Food and pack bags

Easter Saturday.

Ray's Outdoor Shop is open til 5pm so I must go along to see if I can find a Bedourie Oven. What on earth's that? I hear you ask. It's a means of baking or roasting over an open fire - a bit like the much heavier and more fragile Dutch Oven beloved of American pioneers. A small open fire, some hot ashes and a Bedourie Oven can lead to fresh bread, scones, a tasty stew - in fact all, or most, of the comforts of home! The Aussies who opened up - or who tried to open up - the outback were, as far as I can see, more innovative in many ways than their American equivalents. Certainly it will be quite easy to travel in comfort with the weight-carrying capacity of a pony available. A hiker can head out to the hills, fully equipped for the changing weather of the Scottish mountains, carrying about 9kg on his back. My packpony will be able to carry 50kg with ease.

After Easter I need to contact a fabric supplier in order to buy a few metres of cordura. I will be making my own packbags - or at least designing them. I may well find a sailmaker or similar craftsman to sew them. Alternatively, I have a "speedy stitcher" awl; it doesn't seem speedy "at awl" (what a frightful pun!) and I've "awl"ready - sorry! - jabbed it into my finger and dripped blood onto my new jeans. Well, at least I know how sharp it is - VERY!

I could buy pack bags/panniers from the US at a very reasonable price, but too many US suppliers won't even consider selling overseas, despite there being a Free Trade Agreement between the US and Australia. It would seem eminently sensible to buy stuff like this from the US while I am here, as it will be classed as used personal possessions when I return to Europe, and thus not subject to taxes or duties but anyone would think I was trying to buy rocket launchers or something! Although given the current news in Sydney, buying a rocket launcher might be rather easier than buying pack bags from a US retailer or manufacturer. What IS wrong with most American retailers? I can quite easily, athough expensively, buy from the UK, France, Germany ... but American retailers don't want to sell their stock, it seems - at least not to anyone in Australia! What do they think I am going to do with a pair of pack panniers?

My planned route seems to change, if not day by day, then week by week. The OS site "getamap" is invaluable but, together with my collection of links detailing non-PROW (public right of way) horse-accessible routes, at times offers me an embarrassing choice of routes to take. Or, of course, the alternative of NO routes at all for miles and miles, except a major trunk road devoid of cycle lane or verges ...

Surprisingly, there are relatively few areas of Britain where the latter problem occurs.

I think my route through Britain will be what I can only describe as an enhanced version of John o'Groats to Land's End. I want to do the "Four Corners". These are the northernmost (Dunnet Head), the westernmost (Point of Ardnamurchan), the easternmost (Lowestoft Ness) and southernmost (Lizard Point) corners of mainland Britain. I would really like to do the Three Peaks - Ben Nevis, Scafell and Snowdon - but I am honestly unsure if I can, or even want, to do them at the same time as the Four Corners.