#Shipton campsite

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Mount Kenya National Park & Reserve-Come touch the sky

Mount Kenya National Park & Reserve-Come touch the sky Climbing to 5,199 meters, Mount Kenya is the second tallest mountain in Africa. The scenery surrounding this designated World Heritage Site is breath-taking. It is pristine wilderness with lakes, tarns, glaciers, dense forest, mineral springs and a selection of rare and endangered species of animals, high altitude adapted plains game and unique montane and alpine vegetation. Visitors can enjoy mountain climbing, camping and caving with the mountain’s rugged glacier-clad peaks providing the perfect backdrop. Key features Wildlife Include Elephants, tree hyrax, white tailed mongoose, suni, black fronted duiker, mole rat, bushbucks, water buck and Elands. Animals rarely seen include leopard, bongo, giant forest hog . Birds Over 130 bird species have been recorded. Important Information for Visitors All visitors should enter the park with a qualified and certified guide. Guides and potters have identification cards issued by the park management. Disposable plastic water bottles are not allowed in the park. Guides and potters are not allowed to carry luggage that exceed 25KG. Weighing of luggage will be done at the gate on entry. All visitors are required to check in and out of the park, this is done by recording personal information in the entry and exit books. Climate Climate, flora and fauna on Mt. Kenya varies with altitude What to take with you Drinking water Picnic items and camping equipment if you intend to stay overnight Walking boots, Warm clothing, Training shoes, socks, sandals and gaiters. Also useful are: binoculars, camera, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses How to get there Roads: 175 Kms from Nairobi, the park can be reached on Nanyuki-Isiolo road via Sirimon Track or Nyeri-Nanyuki road near Naro Moru. The park is also reachable via Chogoria on the Embu - Meru road, about 150km north of Nairobi. Mountain climbing routes without an official gate include: Kamweti Marania Burguret Themwe  Airstrips: The closest commercial airstrip to the park is at Nanyuki Attractions Pristine wilderness, lakes, tarns, glaciers and peaks of great beauty, geological variety, forest, mineral springs, rare and endangered species of animals, High altitude adapted plains game, Unique montane and alpine vegetation with 11 species of endemic plants. Accommodation: KWS Self Catering Batian Guest House Sirimon Cottage   Campsites Kinondoni Campsite Road Head Mintos Hut & Campsite Narumoru Gate Campsite Met Station Campsite Mackinders Campsite Austrian Hut Campsite Sirimon Gate Campsite Judmaier Campsite Shipton Campsite Liki North Hut 7 Campsite Solo Campsite Major Campsite     Read the full article

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A guide to Island Peak

If you are looking for a guide to Island Peak Climb visit, here are a few things that can help you get a heads up before you enter the realms of the mighty mountains. The climb is becoming extremely popular as more and more climbers visit the Island Peak Base camp to reach the point at a height of 6189 meters. All of this about an Island Peak climb and more are delicately put in the following manner: 

Island Peak: a History

Prologue for Island Peak Climb

Experiencing Island Peak Climb

Hotels and settlements during Island Peak Climb

Where to go on Island Peak Climb

When to visit Island Peak Climb

Island Peak: a History

The name Island Peak was given by Eric Shipton when he came with his British Everest Expedition crew in 1953. The mountain was so named as it appears to be like an island in a sea of ice and snow. It was later changed to Imja Tse in 1983, but the name Island Peak is more popular than its latest name. The Island Peak climb was originally used by the British expedition as a part of a practice climb before they made their historic ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. The team who climbed Imja Tse comprised Tenzing Norgay, Charles Evans, Alfred Gregory, Charles Wylie, and seven other Sherpas. Since then the peak has been a training climb before making the ascent of the mighty Everest for many mountaineers. The British expedition of 1953 scaled the southwest summit of Island Peak, but the first to make it atop the main summit was by the members of the Swiss team comprising of Hans-Rudolf Von Gunten and two unknown Sherpas.

