CheapTents.com Outdoor Gear Blog

Onto the Antarctic Plateau

On 11/11/08 Adam Wilton and Gavin Booth set off on an expedition to the South Pole. Adam and Gavin are well past 88 degrees now. Man hauling their sleds for a staggering 10.5 hours per day they are becoming tired and hungry. They are losing weight and feeling the cold.

We are now properly on the plateaux though, so flatter terrain. Both glad to tick off another day.

Their height on the plateau is about 2700 meters, 1000 meters of which they climbed in the past week. Fortunately there is only another 135 meters left for them to climb to the South Pole.

In terms of distance, they have covered over 900 km and now have less than 200 km to go.

They are hoping to reach the South Pole by New Year’s day.

Adam and Gavin are hoping to raise £250,000 to help save Robert Falcon Scott’s hut.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Related camping and outdoor news, reviews and advice:

• South Pole Expedition to Save Scott’s Hut
• British South Pole Expedition Update
• British South Pole Expedition Update 2

South Pole Expedition Pushes Past 86.5 Degrees

On Friday 12th November, Adam Wilton and Gavin Booth passed the 86.5 degree line on their way to the South Pole. Adam and Gavin have been walking across the Antarctic for nearly five weeks now. They estimate that they will reach the South Pole on New Year’s Day.

With the snow softer and sastrugi less extreme, they have been able to ski instead of walk. This has meant using different muscles and has given a much needed rest to the muscles that are used for walking. They are pulling all of their expedition gear, including their tent and their food, on sleds without any help from dogs or snow-mobiles.

They are both in good spirits as they climb up to the polar plateaux.

We are celebrating every degree now with some extra food..on monday we had half a cake each (which was the size of a brick).

Food for Thought and Snow for Dinner

Adam and Gavin have provided their daily routine on their live update website, which I have reproduced below.

Whilst you are all gearing up for the Christmas party season, spare a thought for us …

7.15am -wake and reluctantly get ready.
Eat breakfast, do personal duties, sort kit and take down camp.
before 9.30am be on the move, starting our day’s man hauling.

No day is easy, in fact they are all very hard. We do a 10hr shift, with breaks every hour..for water and a bit of food. but not long enough to get too cold (it is still -20C before wind chill). For the last 2hrs we have a 1minute break at the half hour-so we can push on. At the end we are both exhausted and another step not possible. The sled weight may be reducing as we eat our rations, but the fatigue in legs gets worse. Even if we are both incredibly tired at 6hrs and bored of the white white white landscape, we always push on for the full day, things can get better.. After finishing, we then have to set up camp. It could be very windy.

7.30pm Get tent up and kit from sleds into tent by 8.
8.00pm call Patriot Hills with our position.
8.30pm one of us will start to melt snow in the vestibule. This will take up to 2hrs for all our water. The snow is incredibly dry. The other will have the chance to repair any equipment or himself! and perhaps call home or post a dispatch. During this time we will both start to eat (first meal-we are now eating 2, as we have a hard week of altitude gain) and rehydrate.

10.30pm water finished, and by 11pm time for second meal.
11pm record our expedition video diary, reflect on the day.

12am to sleep..although this will be broken up, as we will wake a number of times no matter how tired. it is hot in tent at night in down sleeping bags, and bright with 24hr sun. We are both suffering from lack of proper sleep.
The next day we do it all again…for 50 days. This is what we have to do to make it. No matter how tired or how cold. A test of mind, body and soul.

Shopping Centre or South Pole?

Where would you rather be? Your local shopping centre, battling the crowds trying to find those perfect Christmas presents…

…or the South Pole, freezing cold with only your expedition partner to get on your nerves? Click on the “comments” link below and let us know!

Perhaps the best answer is to be in The Lake District, North Wales or The Scottish Highlands and buy all your Christmas Presents and outdoor gear online, using your mobile phone or laptop!

Adam Wilton

Adam was born in London and 30 years old. He works as an investment banker at Kaupthing Bank in London.

