Lazing on a sunny afternoon again!

The sun is shining, you have a couple of hammocks, a beautiful wife and a few hours going spare so what do you do? That’s right, you bimble out of your front door and straight on to the New Forest with a rucksack loaded with everything you need to pass a chilled out couple of hours. It turns out that all Mary needed was the hammock, but more of that in a bit.

As I said we came out of the front door, on to the forest and pootled off to a little glade that we know that I swear was designed by someone who loves hammock camping. The trees are perfectly spaced and there are great clearings to set up in and get the stove going so you can have a brew up!

Now the point of the exercise today was to introduce Mary to the sheer bliss of lying in a camping hammock, all she has used up until now is a garden hammock on a tubular frame, neither comfortable nor an overly enjoyable experience.

Anyway, I got Mary’s hammock slung up first and then left her to figure out how to get into it whilst I got mine rigged up.

Then it was a simple case of lying back and just relaxing swaying gently from side to side whilst the only sound was that of a wren who was none too happy that we had invaded his space!

Where we had set up was only 10 minutes from home but was a million miles from anywhere. We had crossed the divide from the modern world with its everyday hustle and bustle to a magical place where time is an unknown construct. All we had to do was just be, and the only major decision to be had was normal tea or rooibos.

So whilst I brewed up Mary got on with the job in hand, relaxing. She got on with this task so well she soon had it mastered to a point that I was being serenaded by some gentle snores! Mary had discovered the bliss of a camping hammock.

I left my lovely wife gently sawing logs and kicked back with my mug of tea (why does it taste better made outside over a wood fire) and did nothing! Just sat in the moment and listened to the birdsong and threw a few more twigs on the fire.

After an hour or so Mary woke up to a somewhat colder cup of tea than she had gone to sleep to and we were both lying there trying to separate ourselves from the hammocks so that we could pack everything away and head home for some lunch. It was at this moment that our illusion was shattered and the modern world caught up with us again as a family on a walk came crashing into our peaceful oasis.

With everything packed away and no sign left to show that we had been there (take only photos leave only footprints) we walked back in to the 21^st century. However, it won’t be long before we escape again! I’m also planning to do an overnight in the same spot soon and have convinced my bro to head to Dartmoor for an overnighter as well!