camp outdoors. Are you planning on doing any more adventures?
Thanks very much Paul and sorry slow reply. Appreciate you watching the videos. Not sure when I will be uploading again - sorry.
Yeah, it’s not too hard to reduce kit to minimum. A little bit harder without using synthetics. Cheers 😊👍
Thanks for a nice video, and the effort in making it.
Really appreciate comment- thank you 👍
Very refreshing viewing Giles (new subscriber) A truly wonderful glimpse into practical simplicity. Thank you for sharing the walk with us . ATVB2U . Scott Somerset
Thank you kindly for your kind comment Scott. I hope you get out to enjoy lovely Somerset too 👍
Cracking video Giles I always look forward to seeing your video's mate the curry looked great on the second night I used to own a set of the pots your using until my camp was found they are light and cheap but great for what we do and hold a lot of food keep the video's coming mate atvb Jimmy 😎😎👍👍
Thank very much once again Jimmy. Your comments are much appreciated. Amazingly my mum found that cook pot in a secondhand shop quite recently!!! It’s ally but seems to distribute the heat quite well so far. Keep getting’ out my friend 👍
Hey Jimmy
I’m sorry I have only just found a very kind posting about me which you made 8 days ago. I think it’s called the community tab and I didn’t pick up on it because I am pretty s***t at all things TH-cam. I’m really sorry but can I say a very big belated thank you for that kind of support which I don’t deserve. I am honoured that an experienced camper and TH-camr like yourself is being helpful to me. Thanks again. Giles
@@gilesbinyon Hi Giles your very welcome mate I really enjoy watching your video's and I like to share other channels with my subscribers when I come across great channels like yourself keep up the great content and just being yourself I'm just a middle aged bloke that likes getting out camping with my mate but thanks for the kind words 😎😎👍👍
Nice one Giles, thank you.
Three days, mate. Nice! Some really fantastic views, too. You do have some very interesting trees over there. Does the National Trail you were on run the length of the UK? Is that “onese” you wear at night a full body suit like, or just trousers? That was a nice pub you stopped at. Moving your fire a little more into your shelter was a good idea. Something you can play with. Also, sealing the edge of your shelter with leaf debris was another good idea 👍. I’ve done a lot of kayak/canoe camping and backpacking, and the rule we always followed was, “If you packed it in, you packed it out.”. Looking forward to the next one. Cheers!
Thanks as always Steven. There are many National and Recreational Trails here. I don’t think there is one definitive trail for the whole length of the country even though many people travel ‘Lands End to John O Groats’ - there are recommended routes. The wooden ‘onesie’ is an ex military under garment which I wear as a full body type of suit. Cheers Bud - good luck with the gardening 😊👍
@@gilesbinyon Had some strong wind today. Almost time to have a lawn crew clean my yard and haul the leaves away. Sounds like you have a lot of trails to hike on. My favorite hike was on Isle Royale, a National Park, which is a large island in Lake Superior. The island is inhabited by wolves and moose and various lesser creatures. The 56 mile trail runs from Rock Harbor to Washington Harbor, with various side trails you can take. Beautiful country and we actually saw a cow moose with a calf and heard wolves howl. Great trip.
@@stevenkreitlow8349 that sounds a fantastic trip 😊
@@gilesbinyon It WAS! We spent 5-6 days hiking the length of the island and then flew back to Rock Harbor in a twin engine float plane. There we picked up the 11’ Zodiac inflatable we had brought with us and spent 3-4 days exploring that end of the island, before we had to board ferry that took us back to the mainland. That was a several hour voyage. Great trip.
Hello Giles, another stonkingly good video, sir!
Good idea grabbing water from the churches.
I bet you keep warm at night exuding the musical veg, if you catch my drift 😁
I give you a shoutout on my latest vid giving credit for the fire bowl.
I love it and thanks for sharing yours with us all.
ATB sir 👋🏼
Thanks again Tim, your kind words are appreciated. And thx for the mention on your latest vid which I’ve only just been catching up on.
I saw Richards first go up that tower. And I knew he would get yous twos to go with him for the over overnighter ! Ha!