Adam’s previous expeditions and challenges include:

Marathon of Britain 2005 (52 miles, 2 days)
Marathon des Sables 2004 (140 miles)
Guadarun, Guadeloupe 2005 (80 miles)
Mont Blanc Ultra 2005 (100 miles non-stop)
Greenland Expedition 2007 (8 first ascents; >200 km ice cap travel)
World Long Course Duathlon Championships 2008.

Adam and Gavin are hoping to raise £250,000 to help save Robert Falcon Scott’s hut.

British South Pole Expedition Updates

British South Pole Expedition 25th November
British South Pole Expedition Update 1 2nd December
British South Pole Expedition Update 2 8th December

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Related camping and outdoor news, reviews and advice:

• British South Pole Expedition Update 2
• British South Pole Expedition Update 4
• South Pole Expedition to Save Scott’s Hut

We’ve helped promote a number of charitable events and challenges lately, including the UK Everest Challenge and the competitor raising money for charity by running the Marathon des Sables…but when I heard about the following story in my local news I was particularly overwhelmed.

Coast 2 Coast Walk

Tom Buckley is 23 years old, and is walking the coast to coast route after being diagnosed with terminal cancer of the brain.  Doctors believe he has just months to live.

His route from St Bee’s Head, Mirehouse on the West Coast, to Robin’s Hood Bay, Yorkshire, will take approximately 2 weeks or more to cover the 180 miles in some of the worst weather we have seen in a very long time…and all to raise money for The Christies, a specialist hospital in Manchester focusing on the diagnosis, treatment, research and education around cancer.

It’s been bitterly cold and bleak, especially at night, and there hasn’t been a single day when I’ve not contemplated giving up.

But then I think of all my friends at The Christie and the amazing people who keep donating money because I’m doing this walk. That drives me on.

Motivation to keeping on walking and overcome pain

Tom is finding the walk painful after ops to remove muscles, part of his lung and a knee and leg bone replacement.

Tom said:

My ankles and heels are starting to go now. I have pulled a tendon and the general wear and tear on my legs and feet is painful. I’m looking forward to putting my feet up when I finish on Tuesday.

It’s really remarkable, but he’s now approaching the finish line…

Just a few more peaks to go!

Tom embarked on the trek on 29th November with the aim to finish over in Robins Hood Bay, Yorkshire over the next few days.  Now just think of what weather he has had to face lately, with temperatures dropping to -10C and snow blizzards across the lake District - it’s completely outstanding what he’s doing.

He is battered and bruised, after hiking through almost impassable snow in the Lake District for the first 14 days of his mission, and now is approaching the final leg of his trek.

Tom states why he is doing this:

I know that I have less than a year to live and so I want to try and push myself as much as I can. I feel that this Coast2Coast Walk will give me something to focus on and something to live for. So I am doing this event for myself as much as the hospital, but if I can make money as I do it, then that would be brilliant.

Sponsor Tom’s Efforts and the Charities he is supporting

If you would like to sponsor Tom’s efforts, you can do so here, at Just Giving.  Or maybe you feel inspired to follow in the foot-steps of Tom and try and help a charity of choosing?  If that’s the case here’s the route that Tom has taken to give you a little food for thought:

