Friday we left after work, and this time Erik, a colleague of ours joined. He has quite some experience with the jungles of Guyana, but none with the European mainland.
Below is the route we walked, starting at the green flag, first night at the blue X and second night at the orange X, finishing at the red flag where we parked the car.
This area is again in the military training area, but not in the target practice area, so quit safe compared to the previous trip we had in that area.
After we walked about 2.5 km, we found a nice spot to hang, with a small stream next to us, and lots of dead wood for the fire.
So we gathered several rocks, made a nice fireplace, and started with our dinner.
Here is mine, beef steak, salami, bread and cheese.
Mirek and Erik had similar food 🙂
In the evening it was very fresh, and during the night, it dropped down to -1 celsius / 30 fahrenheit. For this trip I used my 3 season sleeping bag, in combination with my 70% wool blanket, which was very comfortable and warm.
This was our camp, from left to right, Mirek’s winter setup (2x3m tarp with emergency blanket taped to the inside to reflect body heat, and sleeping bag around the hammock), Erik’s mickey mouse print hammock with my DIY see-through tarp, and as last my 2x3m tarp, with DIY hammock with sown-in underquilt.
Mirek collected soem edible mushrooms, and prepared them for drying, and I boiled some for my porridge.
Together with some pine needle tea, it was a very nice breakfast 🙂
With water available in the stream close by, we extinguished the fire and ashes properly, and then overed all up with dirt to leave no trace behind.. except a few rocks that cracked due to the cold water that we used.
Here we are, all packed up, ready to go.
The nature is beautiful in this area, it’s maintained at minimum it seems, but nature can do mostly whatever she wants to do.
We came across many mushrooms, some edible, and some not like this one.
These ones are edible, and we collected several of them.
This one even grew on a tree stump.
Some mushrooms where small, some huge. Here’s Erik posing with his find.
We arrived close after lunchtime at the clean water spring, and refilled our bottles. The water tasted good, fresh and cold.
Nearby was a feeding place for the wild life, and we had a look there
Quite huge and old, but very well build. I like these kind of old wooden structures.
From the back which is higher, the forestry deliveres these hay bales, and stores them inside, and when it is needed, the get thrown down for the animals to eat.
On one of the beams, these butterflies where hibernating ? Didn’t know they do that, perhaps they where dead, no idea.
We left them as we found them.
Continuing the hike, we arrived at the first lake, and had another small break. Great view above us 🙂
As well as a great view everywhere around us.
While Erik was sowing his pants which cracked, and Mirek had a small nap, I tried some fishing.
This lake was very undeep, and I didn’t catch anything.
Continuing our trip, we came across many more mushrooms, and also swamps where either Mirek or me stepped in.
We arrived at the beginning of the first lake, and walked over the small dam to the other side. Here’s a very nice view on the first lake.
Many more mushrooms, here several different kinds, grouped very close to each other.
And again one growing on a tree stump.
Here 2 tree’s that had been blown over.
Several other wild edibles we found as well, these tasted delicious 🙂
After passing this point, we started recognizing the area, and in the end we found exactly the same spot where Mirek and I camped 1.5 years ago as well during winter time for the second night. (click)
The place was still great, perfectly protected from wind, lot’s of dead wood, close to water, and good tree’s to hang between.
We chopped some fallen tree up to pieces for the fire. Here’s my trusty axe 🙂
And then time to relax, with some grilled bacon and beef steak, a true blessing 🙂
The fire burned till late in the night.
Next morning time for breakfast, salami, cheese, bread, very delicious as well.
After packing up, and cleaning up the place, we continued the hike, back to the car.
This was one of those very nice views, where a fallen tree provided life to many new small tree’s.
This view somehow reminded me of a old castle ruin, overgrown with mushrooms…
Mirek found another edible mushroom kind, one that turns very quickly black after cutting it.
We took it as well.
And some more large mushrooms, but these we left, they where already too old.
The usual signs about this being a military area.
Safe and sound we arrived back at the car, and went to the nearest pub to celebrate this trip with a nice cold beer.
Mirek and Erik donated the mushrooms all to me, and I took them home where my girlfriend cooked them up and made a nice mushroom sauce from it which she served with pork meat for a few quests of ours that came the same Sunday evening that I arrived home after the trip 🙂
