Friday 9 September 2016

#Night 53 - Fish Camp, Just Outside Yosemite National Park, Ca

Headed out of the park and found this place using this site: https://freecampsites.net

Not the nicest of sites, but served us well, was free, and also had a large area we could play football in for the first time!



#Night 52 - Walk In Campground, Yosemite National Park, Ca

One of the bonuses to arriving in the valley on foot with a back country permit is a guaranteed spot at the delightful walk in campground. Stopped off at some truly amazing wild swim spots along the way...




#Night 51 - Half Dome Spur, Yosemite National Park, Ca

Spent most of the day walking across the high mountain trails. Saw a coyote, deer, grouse, and plenty of rodents. Kids delight. Pitched the tent at the junction with the trail up Half Dome. Ate an early tea and marched off for the 4 mile round trip to the iconic summit, which we pretty much had to ourselves.




#Night 50 - Sunrise Lake (lower), Yosemite Valley, Ca

Packed up at Tenaya Lake before heading up a steep climb to the lower of the Sunrise Lakes. Magical.



#Night 49 - Tuolumne Meadows

Finally entered Mecca. Yosemite Valley. What an amazing place. So full of energy. Bagged a spot at Tuolumne Meadows Campground. Quick ascent of Lembert Dome and a run (for me at least) to Glen Aulin as dusk fell. More importantly got our wilderness permits for the next three nights as we trek down to Yosemite Valley via Half Dome!




#Night 48 - Just outside Yosemite National Park

Camped up just outside the park as arrived too late. Basic campsite with no running water just outside Lee Vining. Slap up meal at the amazing Whoa Nellie's lead to some projectile vomiting in the dead of night and washing the sleeping bags in an icy river the following morning. Not the tent's finest night!



#Night 47 - Summit Lake, Ca

Got most of the climbing done on the first day. Bagged an unnamed 11,500 foot peak with the boys and saw the bluest of blue lakes, before descending to an immaculate wild camp by Summit Lake. A long way from anywhere.


Eating dinner a mile from camp so as not to attract bears to our sleeping spot.


#Night 46 - Hoover Wilderness, Ca

Met up with our friends of 13 years ago (our last trip to California) Dylan and Ann, in Reno, where we had a tearful reunion with Soph. Headed south for a few hours to the Hoover Wilderness area for a two day hike into the back country with Dylan (Ann had injured feet). Camped here whilst preparing for the walk.



Thursday 8 September 2016

#Night 45 - Utica Reservoir, California

We stopped off at an outdoor shop in the sticks to see if we could buy some sandals for Bryn. No luck, but got chatting to the guy behind the counter who recommended this place. Dispersed Camping it's called. You are allowed to camp here, but leave no trace, leave food in bear tins etc. A few others camping near by so the boys didn't feel too far out on a limb on our first night wild camping. What an amazing spot.





#Nights 43 & 44 - Angel's Camp, California

The first to nights camping of our California road trip. I'll write up the trip separately as it was a bit of a saga, with Soph being declined entry, and the three of us travelling anyway. We had the first week without her and then spent two with her. An amazing trip all around.

This was luxury camping. Shade, an electric light and charging point, a fire pit, two chairs, and a picnic table and bench. Right next to the swimming pool. At $32 a night pretty good value I thought.




#Night 42 - Saunders Mountain Marathon

Soph and Jane used the tent on the Friday night of the Saunders Mountain Marathon.


Wednesday 29 June 2016

#Nights 39, 40 & 41 - Long Beach Campsite at Inverie

Not so many pictures of the tent as it was static for 3 days (it's longest time in one place?). Stunning public campsite accessible only be ferry and foot. No need to book. The world's poshest composting toilet, and some amazing fire pits.




#Night 38 - Carmusory Bay

What a phenomenally beautiful place. Spent the day lazily paddling down the loch to this beach. Stopped en route for lunch and diving off the rocks, and also an idyllic hour or two of gayly scrambling in a series of small mountain pools and falls. Next morning went for a run up the amazing Munro behind camp, but underestimated the distance!




#Night 37 - Loch Nevis

This morning we paddled from our camping beach along to the portage over to Loch Nevis. It was tough - about 100m of climbing and descending on a Landcover track, but well worth it. Paddled for another hour on the other side to this magnificent beach. The bracken was literally crawling with ticket though...




#Night36 - Loch Morar


Day 1 of our half term adventure. 5 families (that's 10 adults, 10 kids (6 months to 10 years old) and a dog. We put in on Loch Morar and paddled for a couple of hours out to the islands, before making home for the night on this amazing beach. You'll notice that the tent family is growing!



Night #35 - Glen Etive

An overnight wild camp by the Etive River in Glen Etive. Often midgy, but one of the best wild swim spots on the planet. Heading north for kayaking adventures!

Monday 16 May 2016

Night #34 - Bluebells & Birch Trees

Walked from the house to one of our favourite spots. Nice to break the tent out of storage after a long winter.

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