DAY 1 29th November 11am - ST BEES HEAD - MIREHOUSE 5.32 Miles

DAY 2 30th November 9am - MIREHOUSE -  ENNERDALE BRIDGE 10.2 Miles

DAY 3 1st December 9am - ENNERDALE BRIDGE -  HONISTER PASS 10.1 Miles

DAY 4 2nd December 9am - HONISTER PASS -  GRASSMERE 9.38 Miles

DAY 5 3rd December 9am - GRASSMERE -  PATTERDALE 7.25 Miles

DAY 6 4th December 9am - PATTERDALE - BURNBANKS 10.8 Miles

DAY 7 5th December 9am - BURNBANKS - ORTON 11.0 Miles

DAY 8 6th December 9am - ORTON - KIRBY STEPHEN 12.9 Miles

DAY 9 7th December 9am - KIRBY STEPHEN - WAIN WATH FORCE 10.7 Miles

DAY 10 8th December 9am - WAIN WATH FORCE - REETH 11.5 Miles

DAY 11 9th December 9am - REETH - RICHMOND 9.84 Miles

DAY 12 10th December 9am - RICHMOND - GREAT LANGTON 10.8 Miles

DAY 13 11th December 9am - GREAT LANGTON - INGLEBY CROSS 11.7 Miles

DAY 14 12th December 9am - INGLEBY CROSS - CLAY BANK (B1257) 11.2 Miles

DAY 15 13th December 9am - CLAY BANK - ROSDALE HEAD 9.92 Miles

DAY 16 14th December 9am - ROSDALE HEAD - EGTON BRIDGE 9.92 Miles

DAY 17 15th December 9am - EGTON BRIDGE - RIG FARM 11.3 Miles

DAY 18 16th December 9am - RIG FARM - ROBIN HOOD’S BAY 5.36 Miles

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Related camping and outdoor news, reviews and advice:

• Burn off a few Christmas Calories! Go running!
• British South Pole Expedition Update 3
• Possibility of eco-huts along 109 mile UK trail

UK Everest Challenge has been busy training for their 10 peaks in 5 days UK Everest Challenge, totally amazing effort on behalf of 4 very worth y charities - certainly worth reading the article for more information!

Here though is a break-down of just one day’s training of Bryn and Darren as they prepare themselves for what is to be a spectacular feet!

---

Another weekend another challenge. As part of our training we are taking in everything that will help us and enjoy learning new skills, really looking forward to starting the mountain leaders course next year, plus outdoor rock climbing.

Ice climbing in London…

Last weekend we went to London to climb an ice wall operated by Vertical Chill in London Covent Garden store.

We got there not really knowing what to expect, it was all rather short notice for me and did not have time to my usual ‘Google-it’ moment. It was easier to find than I thought, going to the bright lights of the big city coming from Devon, I thought we’d get lost, only to be found several days later with no wallet and shuffling through bins!

The Ice Face

The wall itself is in the basement of the Ellis Brigham’s. It looked small as we peered through the thick insulated and lucky sound proof glass.

We have both done some rock climbing at certain stages in our lives, but neither of us on ice. I was expecting something bigger and mentioned this to one of the staff, who gave me a stare and muttered “it’s how you use it”.

After the health and safety talk we got kitted up, with thick outer layers, helmet with face shield, gloves, ice axes, boots and crampons and it was in to the freezer, a blast chillier to be precise.

Ice Climbing Crash Course

You really had to think your way around, skills that had long been forgotten. Check for strong footing before slamming the axe in. Both Bryn and myself quickly got into the swing of it and tried to get as much climbing in as possible for the hour we paid for, finally our bodies were exhausted as we tried a race to the top one last time.

Although I had the easier route, with Bryn straddling off an overhang we submitted on our third run, to be lowered. Sweaty and feeling the burn, the ice climbing gave an excellent workout. Balance, strength and that all important use of the brain.

The main problem was us using our upper bodies too much, rather than our other major muscle group, our legs.

Stamina for the UK Everest 10 Peaks in 5 Days Challenge

Our ten peak UK Everest Challenge rests strongly on our stamina, we have nine months left and a long way to go, we are mixing up our training and the ice climbing proved an excellent addition. The following day you certainly knew you’d been up to something, I could still feel it.

This weekend we returned to more traditional training. On Saturday the 6th December we went to the North Dartmoor for a long afternoon walk with map and compass, plenty of rolling hills at a strong hiking pace. A sharp contrast to Sunday 7th, when we were on the south moor, in ice and fog at 7:30am, running up Haytor and around the rocks on a 7km speed run.

So a big up to Martin & Sam at Ellis Brigham for a fantastic afternoon, we’ll be back, we’ll have a few more tricks in the bag next time.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Related camping and outdoor news, reviews and advice:

• UK Everest Challenge - 2 guys, 5 days, 10 peaks
• Where’s my nearest indoor climbing wall?
• Armed Forces Exercise Khumbu Challenge, Nepal

Half Way to the South Pole

On 11/11/08 Adam Wilton and Gavin Booth set off on an expedition to the South Pole. They have now reached the half way point, the 85 degree line.

The sun has been out and the wind is not strong, but the ambient temperature is still a bone chilling minus 19 degrees Celsius.

