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First time Camping/Hiking
Urian
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So some time between now and the end of spring break I intend to go hiking as well as camping. This is my first time, though i've hiked the wilderness plenty of times in winter and regular seasons. My main question is just to people who have experience with it. I'm a photographer, so i'll want to bring photography stuff along with all the essentials. Since this is my first time I was thinking someplace local, so I have good experience before I go out to Canada or Scotland (two places i've wanted to hike at for a while).
So yeah, just any advice or tips in general about what I should do to prepare are welcome. What I need to bring, what to do, anything. I'm in pretty good shape so the physical aspect isn't a problem (go 4 days a week to the gym). I live in Southern California so if anyone knows any good camping spots in that area, go ahead and name them. Thanks.
So yeah, just any advice or tips in general about what I should do to prepare are welcome. What I need to bring, what to do, anything. I'm in pretty good shape so the physical aspect isn't a problem (go 4 days a week to the gym). I live in Southern California so if anyone knows any good camping spots in that area, go ahead and name them. Thanks.
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B.net: Kusanku
When I've carried a camera, I'll keep it in a zip-lock bag when I'm not using it. It makes me not worry about storms or dirt nearly as much.
...and throw a couple extra garbage bags into your pack: they're light and very useful. (hold dirty clothes, pack covers, etc.)
Look at the weather before you leave but be prepared for rain.
Don't bother packing fruit, it isn't going to hold up. Cereals are pretty convenient and provide a decent amount of energy.
Talk to your local rangers/forest service and get some tips from them.
If you're planning on lighting a fire I'd suggest a magnesium starter as they don't rely on being dry (though starting a fire when everything around you is wet is a bitch in and of itself).
Have a tool; be it a multi-tool, folding knife or kukri. Something that you can cut wood with and dig.
Have someone go with you.
Ryan M Long Photography
Buy my Prints!
My significant other got one for me and it's really come in handy during long hikes.
Other than that, the only advice I can give is to watch out for that damned sasquatch. He's always stealing my food.
edit: the reason she got me this one is because I prefer to go into the woods in wintertime. If you'll be going mostly in the summer you should probably choose a different one.
Map (proper OS type with grid lines, preferable 1:25 scale)
Compass
Knife/leatherman
Torch + spare batteries
Lighter (+ flint if possible)
In side pouch of pack:
Water
In top flap of pack:
Warm kit
Emergency rations
First Aid kit
In main pack, listed from top to bottom:
Waterproofs
Cooking equipment / rations
Extra water
Sleeping bag inside bivvy bag (waterproof bag)
Basha / tent
Pairs of socks + underwear
Spare clothes
+ rollmat attached to pack
Everything should be individually wrapped in plastic bags, preferably with additional waterproof liners for your main pack compartment and top flap. I would also recommend taking a serious knife/machete, as carving & splitting it is the only practicable way to get firewood if it is wet, and if you want to do Scotland/Canada that is a skill you need.
If you want to cut down on weight, which you will need to with a camera (the stuff I listed above generally weighs 15-20kg when I go out), then ditch the tent. They aren't necessary if you have a good sleeping bag, just get a basha instead. This is a large poncho type waterproof which you bungee onto trees and/or secure in the ground with tent pegs, which protects you from the rain. Big enough to fit two underneath. Does roughly the same job as a tent at 1/5 the weight.
Your major problem in SC even at this time of year will be water; plan your route to intersect rivers/streams, and plan your camp ground to be near to water. Be aware that many marked water features may be dry, so favour the larger ones which have several tributaries already running into them. Take plenty of water, or capacity to carry water (there are collapsible water skin things that are great, take no room and weigh little, but provide the capacity to carry lots if necessary, but I don't remember the name).
Bear in mind that Southern California is absolutely fuck all like either Scotland or Canada, so don't think this will prepare you. The major problem with those two places will be serious wet and serious cold/snow, which you really need experience in specifically to know what you are doing. Those conditions also tend to produce serious fog, which if you don't know the area, is a no.1 cause of fuckups. SC will for the most part teach you about desert enviroments, which is not the same.
PS If you are buying a sleeping bag now, and want to do Scotland/Canada eventually, you need to get a 4-5 season bag, down filled not synthetic (though synthetic stays warmer when wet), rated down to at least -10 comfort, which should be -20 to -30 extreme (depending on where in Canada, possibly more).
