Long Winter nights in a tent

As winter approaches in the north the nights get longer and more time is spent in a shelter or tent. Usually I carry a book with me but I find that reading by torch light far from ideal. In the past I have carried my iPod Nano and listened to music. On this occasion I decided to take some of the Podcasts from Outdoors Station to listen to, as I have always found it difficult to concentrate on them at home. The first podcast I listened to was the Cape Wraith Trail. Listening to the story was relaxing with the sounds of the skylark, the sea as well as the background music interspersed throughout the episodes. Given that the nano battery life is pretty good these days it is apparent that listening to podcast at the end of a day on the trail with a long night to come allows the walker to unwind and consider the following days plans. Furthermore, the information included within the podcast provides ideas for the next trip whether it be in relation to gear or location. I now need to find more podcasts of similar content for my next trip.

Children in the forest

On the western side of Copenhagen there are a number of forests, which were established as part of the urban planning of the city which can be easily accessed using the public transport system, especially the trains.

Today I was able to spend some time wandering around Hareskovene, located to the west of Copenhagen and accessible by train from Copenhagen. The forest consists of a number of lakes, wooded areas, trails, fire places, shelters and even a primitive over night camping place. However, more than anything else it was a pleasure to hear the laughter of many happy children enjoying the forest. There is a culture in Denmark of taking school groups (ages 2 and above) to the forest where they are allowed to play and experience the outdoors. Hearing the children playing reminded me of the book titled Last Child in the Woods, written by Richard Louv, which highlights the challenges in the US society of encouraging children to experience the outdoors. Here in Denmark as in other places there is a tradition of taking children into the outdoors and encouraging them to explore, we are also aware of other educational systems in countries such as Scotland and England looking at how they can incorporate these outdoor experiences into the childs schooling. Let us hope that these activities can be continued.

If you are interested in obtaining information about state forests and walking in Denmark (Vandreture i Statsskovene) then we recommend a visit to the web site Vandretursfoldere where you will find information on many state forest walks in Denmark.


Note: for an alternative view of Richard Louv's book you may like to look at this article.

The Trossachs, Scotland

I have been visiting family in Scotland and have had the opportunity to do some day walks in the area, particularly along the Rob Roy Way, a 126 km trail running from Drymen in the south to Pitlorchy. The trail meanders along old forestry roads and footpaths and provides a variety of scenery. Today I headed north from Aberfoyle, once the end of the railway from Glasgow, this quiet hamlet is the centre of the Forestry service area and has a number of hotels and eating places. I can recommend the Forth Inn as a place to visit for a meal.

Back to the trail, the trail climbs steadily once it leaves the main street in Aberfoyle and eventually follows the around the north side of the local golf course with its magnificent views of Ben Lomond. Throughout this section of the trail you see the evidence of forestry work and the many plantations. The trail climbs gently through the forest before exiting onto the open grazing plains of the Menteith Hills. The Menteith Hills provide a pleasant walk with many views of the surroundings including the Lake of Menteith.

















I can recommend a visit to this area. Whilst in the UK I have also taken the chance to stock up on some gear that is not readily available elsewhere thanks Rose and Bob, I look forward to reporting back on my silk body clothing and Pinnacle pack.