Hammock wild camp practice in Shouldham Warren, Norfolk

Last weekend I took my new DD Frontline hammock out for a test run. This is the first time I’ve used a hammock and was not sure how complicated it would all be, it made sense to practice setting-up before going off on a wild camp adventure somewhere and having to learn then.

I took the train from Ely to Watlington and then cycled the three or four miles to West Briggs wood which in turn leads to the Forestry Commission-run Shouldham Warren.

Entrance to West Briggs wood

After wandering about for an hour or so I stopped and brewed up a cuppa tea on my Trangia stove.  Very nice it was as well, makes a nice change from lugging around a flask of luke warm tea, and much more fun!

A cuppa tea in the woods (Shouldham Warren)

After more aimless walking about I decided to start looking for a likely spot for putting up the hammock.

I finally found a pitch that met all the requirements, i.e. two trees not too far apart and yet, not too close together.  The hammock was easy to set-up.  The guidance on the DD website had advised learning a couple of complex sounding knots but ended up by admitting the kind of knot you use to tie shoelaces would do just fine.  So that it what I used.

Here’s the basic set-up:

Basic hammock set-up

Here’s the basic set-up with the mosquito netting:

Hammock with mosquito netting

Here’s the basic set-up with mosquito netting and a tarp for shelter in case of rain (or whatever):

Hammock with tarp shelter

Once the hammock was set-up the next step was get in it.  The moment I lay down in the hammock I knew I was going to sleep well on my next wild camp.  I could have drifted off there and then, it felt so cosy.

Inside the hammock, nice and cosy!

And…a view!  I lay back imagining watching sunsets and sunrises, it felt good, it felt comfortable, it felt just right.

A hammock with a view

I set up the stove and made another cuppa tea, it was great to have a comfy seat on which to relax and enjoy my brew.  I watched the still wood and listened to the birds.

Then I packed everything up, took a compass bearing and headed off in the general direction of West Briggs wood and my bicycle.

Hammocks?  Love ‘em!

Tagged as: hammocks, Norfolk, wild camping, winter, woods