The Holy Tree
When - 31st March and 1st April 2005
Where - Lyndale, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Who - Andy Smith, John Siwek and James Smith
Account by John Siwek
It was perhaps around 3am on the 1st of April that it was decided by all, each in our own heads, that this trip was the worst ever. Its status still holds after two years. Its wasn’t that it was cold or that it was windy or that it was wet but because it ground that we were attempting to sleep on was the most lumpy, churned up, uncomfortable piece of land that we have ever pitched a tent.
The three of us, Andy, James S. and John (me) decided to have a nice, relaxing, two-day camping trip to Lyndale which is situated about a mile or two from Andy’s house in Kildonan.
We were quite familiar with the area having gone there a few times before and named the place “The Holy Tree” because of a towering tree that had a huge low branch that was very comfortable to sit on. Why it exactly it was called the “Holy” Tree I can’t quite remember but it was some kind of reference to The Holy Grail, however it was definitely not holy in any way and was not cup of Christ shaped.
We took Andy’s eight-man tent with us. A huge space for three teenagers. Nevertheless we set out across the fields, swapping the tent between us because it was heavy and in a stupidly designed bag clearly made for family camping where you could drive up to the campsite.
It was windy but fairly dry. The Aussie hat that Andy brought often flew off the wearers head. When we reached the site mid-afternoon we made the discovery that in fact the ground looked deceivingly flat from a distance. It was in fact covered in hollows and humps. The field beside it was marginally better but it had twenty or so inquisitive cows who would lean over the fence and moo at us. We put up the tent with the motto, “Och, it will be fine.” It took a good while to set it up as it was acting much like a sail in the wind. A eight-man tent might not have been the best idea. It was dark by the time we had finished.
We made dinner- rice or something like that. We hadn’t asked permission for pitching in the field so we were a little nervous about an car that went past. James made some hot chocolate for us all but it was lukewarm and the chocolate powder clumped to the bottom of the cup. We had finished washing the cups and were running back to the where we would dive in. Andy and I jumped in but James ran into the door way catching his neck on it throwing him off his feet. It was very funny and he was ok. To do it once it unfortunate but to do it twice in a row is just stupid which is what he did. Aah, good times.
We went to bed, all of us in the one compartment. It was then when we realised that it was extremely uncomfortable. We tossed and turned, changed places, lay different ways but nothing was comfortable. Then in the wind part on the tent came loose. Andy and I went out in the dark and rain to sort it out but James (the lazy git that he is) just lay inside. When the tent emergency was over we went inside again to try and sleep.
I had a radio and listened to that for a while (until 3.30am). At one point we all got into a comfortable position all crammed to one end (damn slope!) It was ok curling your body around the bumps until somebody –cough-James-cough- decided he wanted to sleep at the other end so there was a big swap and nobody was comfortable after that.
I assume we did get some sleep at some point but we got up very early, before 7am. We ate some food, packed our stuff and proceed to take down the tent. There was misty rain and a strong wind so packing the tent was very difficult. We crammed it into the bag as best we could, bursting the zip in the process.
Plodding off back to Andy’s house didn’t take very long, we arrived around 9am. Went we were back we got a cooked breakfast that was very welcome.
That trip has gone down it Andy and John’s Great Adventures lore as the worst trip ever. From that trip we learnt a few things that have made us the great adventurers that we are today. Firstly, camp on flat ground or in a hammock, secondly, never bring an eight-man tent if there are only three of you. Simple things like that are vital, changing us from camping tenderfoots to hardened veterans of the camping world.
Camping enjoyment= 0/10
Walk difficulty= 1/10
Landscape= 3/10
Overall=1/10
Where - Lyndale, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Who - Andy Smith, John Siwek and James Smith
Account by John Siwek
It was perhaps around 3am on the 1st of April that it was decided by all, each in our own heads, that this trip was the worst ever. Its status still holds after two years. Its wasn’t that it was cold or that it was windy or that it was wet but because it ground that we were attempting to sleep on was the most lumpy, churned up, uncomfortable piece of land that we have ever pitched a tent.
The three of us, Andy, James S. and John (me) decided to have a nice, relaxing, two-day camping trip to Lyndale which is situated about a mile or two from Andy’s house in Kildonan.
We were quite familiar with the area having gone there a few times before and named the place “The Holy Tree” because of a towering tree that had a huge low branch that was very comfortable to sit on. Why it exactly it was called the “Holy” Tree I can’t quite remember but it was some kind of reference to The Holy Grail, however it was definitely not holy in any way and was not cup of Christ shaped.
We took Andy’s eight-man tent with us. A huge space for three teenagers. Nevertheless we set out across the fields, swapping the tent between us because it was heavy and in a stupidly designed bag clearly made for family camping where you could drive up to the campsite.
It was windy but fairly dry. The Aussie hat that Andy brought often flew off the wearers head. When we reached the site mid-afternoon we made the discovery that in fact the ground looked deceivingly flat from a distance. It was in fact covered in hollows and humps. The field beside it was marginally better but it had twenty or so inquisitive cows who would lean over the fence and moo at us. We put up the tent with the motto, “Och, it will be fine.” It took a good while to set it up as it was acting much like a sail in the wind. A eight-man tent might not have been the best idea. It was dark by the time we had finished.
We made dinner- rice or something like that. We hadn’t asked permission for pitching in the field so we were a little nervous about an car that went past. James made some hot chocolate for us all but it was lukewarm and the chocolate powder clumped to the bottom of the cup. We had finished washing the cups and were running back to the where we would dive in. Andy and I jumped in but James ran into the door way catching his neck on it throwing him off his feet. It was very funny and he was ok. To do it once it unfortunate but to do it twice in a row is just stupid which is what he did. Aah, good times.
We went to bed, all of us in the one compartment. It was then when we realised that it was extremely uncomfortable. We tossed and turned, changed places, lay different ways but nothing was comfortable. Then in the wind part on the tent came loose. Andy and I went out in the dark and rain to sort it out but James (the lazy git that he is) just lay inside. When the tent emergency was over we went inside again to try and sleep.
I had a radio and listened to that for a while (until 3.30am). At one point we all got into a comfortable position all crammed to one end (damn slope!) It was ok curling your body around the bumps until somebody –cough-James-cough- decided he wanted to sleep at the other end so there was a big swap and nobody was comfortable after that.
I assume we did get some sleep at some point but we got up very early, before 7am. We ate some food, packed our stuff and proceed to take down the tent. There was misty rain and a strong wind so packing the tent was very difficult. We crammed it into the bag as best we could, bursting the zip in the process.
Plodding off back to Andy’s house didn’t take very long, we arrived around 9am. Went we were back we got a cooked breakfast that was very welcome.
That trip has gone down it Andy and John’s Great Adventures lore as the worst trip ever. From that trip we learnt a few things that have made us the great adventurers that we are today. Firstly, camp on flat ground or in a hammock, secondly, never bring an eight-man tent if there are only three of you. Simple things like that are vital, changing us from camping tenderfoots to hardened veterans of the camping world.
Camping enjoyment= 0/10
Walk difficulty= 1/10
Landscape= 3/10
Overall=1/10
