Thursday , 17 January 2013 Wild Hut 14 Location : Carbeth Loch , by Strathblane . 3 - Man Shelter : I was very fortunate to be contacted by the producer of BBC Scotland ’ s radio show ‘ Out of Doors ’ – Chris Sleight . He seemed keen to feature the 100 Wild Huts project on his show . People have often said to me that I ‘ have a face for radio ’ so this seemed like a great opportunity . I also somehow managed to persuade the producer to help actually build a wild hut and sleep rough for one night . He agreed to come along , although I ’ m not sure he initially grasped the lengthy timeframes and workloads involved . I was keen to explore with him the craft , the architectural quality and the experiential impact of creating a shelter and sleeping rough outdoors . I had a growing concern though that I would sound , to a national audience , like a bumbling idiot or indeed just an eccentric fool ! It ’ s probably a fair reflection though as eccentricity and I have been happy bed - fellows for some time . We pulled the cars over in a lay - by close to Carbeth Loch on the West Highland Way . Carbeth is around 11 miles north of Glasgow and fairly close to the orbital towns of Milngavie and Strathblane . Ironically , Carbeth has a history of hutting dating back to the 1920 ’ s . Around 140 self - built retreats are scattered around the loch and surrounding area which has taken on the appearance of a caravan holiday park built by beavers . The community of huts were established as a retreat from the stifling effects of Glasgow and Clydebank ’ s heavy industrial heritage . This is a notion I ’ m sympathetic to . They recently completed a community land buy - out : “ The hutters would like to extend an invitation for people to come along and explore Carbeth . In the next 2 years the hutters will need lots of support , funding , media attention and solidarity . There are also opportunities to buy huts and sites and join the hutting movement into the future . ” I also invited a university friend Richard Patterson to help with the build as Chris would be occupied with his BBC recording duties and to our delight he even agreed to cook us dinner ! My friend Richard has a company which specialises in ‘ Virtual Tours ’ ( www . 360 pix . co . uk ) and was interested in shooting some 360 ° photographs of the hut interior on it ’ s completion . The build was not only being recorded ‘ acoustically ’ for radio purposes , but also recorded ‘ panoramically ’ for visual purposes ( I also offered to complete the full set and record the smell and taste of everything ! ... they weren ' t impressed ) . We gathered our bundles of gear and ascended a steep track which led up into some mixed woodland . The elevated spot we picked for the build was fairly close to a crop of dried bracken and a tangled spaghetti of fallen branches . There seemed to be a natural ledge cut into the hillside , with a steep forested slope ascending to the east and dropping sharply away to the west . The temperature was threatening to plummet to - 4 and we knew we had to keep busy in order to stay warm . The Build : The forest seemed to be fairly unmanaged and the volume of storm - felled timber was a pleasure . As I waffled mindlessly for the radio production , Richard flew into action and gathered most of the timber required for the entire build in less than an hour . As is the normal routine now , we bundled the timbers into ‘ structural ’ and ‘ non structural ’ piles . After some initial recording Chris and I got to work and lashed together a series of simple A - frame sections . We then laid out a number of long timbers - strategising about the sleeping platform and roof construction . On completion of the first platform , we positioned it in a clearing between the trees . Unfortunately the sagging structure jiggled sideways like wobbly jelly . Keeping the components upright and straight is a bit like pushing custard uphill . Finally after a few more turns of the garden twine - this first part of the structure was now free standing ( ish ) . Richard completed the 2 nd mirror image component and we aligned them in position ready to bridge between with the third sleeping platform . After a few more timbers were added – the whole structure became rigid . As more wood was overlaid the joints tightened with laminating rigidity . Due to limited tools Chris found all the timber for the bed platforms as Richard and I bailed the bracken tiles for the roofing . We worked efficiently as a team , pausing from time to time to partake in interviews . The bracken was icy and interwoven with shards of frozen snow which made it awkward to bail . After some outstanding sausages for dinner ( thanks Chris ) and many hours of tiling bracken the structure was complete and ready for road testing . Richard had started a campfire inside the hut which had a great warming effect although also threatened to choke everyone in their sleep and sizzle holes through their sleeping bags . Being the most inelegant of the 3 – I picked the bunk directly in the line of wind - driven smoke and ash . It was indeed the warmest bunk but the smoke inhalation took the edge off my enjoyment . Roughing it : The fire subsided as we lay down on the beds of rolling logs at around 1 am ( - 4 degrees ) . We recorded a short interview before bed and were all in agreement that this was quite a pleasing hut - structure and were satisfied with the outcome and efficiency of the build . An owl was hooting from a nearby tree , which was soon replaced with synchronised snoring from 2 nearby bunks . An hour or two later I