Adam and Gavin have no supply lines. They have with them everything that they need to survive the expedition, which they intend to complete on New Year’s Day 2009, when they arrive at the South Pole. Previously the Sastrugi were making the going hard. Now the snow has become soft skiing is impossible, so Adam and Gavin are walking, pulling their sleds behind them.

We both agree that this has been toughest thing we have ever done-nothing compares. Every day we put in 9 hours hard effort hauling in extreme conditions.

Since our previous British South Pole expedition update, the view for Adam and Gavin has improved: they can now see the Thiel Mountains on the horizon. This makes a change from seeing nothing but snow in every direction!

By the end of the week they will start the difficult ascent onto the Antarctic plateau. Increasing their day to 9.5 hours they will be able to start eating their larger ration bags of 6500 calories. So far they have been eating 5000+calories a day. Their food rations are made up of porridge, nuts, chocolate, flapjacks, kendal mint cake etc, protein recovery drinks, dehydrated meals and lots of butter.

Adam and Gavin are hoping to raise £250,000 to help save Robert Falcon Scott’s hut.

Gavin Booth

Gavin was born in Aberdeen and is 33 years old. When he is not in the South Pole he works for GE Real Estate in London. His hobby is adventuring: ultra marathons, road cycling and climbing mountains.

Gavin’s previous expeditions and challenges include:

Caledonian Challenge 2002, 2003 (54 miles)
Marathon of Britain 2005 (52 miles, 2 days)
Marathon des Sables 2004 (140 miles)
Yukon Arctic Ultra 2005 (100 miles non-stop)
Guadarun, Guadeloupe 2005 (80 miles)
Mont Blanc Ultra 2005 (100 miles non-stop)
Greenland Expedition 2007 (8 first ascents; >200 km ice cap travel)

More information about Adam, Gavin and their expedition can be found on their British South Pole expedition website.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Related camping and outdoor news, reviews and advice:

• British South Pole Expedition Update 3
• British South Pole Expedition Update 4
• South Pole Expedition to Save Scott’s Hut

You Can’t Have Our Mud!

You may remember seeing Welsh Tourist Board adverts on television during the summer. The adverts featured a man extolling the many virtues of taking a holiday in Wales, he finished up by telling us that under no circumstances were we to take away any Welsh mud. Its “good mud” he proclaimed.

You Can Keep Your Mud!

On Monday the BBC reported that “mud contaminated with sheep droppings may have caused 161 mountain bikers to fall ill”, according to a report by The National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHSW).

The report was produced after it was found that a number of mountain bikers who entered the Builth Wells Mountain Biking Marathon had subsequently suffered from vomiting and diarrhoea.

The report recommended that in future the mountain bike course should avoid passing through fields with sheep droppings and that participants should eat out of wrappers to help prevent accidentally ingesting harmful bacteria.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Related camping and outdoor news, reviews and advice:

• Mountain Bothies - a fun way to enjoy the outdoors!
• The Original Mountain Marathon: flood, gales and stranded runners…
• When a Welsh Hill becomes a Mountain

Not Much of a Dream about Mountain Biking

Last night I dreamt that I was going to go mountain biking in Aberdeenshire. Since it was a dream, there was no reason why I should not just get out of of bed one morning, drive from Warrington to Aberdeen for a couple hours trail riding and get back home in time for a lunch. The fact that its about 350 miles with a estimated journey time of 6 and a half hours has nothing to do with anything when you’re dreaming.

So in my dream I rang round a couple of friends to give them directions to the mountain bike trail. One of my friends has recently bought a sat nav, so all I needed to tell him was the postcode of trail and he would find it no trouble. This was the same friend who recently got lost while relying on his sat nav to direct him from Manchester to Bristol. Take the M6 to Birmingham, then take the M5 to Bristol, its not the most difficult route!

Then I was rudely awoken by my alarm clock. My dream about mountain biking in Aberdeenshire came to nothing.

Mountain Biking in Aberdeenshire

However I was not prepared to let the matter drop entirely. Having recently heard about the 7stanes mountain bike trails in southern Scotland, I realised that there must be some good mountain bike trails around Aberdeen.

