Wildcamping in an Old Quarry - Deep in the Forests of Northumberland.

[@leewarren5819]

Another great video 🎉, nice tfm shots with nice relaxing music, the cello is my favourite instrument. Keep living life 😊

[@donnavansenior]

It's a lovely tune called 'Hiraeth' by Scott Buckley, I've used it a few times over the years, and it was perfect for the TFM shots on this video. Sometimes the hardest part of editing for me is finding suitable music that's copyright free. Cheers Lee, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@thegeordiefellwalker8878]

definitely easier by bike overall Donna & what goes up must come down 🚴💪👍 them pesky bloody flies 😲

[@donnavansenior]

I've only ever done this deep in to the forest by bike, but usually I've been pushing up the hills Geordie 😂 This bike just ate up those hills effortlessly - ok I still have to pedal, but there's very little 'red-face' involved lol. It was a cracking good downhill the next day. And not too shabby a pitch either, sod the flies lol 😁🚵🏼‍♀️🏕️

[@Kev_Russ]

Nice place that for a wild camp Donna. Bet you dinnae see a soul aboot there. Lovely drone shots. 😎👌

[@donnavansenior]

Cheers Kev, yeah it was a great find, nice and remote and no-one to be seen for miles. Just how I like it :)

[@smujiodome]

Excellent Donna. Great production. x

[@donnavansenior]

Cheers Stewart, another canny trip out and managed to get some great TFM footage :)

[@BorderRambler]

You found a nicely tucked away spot there Donna, those bloody flies tho 😂😂😂 and the midge !! Proper hardcore camper , you’re doing better with weather than I have on trips lately too 👍 atb Dave

[@donnavansenior]

That bike is great for reaching those hard to get to parts of the forest, the quarry sits at about 420-450m high, so not a bad effort for Sami carrying my and my luggage lol. And still enough battery left for a bit more explore the following morning - mind it was mostly downhill....weeeeeee!!!! haha, A pretty canny perch for the evening mind Dave, what a view! And just enough breeze to keep those nasty flies at bay. I'm just gonna pop your latest one on the big tv now :)

[@MarkSweeting_]

Wish I had more time to do this especially after watching this. 👌👌👌👌👌

[@donnavansenior]

Me too, I wish I had more time to do stuff like this. Ah the joys of being a responsible adult :-( lol. Cheers Mark 😁🏕️🚵🏼‍♀️

[@jimmy.mccutcheon.1961]

Nice one Donna 😉👍

[@donnavansenior]

Cheers Jimmy, quite a canny find this little spot, I'll defo head back in the future :)

[@thegeordiewildcamper]

Beautiful DVS - really enjoyed the drone and music!

[@donnavansenior]

Glad you enjoyed it Steven, another nice camp and cycle, and bonus points for the weather 😁🏕️

[@rtk3543]

Great camp Donna, you can't go wrong in Northumberland. btw have you tried Avon Skin so Soft body spray ( you probably have) I swear by it, it keeps midges and other biting critters away and you can spray it on your more delicate parts ☺and its safe on pets too, I dilute it to 50/50 so its not so oily. Cheers me lovely 👍

[@donnavansenior]

I used to use the Avon Skin So Soft, but it's not half as good as Smidge. The Avon stuff is designed to soak in to your skin, leaving it soft and supple - when it's first applied the midges can't get past the oil-iness of it, so that's why they can't bite you, but as soon as your skins absorbed it then the midges are back in buffet mode 😂 whereas Smidge just keeps them off full stop. and lasts for hours. I've been swarmed badly a few times, and have it on video, but with the Smidge on me I never got more than a bite or two at most. It's amazing stuff and I always keep a couple of bottles handy. My rear end got infiltrated on this outing because I hadn't Smidge'd up haha, I was too busy trying not to crash the TFM lol. X

[@rtk3543]

@@donnavansenior 👍❤

[@loz1317]

Ooh, those flies horrendous 😮 nice spot you camped in Donna views fabulous 👌

[@donnavansenior]

I hate the black flies, give me midges any day! A lush spot to call home for the night, the views were mesmerising X

[@MiriamKennedy]

Those flies that were moving in on the camera upfront were relentless Donna 😮 Glad they weren’t such a big deal after that…a lovely spot for a night out! The drone shots on the bike looked great the next morning. I know that adrenaline knot when nearing a crash all too well 🫣 You’ve got a great workhorse ally with the bike 🤗

[@donnavansenior]