was awoken with the padding footsteps of a heavy animal just by the hut . It seemed to approach the hut then amble off through the undergrowth . The next morning Chris had also heard something snuffling around our bags outside . He thought it was perhaps a fox or deer , I wondered if it might have been a badger as it sounded heavy ? ( Now … I mentioned the possibility of it being a badger on the radio interview and then frantically searched the internet on my return home incase badgers hibernated all winter … I didn ’ t want to sound both stupid and eccentric all in one 6 min radio programme . ) An orange haze glowed on the horizon as the sun glanced through the dark forest . We stirred in our bunks early and recorded a final section for the radio show where I blurted a few incoherent words whilst trying to sound awake . We said our goodbyes to Chris who had a busy schedule including the school run that morning and a full day ' s work . Richard used the welcome dawn light to take some 360 panoramic photographs and we packed our gear away . I mentioned that it ’ s always astounding how many people show an interest in the simple act of building a make - shift roof and bed in a wild place . It must be an integral part of being human , a natural instinct that can only be engaged with through the act of exploring and building . Richard suggested that the radio chap had gone now and that I could stop talking rubbish ! Posted by Kevin Langan at 15 : 15 No comments : Email ThisBlogThis ! Share to TwitterShare to FacebookLabels : BBC , Bushcraft , carbeth loch , christopher sleight , Kevin Langan , out of doors , radio scotland , richard patterson , survival shelter , wilderness survival Location : Stirling , UK Sunday , 6 January 2013 Wild Hut 13 Location : Mugdock Woods , MilngavieAround 12 o ’ clock I arrived at Mugdock Woods to the north of Glasgow with a good friend Arran Brown for another crazy hutting weekend . Arran had never slept outside and was strangely sympathetic to the notion of building a hut just for the sheer experiential impact . He is currently self - employed so these new skills may have a practical usefulness in the economic downturn . We followed some muddy trails ( more commonly known as the West Highland Way ) until we arrived deep within the forest and surrounded by plenty foraging materials . It was a gorgeous bright winter ’ s day and strangely mild for the time of year . These woods skirt the satellite towns of Milngavie and Bearsden , which results in thousands of jolly walkers filtering through the damp forest from various nodal car parks and leafy boulevards . We picked a relatively quiet place for the build and were instantly confronted by a team of clambering kids who had noticed our unmanned rucksacks and obviously hadn ’ t noticed us . They instantly veered off in a different direction and were soon replaced by a caravan of dog walkers and their associated unruly dogs that sniffed through our rucksacks like hairy customs officers . The locals were all morbidly inquisitive and over - friendly considering its proximity to murderous Glasgow and the fact I was wielding an axe . We longed for the tranquil veil of darkness . The build : I had sat up the previous night brainstorming ideas for this two - person hut construction but hadn ’ t finalised the design until the next morning . I had scribbled an irregular shaped triangular pod which all tapered back to a single tree . This should allow plenty head room , fit 2 beds and be fairly enclosed . It was also light on material with only a handful of structural members required . Arran seemed happy with the conceptual approach and we set about arranging the basic structure with some wet mossy branches and garden string . The basic frame was lashed together in only a couple of hours and we set about bailing the dried bracken for use on the walls and roof . This was time consuming in the rain but by 6 pm we had covered around 3 square meters of walling each with only the roof and gable - end still to complete . We downed tools and headed to Milngavie for some food . Many beers later we somehow found the hut - site again in the blackness and set about completing the roof and side panels . I noticed some random movement beneath the bracken and for the next hour I wondered if I might uncover a hibernating Adder . I had a friend who was bitten by an Adder fairly close to these woods when he was lifting boulders as a kid . Being elbow deep in boulders and moss in the dark is always unnerving as soon as you think about snakes … the beers didn ’ t help . The fact it was winter though makes a sighting completely implausible . A fear of snakes is fairly healthy though , I have a friend who is scared of cows ! How is that possible ? We completed the roof and soon laid sticks out for the sleeping platforms . The hut was complete by midnight and the sky cleared to reveal a cosmic array of tiny lights . Roughing it : We rolled our sleeping mats out and lay down . The sleeping platforms were completely rigid and the hut façade seemed fairly weather - tight . This was one of the best sleeps yet it has to be said . There was a great feeling of enclosure and the air inside the hut seemed still . We hadn ’ t bothered spending the extra hour required to build a front door which may have been even better . Still , the structure was roomy and fairly sheltering from the elements . I jokingly mentioned to Arran that we will probably be woken in the morning by a big dribbling dog peering through the doorway … and with sorry - synchronicity a giant brown gasping K 9 