Great stuff 👍
Wonderful entertainment as ever - such a beautiful part of the country I will have to head that way one day. I am sure you are inspiring a lot of people to head outdoors. Keep up the good work :)
Thanks a million Darren, that’s a kind comment and I hope the vids do give people some ideas 👍
I notice that you enjoy moving at a fast pace. You could move even faster If you adjust your shoulder straps so that your pack (all of it) is above your hips. You will regain your basic pace speed. The majority of outdoor sport backpacks eliminate ones basic pace speed due to the length of a pack sitting at the hips or lower. You can reduce your fatigue by placing your heaviest gear particularly your water at the center of your back. Your spine is the center of your torsos' rotation. Placing heavy gear at the sides of a pack such as water forces the pack to move side ways and back due to the bio-mechanical motion of your body. You expend energy thrusting the pack out and back. All of your light gear should be either side of your heavy gear. Enjoy.
Thanks very much Stuart - your informative comment is much appreciated.
Yeah, the pack does hang low. And there is no waist strap to spread the weight. I’ve considered customising the straps but as it has been comfortable (so far) I have left it as per manufacture. I suppose it also helps that I only carry around 10 kg (22 lbs). It is an ex-military haversack and I’m not sure it was designed for the amount of mileage I’m putting on it. I will bear in mind your points - thanks again 👍
@@gilesbinyon Giles, Outdoor sport backpacks and there like have 5 to 8 bio-mechanical inefficiencies. I can describe them to you if you’re interested. You can correct a number of them.
@@ULperformance thank you very much. Quite a few people following the vids have asked where to get this small backpack and so now may be dealing with the same inefficiencies. Bearing in mind this is probably ‘Cold War’ era cotton canvas kit - but any advice/pointers will be most gratefully received - thank you 👍
Quality!!👍🏼
Thanks very much Chris - appreciated 😊👍
Great video!
Thank you very much, sir. Inspiring.
Thank you kindly 👍
Another great vid!
Another great vid Giles have you considered the Dutch army tent the canvas one you can get a one man version reasonably light just a thought as has ground sheet doors and you could have a fire in front of it I think it's great how you do things 10kg is a light bag mine is around 17kg and that's using this so called light weight gear to be honest the equipment is not that lightweight as they claim lol atb Jay
Thank you very much Jay. I will look into the canvas Dutch one man tent you mention. Yes, if you go with the minimal amount of kit (and a little discomfort!) you can keep pack weight and size down 👍
Seeing this makes me appreciate that we have over 3000 miles of hiking and wilderness trails within two hours. Some are too good not to repeatedly visit, so I've only managed a bit over half of them.
Thank you very much for your comment. Wow, over half that amount is still a lot of miles - where abouts are you (if you don’t mind me asking)?. Cheers👍
@@gilesbinyon I'm based in East Tennessee. The Great Smokey Mountains national park with over 900 miles of trails is visible from my kitchen window. Surrounding the park are several national forests with over a million and a half acres and hundreds of miles of trails. About an hour north of that are several more national forests.
I've hiked all of the trails on the Smokeys map at least twice. There's even a "900 Miler Club" that records each time you've completed a map. We also have about a thousand miles of mountain bike trails, about a dozen whitewater kayaking rivers and a dozen lakes.
Outside of the national park, there aren't any reservations, fees or designated camp sites.
Many of the less popular trails might see only a few dozen hikers a year.
@@wisenber wow - that sounds fantastic. You live in a lovely location. The UK is very small and (the south) very crowded. Thx for the info and keep enjoying and hiking ! Cheers👍
Awsome video mate, keep it up 👍
Love the video!
luv it very basic keep them coming
love the vids and you're kit ethos .Not diggin you out; can't help thinking you're rucksack looks so uncomfortable how low you wear it.
Thanks for your kind comment. Yeah, it does sit low and I was thinking of customising it. However, it seems pretty comfortable so far so I will leave it for now and see how it goes 👍cheers
awesome 👍
Thanks Andrew 😊👍
Very inspirational thank you
If it’s too much uphill in the direction you walked start from the other end next time. Have fun traveling and stay safe.
Thanks again Kenneth.