Prologue for Island Peak Climb

The trip to the Island Peak is a popular trek which includes all the necessary elements required to make your trek in the Himalayas a memorable one. The trekking path towards Island Peak walks us through the green valleys of the Himalayan region. You can indulge yourself in the century-old Nepali and Tibetan culture while you make your way towards the base camp. The Island Peak trip offers the most spectacular scenery of the mountain ranges located in the Khumbu Region. The path lies on the same trail leading the trekking party towards the famous Everest Base Camp until the path separates on reaching Dingboche. Since it runs along the famous trail, you will come across many lodges and settlements in quaint villages as you go forward. You will also make your way through jungles filled with birds and dominated by Rhododendron trees and fir trees. The sceneries you come across on almost every turn once you travel uphill is also worth mentioning. That's probably because there are numerous viewpoints along the path where you can envision the sight of the mighty mountains surrounding the area. 

Experiencing Island Peak Climb

The Island Peak climb is considered to be a physically challenging climb, rather than a technically difficult climb. We will be providing the guides for the trek as well for the climb including the porters to help you with your luggage. However, in order to be successful with the climb, one must be a fit and enthusiastic advanced beginner with basic climbing skills. The whole trip is also adjusted according to the pace taken by the trekking party so that you can enjoy the journey to the maximum. There are some points where we have assigned an extra day for acclimatization, and you can make full use of that particular day. There will be no hassle for lodging during your trek as there are lots of cozy lodges to stay in along the trail. The hosts in these lodges and tea houses are well known for their hospitality, so you are in good hands. Despite the extremity in terrain and harshness of the climate, our tour guides are properly trained to help you reach the base camp and make the climb successfully. 

Hotels and settlements during Island Peak Climb

The only hotel you might get the luxury of staying in will be when you are in Kathmandu for the first time and at the end of the trip. As you make your way up the valleys, the altitude rises rapidly, and the face of civilization falls with the same vigor. But since you will be taking the popular trekking trail leading to many base camps, including Mount Everest Base camp, there are numerous villages with comfy lodges at cheap rates for your disposal. Your first lodging in the mountains after leaving Kathmandu will be held at Phakding, a small hamlet located on the banks of Dudh Koshi. As you go further up the valley, you will reach Namche Bazaar inhabited mostly by Sherpas, and here as well, there are a number of small cozy lodges and tea houses for you to spend the night in. While reaching Deboche via Thyangboche from Namche, you might notice a drop in the density of the villages you pass. Nonetheless, the people hosting their guests at the settlements are the most friendly people and are well known for their hospitality.

 You will have a night’s halt at Lobuche where you will be spending the night at a tea house settlement. The same applies when you make your way to Gorak Shep and downhill towards Dingboche. You will be provided with a sufficient amount of blankets to keep yourself warm at night. Even if the days are relatively warmer in the mountains, the night can be extremely chilly and windy. So it is important you keep yourself warm to avoid getting sick at this altitude. As you reach the Island Peak Base camp, the camping experts will help you set up camps for a night’s rest before your attempts on climbing the Island Peak. Depending on the itinerary you have chosen, we may visit the 2nd Base camp of Island Peak, where we will need to set up another campsite for the night. As you retrace your steps, you will be visiting the same places you stayed at earlier Until we fly back to Kathmandu, where you will get the first sight of modern civilization after more than 15 days in the Mountain region.

Where to go on Island Peak Climb

The normal and easier route involves the starting of the trip after your arrival in Kathmandu. A day is kept aside to check your equipment and also to get a briefing about the importance of acclimatization at high altitudes by our staff. Another day will be set for local sightseeing, where you can visit the religious Boudha of the Buddhist, and the Swayambhunath and Pashupatinath of the Hindus to receive blessings before you embark on the mountain journey. On the 3rd day, we fly to Lukla airport via Kathmandu Airport, from where your trekking starts. The first place we come to is Phakding. Being a small hamlet on the banks of the river Dudh Koshi, the location has several lodges scattered along the river. We stay for a night in one of those lodges. The next day is an uphill climb towards Namche Bazaar, which is the capital of the Khumbu Region. It is inhabited mostly by the sherpas who are well known for their hospitality. A day is set for the acclimatization session as the trail gets steeper from here on. You can also witness the Namche Haat, which is held on Saturdays at the nearby market place. On this day, the Tibetan merchants are allowed to cross the Nepal Tibet Border and sell their wares. It is definitely a colorful sight and if you wish you can purchase souvenirs to take back home in memory of your mountain trip.