I've never been buzzed by that many black flies! Yikes! It was good to get back on the bike and escape them. And that's the joy of this e-bike Miriam, I'm not fussed if I have to retrace my steps a mile or so, because the bike makes it a bit easier and it's such fun to ride. It's an absolute powerhouse for eating up the hills, if I'd done this on my Carrera it would have taken me close to double the time. The TFM had my heart stopped a few times that night 😂😂 I had another clip I didn't use because it just missed the trees by inches and I had to put the brakes on super quick - that 2nd clip I took it rather cool, stopped it right near the tree top, and then casually raised it and flew forward haha. It made for good footage! They're great toys to play with - does yours have obstacle avoidance on it? I've been tempted to upgrade, but not just yet...it'll be great to have them flying over Inis Mor 😁😁

[@MiriamKennedy]

@@donnavanseniormy new drone does have obstacle avoidance - I use it so rarely that I forget how to use it every time! You’ll have a great time flying it on Inis Mór - nothing like the Atlantic Ocean to get the heart racing when the drone is in the air 😂

[@grahamtaylor20]

Wow Donna, I must say what wonderful FM shots you did on this trip, fantastic views. You certainly found a few nes spots for your adventures too. Marvellous stuff. I'm all packed now, except forca few bits and bobs, ready for my Pembrokeshire tour of Monday. Will post a few pics when. I return. Take care, and catch you soon. xx❤

[@donnavansenior]

Two more sleeps Gray then you're off, I bet you can't wait. I've got a few weeks til my Irish odyssey, and I'm super excited for that, busy making plans of what I want to see and do, but I'll obviously be winging it a good bit as per usual lol. I'll be taking the Carrera and will hopefully be meeting up with an Irish KZbinr I've admired for years.....she has a bike as well :) I loved this forest adventure, it was great to race up those hills with Sami the Cube, what an absolute powerhouse that bike is! And a grand pitch at the top, what a cracking good view for the night :) Ciao for now Gray, have a great tour Xx

[@DaveandBuddyOutdoors]

Nice one Donna, Watching this with a headset on, those flies sounded like they were buzzing round my head! Almost started swatting them away! 😅 Looks like 'Sami's' doing you well 👌 That drone footage, wow! Up there sure looks beautiful. I'm getting the urge to go travelling again, unsure where to head to though, I don't drive and was hoping to be away with Buddy for my birthday (like last year) but sadly didn't happen (it's tomorrow) Enjoyed the music on this too, you've a good ear for picking the right music for scenes. I appreciate the effort and time it takes to find music that suits. "Such a responsibility, all this technical stuff..." Yep, even when I take the GoPro out with me I rarely use it! Just can't be ars*d most of the time, too busy just enjoying being out 😆 Also, I checked out Jo Koy (here on U-tube), he's pretty good, had me LOL-ing a few times, cheers for the recommendation 👍 Cheers for sharing, Take care All the best D & B 👍

[@donnavansenior]

Happy Birthday Dave! 🎂😁 What an epic spot for the night ay! Wow, I was chuffed to bits with finding this place, I'd been looking at heading here for a while, and was waiting for time off work and suitable weather to attempt it. The bike did great carrying all that weight up to those heights. It's a proper workhorse up those forest gravel tracks - and it's obviously great fun heading back down the next day (with teeth gritted haha). No amount of flies would have ruined the day, but I'm pleased there was a bit of a breeze in the old quarry to keep them mostly at bat once I'd set up camp. And thanks for mentioning the music, it's usually the part that takes the longest - finding suitable music, although I have used this track before. I hope you and Bud manage to get out somewhere for your birthday, and that the sun shines and you really enjoy your day. Have a good un Dave :)

[@MarkSweeting_]

Will have a goosie gander later. Looking forward to it 👌

[@donnavansenior]

It was a pretty cool pitch, a bit stony but the views were mint :)

[@LundysWildcampBushcraft]

Cracking video Donna the bike is a great addition to your Channel them flys were out in force atvb Jimmy 😎😎👍👍

[@donnavansenior]

Aye the black flies early on were a nightmare, yak! Not that many up at the quarry though, there was just enough breeze to mostly keep them at bay. Yeah the bike is a real game changer at the minute, there's no chance I could have hiked up there with my knee and dodgy foot combo ☹️ but being on bike is effortless almost, even though you still have to pedal. Cheers Jimmy, looking forward to watching your Wester Tor vid (or Easter Tor, unsure which one it was)

