Gear Review - Snugpak Jungle Blanket

One of my best purchases of equipment recently has been this outdoor blanket, the Snugpak Jungle Blanket. It's been such a wonderful addition to the pack this winter for day walks, picnics and bird-watching. I've also used it for relaxing in the garden or sitting on the promenade when we've been able to meet other households outside during the pandemic. Over the colder months, it's been such a joy to snuggle up underneath it and it adds an incredible amount of warmth when lingering outdoors. 

The blanket has a ripstop nylon material on the outside which is water resistant and a softer feeling material for the inside layer, with synthetic insulation sandwiched between the two. It measures approximately 196cm by 159cm. For packing it can be scrunched down to roughly 20cm by 15cm in the stuffsack provided. It weighs 715g and comes in olive or black. At that weight, I wouldn't take it on a camping trip on top of carrying all my camping equipment but it's easily carried for day trips in the rucsack or bicycle pannier. I bought a blanket for myself and one for my friend on Amazon and the price seemed to vary at different times between £25 and £30.

I've found the blanket to be incredibly practical and really cosy. It's so much warmer than just putting on an extra layer or duvet jacket when you stop because you can cover your legs too. Now I can't wait for the colder weather to return so I can snuggle up in it again. 

Pentland Hills - Way out west

With Covid restrictions finally easing, it was great to get back out wandering and camping in the hills. Mind you, I didn't go very far. With it being the first weekend without travel restrictions and the last weekend of Easter school holidays, I guessed a lot of people might be on the move. So I avoided them by taking a short bus ride to West Linton for a wild walk in the far western hills of the Pentlands. Another guess of mine ... that it would be quiet out there ... it was.

Of course, there's a reason for that part of the Pentlands being quiet. The hills are considered quite dull, just pudding-shaped lumps with few footpaths but lots of heather and bog. I didn't mind as it was good just to be out for a rugged tramp across the hills. Plus I did find a few interesting spots in this otherwise featureless landscape.

I left behind the banks of daffodils on West Linton's village green for a long walk north to the Cauldstane Slap, a low pass through the hills. This is the old drove road and is also known as the Thieves' Road because of the cattle and sheep rustling that used to go on there. As I passed through Baddinsgill Farm at the start of the track, I was surprised to read a sign asking walkers to look out for any suspicious activity. Apparently livestock theft is still rife here today.

I'd been at the Cauldstane Slap back in January in the snow to climb East Cairn Hill but this time I headed up West Cairn Hill. Its modest little top already felt quite wild and that feeling was enhanced as I trekked westwards through empty moors. A thin path soon fizzled out and I plodded through deep heather to make progress.

The rolling hills were cut suddenly by a rocky defile called Wolf Craigs. So often the names of landscape features take us back into the past and I can only imagine there was a forest here hundreds of years ago which echoed with the call of wolves. 

I was grateful for the firm ground of my next hill, Craigengar, after the boggy valley at Wolf Craigs. The twin cairns on top of Craigengar were a fine viewpoint where I could see my day's walk behind and ahead of me. It was a thirsty plod along the top of this hill though as I was out of water. Boggy as it was at Wolf Craigs, the stream marked on the map was actually dry. So it was a relief to eventually drop down into a steep gully cradling the tributaries of Medwyn Water and listen to the gentle babble of the burn. It was too tempting to laze here, back against a rock, in warm sunshine, drinking cool water as fast as I could filter it. I don't always filter water out in the hills before drinking it but there were sheep around here, so better safe than sorry.

It was late afternoon now and the heat had gone from the sun as I pulled up onto White Craig. This was another interesting spot with a scatter of boulders to clamber through on the way up and an old, lichen-covered cairn on the top. It felt little visited.

The final stop from here was Black Law where I pitched the tent on a spot I'd used before with big open views. The evening air was full of sound with skylarks singing above, grouse gurgling in the heather and noisy geese somewhere nearby.

A windless, still night passed and gave way to a grey dawn and drizzle. A long walk took me past the Covenanter's Grave where I turned east for West Linton and the city.

Fact File

Start/finish: West Linton

Public transport: Stagecoach bus 101/101A Edinburgh to Biggar/Dumfries
My route: Off the bus cross the Lyne Water then take the first road to the right, Medwyn Road. Continue to the road end which continues as a track to the Cauldstane Slap. From here, follow the wall up to the left for West Cairn Hill then continue along its southwestern flank (bit of a path along here) then drop down through heather to Wolf Craigs. Climb the northeast flank of Craigengar to the two cairns marked on the OS map then continue southwest along its top and pass to the north of Millstone Rig. Cross the Medwyn Water in the gully between Millstone Rig and White Craig then climb to the summit of White Craig. The path over Black Law and passed the Covenanter's Grave can be seen from here and joined by dropping down a little. After the grave, the path drops to a dirt track and follow this east to rejoin the outward route at the golf club.

