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   Camping under canvas -  Backpacking and Lightweight Camping 		Share   Post on X / Twitter  Share on Facebook  Email
Subject Topic: GR34 2021
Page: 1 2
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PersonEwen c
via mobile 07/10/2021 at 4:57pm
 Location: County Kildare Irel
 Outfit: Tents View Ewen c's Profile View Profile   Reply to Ewen c Reply   Quote Ewen c Quote  
Joined: 22/8/2013

Diamond Member
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That was our only full day in St Malo. It really needs more.

-------------
Durston Xmid-2 solid
Durston Xmid-1 solid
Hypercamp Alaska - Dutch Pyramid
Vango F10 Helium UL1
Coleman cobra 2
Eureka solitaire
Naturehike Star River 2


PersonEwen c
via mobile 07/10/2021 at 5:18pm
 Location: County Kildare Irel
 Outfit: Tents View Ewen c's Profile View Profile   Reply to Ewen c Reply   Quote Ewen c Quote  
Joined: 22/8/2013

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   3072
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Return to Cherbourg.

We were woken early by the sounds of foghorns. Our train wasn't until 17:00 so we had planned to hit the beach. Due to security, left luggage is non existent so we planned walking to the train station and down to the esplanade. Trouble was we couldn't see anything.




First of all though, the campsite had a flea market. Time to go and shop.
I ended up with this:





A campingaz globetrotter. I had one of these when I was a teenager. Now, they don't make the gas canisters anymore but you can get longer legs to take the bigger piercable canisters. Every part was there including the strap. The pots are very handy as they hold a svea 123r perfectly. It cost me a fiver.
A fiver for a stove that doesn't work? Well, the burner is very windproof and coleman and campingaz use the same threads and jets as they did all those years ago. When I got home I did a bit of retrofitting but in such a way as the original globetrotter wasn't affected.

Took the burner off.



Attached the burner to a bluett



I now have a stove for France.

After the flea market we packed up and headed. We like that campsite and will be back. The fog was thick and fooling the wildlife.



The marina and the tidal swimming pool were blanketed in mist.





We got to the beach and just decided to sit on a bench that smelt of wee. Not a chance of going swimming. You wouldn't have found your way back to shore.

Then it was time to head to the station for the trains back to Cherbourg.


-------------
Durston Xmid-2 solid
Durston Xmid-1 solid
Hypercamp Alaska - Dutch Pyramid
Vango F10 Helium UL1
Coleman cobra 2
Eureka solitaire
Naturehike Star River 2


PersonEwen c
via mobile 07/10/2021 at 5:27pm
 Location: County Kildare Irel
 Outfit: Tents View Ewen c's Profile View Profile   Reply to Ewen c Reply   Quote Ewen c Quote  
Joined: 22/8/2013

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We like French trains but it is always a feeling of sadness knowing the ferry leaves the next day. I am always just at the stage of getting confidant with my French and we are leaving.
We had three trains. A ten minute to Dol de Bretagne and then a train to Lison via Granville and then the TGV for the few stops to Cherbourg.

St Malo Station was packed as it was Sunday. People were finishing holidays.



Our first train took us past part of our walk. Our second took us through Pontorson where we began and then Granville where we had passed through in 2018 and Coutance where we had started the 2018 walk.
And so we got to Lison. We know this little Hamlet quite well as we always have to change here, sometimes with long waits.
Lison greeted us with a glorious sunset.



Finally we were back in Cherbourg and the hotel.



For all extents and purposes the trip was over.

-------------
Durston Xmid-2 solid
Durston Xmid-1 solid
Hypercamp Alaska - Dutch Pyramid
Vango F10 Helium UL1
Coleman cobra 2
Eureka solitaire
Naturehike Star River 2


PersonEwen c
via mobile 07/10/2021 at 5:38pm
 Location: County Kildare Irel
 Outfit: Tents View Ewen c's Profile View Profile   Reply to Ewen c Reply   Quote Ewen c Quote  
Joined: 22/8/2013

Diamond Member
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Hopefully it wasn't too boring. We had a great laugh, ate well saw things we liked and places we would like to revisit. It isn't a traditional hike. France is a bit iffy for wild camping and we are of an age where showers are nice. We wild camp in Ireland but France was our main holiday. In fact my first since 2019.


