It was a beautiful sunny winters day so I quickly got my gear and went for a long walk up onto the Antrim Plateau. I walked through a large Spruce forest and found some interesting things along the way.
I also got to try out my Lifesaver bottle which I have been wanting to try for a while.
Here are some pictures.
After entering the woodland I realised that I had not had a drink in many hours and my lips were dry- a sign of dehydration for me. I went to a nice mountain stream and filled my life saver bottle to get a drink. The bottle can be submerged because the mouth peice is protected by a watertight cap. However i would not submerge it in water i suspected was really bad because there is not high a chance of cross contamination in my opinion.
Another water source which I did not partake of and I am sure you can see why.
Lots of wind damage had occurred. The trees all pointed in one direction away from the prevailing winds which is a very useful indication of direction----if you know the direction of the prevailing winds of course.
The stream widens in places and I have often bathed my feet here on a warm day.
I came across more wind thrown trees. This time a line of mature Beech which I have known for over 20 years. It is a shame to see them uprooted like this. One Beech had lifted a stack of forestry timber up on its root plate forming a ready made shelter. It was fantastic and would have been great after about 1 hours work. I think the fact that the roof is made of 1 ton of timber is something to consider though.
A ribwort grew at the side of the shelter. It can be eaten and is a powerful medicine plant. The leaves can be chewed up and put on wounds as a poultice.
Birch bark- collect while you find it as Birch as rare in this area. I filled my pockets to use later as it was slightly damp.
Wood sorrel a nice refreshing taste like apple peel and a useful source of vitamins in winter. Grows in the shade.
I came across this encampment if it can be called that. The usual ring of stones and rubbish strewn everywhere. I found a rubber inner tire which made me thing the builders may be mountain bikers. I took the rubber because it is a great fire starter. The shelter was held together with green, cheap paracord.
3 comments:
Looks like a grand trip out Abo (i read all three parts ;-)).
Shame about the idiot brigade and the shelter, did you take it apart and salvage the cord?, we find bits and bobs like this all the time in the woods and we know it's the Mountain bikers who do it as we have seen them do it, one place i can take you to a shelter that has a blue builders tarp for a roof, sticks out like a sore thumb in the woods, they also leave 4-5ft high stumps around the woods where they hack down trees to make jumps and ramps, thankfully the Estate has given us permission to remove the stumps when we see them and to take the wood for personal use.
Hi Mark,
Yeah I took the cord. They should not leave it behind if they dont want someone to keep it. I also dug a huge pit trap with punji spikes at the bottom (only joking)
we have found all sorts of stuff, one trip the lads did that i couldn't make, they found a bikers camp in the woods and came away with an axe, laplander saw and a few other bits i think, we are of the same opinion, if you dont want someone else to look after it, dont leave it behind.
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