The second of a monthly series we are creating here at Howl: A Bow drill set from scratch in the wild. Crafting a set, and taking ember to flame with tinder available on the day.

I needed a lighter weight, synthetic mountain shell… I had to come to Keela for advice as they’d never let me down before. We were aiming to cross the Cairngorms for a fundraising effort, and Keela was there to support us: Enter the Stratus Shell Jacket. 

The first of a monthly series we’re creating here at Howl: A Bow drill set from scratch in the wild. Crafting a set, and taking ember to flame with tinder available on the day.

The long winter nights are bookending blustery days, sunlight is in short supply, and freezing precipitation is a regular concern. It’s the colder season, you’re only spurred on by the prospect of sub-zero adventures…but what should you add into your usual Daypack when considering a Winter day hike?

In this video I unpack my rucksack and talk you through what I carry for a typical camping trip in the woods.

What follows is a trip report, a reminiscence of sorts covering a short canoe trip myself and my colleague Max took to Glen Affric at the start of January 2019. I’ve tied my field notes together with a few captions from Max of the two nights we spent under winters Orion, in some of the finest country I’d had the pleasure to journey through.

“This week we caught up with Jamie Dakota of Howl Bushcraft. We talk canoeing and how it opens up new avenues. How to get the most out of short journeys, and buying your own boat.

We also talk about the benefits of building strength and stamina with your loadout. Preppers, Hammocks and all the usual ramblings!”

We were recently supported by Dark Peak for a charity fund raising expedition in which we attempted to walk the longest line in the UK possible without crossing a road. The route took us 71km over the Cairngorms and crossed rivers, munros, cliffs, bogs, etc. along the way. Our intention was to raise money for Scottish mountain rescue.  During our journey we experienced some of the most brutal October weather conditions I have ever experienced.

In this video we follow up from a previous one on setting up and packing away a tarp in the woods. There are clearly several ways to go about this, this being one of two methods I use regularly.