[@dekacoombe4595]

Brilliant Donna , cracking drone footage up there , my favourite place to have an adventure where you never see a soul , definitely the way forward the ebike 👌🏻💯, thanks for sharing mate atvb Deka 👍🏻

[@donnavansenior]

Cheers Deka - yeah it's an area I've been camping in for a good few years now, but never really explored properly. The joy of Sami is that I can explore every track, whether it's a dead end or not, and see what else the forests have to offer. I've got some more spots lined up for this area, and also in other forests further west. It's getting the right weather that's the tricky part ;-) Thanks for watching Deka :)

[@peterappleton5213]

Cracking video Donna, and some wonderful filming, just the peaceful vibe that the country needs all the best from sunny Kent and the southern pansies ❤

[@donnavansenior]

Thanks Peter, it was a lovely chilled out camp, and that quarry was a perfect home for the night. I'd never have made it up there without that bike though - soft northern pansie that I am 😂😂 hope you're keeping well basking in the heat of southern climes ;-)

[@RamblingRuth]

What a cracking spot for the night! And you look so happy which is just fantastic.

[@donnavansenior]

The mark of a good pitch for me is if I'll ever head back there in the future - and the answer is Yes to this place. Even in winter I'll be able to do those tracks with the bike, as long as there's no snow or ice. No-one around for miles and views to make you smile Ruth, that's what does it for me x

[@TheNeilo-Audiosound]

Ahhh Donna I’m too busy laughing at What Flies apparently eat😂 and There was plenty of them.OMG🙈 you needed an Aussie Hat with the corks on yet overall what a great Location and Camp site you found.Simply Awesome so it really turned out well in the end plus a nice Day. Kuiu was great to see again and it’s still the business. At least I’ve got more Vinyl than you have Tents😂 I was just about to say what an ideal location for your Drone then out it came with a vengeance. Superb Donna as always and glad I got all my uploads done so I could Watch you do your thing🙏👍🎼💙💙💙🇬🇧 ⛺️ Edit.Fill me in on the Bike Donna as with my Impending Second hip replacement will I still manage with something like that?

[@donnavansenior]

Evening Neilo - and thanks for taking the time to tune in to DVS and her special guests.....the flying poop eating nasties of the Border forests!! - how disgusting was that! Mind after pushing the bike for 20minutes uphill, in that heat, I didn't let them bother me too much. Now the bike....it's literally the best thing ever for me, I'm still in total awe of it. If you're getting hip no.2 done this type of shaped bike won't be any good for you, it'll be too high to cock your leg over, you'll need something with a dipped down crossbar. Most manufacturers do both style frames. I can't recommend e-bikes highly enough Neilo, for me it's been like getting my freedom back, no aches and pains and I can go exploring for miles and miles - and with careful planning and research I can battle my way through black flies to reach Nirvana for the night, where I had a bit dance to Prince and 'Sign of the Times' and some Pixies stuff ;-) That Kuiu tent is still the biz, how good did it look on the tfm footage, and what a place to call home for the night! Cheers Neilo :)

[@colinmarsh5955]

Hi Donna, you said to let you know how I'm getting on with my new kuiu storm. I'm out with the tent just now near whitewater reservoir I'm on Priestlaw overlooking one of your old camping spots Spartleton hill. Tent is great, pitch isn't perfect but you can't have everything.

[@donnavansenior]

Great stuff Colin! You should have went up Spartleton though, some flattish spots near the trig and the grouse butts to use as a clubhoose lol. I was up Whiteadder reservoir a few months ago, with all intentions of doing Spartleton again, but I ended up short of time so had a van night instead. Good to hear you like the tent - it's a tried and tested design and Kuiu's attention to detail is excellent. Are you on Instagram? I'd love to see some photos :)

[@bq77niunia]

I love that tent.