Ha! I’ve already tried to do that 😂👍
Giles having found you very recently I've watched all your videos and have been inspired to try your plough point setup for myself, but with a wet night I was glad of a bivi bag because of swirling winds, I wondered if you have tried a single small Polish lavvu as this would give you more space upto 8ft in width and would possibly work better with the fire and the small size is easier to get hold of and much more affordable, looking forward to your next video all the best
Bill
Thank you very much Bill. Really appreciate your comment and ideas too. Yes, I have thought about using one half of the lavvu (I have one) and I agree with the advantages you mention. Couple things have put me off up till now. One is that the cape is also my wet weather hiking gear (although I have only tested the Zeltbahn/plash palatka in ‘anger’ once - so needs to be fully tested before final conclusions), and being short even the small lavvu is a bit big for me. The other thing is that the ‘plough point’ does provide a peak over the fire for poor weather - I’m not sure this would occur with the lavvu (although it may be possible to bring the fire in and under the shelter). Methinks I need to do a few trials in the garden - thx again 👍
Hi Giles
Great video thank you. You could save water by just standing on your fire ash after it’s gone out. Plus if it’s not a conifer wood you can grub out a hole then kick the ash into it. That’s what I’ve always done. Great video’s i love trying to guess were you are. My Closest city is Chichester. 🤔🤔🤔
Thank you very much Ed - comment is appreciated and your points about fires are taken on board. I suppose it’s best to go a little bit OTT when filming to show the best examples, just in case more than a few people watch the video and get some ideas from it 🤔👍
@@gilesbinyon yes i see your point we don’t want lots of people wrecking our Beautiful countryside. I used to be a woodsman for the National Trust and we would have to tidy up after some people had camped were they shouldn’t. Do you ever worry about deer stalker’s when you choose were to set up camp ?
@@ed7540 thx Ed. Yes, I do. I have noticed that they seem to gut and leave the remains on site. 😩😳
@@gilesbinyon yes be careful because there are some trigger happy stalkers that take a shot with the woods as a backstop. As a hammock camper it’s something I always think of when wild camping. Stay safe. 👍👍🍺🍺
@@ed7540 whoa ! Glad I’m mostly a ground dweller 😳 keep safe 🍻🍺👍
10.5kg pack well done.
Just my food for 3 days would weigh as much.
You don't need a reason to stop at a pub? I stop at every one while hiking through Exmoor so I don't get very far haha.
How come you don't collect your own water with a filter or milbank bag? You have a metal bottle to hang over the fire your good to go.
Ha! You’re a man after my own heart ! 🍻🍺 I have a millbank bag but I’m so lazy I won’t set up a good fire to boil up when I’m out on the trail 😕 but I will have to one day !!! Thanks for the comments 👍
Hey Giles 👋 that church looked like possible spot for a stealth camp.
Thx Mark. Yeah, that would be a spooky one to do 😳👍
There are quite a few greens that can be foraged along the journey, season permitting.
Thanks very much. Yeah, I should take on more of a foragers role really - that’s a good point. I would need to learn more and better plant recognition. Thx again for watching 👍
Another cracking video Giles thanks.Glad you're using the suggestion I made a couple of months back re water from churches. These churches are often built on ancient pagan sites so we're really just taking what's already ours,same as wild/stealth camping is (temporary) reclaiming common land taken from us by the ruling classes
I've just bought a vegetable steamer (£5.75 from Sainsbury's) inspired by your videos but still need a reflective windshield,do you recall where yours is from?
Thank you very much Sarah, much appreciated. And the ‘church water’ too 😊
The wind shield I have is very old and I can’t remember where I got it. But I see they are readily available online eg eBay. They are aluminium and extremely light. And as you say, they act as a great heat reflector to increase the effect of a small fire. They will get a bit smokey but can be cleaned with a bit of methylated spirit or alcohol hand sanitiser after each trip. Also I painted one side of mine with a can of stove spray paint (any other heat resistant paint would do) in order to make it a little bit more stealthy 👍
Giles between that bloody music and the way you craft and drive in the stakes I think we can safely say you are safe from Vampires at night when camping 🤣🤣🤣🤣
😂🤣😅thx again 👍👍👍😊
Good job Giles . Have you considered some wind protection on your mic? Maybe Eq out some of the wind frequencies ? Lovely video though . Cheers mate.
