stuff!

I recently decided (with 3 other fools) to go to Dartmoor in January. Not only to go to Dartmoor, in fact, but to traverse the entire length of Dartmoor in a north-south direction. Which in practical terms means getting a train to Exeter and a bus from Exeter to Okehampton, walking due south-ish across Dartmoor finishing up in Ivybridge, and then getting a train from Ivybridge to Exeter and then home. We reckon we can do it in three days or so over a weekend, i.e. arrive in Okehampton midday-ish on Friday, camp in various inhospitable places Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights and make it to Ivybridge midday-ish on Monday.

In preparation for this I've been doing some shopping. I though it might be amusing to share what I've bought over the last few days:


a small 20oz (just under 600g) hatchet for chopping up firewood, beheading fish, maiming sheep, general hand-to-hand combat, etc.





a pair of binoculars for ornithological and stalking purposes





a hip flask for storage of life-giving fluids - haven't decided what yet, probably either port or sloe gin, if my new home-made batch is ready by then



That lot was bought in actual physical shops. I also placed an internet order today with the good people at Warehouse Direct, comprising the following:

• a small locking pocket knife, ideal for gutting fish, torturing sheep, hand-to-hand combat, etc.

• 5 bungee cords of assorted lengths
• 8 mini-karabiners for attaching stuff to my rucksack
• an 8-metre coil of polypropylene rope in an attractive shade of blue
• a small-ish tarpaulin

That should do it! Just need to remember the more mundane stuff like a tent, some shoes & socks, etc. and I should be all set to survive with no more than minor limb loss. Can't wait!