[@donnavansenior]

It's a thing of beauty 😍 I love taking it out. Kuiu have had a few sales on recently, they've been selling these at a really good price 👍

[@colinmarsh5955]

Hey Donna, you've been a big help. I'll get onto amazon just now and have a butcher's at their footprints . I'm a fussy bugger ( I call it fussy others call it OCD lol ) but I'm extremely particular about drying off tents etc . In windy conditions I would expect it easier to pitch with footprint attached but I'll follow your example and keep them separate for just now, see how I get on. Cheers stay safe🤜🤛

[@donnavansenior]

Let me know how you get on. I'm a fussy bugger with pitching, but the Hikeman groundsheet, for the money, isn't far off a perfect fit. The Storm Star is 10cm wider at the head end than at the foot end, so all I do is gently tuck the tiny amount of excess groundsheet under itself. For £21.99 I'd tuck a foot away haha

[@ChrisPaul1892]

Unreal that bike is as for the tent Donna's a trend setter 😉

[@donnavansenior]

I knew the Kuiu tents would get popular over here. I had some online shit about comparing one to a Hilleberg a few years ago, from Hilleberg owners, which was just daft. So it's good to see more people in the UK out using them, they're great quality tents and they look pretty cool as well. And as for that bike - holy moley, it'll tackle just about anything - but that section with the flies at the beginning, it was a bit too sketchy with the rough gravel and steep gradient, so it was sensible to get off and push. Another cracking good wildcamp Chris :)

[@ChrisPaul1892]

@@donnavansenior them hille owners 😆 no matter what you say your always gonna upset someone. Aye the flys were abit much like must have been a carcass close by but those tmf shots 😍

[@kevinwilde]

canny crack you take care. do you visit the north Pennines canny crack at Alston.

[@donnavansenior]

Cheers Kevin - and yes I do visit the North Pennines - I was there last week, just had a cycle though, didn't do any camping. I've camped up at Cross Fell in the past and up some of the fells near Hartside, also did High Cup Nick and lots of the moors up past Stanhope way. It's a great area, but you've got to keep an eye on the weather ;)

[@catherineweaver9302]

Stop teasing me with nice places, tents, E bikes, Forest trails, flies, sweat, views and freedom to roam...(.I sent those flies as revenge...😈)...🤣🤣

[@donnavansenior]

Not a bad pitch ay Annie? And easy work with Sami the Cube, mind I've still got to pedal, so it's not like I'm bombing up on a motorbike 😂 It's somewhere I'll head back to again, and I scouted a few other places out as well......now get yourself a bike and we can go out playing like we used to back in the day lol.

[@catherineweaver9302]

@@donnavansenior I wish!!!

[@colinmarsh5955]

Hi Donna, looking through some of your older videos and noticed you had a bespoke footprint ( I still call them groundsheet lol )for your storm2. How do you find it ? I have a Kuiu groundsheet that came with my storm2 but liked the look of your groundsheet that covers the vestibules. Does it fit your other Kuiu tent and can it be left on the tent so it's easier to pitch ? Cheers👍

[@donnavansenior]

Hi Colin - yip, I had Lucy at Quintcraft make me a footprint to cover both vestibules. I've used this tent a heck of a lot and the footprint isn't waterproof now, so I don't really use it anymore, I paid £70 for it a few years ago. If you don't mind a footprint that's maybe a cm or so not perfect - then look on Amazon for a Hikeman Groundsheet - you want size MEDIUM, it will cost you £21.99. It's the same weight as the Quintcraft one. This Hikeman groundsheet covers both porch areas and it's a decent groundsheet. Most 2p dome shaped tents with twin doors are basically the same size.....so I've used the Hikeman with my Storm Star, my Mountain Star and even my OEX Rakoon. It fits them all pretty darned perfectly. I'm not fussed if there's an inch or two discrepancy. I'd personally never leave a groundsheet attached to a tent - it bulks up the pack size and drying would be problematic. Hope that helps some :)

[@colinmarsh5955]

Hi Donna, is it possible to swap out the inners of the Star and the storm? Could be handy if they could be swapped over with each other . I know the tents are slightly different in size but they are pretty close to each other in the interior. Just wondered if you'd tried it . Cheers 🍻

[@donnavansenior]

I'd never thought of that.......now I'm going to have to try it out if I get spare time this week. Daft busy and headed to Ireland next week. Good thinking though Colin! You'll be the first to know when I try it....

[@bq77niunia]

Hi Donna It’s Tom we met at st.Oswald

[@bq77niunia]

Nice Chanel

[@donnavansenior]

Hi Tom 😊

[@donnavansenior]

Thank you

[@colinmarsh5955]

I went up Spartleton hill about a month back. Pitched near the grouse buts no problems. I was walking the old Herring road and took a wee detour up Spartleton. I'm not on Instagram ,I'm on WhatsApp if that's any good.

[@donnavansenior]

Aye, add me on 07305936092 - I'll delete this comment in a few hours, just to keep my mobile number private lol. I always like to see photo's of the Kuiu's out in action :)