Backpacking Experience
Try backpacking before you buy all the gear and make expensive mistakes.
Buy once, with sensible choices.
Try Backpacking before you buy
Beginners’ two-day Backpacking and Wild Courses Camping & Adventure Days.
Join one of our 1 or 2-night backpacking courses on the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire
Fully immerse yourself in the great outdoors!
The best method, in my opinion, is to put your home on your back and go backpacking.
If you want to enjoy this experience, then only pack the essentials; the more you carry, the heavier your load.
You will quickly regret adding those little extras, just in case……
Backpacking – Beginner Backpacking Wild Camping Adventure
If you haven’t been backpacking before, don’t expect to walk long distances per day until you get backpacking fit.
If you are a beginner to Backpacking and Wild Camping, it’s easy to think you need to spend £1000’s to get all the kit, if you watch certain YouTube channels.
You don’t have to buy a Hilleberg tent, costing over £1000 alone
There is some fantastic kit that costs a fraction of that, and is nearly just as good.
So before you go out and buy all this gear, then find out it is not for you, give it a try first.
Crawling in and out of a tent on the side of a mountain is not for everyone.
The reality can be different from your expectations!!!
Watching a beautiful sunset or sunrise, now that is!!!!
So you have just spent £500, £800, or maybe over £1000.
Now what do you do if it’s not for you?
Try before you buy!
We are now offering the chance to go on an accompanied two-day
backpacking and wild camping experience consisting of a one-night backpacking expedition, with all the backpacking kit provided, on the
North York Moors or Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire, apart from your clothing, sleeping bag and personal use items.
We are offering two different options.
Using the equipment provided
1) We navigate around the hills during the day but make our way to a organised campsite, with all the basic amenities, and camp there over night. There may even be a pub nearby.
2) We navigate around the hills, then find a secluded spot to wild camp overnight.
In the UK, the only places you can legally wild camp are on Dartmoor in England and in wild areas of Scotland.
In England if you wild camp, without the permission of the land owner you are trespassing and can be told to move on.
Often, it is not practical to get permission, so we do the following
a) We find an isolated location, above the last fence line on a hill or mountain.
b) We set up camp late, just before sun set.
We cook our own food, maybe have a drink or two as we watch the sunset, then have a good nights uninterrupted sleep.
c) We leave early, and we ensure we LEAVE NO TRACE of our being there.
The principals of:- Leave no Trace.
Definitely no open fires!
The equipment we supply
- Quality Expedition Rucksack
- Rucksack liner
- 1 or 2 person tent
- Footprint
- Inflatable sleeping pad
- Inflatable pillow
- Rechargeable tent light
We do NOT supply a sleeping bag, as this is a
personal item. - LPG stove & gas
- Windshield
- Lighter
- Pots and pans for cooking
- Knife fork and spoon
- A collapsible mug
- Washing up kit
- Water filter
- Water bottle
- Maps
- Compass
- 10,000 mAh power bank & leads
- Head torch
- Basic First aid kit
- Seat mat
- Toilet trowel for digging a cat hole
What, Where & When
You receive the services of the instructor, who is there to provide guidance on navigation, safe movement on rough terrain, and camping skills. You are provided with a comprehensive backpackingkit
The two day expedition will take place on the North York Moors or Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire.
The expeditions can take place between early May and late September, to avoid frosts &Â high winds if possible.
[You don’t want to be put off before you even start]
Camp craft skills, where and how to pitch your tent. What food to bring and eat? How to obtain clean water.
How and where to go to the toilet (wild camping)
WARNING, we will be in remote locations, on rough ground, inclines, boulders etc. There are trip, slip and fall hazards.
A reasonable level of fitness is required, as you will be carrying
a lot more weight than you are used to on a day hike!
Do not expect to travel long distances
You will need to bring your own personal items, plus clothing and food – a kit list will be provided.
Equipment examples
Alpkit Brewer LPG Stove
Fast boiling of water, with heat exchanger
Seperate cooker and Cook pan set
Lighter in weight & more versatile,
but affected by the wind.
Water filter
Depending upon the model you choose, there are different levels of filtration.
LPG stove & frying pan
Did someone say “Steak for dinner”!
Equipment
Description of equipment to follow
Dehydrated meal
Water is heavy, carry dried food and rehydrate when you get into camp.
The Cost
The cost for the two-day, one-night expedition, including the use of all equipment, is £180 per person. (No discounts for multiple bookings)
In addition, if you wish to stay at a campsite, the overnight camping fee will be extra.
The cost for our three-day two-night course is £225, including the use of equipment (excluding campsite fees, extra).
 If you have any questions please either call me on 07597 165258
Or email me at admin@map-skills-moors-and-dales.co.uk
Or use the contact page.
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Backpacking Kit List.
The kit list I use to try not to forget anything
Everyone’s kit is different. I use this to tick off, the things I want to take. It is just a reminder, that is always being updated.
It changes with the season and the location I am travelling to. Plus the duration of the trip.
Don’t forget food & water.
Have a great trip!
Is there anything you believe should be on the list.
Please email me with your suggestion.
Route planner
Use this planner to think about the 6 D's on your route.
A planning and a safety feature all in one.
It allows you to see how long your proposed route will take, using Naismith’s Rule.
You can also make notes on the back of “waymarks” to tick off or obvious danger areas.
Leave it with a responsible person, just in case.
Emergency details page
Leave these details with a responsible person
No one wants an accident to happen; however, as their name implies accidents do happen.
You may know where you are going, but does anyone else?
You are off on a solo walk/backpacking, what would happen if you fell or twisted an ankle, who would know?
Print off this form and fill it out, if you are then delayed for whatever reason, Search & Rescue of whatever type would at least have an idea where to look.
Fill in the route plan, you plan the route, circumstance might change, a route might be flooded/damaged and you can not use it. At least there will be a rough idea where you may be.
Book a course today! Before the best day of your life becomes your worst!
Technology is incredible—but it isn’t infallible. A drained battery, a broken device, or a lost signal can turn adventure into danger in seconds, which is why you should master the basics in map and compass navigation.
Our Map & Compass Course gives you confidence, safety, and independence. 
Sign up today – after your next trip may be too late.