Friday nights alright....

Saturday 14th March 2015


Its been a little while since the last blog update, but to be honest I haven't had much to write about really.
I've done a few camps since the last update,  all at campsites..

The first was in Keswick, nothing really notable about that camp, just out to test some gear, the second camp was in Wasdale and again nothing much of note happened as we were just scoping out
some sites for the warmer weather.

The Wasdale camp was at the National Trust campsite, a nice enough place that sits at the head of Wast Water.

Wasdale National Trust Campsite

We set off mid afternoon from home and arrived around 3pm at the site,
I love the trip to Wasdale by car, once past Gosforth the scenery changes so abruptly and dramatically as you come past Greendale, it quickly turns from typical english villages and farmers fields into an almost fantasy landscape like something from a dark ages sword and sorcery....if I dare say it....Lord of the rings Fantasy world.
Moorland grasses peppered by huge rocky outcrops, like tiny micro mountains in their own right, just walking a hundred yards or so from the road here makes you feel like your in a distant lonely land.

The winding twisting road that snakes through this epic valley is flanked on either side by mighty mountain ranges, Middle fell and Yewbarrow and their collective range on the western side, and the mighty Wasdale Screes and Scafells to the east which tower so high that you have to crane your neck uncomfortably to see their summits.

A truly fantastic place to behold.



Once at the site we had a look around, the place seems well kept, there isn't much here really, just a shower block and toilets and a small overpriced camp shop (aren't they all), we paid our dues and looked for a nice place to settle.

Most of the site is nicely flat so we picked a place with unobstructed views of Scafell pike and setup our shelters.

Great Gable

The weather forecast said that heavy rain and winds of around 40 mph were due at low level and 40-60 mph gusts were expected higher up, so we decided on a campsite before we even set off.
The main aim of the trip was to test some bit of kit, nothing of note just a new mat and sleeping bag to see how it would handle near 0 temps.



Once settled I cracked open the old Trangia storm cooker and made a brew, I'm a big fan of Trangias, although they (the storm cooker variant) seem to be a bit Marmite in the wild camping community with some disliking them saying they are too heavy and bulky and others like myself that swear by them and are happy to forego their 'IMO' minor quibbles.
I think as an all in one system they are hard to beat, sure they are a little on the heavy side depending on which model you choose or which accessories you take, but the upside is a well rounded complete cooking system that can handle anything from boiling water to cooking steaks.

Speaking of which it wasn't long before I set about making some supper, Tonight I decided on making something a little more adventurous than the norm.... mexican style beef wraps....

Heres the recipe.

CragScramblers Mild* Mexican Style Wasdale Wraps
(*Only as mild as you want them to be)

Ingredients 

400g cheapo thin frying steak
1 bell pepper (up to you what colour you want)
60ml dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic granules
½ teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
½ teaspoon of chilli flakes (add more if you like it hot)
dash of worcestershire sauce
2 Ziplock bags

Soft tortilla wraps

To prepare

Simply slice the beef into strips (I slice against its grain to help it become more tender during cooking and give a softer bite) and place into a ziplock bag.
Add in the other ingredients into the beef bag and mix thoroughly and then seal the bag.
Slice pepper into strips and place into a ziplock bag.

Store in fridge overnight to marinade and let the flavours combine.

You can if you wish freeze the beef and marinade after a couple of hours in the fridge if you wish, I find this helps break down the beef somewhat and makes it a little more tender when cooked.
I also like to make multiple batches in ziplock bags and freeze them ready to take them out when needed.

To cook

Place a little oil into a pan over your favorite stove and add the peppers and fry until soft and they gain a little colour.
The peppers will release a lot of liquid this is normal and adds greatly to the flavours, so once the peppers are nicely softened add the beef and marinade.
Give it a good mix and place a lid / plate on top and reduce the heat and carry on simmering for another 10-15 mins.

After 15 or so minutes you'll end up with some nicely lightly spiced tender beef strips in a savory dark sauce,
Now simply scoop some of the meat and peppers into a soft tortilla wrap and enjoy!

If you wish you can add cheese, tomatoes ect which will store nicely for a day or 2 in a ziplock bag wrapped in foil.

CragScamblers Mild Mexican Style Wasdale Wraps

After supper we had a talk for a while about various inconsequential things and then it was soon time to retire.
The wind at this time was quite random, varying strengths and direction but the rain was holding off....just.

Mr Tear 'Chillin'

I cant remember the Movie I tried to watch as I slipped into my sleeping bag because before long the whole tent began to violently shake and what started as a tiny pitter patter of rain drops suddenly sounded like high volume static lashing away at the canvas around me.
This buffeting and rain carried on until the wee small hours were it eventually subsided around 4am.

It was soon 6am and time to pack away, were getting this down to a T now, most everything is packed while in the tent into the backpack and then the tent itself is the last thing to take down and stuffed into a dry bag usually when the wind / rain has calmed down a little.

The new mat and sleeping bag coped admirably and kept me warm, though to be perfectly honest I dont think the tamps dropped much below 1-2 degrees that night.

As usual a good night was had, so until net time.....

Have fun and be safe.