face poured itself into the hut at 9 am with sniffling intent . I explained to the dog that it should probably best leave and it reticently took my advice . Other than Arran ’ s snoring ( sorry Arran ) it was a comfortable night ’ s sleep . We packed up our gear and swam against the tide of dog walkers and joggers back to the train . Posted by Kevin Langan at 15 : 39 6 comments : Email ThisBlogThis ! Share to TwitterShare to FacebookLabels : Arran Brown , Bushcraft , eco , Kevin Langan , milngavie , Mugdock woods , survival shelter , survival skills , Wild hut , Wilderness shelter , woodland shelter Location : Stirling , UK Wednesday , 2 January 2013 Wild Hut 12 The Location : Rattray Head , by Peterhead , AberdeenshireI was visiting family in Peterhead in the north - east of Scotland for New Year and decided to embark on another wild hut adventure . The coastal area to the north of Peterhead is patrolled by armed - guards 24 hours a day . They patrol the tracks and fringe - roads surrounding St Fergus Gas Terminal which provides 20 % of the UK ’ s Gas requirements ( and looks like a futuristic city ) . I was dropped - off in the darkness along a single track road which leads to a solitary lighthouse at Rattray Head , one of the only places to access the beach past the secure perimeter of the giant gas plant . En - route we passed armed police at the shop , in various lay - bys and spinning along the tracks and by - ways . They obviously anticipate the colossal disruption and loss of revenue that a potential terrorist attack would create … even if the terrorists can ’ t see it . If I may make a flippant statement at this point … it ’ s far too windy at St Fergus for terrorism – they would be blown onto their bum as soon as they stepped out of their vehicle ! I think the best way to ‘ take out ’ the gas plant would be to steal everyone ’ s jackets … The Build : Unlike the rest of Scotland , the north - east coast has a distinct lack of seaweed . I had planned to use seaweed like roofing tiles and driftwood for the main structural frame . Another thing about the north - east coast is that there is no driftwood ! I wandered along a flooded trail to an exposed beach which was vast and windswept . There was a Long Tailed Duck pottering about in a sand - pool and a Desert Wheatear harbouring in the dunes above ( which is apparently a rarity in bird - watching circles ) . Recent storms had devastated many homes in the area and wiped out a good number of seabirds . The beach was littered with the carcases of these smashed - up unfortunates . I retreated into the shelter of the dunes as to avoid the high tide . I dug a body - sized ditch in the sand which would form the main sleeping compartment and keep me out of the wind . In the process I also uncovered a family of transparent flies and grubs which must have been wintering deep in the sand . They jumped around the trench like a blur of sandy grass - hoppers . Not ideal sleeping conditions . After an hour of beach - combing I had managed to find only 5 small sections of driftwood which would allow me to build the basic roof structure . Rather than a jelly - like carpet of seaweed which I ’ m used to – the beach had a supply of kelp branches : thick tendrils which bind the kelp forest to the sea - bed . They were about 6 feet in length and about as thick as your wrist . There was enough for the roof which was all I needed . I gathered great bundles of these kelp stalks and carried them over the next few hours high into the dunes . I arranged them along the roof and buried the structure in sand . on completion I sat for a while on top of the dunes - looking south towards the giant gas plant . During the day the terminal looks like a standard bunch of pipes and electrical mess ( a technical term ) , but at night it looks like a bright futuristic city . The lights of Peterhead can also been seen a few miles further to the south which contrastingly looks slightly more 60 ’ s and a lot less futuristic . Roughing it : This particular overnight experience was a lesson on how to cope with beasties . I crawled into the hut for a look and was confronted with heaps of skipping flies and bugs . I scooped out handfuls and tossed them up into the wind for a pleasant journey elsewhere . But there were just too many . I decided the best way to get rid of them was just to get into my sleeping bag and not look at them ! As soon as I lay down to sleep most of them crawled under my sleeping bag to safety . Out of sight – out of mind , I turned off my head - torch and lay down . As my eyes grew accustomed to the light I noticed them all around my head trying to climb to safety or burrow into the sand . I pulled the flaps of my hat around my ears … just in case and dozed off . The moon spun round from the east to the south - west until it was time to gather my gear and make my way back along the track . The wind had blown a cup - full of sand into my clothing and pants which had the effect of a ‘ spa - quality ’ exfoliation . This empty and windswept beach was actually full of life and I had the good fortune to sleep with most of them . Youtube video : Wild Hut 12 Posted by Kevin Langan at 09 : 00 4 comments : Email ThisBlogThis ! Share to TwitterShare to FacebookLabels : beach hut , Bushcraft , Kevin Langan , Micro adventure , Peterhead , Rattray Head , St Fergus , survival , survival shelter , Wild hut Location : Aberdeenshire , UK Sunday , 2 December 2012 Wild Hut 11 Location : Old Partick Central Station , GlasgowI had the good fortune to meet up with a chap Toby Clark from the John Muir