PPS To the bloke above who said pack light - sure, it will be more enjoyable. But if he is thinking about going to cold/wet places soon, he needs to be prepared to carry that weight and practice those skills before he gets stuck in a much more dangerous environment.
you just need water, you don't need a camelbak. But if you get one, make sure to bring another water bottle or two as they come in handy
B.net: Kusanku
-Good 3 man tent with windscreen/rainscreen and mesh windows for good airflow so it breathes.
-Pad for sleeping bag
-Thermal Sleeping bag
-Coleman battery powered heater/air conditioner (depending on the time of year)
-Fire starter equipment (these days I just pack a portable grill and use that, it's small enough to clip to my pack.
-First aid kit for small cuts, ticks, and snakes.
-Extra changes of clothes, especially socks.
-Extra MRE meals in case food is scarce
-Water bottle, camelback that attaches to my main pack (came with it), and water purification system if I run out of water.
-COMFORTABLE PILLOW (this is up to you, but I find it worth it to carry this. I usually rest it between my backpack and my back to give a little extra padding when I walk and just make my shoulder straps bigger.)
-IPOD
-Compass and map of the area, or a handheld gps (They're under $100 now)
-Portable CB radio if my cell won't get reception, external battery charger for my cell if it does (it's a little $5 attachment that gives you an extra one time 20 minute charge in a pinch if your battery dies)
I guess there's more, like fishing gear if you're going to fish, but that's what I can think of as being most important on my checklist. Make sure to bring plenty of trash bags, and pick up whatever you leave behind.
- don't bring a battery powered heater and air conditioner. Heavy and worthless. You're backpacking, not staying at the hilton.
- you shouldn't need to put a pillow between your pack and backpack. It's probably going to get sweaty (and dirty) as shit there too. Get a camp pillow, small, and made of synthetic material so if it gets wet it doesn't mildew and dries out faster.
- portable grill - no, portable stove - yes
B.net: Kusanku
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780974082028&itm=1
Then, go to an REI and go apeshit.
+1 on a good pair of shoes/boots. It's the most important thing you will spend money on. I have a pair of Ecco trail running shoes for hiking, and I used to have a good pair of full leather boots for camping.
Fuck me, why do you bother leaving the house? That must weigh close on 30kg, and half of it is really pointless. As the other bloke said, you aren't staying at the Hilton. If you are doing any serious walking rather than just stagging on the back yard, the pain of carrying extra weight easily negates the dubious comforts of portable living rooms. Especially with camera kit in tow.
Octoparrot, they're called JetBoil in the UK.
Something else occured to me, which is that gym fit doesn't necessarily mean hiking fit. Somewhat obvious, but make sure you have done a good bit of running / marching, because bicep curls aren't going to help much.
That's what I was talking about, I just said it wrong. Also, mast.....
1) I wasn't talking about bringing your pillow from home or anything, I said a comfortable pillow. A synthetic camping pillow is fine, but don't just rely on that lump they put at the end of a sleeping bag mat.
2) It's camping, not survivorman, a portable heater OR air conditioner (not both) is perfectly acceptable, light, easy to bring to and from the campsite, and it's not like you're lugging it around during the hike.. Just because it's technology doesn't mean it defeats the purpose of camping.
i.e. don't tell your lazy roommate as you're walking out the door "hey, be back in a couple of days". Give people a detailed layout of your location, where you think you will be going on your hike, and when you will be coming back. This can save your life if something goes wrong.
Here are the basics:
-Comfortable pack. You do not want to be walking for days, and have some cheapie bag from walmart that you can't stand. It should be big, and preferably have an internal frame, and lumbar support.
-Water. Bring lots of water, and remembe that water is heavy and you will need a lot of it. Some sort of water purification/tablets or filtration system.
-Food. High calorie/fat content to give you lots of energy. Go to an outdoors/surpluss store, they will have lots of sealed, long lasting food.
-Fire. You need reliable methods of starting fire. Then you need a backup. Then a backup for your backup. Get a waterproof container for matches, Magnesium firestarter, windproof lighter, and a neat little trick I use. Get a cotton ball and roll it around in vasoline/patroleum jelly. Once lit, it will burn for a while, and is a great way to start a fire if you don't have a lot of tinder materials around. I wrap them in tin foil and keep them in a zip lock bag.