So, lessons learned?

Don'trust gas supply. Next time it is either campingaz or alcohol.

Don't ask for a bottle of water in the restaurant. They always bring a bottle of tap water which plays havoc with our stomachs. Not fun when hiking. Wine or cider is safer.

Don't worry about communication. My French isn't as bad as I think. We never met anyone that didn't have a smattering of English. Russian and Lithuanian are useless.

We aren't as young as we used to be. What we used to consider lightweight is now too heavy. We need to go lighter.

Do we need all those clothes or does it matter if we are a bit smelly? We did a cull and got the packs down to an 8 kilo base weight.

Don't bite off more than you can chew. Day 5 should have been divided in two.

Next one? Probably the canal du midi but with lightweight quilts instead of sleeping bags. We were using our bags as quilts anyway but one night was cold.

Cheers everyone





-------------
Durston Xmid-2 solid
Durston Xmid-1 solid
Hypercamp Alaska - Dutch Pyramid
Vango F10 Helium UL1
Coleman cobra 2
Eureka solitaire
Naturehike Star River 2


Personseanfdh
07/10/2021 at 5:55pm
 Location: North Devon
 Outfit: Robens Fairbanks Coleman Phad X3 View seanfdh's Profile View Profile   Reply to seanfdh Reply   Quote seanfdh Quote  
Joined: 20/2/2011

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Quite the trip. I'm jealous having not made it to France since 2019.
I think I'd want to do it in smaller chunks/put in a rest day.
Great set of photos.

-------------
Sean


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PersonEwen c
via mobile 07/10/2021 at 6:07pm
 Location: County Kildare Irel
 Outfit: Tents View Ewen c's Profile View Profile   Reply to Ewen c Reply   Quote Ewen c Quote  
Joined: 22/8/2013

Diamond Member
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Thanks.
A rest day would have been better and an extra day for day 5. We took a rest day in 2018 and that helped a lot. We lost a bit of fitness over lockdown. I was probably the fittest I had been for decades after preparing for the WHW but that got wasted.

We carried more in 2018 but did the same distance in more time. I noticed the 2018 trip isn't in this section so here is a link

https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=41&TopicID=........



-------------
Durston Xmid-2 solid
Durston Xmid-1 solid
Hypercamp Alaska - Dutch Pyramid
Vango F10 Helium UL1
Coleman cobra 2
Eureka solitaire
Naturehike Star River 2


PersonCaligula
16/1/2022 at 2:12pm
 Location: Suffolk
 Outfit: Very variable View Caligula's Profile View Profile   Reply to Caligula Reply   Quote Caligula Quote  
Joined: 11/6/2016

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Amazing trip, blog and photos.....amazing, thank you.


PersonEwen c
via mobile 16/1/2022 at 2:37pm
 Location: County Kildare Irel
 Outfit: Tents View Ewen c's Profile View Profile   Reply to Ewen c Reply   Quote Ewen c Quote  
Joined: 22/8/2013

Diamond Member
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Forum Posts:   3072
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Cheers Caligula.
I have a solo trip to Rannoch moor in May. Only a 3 night trip though.

-------------
Durston Xmid-2 solid
Durston Xmid-1 solid
Hypercamp Alaska - Dutch Pyramid
Vango F10 Helium UL1
Coleman cobra 2
Eureka solitaire
Naturehike Star River 2


Personspiritburner
17/1/2022 at 1:01am
 Location: N.E. England
 Outfit: None Entered View spiritburner's Profile View Profile   Reply to spiritburner Reply   Quote spiritburner Quote  
Joined: 02/8/2004

Diamond Member
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Look forward to seeing the pics. Great area. You can get a adapter to refill those old cartridges on the Grasshopper via the burner.