Trust Awards who was interested in the wild huts concept and was keen to give it a try . The accessibility of the project initially grabbed his attention and how people could engage with wild spaces in urban areas as well as rural . We agreed to build a ' 2 person shelter ' one month prior but had failed to anticipate the onslaught of freezing weather conditions . It felt like madness but we gave it a bash . It was on a dark cold winter ’ s evening after work when we met in a west - end bar to discuss our build and where we might go . The ruined remains of Partick Central Station are sited just behind the bar and this seemed as good a place as any ! Toby heartily agreed but suggested that after experiencing the freezing temperatures that day he was ‘ anticipating ’ the experience rather than looking forward to it . The station was built in the 1890 s by the Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway Company , it sat on a line that ran along the north bank of the River Clyde from Stobcross to Dumbarton . The station was renamed Kelvin Hall in 1959 . Passenger and goods services to the station ceased in 1964 when it closed as part of the Beeching cuts to rail services across the UK . The station building was later used as a workshop and an auction house before lying empty for a number of years . The remains of the platforms and track - bed , which were underneath the station building , have been removed but the railway ' s route is fairly discernible . The station ' s goods yard served as a site for travelling people and as a scrap merchants . The site had been empty and awaiting redevelopment when in 2004 it emerged that the supermarket chain Tesco wished to develop a 24 - hour operation there , in the face of local opposition STOP . Tesco had the station building demolished on 28 January 2007 , before planning permission had been given for the development from Glasgow City Council . We ventured out into the frozen air and passed through an open gap in the fence which led along the old railway tracks . We spend a short while exploring this forgotten landscape and regaining our bearings . It was like an island : marooned on 4 sides by high walls , roads , bridges and the River Kelvin . It was strange to find such a pocket of overgrown wildness so close to the busy west end and Glasgow ’ s bustling Byres Road . The Build : The hut concept was two free - standing mono - pitched structures which were mirrored and could be bound together for increased rigidity if needed . As the freezing rain steadily fell we gathered the fallen branches which lay strewn throughout the dense thickets . Due to limited tools - Toby accumulated the better structural timbers as I wrestled with bundles of tangled branches . We stacked our materials under the sheltering road bridge and assembled a series of A - frames which we used as the primary structural components . This was a fairly time consuming process but we had the basic structures complete and in place by around 11 pm . After the rain had passed , the stars and moon burst through the shifting clouds and the temperature began to plummet much like our energy levels . We decided to take a break and stop for a well earned beer . To my infinite joy I had somehow managed to burst open a can in my rucksack which drenched all my spare clothes with freezing cold Stella Artois . It was probably a better smell than mud and sweat , but would increase the chance of hypothermia if worn ! I offered some soggy spare socks to Toby but he gracefully declined in favour of his life . The hardest part of the build was yet to come as this involved gathering bails of cut material to use as roofing tiles . I knew from experience that this would be time consuming and Toby wasn ’ t entirely looking forward to the process . It was around 2 hours later where he confessed that bailing wasn ’ t for him . Gathering grass for hours on end on a freezing cold winter ’ s night is numbingly monotonous and requires a steely mindset . I hadn ’ t seen Toby in a while and decided to take that opportunity to stretch my legs and see how he was doing . Through the mist I noticed Toby had a new friend in the form of an inquisitive fox ! It seemed to take an interest in what we were doing and was happy to come close in search for scraps . It darted around playfully and watched our progress for the next hour . A cormorant flew overhead , heading upstream . It occurred to me that these spaces have a role in providing sanctuary for life of all kinds . It would be good to recognise the importance of these informal spaces : they seem to have a more exceptional capacity to harbour wildlife than our manicured parks . Roughing it : Around 3 am we were ready to try out the structures and unfurled our sleeping bags over the frosty branches . Passers - by glanced down from the adjacent bridge on occasion but we remained undisturbed . Toby noticed that the frozen forest glistened like the stars and it was difficult to differentiate between them . We slept until around 7 : 30 am where we both woke with cold feet . I looked down to see my sleeping bag had a glaze of frost which covered my projecting feet . By 8 am the blue morning light had saturated the sky as the city streets sprung to life once again . We passed through the fence and looked down at the hut from the adjacent road bridge . It stood like the mystical jungle shelter from a lost tribe . After mild reflection we soon saw sense and headed straight to the nearest café for a fried Scottish breakfast . 사업자 정보 표시 | | | 사업자 등록 번호 : -- | TEL : -- | 사이버 몰의 이용 약관 바로 가 기