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Topic: GR34 2021

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Message posted by Ewen c

via mobile 07/10/2021 at 4:57pm
Outfit: Tents Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
Joined: 22/8/2013

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Ewen c

Diamond Member

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

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Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag

Message posted by Ewen c

via mobile 07/10/2021 at 5:18pm
Outfit: Tents Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
Joined: 22/8/2013

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Ewen c

Diamond Member

Forum Posts: 2825
Tent Reviews: 11

Site Reviews Total:	19

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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.

-------------
Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag

Message posted by Ewen c

via mobile 07/10/2021 at 5:27pm
Outfit: Tents Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
Joined: 22/8/2013

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Ewen c

Diamond Member

Forum Posts: 2825
Tent Reviews: 11

Site Reviews Total:	19

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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.

-------------
Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag

Message posted by Ewen c

via mobile 07/10/2021 at 5:38pm
Outfit: Tents Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
Joined: 22/8/2013

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Ewen c

Diamond Member

Forum Posts: 2825
Tent Reviews: 11

Site Reviews Total:	19

Site Reviews 2022:	0
Site Reviews 2021:	5
Site Reviews 2020:	0
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Site Reviews 2018:	6

Site Nights 2022:	0
Site Nights 2021:	7
Site Nights 2020:	0
Site Nights 2019:	3
Site Nights 2018:	9

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

-------------
Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag

Message posted by seanfdh07/10/2021 at 5:55pm
Outfit: Robens Fairbanks Coleman Phad X3 Location: North Devon
Joined: 20/2/2011

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seanfdh

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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.

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Sean

Message posted by Ewen c

via mobile 07/10/2021 at 6:07pm
Outfit: Tents Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
Joined: 22/8/2013

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Ewen c

Diamond Member

Forum Posts: 2825
Tent Reviews: 11

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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=........

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Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag

Message posted by Caligula16/1/2022 at 2:12pm
Outfit: Very variable Location: Suffolk
Joined: 11/6/2016

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Caligula

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

Message posted by Ewen c

via mobile 16/1/2022 at 2:37pm
Outfit: Tents Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
Joined: 22/8/2013

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Ewen c

Diamond Member

Forum Posts: 2825
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Cheers Caligula.
I have a solo trip to Rannoch moor in May. Only a 3 night trip though.

-------------
Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag

Message posted by spiritburner17/1/2022 at 1:01am
Outfit: Citroen Dispatch Campervan plus tents Location: NE England
Joined: 02/8/2004

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spiritburner

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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.

Message posted by jec@38

via mobile 17/1/2022 at 7:29am
Outfit: elddis 505 Location: HOLYWOOD
Joined: 24/4/2011

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jec@38

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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?

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WeeB

Message posted by Ewen c

via mobile 17/1/2022 at 7:46am
Outfit: Tents Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
Joined: 22/8/2013

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Ewen c

Diamond Member

Forum Posts: 2825
Tent Reviews: 11

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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.

-------------
Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag

Message posted by Ewen c

via mobile 17/1/2022 at 9:39am
Outfit: Tents Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
Joined: 22/8/2013

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Quote

Ewen c

Diamond Member

Forum Posts: 2825
Tent Reviews: 11

Site Reviews Total:	19

Site Reviews 2022:	0
Site Reviews 2021:	5
Site Reviews 2020:	0
Site Reviews 2019:	1
Site Reviews 2018:	6

Site Nights 2022:	0
Site Nights 2021:	7
Site Nights 2020:	0
Site Nights 2019:	3
Site Nights 2018:	9

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.

-------------
Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag

Message posted by Fiona W

via mobile 20/1/2022 at 1:20pm
Outfit: Autosleepers: Clubman > Nuevo. Location: Ayrshire
Joined: 10/4/2007

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Fiona W

Diamond Member

Forum Posts: 3579
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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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2022 - 1 site, 3 nights / 2021 - 11 sites, 29 nights / 2020 - 4 sites, 20 nights / 2019 - 13 sites, 35 nights / 2018 - 20 sites, 33 nights / 2017 - 10 sites, 22 nights / 2016 - 19 sites, 33 nights / 2015 - 15 sites, 27 nights.

Message posted by Ewen c

via mobile 20/1/2022 at 6:40pm
Outfit: Tents Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
Joined: 22/8/2013

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Quote

Ewen c

Diamond Member

Forum Posts: 2825
Tent Reviews: 11

Site Reviews Total:	19

Site Reviews 2022:	0
Site Reviews 2021:	5
Site Reviews 2020:	0
Site Reviews 2019:	1
Site Reviews 2018:	6

Site Nights 2022:	0
Site Nights 2021:	7
Site Nights 2020:	0
Site Nights 2019:	3
Site Nights 2018:	9

Thanks Fiona.

-------------
Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag

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