3 Nights Alone in the WIld

​Day 1
 
My Western Rhinogs Adventure – Day 1
In early July, I arrived in the valley of the Afon Artro with a 3-night, 22km trip planned. It was a beautiful warm day, although I carried the burden of a questionable weather forecast and a heavy tent. The regular forecast was a bit mixed but not too bad, whereas MWIS warned of gale force winds, thunder & lightening and torrential downpours. Prepared for the worst just in case, I was hauling my Hille Soulo, which isn’t something I would usually be doing in summer. I had to offset the weight of it by switching some gear around. I really don’t love the weight of this tent, but I do love the peace of mind in case of bad weather

I had to cross a section of head-height ferns to reach my first stop – a gorgeous lil waterfall, just off the beaten track. I donned full waterproofs to keep the ticks of my skin and was absolutely roasting by the time I arrived, so the lil pool felt amazing to rest in and fill up on water

Next was the ascent of Foel Ddu – a 477m hill where I was hoping to camp for the first night. As I climbed higher, Tremadoc Bay came into view, the sun glistening over the water and the silhouettes of the peaks on the other side of the bay standing against the summer sky. Scrambling over a drystone wall, I came upon the remains of what looked like a plane crash. A quick web search informed me that this was the wreckage of an RAF plane, which came down on Foel Ddu in 1945, sadly taking the lives of all 7 men on board;

David Henry Robert Evans     
Maxwell Walter Moon
George Edward William Hodge         
Charles William Souden
Alfred Ernest Oliff       
Harold Nielsen           
Arthur David Gash

Rest in Peace

The views from high on Foel Ddu were quite something, the sea to the west, and the Rhinogs to the east. I pitched at 440m, just down from the summit and out of the worst of the wind, although it was still fairly gusty, and I was glad that I’d carried the sturdy-but-heavy tent. Loving the solitude (I’d not seen another person since parking up in the valley) but unsure of what tomorrow would bring, I settled down for a noisy night of broken sleep as the wind whipped about my lil tent

Gear List

This gear list contains affiliate links. This means that WildBeare makes a small commission from any sales made via these links, at no extra cost to yourself - a great way to support the channel. Thank you
 
*I choose not to be sponsored, affiliated with any particular brands, and have not accepted any free gear to try since summer of 2021. Every piece of gear that I’m using is something that I have chosen to buy for myself – my opinions on it and experiences with it are completely impartial.
 
SHELTER
Tent Hilleberg Soulo + Footprint (Bad Weather Test & details about this tent here: https://youtu.be/mUi1IGskBig)
Lyocel towel (condensation) https://amzn.to/45t7tO6
DCF Ground Sheet https://WildSkyGear.co.uk
Pin Pegs for DFC Sheet https://amzn.to/3NtxOU2
 
TREKKING POLE https://amzn.to/3ggE1Gj
 
SLEEP SYSTEM
Bag Rab Ascent 500 https://amzn.to/3NSMcnn
Mat Thermarest XLite https://amzn.to/3L8r4Ym
Pillow https://amzn.to/3xwuhM1
Light AF Mat https://outdoorgearessentials.co.uk
Alpkit Kloke Bivi Bag - protects sleeping bag from condensation or tent failure
 
RUCKSACK & PACKING
Deuter Aircontact 60+10L SL Women’s Rucksack https://amzn.to/3MqRvcW
Exped Dry Bags https://amzn.to/33OmrDu
Pack Liner - https://outdoorgearessentials.co.uk
DCF Pouches + Dry Bags https://WildSkyGear.co.uk
 
SIT MAT https://amzn.to/3yP22u8
 
FIELD REPAIRS
Tenacious Tape https://amzn.to/2PmjxOq
Cordage https://amzn.to/3hlefRW
 
COOKING
Stove https://amzn.to/3cM173q
Gas https://amzn.to/3z5qV5L
Stand https://amzn.to/3GLhHh4
Pot https://amzn.to/3j5Mwot
XBands https://amzn.to/43SVFE8
Knife https://amzn.to/45P33RH
Spoon https://amzn.to/3xgwcqi
Bag for rubbish
 
WATER & HYDRATION
Empty Bottle
LifeStraw 1L Filter Squeeze Bottle https://amzn.to/3lE8GA6
 
