camlet wild camp

Camlet is an abandoned farm-toun in Glen Girnock and was my destination for a wild camping extravaganza! I left my car at Littlemill mid afternoon and set off with my weighty pack - not much point in buying light gear when you add a muckle great tripod. It took just under an hour in perfect, sunny conditions to arrive at Camlet. En route I nearly stepped on an adder - Britain's only poisonous snake. I don't know who was more startled - me or the snake!


It took me a while to find the perfect pitch because the site is on the side of a hill and also the grass was long and tufty. I eventually found a spot just below the house by some old trees. Perfect. The tent was up in no time.


I had taken in some water but this was the first outing for my travel tap. A jaunt down to the stream at the bottom of the hill and it was filled with lovely, cool water. The tap works well but the flow is quite slow. Tea was another Fuizion dry meal - vegetable kung po with noodles. Superb! Expensive but saves a lot of hassle - just add boiling water to the bag and leave for 8 minutes.


I was glad to have taken the tripod in order to catch some dusk shots that were fairly successful. I watched a couple of bats buzzing around the tent and as the sun went down it became a bit chilly so I was in bed before 10 pm.


Funny how you hear lots of strange noises when camping - the night really dragged as I tossed and turned. Starting to get the hang of what amount of clothing to wear in bed - this time I had no liner and slept in boxers and merino t-shirt (temperature overnight was probably about 5 degrees). The local birds were doing their best to keep me awake.


Next morning I was up about 5.30 am to catch the sunrise and it was very still and peaceful. Breakfast was hot chocolate, meusli bar and peanuts. A few more photos, tent packed and walking back to the car before 7 am.


Really enjoyed the location - I managed to see all sorts of wildlife including deer, an adder, woodpecker, bats and loads of thrushes singing their hearts out.


It's always quite sad visiting these deserted farm-touns when you think about the hard life the farmers had and how the way of life has disappeared. Shortly the buildings will have vanished too.

Camlet History

Farmed from before the 1600s, Camlet once supported 20 thatched roof crofts. Once a glen that survived because of cattle and cattle-droving it declined in the 18th century because of poor, wet land that was better suited to sheep. Crops often failed because of the bad weather.

The glen was notorious for illicit whisky stills and at Camlet lived Camlet John, self-styled Minister of the Camlet. He farmed Camlet for over 50 years, was married twice and had 12 children before dying in 1834. One grandson, James Gordon, left the glen aged 6 and ended up on Campbell Island in the sub-Antarctic.

Information courtesy of Dr Peter Gordon (http://www.leopardmag.co.uk/feats/142/girnocks-lost-cotter-touns).

Update

J Gordon farmed Campbell Island from 1895 on a 21-year farming lease. In 1991 an expedition to the island found a tin in the rafters with his diaries and history.

inchmore wild camp

Time for my first wild camping trip of the year and the weather forecast was looking good, if not cold overnight. Decided to go to Inchmore which is 2.5 miles west of Corgarff Castle and situated near the River Don.

On the way in the track passes by Delnadamph which was once the highest shooting lodge in Scotland, at 430 m. It was bought in 1977 by the Queen, allegedly for Charles and Diana, but Diana was said to not like the building. It was demolished in 1989 but the dog kennels and a couple of other buildings still remain. The kennel is a listed building from the late 19th century - how did the Queen get permission to demolish the lodge?


It took me about 45 minutes to reach the bothy (into a strong headwind). I had stopped to talk to an inquisitive farmer in his land rover but he was pleasant enough. No doubt my car registration was noted by MI5. Initially I had planned to camp near the dam but I couldn't find a flat and/or dry enough spot so I trailed back to the bothy which had lovely, short, flat grass!

The Wild Country Sololite tent is really easy to pitch - probably about 5 to 10 minutes. Got the gear unpacked and it was time to try out my new stove - an MSR Pocket Rocket. I had to go to Inverurie to get a gas canister to fit it but all was well and hot chocolate was ready in about 2 minutes. Delicious. Then it was a curry meal by Fuizion and it was probably my tastiest meal for a long time. Just add water to the pouch and leave for 10 minutes. No doubt the environs made the meal taste better than it really was.

I managed to get a shot of the bothy in moonlight around the back of 9 pm and decided to get into my sleeping bag at 9.45 pm as it was pretty dark and cold. The odd shower and hail storm had passed and by now the sky was cloudless.

I can't say I got a great sleep but this was nothing to do with the cold. If anything, I was too hot - could be the fact that I slept in base layer top and pants with the addition of a wool hat and extra top! Eventually I had to take off the extra top. During the night I got out to check the tent as it was making flapping noises but it was ok. I swear the dam sounded like a jet aircraft all night. The stars were stunning and I wished I had carried my heavy tripod for some Milky Way shots. Perhaps next time.

Got up about 6.30 am in order to get some sunrise photos and it was cold! The hail had frozen in little pools at the foot of the flysheet. However, soon got the water on and enjoyed another hot chocolate. Decided to have a rice pudding for breakfast but is was not nearly as good as the curry - the rice had dried into big clumps and did not really absorb enough water.

Packed all the gear again and soon hit the road back to the car at Corgarff Castle. Tent and sleeping bag airing at present and all clean after a shower. Great start to a few months of wild camping adventures!