Bugging out at night during winter

[THRCNBEONLY1]

Thank you for everyone's concern for safety on this one, I appreciate it. I wont lie, I'm nervous about it but to put some questions to bed; I'm taking (aside from the tent and sleeping bag) a small bio stove with fuel portions, a jet lighter and steel cup. Luckily where I'm going there is plenty of water. Probably take an MRE too.

So even if things don't go to plan, I will be able to stay warm until the morning. Family know what I'm up too, and the exact location of camp. Fully charged phone too.

I just don't intend on using the items above and these will be stored in a separate compartment from the kit I can use.

Miss Anpassad - Plymtom is correct, laws don't really allow hunting here, its considered poaching. I actually think you can get the jail for it? Shame I've heard swan is tasty.

I liked your modern man remark too. Its true we take it all for granted but i do believe that if you eat it you should be prepared to kill it. I guess from my point of view I consider that side a necessity. Its not necessary for me to go testing my winter skills and kill a rabbit say in the name of experience. Its about suffering, and I cant guarantee it wouldn't suffer. Modern slaughtery(?) is clean. My snares could have the little critter stuck for hours whilst I slept. So for me its a no brainer, until I've earned the right to use nature, I can only try and make these outings as real as I can. Which also means I wont have to kill an Angus to get a nice midnight steak win-win.

I'll definitely document as much of it as I can, and share the experience.

[Plymtom]

My first camping experience in April 1977 ish was with a few other lads on Dartmoor in woodland, it snowed, we had those older style tents with separate ground sheets, some booze and little food, a space blanket and what was probably summer sleeping bags we abandoned ship after a few days, it was more of a survival experience, and I didn't get out much after that, too busy, I've taken the kids out for over nighters in tents over the years but never long stays.

I look forward to all the details of your adventure and bet you'll be every bit as glad to be home as I was back in the day, I wish I could have done more of it, my wife just couldn't do the camping thing in tents, caravans yes, but there's nothing like roughing it for a few days to disconnect from the modern world, it does you good and makes you appreciate what we have when you return

[Deeps]

That's a bit more reassuring mate, as long as you've got a couple of lighters in case the bow ain't cutting it. Hot drinks and plenty of them might be welcome, assuming you're willing to drag yourself out of your sleeping bag.

I hope you get something from it mate and let us know how you go.

[sniper 55]

Looking forward to hearing how it goes mate.

[Deeps]

I don't know what part of Scotland you're in mate, I'm at the south end of Fife but I wouldn't have fancied staying out last night, you'd struggle to get pegs in if you were planning to use them for your shelter (or back up tent). When are you thinking of doing it ?

[whenfires]

I'm looking forward to hearing how this goes for you. As some of the others have said, I'm also more of a bug-in type (even though my first exercise when I got into prepping was putting together a bug-out-bag but I think that is probably a common starting point).

It's not something I would have the opportinity to test out for myself, at least at the moment so let us know how you get on. I would second Deeps comment about taking a couple of lighters as there's nothing wrong with having some backups if things don't go to plan during a tial run of your preps.

[THRCNBEONLY1]

Aiming for the 9th December and spot is in Aberfoyle.

Luckily i have heavy duty pegs but i get what your saying. To be honest the more i think about it all the more im realising that it will be safer to establish a camp first (tent and decent fire) them move on to building a retreat. I can still practice the hand drill etc but lets not be another Bear Grylls wanna be found dead in he woods.

If i can level with you all and not sound smug; ive had plenty of practice outdoors and im good at it, but in the back of my mind im still scared about the night set up as ive never done it before. Just need to conquer it once so my head lets go of that fear.

If anyone gets a chance watch Ed Staffords Norway episode. Not too disimiliar to the climate in Scotland and he gives a decent insight to just how bad the cold weather can be and how important fire really is.

I like Ed. Lot of respect for what he does.

[Deeps]

Aiming for the 9th December and spot is in Aberfoyle.

Luckily i have heavy duty pegs but i get what your saying. To be honest the more i think about it all the more im realising that it will be safer to establish a camp first (tent and decent fire) them move on to building a retreat. I can still practice the hand drill etc but lets not be another Bear Grylls wanna be found dead in he woods.

If i can level with you all and not sound smug; ive had plenty of practice outdoors and im good at it, but in the back of my mind im still scared about the night set up as ive never done it before. Just need to conquer it once so my head lets go of that fear.

If anyone gets a chance watch Ed Staffords Norway episode. Not too disimiliar to the climate in Scotland and he gives a decent insight to just how bad the cold weather can be and how important fire really is.

I like Ed. Lot of respect for what he does.

I like Aberfoyle, we used to camp there a fair bit with Her Maj. A pre set up camp might be a good idea, ready to move into if it starts to go wrong. Have you got a mate that could take with you as a safety number ? As you say, you don't want to be another 'brown bread Bear'.

[grenfell]

In your original post you mentioned getting dropped off some five miles from where you are going to camp. Do you have to navigate those five miles in bad weather and at night cross country or along a predetermined road to simulate the actual walking part of a bug out? That might be something to practise as a separate exercise. People get hopelessly lost in good weather in daylight and trying to find your way in almost pitch darkness is a whole magnitude of difference if you haven't done it before.

[THRCNBEONLY1]

Id love to give you more details of exactly where im heading but im funny with people knowing these things until its done.
But the road im following is fairly well maintained and has little cross country. No experience hiking in the dark so i cant risk it like you have said.
I thought long and hard about the whole thing and scrapped the initial plan of doing the hidden valley up in glencoe. Far too many thing to go wrong.