TOILETRIES & PERSONAL CARE
Tissue
Baby wipes
Hand sanitiser
Trowel https://amzn.to/3etBVz9
Hair band
Lip balm
Talc
Toothpaste
Tiny mirror
Mini Tweezers
Toothbrush https://amzn.to/2LqwgxY
Sleep Mask https://amzn.to/3tD2lUs
Ear Plugs https://amzn.to/40swCVh
50SPF Natural Sun Block https://amzn.to/3Mq3dq3
Cheapo Sunnies https://amzn.to/3q5wSwR
 
MED KIT
Pain relief
Antihistamine
Plasters
Wound Dressing & Small Bandage
 
TICK, MOZZIE & MIDGE PREVENTION
Lifesystems Ex4 (tick treatment for outer clothing coming into contact with long grass etc) https://amzn.to/38XozuB
Rose Geranium Oil https://amzn.to/3jY4YwJ
Tick Removal Tool https://amzn.to/3rHfkFp
Head Bug Net https://amzn.to/3J0OAZf
 
CLOTHING & FOOTWEAR
Boots https://amzn.to/3jufjj0
Spare Bootlaces https://amzn.to/3VizVh2
OMM Women’s Halo Pants https://amzn.to/3FBI9Ja +Jacket https://amzn.to/3MimZCc
Synthetic Vest https://amzn.to/3OvmBEo
Hoody https://amzn.to/3oRMTG7
Shorts https://amzn.to/3JvSw4v
Down Puffy Decathlon
 
SWIMMING
Shorts https://amzn.to/43929Oq
Shoes https://amzn.to/3HaxXY7
Towel https://amzn.to/43qSZwh
Back at home between trips, consider washing your swim clothes and swim shoes in products that are kinder to the water. I’m currently using Tru Earth https://amzn.to/40n1YMZ
 
ELECTRONICS
x2 Power Banks https://amzn.to/3jqTQr2
Headtorch Decathlon
Lyocel towel (dry hands & gear in wet weather) https://amzn.to/45t7tO6
 
GPS / NAV / PLB
Garmin Inreach Mini https://amzn.to/3sVBi9f
Tether https://amzn.to/3sTRibM
Map & Compass
Phone https://amzn.to/3An5PQ7
 
FILMING
Sony ZV1 https://amzn.to/3t4VamJ
Lens https://amzn.to/3CC6Jaq
Screen Protectors https://amzn.to/3tYOnPA
Wireless Mic https://amzn.to/44rs9Vt
128GB SD https://amzn.to/3tckuY8
Light Clip https://amzn.to/2MZjCGK
Tripod https://amzn.to/3nxGg7p
Ball Head https://amzn.to/32Zb87n
Rain Cover https://amzn.to/3VctprU
 
x2 GoPro 10’s https://amzn.to/3T9CDUB
Wind Shields https://amzn.to/3TesuWA
Screen Protectors https://amzn.to/3ww70Lf
Selfie Stick https://amzn.to/3zRjDTh
Rucksack Mount https://amzn.to/32Ojy4M
128GB Micro SD https://amzn.to/3p8XQ0v
Gorrillapod https://amzn.to/3u9Tb3j
 
SAM the drone:
DJI Mavic Mini https://amzn.to/3rvF0SZ
+old iphone to control it – my phone not compatible
128GB SD Card https://amzn.to/3p8XQ0v
 
COMPUTER & EDITING
Editing – Davinci
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PC https://amzn.to/3CAp3mX
Hard Drive https://amzn.to/3MnK4Vj
​

Music in this Video

Thank you to these amazing artists for producing such beautiful music - it is such an important part of my videos and a joy to help me tell my lil adventure stories..
 
Evert Zeevalkink
I’m Ready
 
Lane King
Intersect
 
Neptune
Emotion Flow
 
Magnus Ludvigsson
Did She Call?
 