Kirkhill Forest Mountain Bike Trail

Had I not woken up, it seems most likely that I would have found my way to the popular Kirkhill Forest Mountain Bike Trail. Kirkhill Forest is a Forestry Commission site located on the A96 at Tyrebagger, about one mile north of the airport roundabout. OS Grid Reference: NJ850 120.

The trail at Kirkhill Forest consists of a 2 km long Fun Park and an 11.5 km loop Forest Trail.

The Fun Park has features such as jumps, bumps, berms (i.e. a corner which goes round an embankment) and switchbacks. The fun park has enough slope to keep your speed up without being too steep.

The Forest Trail is a way-marked mountain bike trail containing both double and single-track sections. Initially there is a long climb before the trail winds around Tyrebagger Hill affording spectacular views across Aberdeen.

Now that I know where to go mountain biking in Aberdeenshire, maybe tonight my dream will continue with some fast-paced two-wheeled action with plenty big air. The good thing being that if I hit the dirt there will be no pain!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Related camping and outdoor news, reviews and advice:

• £1 million for Mountain Biking in Scotland
• Possibility of eco-huts along 109 mile UK trail
• A Brief Introduction to Orienteering

Campaign to Save Robert Falcon Scott’s Hut

On 11/11/08 Adam Wilton and Gavin Booth set off on an expedition to the South Pole. By the wonders of modern technology they are sending back progress reports which can be accessed via their website.

So far they have nearly covered a third of the total distance. Having started at 80 degrees they are now past the 83 degree line. The going is tough with poor visibility. Some days there is not a lot to see, just white in every direction! The sun has been shining on occasion and their spirits are high. To ensure adequate calorific intake they are eating 65 grams of butter with every meal. Yummy!

The goal is to hit 85degrees by next tuesday-that will keep us on target for an end of year finish at the pole?

Adam and Gavin are hoping to raise £250,000 to help save Robert Falcon Scott’s hut.

Sastrugi

One thing that has hampered Adam and Gavin’s progress are the Sastrugi. These are robust, small, furry creatures that attack humans with sharp, wooden handled spears. Since the Sastrugi are so short they mainly attack human’s ankles and legs. They reputedly hail from a galaxy far, far, far away.

Either that, or Sastrugi is the name for grooved surface features found on the surface of the snow in polar regions. The Sastrugi ridges form parallel to the prevailing winds and can be as high as 1 metre. They are sharp and irregular which makes them difficult to traverse and energy draining.

As well as encountering Sastrugi, Adam and Gavin could well encounter some Nunataks.

Even with the cold snap that we’re currently experiencing in the UK, it is difficult to imagine how severe the conditions are in the South Pole. As ever, we hope that everything continues to go well for Adam and Gavin.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Related camping and outdoor news, reviews and advice:

• British South Pole Expedition Update 4
• South Pole Expedition to Save Scott’s Hut
• British South Pole Expedition Update 2

Live for the Outdoors (LFTO) wrote a serious, advisory post following an article in Trail Magazine about reasons that should make you think about turning back before reaching the summit.  Whether you are a walker, mountaineer, mountain biker, skier, runner or other, these reasons are certainly worth considering:

1. Bad Weather - snow, rain, cold and wind can all come in severe doses, so make sure your prepared but sometimes preparation isn’t enough, so know your limits!
2. Weather Hazards - associated consequences from bad weather such as rockfalls and lightning
3. Avalanche Risk - make sure you check local avalanche reports right up to the point that you depart, and on an ongoing basis if at all possible.
4. Fatigue - tiredness can put a real strain on your senses, your alertness and obviously your ability to continue safely.
5. Hunger - food and drink is your body’s fuel to continue safely and can affect your physical performance, rationale and ability to think quickly.  Remember to account for enough food and drink reserves to return you back again.

LFTO

Although, we thought there must be more reasons to turn back as there are so many influencing factors on a successful climb, run or ride…or are we just being soft?