Personjec@38
via mobile 17/1/2022 at 7:29am
 Location: HOLYWOOD
 Outfit: elddis 505 View jec@38's Profile View Profile   Reply to jec@38 Reply   Quote jec@38 Quote  
Joined: 24/4/2011

Standard Member
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Forum Posts:   49
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I must have missed this trip report the first time round - very interesting. How did you rate the tent in the end?

-------------
WeeB


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PersonEwen c
via mobile 17/1/2022 at 7:46am
 Location: County Kildare Irel
 Outfit: Tents View Ewen c's Profile View Profile   Reply to Ewen c Reply   Quote Ewen c Quote  
Joined: 22/8/2013

Diamond Member
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Forum Posts:   3072
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The tent is a good tent but suffers from condensation due to poor ventilation. That combine with the mesh inner made for some drippy mornings. Quality was very good for the price and weight is tolerable for a 2 man.
We tried to get a Dan Durston xmid 2 but they sold out in less than a minute last week.
Solo, I stick to my Vango F10 helium ul 1.

I will keep an eye out for that adapter spirit burner. Couldn't believe that there were no screw on gas canisters available. Should have taken the Trangia mini.

-------------
Durston Xmid-2 solid
Durston Xmid-1 solid
Hypercamp Alaska - Dutch Pyramid
Vango F10 Helium UL1
Coleman cobra 2
Eureka solitaire
Naturehike Star River 2


PersonEwen c
via mobile 17/1/2022 at 9:39am
 Location: County Kildare Irel
 Outfit: Tents View Ewen c's Profile View Profile   Reply to Ewen c Reply   Quote Ewen c Quote  
Joined: 22/8/2013

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   3072
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Talking of stoves, I'm flying over to Scotland so didn't want to pack any of my stoves in case of confiscation. I got a wee soto amicus and a gas canister sent to my sister so will give that a shot. I wanted one that would fit my optimus clip on windscreen.
I will leave that with her for any trips back home in the future.

-------------
Durston Xmid-2 solid
Durston Xmid-1 solid
Hypercamp Alaska - Dutch Pyramid
Vango F10 Helium UL1
Coleman cobra 2
Eureka solitaire
Naturehike Star River 2


PersonFiona W
via mobile 20/1/2022 at 1:20pm
 Location: Ayrshire
 Outfit: AutoSleeper2BNuevo View Fiona W's Profile View Profile   Reply to Fiona W Reply   Quote Fiona W Quote  
Joined: 10/4/2007

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   5699
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Site Nights 2021: 25
Site Nights 2020: 20
Fascinating account, thank you for posting it. I don’t normally check the Backpacking forum (as my backpacking days around rural Spain are long by), but I’m glad I checked today!

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2026: 6 sites / 13 nights. 2025: 13/27. 2024: 20/41. 2023: 9/23. 2022: 13/35. 2021: 11/29. 2020: 4/20. 2019: 13/35. 2018: 20/33. 2017: 10/22. 2016: 19/33. 2015: 15/27. Didn't count sites/nights 1976 to 2014.     


PersonEwen c
via mobile 20/1/2022 at 6:40pm
 Location: County Kildare Irel
 Outfit: Tents View Ewen c's Profile View Profile   Reply to Ewen c Reply   Quote Ewen c Quote  
Joined: 22/8/2013

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   3072
Tent Reviews:   12
Site Reviews Total: 21
Site Reviews 2026: 0 
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Site Reviews 2023: 1 
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Site Reviews 2021: 5 
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Site Nights 2023: 1
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Site Nights 2021: 7
Site Nights 2020: 0
Thanks Fiona.

-------------
Durston Xmid-2 solid
Durston Xmid-1 solid
Hypercamp Alaska - Dutch Pyramid
Vango F10 Helium UL1
Coleman cobra 2
Eureka solitaire
Naturehike Star River 2



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