Veace D / Veaceslav Draganov
In Each Of Us
Flash
Gleam
 
EdRecords
Yellow Sky
Lost Angel
 
Kikoru
Silent Forest
 
Joesph Heath
Ganges
 
Vital
Easy
 
Victor Lundberg
A Thief’s Waltz
 
Jacob Ahlbom
Breathe One’s Last
 
Martin Landstrom
A Real Class Act
 
Cristoffer Moe Ditlevsen, Anna Dager & Hanna Ekstrom
The Far Traveller
 
(all from Bensound, Epidemic Sound and Filmstro with licence)

Day 2

I had a lazy morning at camp on the second morning, having been woken up throughout the night by the wind battering the tent

After a quick stop-off at Foel Ddu’s 477m summit to admire the views of the Rhinogs to the East, I headed down along the westerly side of Foel Wen and down into the valley, before taking on my next hill; 589m Moelfre

It looked huge and a long slog, and I wasn’t sure I would get up and down the other side again in daylight (there was a thunderstorm risk looming, and I didn’t want to camp up high). But eventually, after chatting with sheep to entertain myself along the way, and a lil scramble near the top, I made the summit and took in the most gorgeous views of Fawr, Fach and Y Llether

Water was hard to come by on this trip. After a dry and hot June, many of the streams marked on the map high up were only a dribble, or trickling away inaccessible under the ground

I filled up on dribble-water and wombled on to find a camping place among the ferns. Here I had views out across the bay, and the sunlight came through the clouds like a moving spotlight, glistening across the sea.. not long before I was treated to one of the prettiest sunsets I’d ever seen

By night 2 I’d still not seen a single person. I’d heard some human activity when briefly crossing through farmland in the valley, but there was not a soul on these trails and these hills. So far, I’d had them all to myself. It was perfect, peaceful solitude
​
A lil flock of sheep stood and watched me set up, looking slightly miffed, and I wondered if I might have pinched their spot for the night. Content and with a full tummy, I settled down for a good sleep, ready to take a good ol’ weather beating the next day and go looking for a waterfall

Day 3
 
I woke to a beautiful bright and breezy morning, all blue skies and blue sea set against the summer ferns. Looking at the map, I had only a couple km to my first destination for the day; Cwm Nantcol Waterfall

The going would have been fine, if it weren’t for a solid 45 minutes of hiking through ferns, varying from waist height to face height. I couldn’t see what I was walking on, so I stumbled along, eventually emerging into open grassland. Part of my planned route was impassible, so I was detouring further to the west. Always keeping an eye out for water, as I hadn’t passed any since yesterday evening, 18 hours ago and my supply was getting low

Before long I reached a river and followed it down to a lil pool. The water was blue-green, and a delightfully warm 17°C.. possibly the warmest water I’ve experienced on one of these trips. I filled up my bottles and bathed in the lovely pool surrounded by mossy rocks. As I got out and started drying off, the sky grew dark and there was a sudden downpour, followed by a single crash of thunder. I scrambled to get my dry things under my ground sheet but just as fast as it had arrived, the lil mini storm was gone

I had lunch and continued on with my objective: find the waterfall. More detouring ensued as I tried to avoid a campsite, but I eventually found the falls. It was really gorgeous, but so busy – apparently, it’s a feature of the campsite that I was trying to avoid. I only stopped briefly for a quick photo from a distance, a little disappointed that I didn’t get this one to myself to frolic in, but hey, you can’t win ‘em all!

I decided instead to look for my own lil piece of heaven, and went exploring the surrounding landscape for somewhere to have a dip. I found a gorgeous stepped section of river, with the water tumbling down the rocks into various pools, which looked like infinity pools from the top. While I was cooling off, the heavens opened again, and a heavy shower fell about me while I cooled off. It was just perfect and I could have stayed in there a lot longer than I did – but with the possibility of lightning striking my lil pool nagging in the back of my mind, I climbed out and got on my way, hiking in my swim clothes in the rain, as there didn’t seem much point in getting changed

Now I was heading North, with some welcome sections of easy road-walking and staying nice and cool in the rain, I was able to complete my circular route and pitch up not far from where I started, with views of the Rhinogs. I dried off, made my tea, and sat for hours just watching the clouds roll over the peaks. I reflected on the last 3 days. I hadn’t expected much from this trip, and honestly, due to the terrain and the weather forecast, I thought it might have been one of those that I bailed on. But actually, it was so amazing. Having no real expectations and just going with the flow can take you to some real beautiful places