Braemar Hot Tent minus 10 deg c
Discussion
Given how impressed I was with Braemar Camping & Caravan site (see p3 of "Most Incongruous Car Camping Rig") I got the kids to come and do a weekend in the Tentipi with the wood burning stove.
Last night was forecast -10 deg c and even at 11am in sunshine the car was showing -9 the next day. Snug enough with the fire on, was pushing boundaries of the winter down sleeping bags overnight. Daughter woke at 5am and was cold so put the stove on for an hour. Everyone went back to sleep and we were comfortable again till daylight.
With 3 people and a dog sadly it wasn't practical to take the Evora so the Gen 6 Outback stood in. I do still intend to get the Tentipi and stove into the Evora but it will either have to be a solo camp or 2 people and minimal kit so possibly a spring exped rather than winter.
Warm tonight, a mere -1 deg c. Going to the pub, loving Braemar!
Edit - Metoffice recorded minimum for Braemar weather station was minus 13.5....! No wonder it felt far warmer the second night with a paltry minus 3
Last night was forecast -10 deg c and even at 11am in sunshine the car was showing -9 the next day. Snug enough with the fire on, was pushing boundaries of the winter down sleeping bags overnight. Daughter woke at 5am and was cold so put the stove on for an hour. Everyone went back to sleep and we were comfortable again till daylight.
With 3 people and a dog sadly it wasn't practical to take the Evora so the Gen 6 Outback stood in. I do still intend to get the Tentipi and stove into the Evora but it will either have to be a solo camp or 2 people and minimal kit so possibly a spring exped rather than winter.
Warm tonight, a mere -1 deg c. Going to the pub, loving Braemar!
Edit - Metoffice recorded minimum for Braemar weather station was minus 13.5....! No wonder it felt far warmer the second night with a paltry minus 3
Edited by TVRBRZ on Sunday 12th January 07:20
Very impressed you headed out and even more impressed you stayed so warm! Super! The right choice of car I think!
We went for a walk in Ballater yesterday (Sat) and my wife and agreed it felt the coldest / most bitter it’s been for a few years. Think there was a lot more humidity that the day before - after an hour in the local hills we were done!
-10 again last night nr Aboyne so if you were camping again, hope you were nice and snug. The big thaw begins at midday!
We went for a walk in Ballater yesterday (Sat) and my wife and agreed it felt the coldest / most bitter it’s been for a few years. Think there was a lot more humidity that the day before - after an hour in the local hills we were done!
-10 again last night nr Aboyne so if you were camping again, hope you were nice and snug. The big thaw begins at midday!
Cheers! Definitely warmer last night and today, I've not experienced that level of cold in the UK for at least a decade, the dry, bone chilling cold was more akin to Canada or Scandinavia.
We too went for a walk on the Saturday and it was warmer up the hill at the Albert pyramid in Balmoral than it was down in the valley floor.
The weekend gave us confidence to go full winter wild camping in zero degrees, either with a canoe or backpacking. All had good quality winter down sleeping bag with either a synthetic or down poncho as a quilt. I'd have got through the night without needing to put the stove on but my daughter is just sinew and bone so feels the cold.
Interesting comparing how it was for the campers in campervans and caravans. Condensation was their big issue and frozen waste water systems. Some had trouble emptying their cartridges the next day.
We too went for a walk on the Saturday and it was warmer up the hill at the Albert pyramid in Balmoral than it was down in the valley floor.
The weekend gave us confidence to go full winter wild camping in zero degrees, either with a canoe or backpacking. All had good quality winter down sleeping bag with either a synthetic or down poncho as a quilt. I'd have got through the night without needing to put the stove on but my daughter is just sinew and bone so feels the cold.
Interesting comparing how it was for the campers in campervans and caravans. Condensation was their big issue and frozen waste water systems. Some had trouble emptying their cartridges the next day.
My wife and I were wardens there for a time just before covid. Lowest I saw was -18.. We lived in a Burstner caravan on site, a European van, so all water tanks and pipes were inside and the insulation was excellent. Fantastic place, and great biking roads.We often saw people camping in winter,not all with hot tents. The drying room was much appreciated!
One night we got caught in a blizzard driving from Blairgowrie up to Braemar. Focus estate on summer tyres- had to take a run and reverse all the way up the slide to Glenshee at 2am.. or we were sleeping in the car. Its quite a formidable place when the weather closes in!
One night we got caught in a blizzard driving from Blairgowrie up to Braemar. Focus estate on summer tyres- had to take a run and reverse all the way up the slide to Glenshee at 2am.. or we were sleeping in the car. Its quite a formidable place when the weather closes in!