After our entertainment at Namche, we head uphill and make our way through to Thyangboche and Thyangboche Monastery. This monastery is visited by many climbers to pay respect to Lord Buddha, and still, some visit the monastery for the splendid viewpoint at this location. It is one of the high altitude Monasteries in the world. After coming together with this holy place, we make our way to Deboche to rest for the night.  After visiting the Deboche Convent which was completely restored by Climb High in 2015, we make our way to Periche. The trail is on a broad and gently sloping valley leading to Phalang Karpo (4340m). The trail leads us to excellent viewpoints for Tawachee and Cholatse peaks at a height of 6440 meters. As we make our way to Dungla, the trail becomes steeper and we come across a row of snow monuments built in the memory of the brave climbers who tried on their climb of Mount Everest. As the trail lowers a little, we reach the valley of Lobuche (4930m), and the total hike from Pheriche takes 4 to 5 hours.

After a night’s halt at Lobuche, we make our way towards Gorak Shep and come across Everest Base camp. This campsite normally has the place bustling with people climbing or practicing to climb during Springtime. You can ponder on the thought of being stuck in the campsite while trying to make the ascent of Everest. We turn in a cozy settlement at Gorak Shep after a tiring trek keeping in mind the main task up ahead the next day. That is probably because, in the morning, we will be heading uphill to climb Kala Pattar at a height of 5455 meters.  Kala Pattar is a great vantage point to envision the magnificence of the sunrise and the rays that fall on Mount Everest, from such close proximity, and at such a great height. After the enlightening sight, we head down towards Dingboche to rest for the night. 

The following day, we leave Dingboche towards our primary destination, the Island peak Base camp. The hike is about a 5-hour walk from Dingboche, and we trek across Imja valley towards Chukkung,  a small summer settlement at a height of 4730m. The view from Chukung towards Island Peak is tremendous and not to be missed. From Chukkung, we keep heading uphill on Imja valley to finally arrive at our destination, the Island Peak Base camp where we set up camp for the night. The day after this is kept aside for acclimatization to the higher altitude, and also to recheck your equipment and get basic practice to climb Imja Tse from our climbing experts. The next day is a summit day. We scale the island Peak which is at a height of 6189 meters with the help of our climbing experts. After a tiring climb of the Island Peak, we head towards the next base camp to set camp for the night.  

After witnessing the climb we head downhill towards Pangboche and Namche, where we spend a night in each village. From Namche, we make our long walk back to Lukla Airport through the bank of Dudh Koshi, to end your expedition of the Island Peak. We fly back to Kathmandu, where you can get back to the first hit of civilization after almost 2 whole weeks of the mountain.

When to visit Island Peak Climb

Spring season from March to May and the Autumn season from mid-September to November are the best seasons for this trip. Although Island Peak Climb can be made during the winter season, the cold temperature might not be suitable for everyone. Monsoon is another season not good for visiting the island peak or anywhere nearby in the context as the trekking trails are muddy and slippery. Not to forget the view is foggy and clouded from the best viewpoints in the world.

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GLAMPING | Spring Glamping at Wigwam Holidays Clarion Lodge, Otley in Yorkshire

Where did I go?

Clarion Lodge Campsite West Chevin Road Menston Ilkley Leeds West Yorkshire LS29 6BG

www.wigwamholidays.com

Need to know

£48 per night for 2 people

Weekly prices from £280 for 2 people sharing

Arrivals between 2pm and 6pm, departure by 11am

Cabins all have heating, electricity and a basic kitchen area

Big Chief cabins sleep up to 5 people and do not include a bathroom

Bedding is not provided

Dogs are welcome

Ideal for exploring Ilkley Moor

The accommodation

On site at Clarion Lodge campsite there are 3 spacious ‘Big Chief’ Wigwams, one of 3 different cabin styles offered by Wigwam Holidays. I arrived late on a chilly Friday night to find the lights on, the key in the door and thankfully, the heater already on inside my cabin.