Thank you very much for your kind comment. I use an iPhone for filming (and editing) and wonder if there is any kind of mic windshield for that. Filming on one small phone will probably keep audio and film quality quite low but keeps things simple and lightweight on the trail 🙄👍thx again
@@gilesbinyon that’s very impressive that you are using your phone. The quality is really good . You can get a small mic with wind shield for iPhone . It runs off lightning port . The other route is when editing is to pull the low frequencies down from 60Hz -200Hz. Not sure if editing within a phone is possible. Wind is always going to be an issue with outdoor themed video. Thanks for the reply . I love how honest your approach is to these videos. And actually , the wind is not really a big deal in light of that . I’m South Coast based too. And love trying to figure out where you are walking .
@@RogerThat2021 thx very much for your reply and info about a possible mic add-on. I will look into it. I suppose my ‘minimal gear’ approach is even encroaching on to my filming gear - ha! But it is great to have all my filming gear, navigation/maps, communications, news updates, internet info searches, evening entertainment (signal allowing!) and even emergency light in one small handheld device !!! The wonder of this kind of technology never ceases to amaze me. But I know it does contain plastics and also heavy metals as well as probably other undesirable stuff. Oh boy- it’s always a compromise 😐 cheers and thx again
Thanks for taking us on this great trip! How do you carry enough water? Or do you find some?
Thank you very much. Yeah, I only carry a bit less than 2 litres. So I have to collect some on multi-day camps. I think I may have stopped off at a Church graveyard for some in this video (if I remember correctly). Cheers 😊👍
Highly commendable, you have made some fantastic videos and very thought-provoking.. I will have to review my kit.
Although I have always kept away from making fires and always used alcohol stoves for food, mainly for stealth, I will definitely start removing plastics.
I too am a vegetarian, Dahl lentils are quick to use (protein) and will thicken any stew.
Question: My kit is very lightweight for long-distance hikes (coastal paths, Scotland and the lake District) how would you adapt your kit for being away from the woods in more open areas?
Thanks Andrew. Appreciate you watching and your comment. Yeah, I’ve thought about your question for a while. I would have to carry in some kind of stick (hiking poles are usually full of plastic trim pieces) and also pegs. This would be easier when not filming due to carrying the camera at the ready all the time. As you mention a fire would become much less tenable. Although a twig stove/small fire pit for dinner may work. But without the fire at night would mean summer only camping. So it could (and should) be tried. Cheers 👍
@@gilesbinyon maybe charcoal with the stick stove. An enclosed poncho tent may be warmer with no drafts. Great stuff.. keep up the good work!
What was your dish at the pub? Watched a few of yours today, great stuff, glad I found it!
Thank you very much. I really appreciate you watching the videos. I can’t quite remember what I ordered in the Pub this day. But a quick look at the video tells me it was something like cheesey pasta and vegetables. A kind of standard Pub veggie dish. Cheers 🍺🍺👍
Very impressive, a little bit of everything really. Great to see the old Red GPO Telephone Box, I can remember when they had directories in them.
The Pub looked the business and I have lived in Tidworth and Andover so not so far away from your neck of the woods. BTW, what APP do you edit your videos in on your 'old' iPhone? I edit on a laptop and even that is a struggle for 8Gb RAM?
Thanks very much Robert. Great to hear from you and hope you’re doing okay.
Yeah, I’ve only tried a couple of editing apps and I’m certainly no expert in this kind of thing. But I discovered ‘CapCut’ on a Google search. It was FREE from App Store and I reckon you could get it for any other devices free too probably. I think it’s great and if a buffoon like me can get the hang of it then it must be very user friendly. Worth a try deffo. Cheers and thx again
You'd sleep warmer if you were better insulated from the ground. Maybe scrape up a heap of those dead leaves before you pitch the shelter, and put your groundsheet on top of it.
Thank you for the comment and that’s a very good point. I do leave any leaf debris under the ground sheet and this seems enough with the sheepskin rug (so far!) 👍
@@gilesbinyon I used to go to the Elefant rally in Germany, a lot of years ago. We'd be camping in the snow at -15°C overnight. The local organisers had a huge stack of straw bales on site for a couple of euros each. One of those spread on the ground before you pitched your tent made a huge difference.