Winter Woodland Wanderings

Living in the south of England for the winter, adventure potential has decreased somewhat, so I was excited to take up Al Humphries' Winter Solstice Microadventure challenge.  The idea is basically to get outside, sleep without a tent and remember why nature's fun.

I decided to take my hammock into the woods just outside Henley, have a fire and listen to the sounds of the woods.  The woodland was damp and musty when I arrived, making fire lighting quite tricky.  I used a  fungi from a dead tree with a flint and steel to get an ember, then dry beech leaves to get some flames going.

Whisky and fire warmed my body as I listened to muntjac deer barking, ows hooting and squirrels rustling for company. 

I had forgotten how cold it gets at night, especially with a frost but eventually I got some sleep and awoke to the sound of animals going about their morning chores and the sun twinkling through the trees.

I packed up quickly, strode across the frosty golf course, staggered up the hill, arriving back home for a huge cup of tea and some boiled eggs.

"Think big, start small but do start" - Al Humphries