The cabins are spacious and have a U shaped seating configuration, plus a further sofa opposite the kitchen area. With the addition of sliding wooden boards the main U shaped seating area can be made into an enormous bed, and along with the second sofa made up as a bed, the cabins can sleep up to 5 people. As I was traveling alone, I opted to make up a single bed (bring your own bedding), and then set about unpacking.

My bed set up inside the cabin

Although the kitchen inside the cabin is basic, it includes a kettle, toaster, fridge and a microwave as well as plates and cutlery, so I’d planned my meals accordingly, and handily had some freeze dried camping meals with me, meaning my late dinner was just a case of boiling the kettle. The Chevin Inn pub is very close to the site (a few minutes walk) which looked lovely, but I didn’t get chance to try it out.

Kitchen facilities inside the cabin

The cabin warmed up quickly and I

The only changes I would make would be to include optional bedding packs for guests and I do love a good campfire, even a communal area with a firepit would have been lovely, though I suspect this isn’t possible due to the size of the site.

The view from Beech cabin

On site

Although this is a small campsite, you’ll find everything you need for a short stay or holiday. The site includes good facilities that include toilet and shower blocks and a washing up cabin with sinks, hot water and great area packed full of tourist information leaflets. The site owners too are happy to advise you on the local area and are full of recommendations of things to do and places to see.

As this is a small site, there is no shop on site, but it’s right on the edge of the town of Chevin, so shops aren’t far away at all.

The toilet and shower block on the left and the little green washing up cabin beyond

Out and about

The weather forced a last minute change of plans for me, instead of heading out to walk on Ilkley Moor as I had planned, due to pouring rain and poor visibility. I decided instead to head to Mother Shipton’s Cave in the beautifully picturesque Knaresborough followed by an afternoon in the lovely spa town of Harrogate.

Family friendly woodland walk at Mother Shipton’s Cave

Looking back out towards the petrifying well from Mother Shipton’s Cave

Mother Shipton’s Cave was quirky, informative and fun, and after I took the opportunity to take a good long walk following the River Nidd. After my walk I sought out a mint tea and food and whilst there were plenty of cafes and tea rooms to choose from, I liked the look of The Ugly Ducking Tea Room where I had a delicious meal overlooking the River.

I’d definitely recommend a walk beside the River Nidd in Knaresborugh

The verdict

The campsite is pretty and well kept, and whilst it’s the smallest campsite I’ve stayed at and it was out of season, the cabins were all full – proving what a popular choice the Wigwam Holiday cabins here are, whatever the weather!

I’ve previously stayed  in the ‘Running Water’ style cabin which includes a full kitchen and ensuite shower room and absolutely loved the convenience of having those facilities inside the lodge, however, don’t let the fact that there’s no sink or bathroom facilities inside the ‘Big Chief’ cabin put you off! No matter which of the 3 cabins you’re in here, you are just a few steps away from the toilet and shower block which also has a standpipe outside.

In terms of value for money, particularly for families and small groups who want a warm and comfortable base to explore the region from, you can’t go far wrong choosing Wigwam Holidays Clarion Lodge. At just £48 per night (it’s cheaper still if you book for a whole week), they represent excellent value for money.

Sweeping countryside views

The views from the site over the moors are extensive and the area itself has lots to offer, from amazing walking on Ilkley Moor and at Chevin Forest Park through to great fun family days out at places like Mother Shipton’s Cave in near by Knaresborough.

In my opinion Wigwam Holidays Clarion Lodge is the ideal choice for young families and I thoroughly enjoyed my short stay!

Find out more

Clarion Lodge Campsite

The Chevin Inn

Mother Shipton’s Cave

Chevin Forest Park

Ilkley Moor

Visit Harrogate

The Ugly Ducking Tea Room

Bolton Abbey

Thank you to Wigwam Holidays who invited us to stay.

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Original Source http://www.campingwithstyle.co.uk/glamping-spring-glamglamping-spring-glamping-at-clarion-lodge-wigwams-otley-yorkshireping-clarion-lodge-wigwams-otley-yorkshire/ For the best knives to use whilst camping check out Carlson Knives http://www.carlsonknives.com/