I may be on a short break from filming, but it does not stop me from planning adventures.
Over the past week, I have been doing a lot of thinking about what I am physically capable of in my current stage of Osteoarthritis. Shorter hikes and kayaking are still doable, however, longer hikes, backpacking, and wild camping are not. This year I want to get back into camping, although it will mainly be with my larger air tent kayak camping. In spring, I am planning a 4-day kayak/camping trip to Norfolk, predominantly paddling on the River Waveney. I will also be pitching up at the Basingstoke Canal campsite in Mytchett and paddling another section of the canal.
Photos are of past adventures out on Dartmoor, a woodland camp, and kayak camping at Coniston Lake in Cumbria.
Now to my more ambitious plans. As I said earlier, it is no longer possible for me to carry a 10 to 15-kg backpack on a hike and wild camp. However, I met with a friend who co-manages a small woodland last weekend and obtained permission to wild camp in 10 acres of private woodlands. 10 aches is not a massive size, to put it into perspective, it is about 7.5 football pitches. Likewise, within this area, 8 clearings are easily reachable from my park up within this secure gated woods. Kneeling is one of my main issues, and although I would still be pitching one of my backpacking tents, I would also set up a large tarp shelter and have open fires within the woodland openings. I so miss the solitude and atmosphere of camping in dense woods, so I am looking forward to giving it a go again. If there are no issues during my first woodland camp, this could be a regular little spot for me as and when I want a local wild camp without the hassle of having to hide away. I can also pitch up at different locations within the woods, chopping (processing) wood and cooking over an open fire. I may not video all these nights under the stars, but cooking, having a cold beer, and putting the world to rights around an open fire may be of interest to some of my followers!
Osteoarthritis may dampen my spirit, but I will not let it beat me 🦵💪👊
