Ordnance Survey from 1953
I have already gushed over Ordnance Survey maps, but I thought I'd also share this great clip made by 'British Pathe' about how maps used to be made in the 1950s. Please excuse the casual sexism of the time. Enjoy.
Tea Chronicles Pt.7 – Hemlock Tea
Berndt Berglund and Clare E. Bolsby - The Edible Wild, 1971
This is a recipe from "The Edible Wild" a fantastic book written by Berndt Berglund and Clare E. Bolsby.
“Hemlock (Tsuga cadanensis)
As Tea: A very good tea can be made out of young hemlock needles by steeping them in a pot of hot water for about 10 minutes. This tea is a favorite drink among lumbermen.”
This is my kind of recipe. Hemlock trees are pretty easy to find in Maine. They easliy identifiable with rough grey/red bark. Their needles grow in two neat rows on either side of the branch. The needles have a distinct groove on top and two white stripes on the underside.
Brewing up
I headed to a small wooded trail near Freeport with my soda can stove and came across some young Hemlock trees. I cranked the stove and steeped a palm full of needles for ten minutes and gave it a crack.
Hemlock Tea
The tea was quite pleasant. The taste was subtle, the flavour fragrant and piney. Like walking through a dense pine forest. I'd be happy to have this as an alternate to my regular brew and I'm glad I have experimented with it, if nothing else to increase my tea options when hiking. "The Edible Wild" is such a good book and it's given me a ton more ideas for projects. I already started my dandelion wine, more to come on that soon.
Tips from the Archive #001
W.K Merril - Time Until Sunset
Partly inspired by Mike Clelland's excellent Ultralight Backpacking Tips and partly inspired by Aaron Draplin's tweeting philosophy, 'Tips from the Archive' is an open ended compilation of my favorite backpacking tips from hiking history.
Tip 001 - How to tell how soon the sun will be setting.
“Face the setting sun. Extend your arms at full length toward the sun, your wrists bent inwards, your fingers just below the sun. Count how many finger widths separate the sun from the horizon. Allow fifteen minutes per finger. If four fingers fill the space between the horizon an the sun, with your arms fully extended sunset is an hour away; six fingers would mean an hour and a half.”
Mission 66
Clingman's Tower Great Smokies National Park - Photo from the Library of Congress
It was impossible to predict the post war motoring boom that swept across the USA in the 1950s. The US Highway System had opened up the country and the introduction of inexpensive automobiles gave an optimistic, wealthy, America an invitation to hit the road. When they arrived at the National Parks what they found were run down tourist centers built by the Civilian Conservation Corps some 20 years earlier, the deteriorating system was stretched to breaking point and the parks were under threat. The government stepped in and set about radically developing the Parks system with an ambitious ten year plan.
“MISSION 66 is a forward-looking program for the National Park System intended to so develop and staff these priceless possessions of the American people as to permit their wisest possible use; maximum enjoyment for those who use them; and maximum protection of the scenic, scientific, wilderness, and historic resources that give them distinction”
While there were a great many infrastructure developments, the most visible and interactive were the visitors centers. In contrast to the original Civilian Conservation Corps' rustic architecture the new buildings managed to be both bold, contemporary and visible while complementing their surroundings. They became the public face of America's National Parks. In just 10 years more than 100 new visitors centers were open to the public.
Now more than 50 years later the national parks are at a cross roads. A lack of routine maintenance, overuse and a change in attitude amongst visitors is threatening the remaining Mission 66 centers. The architecture style has fallen out of favor and the 'preserve or demolish' stalemate means buildings continue to deteriorate. It now seems that history is repeating itself, when people go to the parks now, what they find are run down, dated visitors centers and an infrastructure which is reaching breaking point. Once again the parks are in danger of being "loved to death."
What strikes me most about Mission 66 is that it represents a large scale celebration of America's national parks, they had a plan and went through with it. It fell in line perfectly with the National Park Services' original mission "to make the parks accessible to all and to preserve them for future generations." I find it really hard to put a stake in the ground as to wether I am for or against the preservation of the Mission 66 architecture. I think, for me, the demolition represents the close of an optimistic, forward thinking chapter in National Parks history from a time when things could get done, my concern is whether another brighter, more celebrated chapter awaits on the next page. I hope it does.
For more information about Mission 66 please visit C. Madrid French's incredibly informative site mission66.com, much of imagery within this post was sourced from Library Of Congress.
VHD Poster Pt. 2
VHD Poster#2 - Trangia Burner
The second VHD poster idea. As always I would love any feedback; loving, hating, not interested? Please feel free to share and pass on, I’d love to get peoples reactions.
Update: The posters have arrived and are available for purchase here
Shackleton
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton
“Fortitudine Vincimus – By endurance we conquer”
Ordnance Survey Maps
Ordnance Survey Maps
“The greatest pleasure in life is opening an Ordnance Survey map”
It was only when I started hiking outside of the UK that I realized how fortunate I was having grown up with Ordnance Survey maps. I always loved the beautiful design, the colours and the impeccable detail but I never appreciated what amazing maps they are.