Edited by tiffx19 on Saturday 18th January 22:51
You reversed up to Glenshee....!!!!! 
Respect! I reversed an old MG ZS 1.6 500m up an unmade track in the snow, same thing, no grip going fwd, reversing more weight thrown onto the driven wheels and it did it. I felt smug, you must have felt epic.
I did a one man tent earlier but it was only -1 so summer conditions really
Respect! I reversed an old MG ZS 1.6 500m up an unmade track in the snow, same thing, no grip going fwd, reversing more weight thrown onto the driven wheels and it did it. I felt smug, you must have felt epic.
I did a one man tent earlier but it was only -1 so summer conditions really
tiffx19 said:
…. had to take a run and reverse all the way up the slide to Glenshee at 2am…..
You did what?! That’s amazing. The Blairgowrie side is so steep, and pretty long. Hats off to you! As a kid I used to get the ski bus up to Glenshee every weekend from Banchory and used to delight when we got there and the Perth side snow gates were still closed. The runs would be beautifully quiet!
Nah, it was about 10 days before the hot tent camp when it was -15. Did that as a one night recce to see what the campsite was like and then wanted to come back with the kids, dog and the hot tent.
I'm spoilt now, so need to do a proper wild camp or bothy trip just to cleanse myself of such luxuries as heated loo blocks and drying rooms....!
TVRBRZ said:
Nah, it was about 10 days before the hot tent camp when it was -15. Did that as a one night recce to see what the campsite was like and then wanted to come back with the kids, dog and the hot tent.
I'm spoilt now, so need to do a proper wild camp or bothy trip just to cleanse myself of such luxuries as heated loo blocks and drying rooms....!
Reading this at the moment - pretty decent if you haven’t got it already! Some look like 5 star places, others I think I’d actually prefer a tent!
Cracking book that, plus the MBA website is the go to place for up to date info - work parties, stalking dates etc.
My preferred SOP for a Bothy trip is to always take a tent and then decide whether to stay in the Bothy or just use it as an admin area for meals and a bit of socialising.
A couple of times I've had an enjoyable evening talking to people in a busy bothy and then when I've wanted to - headed off 100, 200m to my nice, quiet secluded tent for a night undisturbed by multiple snoring strangers. Up the next morning for breakfast in the Bothy and then off.
Best Bothy trips have been when we've canoed up a sea loch to the Bothy. It's easy carrying 20kg of coal and firewood, 8 packs of beer, etc when you use the boat and don't have to carry it.
Worst Bothy experience was Glas Alt Shiel on my own. Didn't have the dog with me, no one else was there, winter....the empty Queen Victoria hunting lodge was terrifying and I scared myself silly....
My preferred SOP for a Bothy trip is to always take a tent and then decide whether to stay in the Bothy or just use it as an admin area for meals and a bit of socialising.
A couple of times I've had an enjoyable evening talking to people in a busy bothy and then when I've wanted to - headed off 100, 200m to my nice, quiet secluded tent for a night undisturbed by multiple snoring strangers. Up the next morning for breakfast in the Bothy and then off.
Best Bothy trips have been when we've canoed up a sea loch to the Bothy. It's easy carrying 20kg of coal and firewood, 8 packs of beer, etc when you use the boat and don't have to carry it.
Worst Bothy experience was Glas Alt Shiel on my own. Didn't have the dog with me, no one else was there, winter....the empty Queen Victoria hunting lodge was terrifying and I scared myself silly....
thepritch said:
You did what?! That’s amazing. The Blairgowrie side is so steep, and pretty long. Hats off to you!
As a kid I used to get the ski bus up to Glenshee every weekend from Banchory and used to delight when we got there and the Perth side snow gates were still closed. The runs would be beautifully quiet!
It was proper scary! One thing I hadn't accounted for- going so slowly, backwards up a steep hill sliding and spinning was the engine got pretty hot.. Hadn't really thought about that as it was about -10 ! The council do leave piles of grit at the sides of the road, but they were all buried under the snow so I couldn't find them.... After one failed attempt, the car started to pivot and slide down the road sideways.. the Mrs decided she was bailing out. I had to explain it was better to be in the car ,than getting run over :0As a kid I used to get the ski bus up to Glenshee every weekend from Banchory and used to delight when we got there and the Perth side snow gates were still closed. The runs would be beautifully quiet!
Her Fiat 500L was awesome in the snow, far better than the Focus. Love the road up from Blairgowrie. Not so much on the bike in winter..
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