Info: More on the Covenanter's Grave HERE and on East Cairn Hill HERE

Portobello - Swimming beginning

Despite the current cold snap, I think it’s fair to say that I’ve survived my first winter of wild swimming. The sea temperatures here in Portobello are starting to rise again from a low point of 5.8 degrees Celsius. The evenings are drawing out as well, bringing to an end the simple joy of being in the water after dark. I’ve discovered that I love being in the water, although I certainly need to get swimming lessons to improve my technique. I’ve realised that I don’t feel the cold too much either.  But I’m very much a novice, so I thought it might be useful to share here how I got started.

First of all, I started swimming in August when the sea temperature was a balmy 13 degrees. That way, I gradually got used to the cold as it slowly dropped into single figures towards Christmas. I’ve discovered that I like to stay in the water for quite a while and therefore I use a wetsuit. Some people use just a swimming costume but the time you can stay in the water is limited this way. With my wetsuit on, even in the coldest temperatures, I can stay in the water for much longer and don’t have to worry at all about getting cold. I also enjoy the added buoyancy from the wetsuit. When the sea temperature dropped to eleven degrees, I added neoprene swimming gloves to my ensemble and at ten degrees I put neoprene socks on. Once the water was below 10 degrees, I had to put thick Vaseline on my lips to stop them chapping. I always wear goggles, ear plugs, and a red swimming cap for visibility. I slip on a pair of cheap flip flops for walking the 30 metres from the front door to the beach. These are left on the groyne while I’m in the water and I always worry that a dog will run off with them.

Of course, that proximity to the beach is a big bonus. When I’m finished, I just walk out of the water and right into the shower. I’ve formed the habit as well of filling a bucket with warm water and placing it at the front door. That way, if my hands are cold, I can warm them enough to use the house key and it also allows me to wash sand off my feet before stepping indoors. I keep the wetsuit on when I go into the shower and that way, I can give it a good rinse while I’m in there.  The first wetsuit I bought was quite a cheap one (£80) and it was a nightmare for getting on and off. After only a few uses, the seams came apart and I got a refund. This allowed me to buy a slightly more expensive one (£120) and what a difference that made for just another £40. The suit was made of a much softer neoprene which was a lot easier to put on and take off, and it has lasted well.

One other thing that helped me get started was watching the weather forecasts and tide tables even more closely than I usually do. Perfect swimming conditions are high tide and a light westerly wind with small or no waves. Here at Portobello, winds from the east, northeast, north or northwest make the sea rough and can leave a swell for several days afterwards, neither of which are good for novice swimmers. Of course, it only happens on a handful of occasions that you get a flat calm sea. As well as the Met office general forecast and the tide tables, I also use two other websites. The first, https://seatemperature.info/edinburgh-water-temp gives an accurate reading of the surface water temperature for my location and gives a forecast of wave heights.

The second site I use, www.thebeachguide.co.uk/sea-temperature, also gives temperatures but as a map showing the different sea temperatures around the UK. I think it’s not as accurate as the first but I really like the colours and enjoyed watching them change as the temperature dropped over the winter months. It’s coldest in February and March.

There are a number of reasons for starting swimming. I was looking for an exercise that complemented my other activities and would maintain my flexibility in the years ahead. It’s also been something new to try and possible to do close to home during the pandemic. One big advantage as well is that it’s a short activity that I can fit in at lunchtime or between other things and doesn’t need much planning or preparation – just pull on the wetsuit and go. Lunchtime swims are possible now that I’m working from home during the pandemic and I find I’m really refreshed afterwards for the rest of the working day.

Of course, it’s not all about swimming. Mostly, I enjoy just being in the water and dreamily drifting away from shore. And sometimes I just float.

Kit Notes
Wetsuit - TRN Orca 
Gloves - C-Skins 3mm neoprone swimming gloves. Really important to have proper swimming gloves so they are a tight fit which enables the water to be trapped and warmed by your body temperature. This applies to all the kit but especially the gloves. Cold hands can be crippling and are likely to reduce the time in the water.
Socks - Lomo neoprene swimming socks
Hat - Lomo silicone
Goggles - Speedo

Ear plugs - Zoggs junior