Ordnance Survey is the official map making body of the United Kingdom. Interestingly enough its roots began in 1747 when Lieutenant-Colonel David Watson proposed to King George II a survey of the Highlands, as a means of controlling the Scottish clans after the Jacobite risings in 1745. Watson was assisted by William Roy, Paul Sandby, and John Manson, and their labours culminated in 'The Duke of Cumberland's Map' (I have also seen this referred to as 'The Roy Military Survey of Scotland' or 'The Great Map') which is now held the British Library. Roy in particular had an incredible affinity for surveying, he commissioned the Ramsden Theodolite and instigated the Principal Triangulation of Great Britain (1783 – 1853) this led to the creation of the Ordnance Survey and in turn the ongoing mapping of the United Kingdom.
The Great Map
What I love most about these maps is the details they hold. The potential for adventure told through their contour lines, village plans and coastal trails. Opening an OS map is like opening a story book; this village has three pubs, a church with a spire and a park bench; I can take this trail over this field, cross these three streams and after the slog up this hill I know I'll get to look across this valley. Its magic.
Overland Track
I really struggled in Australia with some of their maps, I was never in danger of getting lost but they just lacked the detail I was used to. I understand Australia is on a bigger scale than most countries, it has fewer people and less funding for mapping, but I was a little upset when the best map I could find of the Overland Track in Tasmania was 1:100,000 scale. Perhaps I have become a map snob. Lets see what America has to offer. So far the maps have been great, but I'm not sure they will ever have the same place in my heart as the Ordnance Survey maps.
I owe a big thanks to Neil F. King. He tipped me off to the National Library of Scotland who have published a great collection of old Ordnance Survey maps available to view (free) online, they are well worth checking out.
Tea Chronicles Pt.6 - Billy Tea
Mt. French, Frog Buttress, climbers' camp - 1973
Billy tea is a legendary Australian outback brew favored by bushmen. Ted Cais who contributed some of his vintage bushwalking and climbing photography has also been kind enough to pen some of his early memories of billy tea.
“The “Smoke-O” was a staple of outback life around Kajabbi station where I spent my childhood years and never was a finer tea prepared than on an open bush fire.
First, you converted a used jam tin into a billy by threading fencing-wire through holes punched near the top for a handle. The water had to be from a local creek or billabong already steeped in subtle flavours from extracts of plants and wildlife.
Gum trees were plentiful and provided excellent firewood that would be roaring in no time at all. The blackened billy was suspended in the flames without a lid so the water would absorb sparks and ashes whilst coming to a roiling boil. Green eucalyptus leaves were essential on the fire for smoke and distilled oils to imparted a heady signature smoky flavor and complexity.
Brands like “Billy Tea” or “Ty.Phoo Tea” were common in the era and came in coarse leaf form to be measured by eye in a cupped hand and added the instant the boiling water was removed from the fire. Then the billy would be given a few raps with a stick to disperse the leaves and allowed to stew for five minutes or so to achieve a bitter potency saturated with tannins.
The final touch was to swing the billy around your head so centrifugal force would settle the leaves, after which the tea could be decanted into a chipped enamel pannikin. Some might add sugar or even a touch of sweetened condensed milk but the tea was best straight and scalding.
The bushmen would squat around the fire sipping this divine tea while rolling a smoke in Zig-Zag (or Tally-Ho) papers from ready-rubbed flake tobacco with their free hand. A glowing coal from the fire provided the best light so as not to spoil the cigarette with sulphur fumes from a match.
The only tea to compete in aroma is Lapsang Souchong but its flavour is always lacking compared to the classic bush cuppa described above.”
A huge thanks, as ever, to Ted. You can see all of his photography here.
VHD Poster Pt. 1
VHD Poster#1 - Storm Lantern
The first VHD poster idea. My intent is to produce a range featuring my absolute all time favorite pieces of hiking gear. Look out for Trangia burner and Swiss Army Knife among others.
Would love any feedback; loving, hating, not interested? Please feel free to share and pass on, I'd love to get peoples reactions.
Update: The posters have arrived and are available for purchase here
Gear List - Pedestrian Camper - Thomas Hiram Holding
Pedestrian Campers
I have already raved about the magnificent "Campers Handbook" by Thomas Hiram Holding, it is an amazing time capsule of outdoor knowledge. Written in 1908, Hiram was a pioneer of outdoor recreation. While the main focus of the book is on boat and bike travel there is a section on what he calls "pedestrian camping."
“Pedestrian Camping is indeed a delightful past time to those who can walk and love it.”
His kit for two people is as follow.
“Here, then is a list of articles, with their weights, for two people:–
One tent 2lbs Set of two tent poles 1lb Set of pegs (ordinary skewers) 1lb Oil Stove–”Baby Primus” 1lb 3oz Aluminium pans–”So-Soon” 1lb 1oz Two aluminium cups and saucers (plates) 4oz Two aluminium knife, fork and spoon sets 4oz Candlestick and candle 2oz Aluminium box of soap 1oz
The half of this is carried by one hence this must be divided by two, giving 3lbs. 2-oz.
Share of baggage 3lbs 2oz Makintosh 1lb 6oz Air pillow 3oz Down pillow (a luxury) 1oz Sweater 1lb Sleeping stockings (long ones) 6oz Extra walking socks 4oz Down Quilt 1lb 10oz Thin Extra Vest 5oz Scarf 2oz Tooth brush, etc., etc. 3oz Hold-all, with straps (under) 8oz
In addition to this 9lbs, 2oz, there is a towel and also some food, as we always like to keep a small supply. The weight is, I believe, less than that of a military rifle alone. One more word on clothing. Wear a big pair of boots and thick socks, nothing loose around the ankles, and nothing tight anywhere.”
A base weight of under 10lbs puts this list firmly in the ultralight category.