1. Injury - some people like to bag summits a little too recklessly, some injuries worsen if not cared for (think of the last time you continued to walk with a sprained ankle, and consider the bruising and swelling that continued to grow from not resting it properly).
2. Illness / Conditions / Vulnerability - without the suitably warm outdoor gear, such as a fleece or insulated jacket, it could very well mean that you become susceptible to cold and wet conditions which might bring on hypothermia.   Illness can overcome your body fast if you’re tired - a common cold can really effect your progress and make you even more vulnerable…be careful.
3. Without the right outdoor gear - that mac that you screwed into your pack might be OK for the odd shower but torrential rain and gale force winds are dealt with far better by a waterproof mountain jacket.  Another example could be needing crampons for more technical, snowbound climbs up hill-faces…
4. Broken gear or equipment - if you took the right gear, but broke it by accident, maybe it’s time to return back if you cannot fix it in any sort of semi-permanent way.  A broken tent pole for instance could cause a very unpleasant nights sleep under the stars if you don’t repair it or replace it sufficiently for the weather conditions.
5. Unsure of your route - you might have made it so far but inexperience or lack of clarity in the mapping might mean that it would be safer to return before you get lost.
6. Closed routes - similar to the point above, if you cannot follow the route that you intended then it’s worth considering returning or at the very least let people know that you will be changing your route.  For this reason it is often advised that you have a primary and secondary route that you share with someone who is not going with an estimated time of return (ETR).
7. The route is beyond your abilities - it might be that you set-off thinking that your route is within your technical and physical capabilities, but things may have changed or maybe your research was not comprehensive enough?
8. Broken-communication lines - there are some places people only like to venture when they know that they have support at a form of base-camp, or Without communication lines (mobile phones, satellite phone communications, etc) it can leave you alone and without the right support if the worst was to happen.
9. Make progress to the abilities of your weakest member - check around with your hiking, running or riding mates to see if each of the above are are all in check and there’s no reason to consider turning back.  it might that you’re OK, but what about others?

Any others reasons for turning back?  Your mum calls and says that dinner’s ready, or that you forgot your hairbrush…?  Share your ideas with others…

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Related camping and outdoor news, reviews and advice:

• Winter creeping in…any ideas?
• Music Video featuring Heroic Antarctic Explorers
• Burn off a few Christmas Calories! Go running!

Cushioning for Feet

Outdoor activities such as fell running, walking, backpacking and mountaineering cause a lot of force to be applied through the knees and onto the feet. Most walking boots and running shoes provide some cushioning against this. Simple insoles can be put inside walking boots and running shoes to provide additional cushioning and absorb impact shock made by feet that are pounding on rocky trails all day.

Foot, Knee, Leg and Back Pain

Podiatry is the field of healthcare devoted to the study and treatment of disorders of the foot and leg. Many instances of foot, knee, leg and back pain can be attributed to the way the feet are oriented and the way someone stands, walks and runs. Orthotics are a technical type of footbed or insole that do far more than provide cushioning. In Podiatry, orthotics are used to support and position the foot, improve gait and provide pain relief. Orthotics are often made for a particular individual by taking a mould or impression of their feet.

Overpronation is a very common problem that orthotics are often used to alleviate. Pronation is when the feet are angled inwards along the length of the foot. The arch of the foot becomes flattened and the knees are closer together than normal position. People whose feet pronate will have shoes that are worn along the inner edge of the sole.

Conversely, supination is when the feet are angled outwards along the length of the foot. People whose feet supinate will have shoes that are worn along the outer edge of the shoe. Feet that supinate form a bowl shape in the space between the feet, as in a bowl of soup. So this provides an easy way to remember what supination is: bowl of soup-ination!

Orthotics, Footbeds and Insoles for Hill Walking

Increasingly, off-the-shelf orthotic products designed for sports and outdoor pursuits use are available and these provide much more than cushioning against impact. Ideally an orthotic or footbed should provide support for the arch of the foot without pushing onto the arch, and it should cup the heel of the foot. A good orthotic footbed will relieve pressure as well as help to improve gait and balance, which is desirable when hill walking or fell running.

The double shock gel insole from Trekmates can help relieve pressure on feet and improve balance.

For general advice about choosing hiking footwear please see our walking boot advice page.

For professional advice about treatment of problems of concerning the feet and legs or about the use of orthotics we recommend that a podiatrist is consulted.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!

Related camping and outdoor news, reviews and advice:

• The reason why you should wear walking boots…
• Brasher hillwalking boots grow in popularity…
• Outdoor and camping advice is our thing…