-Shelter. Tent, pup tent, bivy, you need something to protect you from the elements. You could even spread out a poncho and tie it to some trees. You will also need a nice, comfortable sleeping back appropriate for your climate. Remember, if you get cold, you can always take layers off. Buy a sleeping bag that can at least go down to 20. You'd much rather be too hot, than too cold.
first of all go find a backpack that fits and that you feel comfortable with. I like ones that have a hydration system included, but i think dealing with water bottles is a waste of time. that said the size of your pack will depend on the length you plan on staying out and how much you over pack. i use these packs personally and have done week long trips where they only seemed a tiny bit too small
http://kelty.com/kelty/products.php?type=4&cat=66&id=17
http://www.thenorthface.com/opencms/opencms/tnf/gear.jsp?site=NA&model=AJ3U&language=en
the most important thing with a pack is that you go some place where they put it on you and add weight and see if it really fits
for a sleeping bag i use a 15 and it is good for me, and i am usually cold when i am home, the bonus with a 15 is that if its going to be a little colder you can wear more to sleep in or add a silk bag liner that warms it up significently. I would get a down one becuase they are lighter and pack down smaller. But contrary what the above poster said they do not keep you warm when they are wet, so either opt for a waterproof one or a waterproof compression sack.
with the sleeping bag i feel that you have to have a sleeping pad, i have a big agnes one that inflates super huge that i love but most of my friends use the cheap foam ones, to save weight, and are still perfectly comfortable.
for the tent if there are 2 of you going i would just get a 2 person 3 season tent, unless you are camping in feet of snow then you will be fine.
for a stove i would get a canister stove if you are planning trips of less then 5 days or with less then 4 people. this is because they are lighter and more space efficent then liquid fuel stoves. but the biggest thing i can recommend is that you know how to use it before you go out.
waterfilters are mostly a personal decision but i really like the ones MSR makes and have drank water that was 100 yards down stream of a dead sheep and we didnt get sick (that was a poor decision i would not recommend it)
those are really the most important parts
- a big smile!
- headlamp!! so much better then just a flashlight when it comes down to it
- cowboy hat or something large
- sunscreen
- extra socks, i usually pack like 2 or 3 extra pairs but i also usually end up in the water for some reason, also smart wool is good check them out
- quick dry pants / shirt
- waterproof pants and coat
- good thermal base layer, it doesnt matter where you go it usually gets much colder at night
- knife
- first aid kit
- good boots are important, but i usually hike in trail runners or light hiking boots instead of something super hardcore
- cookset
- bowel, spoon, mug
- chapstick with stp protection in it
- a daypack, a smaller backpack that you can use for hiking during the day if you dont plan on moving camp everyday.
- map
- we also usually pack our produce in extra nalgenes that we can then use when we bring water to camp for cooking and whatnot
- tooth brush
- also we always take fruit, apples and oranges for lunches and they hold up just fine.
- and for your camera i would just get a waterproof bag to keep it in and you should be set. i usually leave room for one heavy item that makes life just more fun, ie. camera, paints, sketchbook
sorry that seems to be such a long list and post i just love camping and hope people do as much as me. the bonus is that you probably dont need to buy the really expensive gear if there are good shops areound you can usually rent a tent, bag, backpack, and stove for not that much and the bonus is that is allows you to try out gear before you buy it.
Not entirely sure, but think we're talking about different things.
You seem to be talking of driving out to a hire camp site & setting up, then going for walks from there. I was talking about (and assumed the OP was, but may be wrong) actual hiking, namely doing a route entirely on foot, living out of a pack and setting down wherever you happen to be at duskish.
Thanks, mixed them up, fixed. I still use a military issue cotton one I nicked from stores, probably why I'm ignorant.
Along the 'pack light' lines, you don't actually need a water filter. Just get some puri-tabs to put in any water bottle you fill outside, which work just as well, and are about the size of a ball bearing.
either way really. The only thing that I listed that wasn't in everyoneone else's setup was the portable heater/ac unit, which weighs like 1.5 lbs max, and clips anywhere.
admittedly my packs tend to be a little heavy for someone who'se just used to hiking, but they're not unheard of.
Portable heaters, water filtration systems, tents, grills, televisons, microwaves, swimming pools, pool cleaners septic tanks...not included.
OP: Remember that if you are actually living on the trail for a couple of days, the food and water you carry tends to weigh half your kit. People tend to forget this, as they pack food the day they leave.
Depending on the length of the trip I would suggest:
- Whisperlight (Portable burner, runs on camping fuel/white fuel). Terribly light, easy to use, but only has one setting, hot. It is good for boiling water if you don't have enough clean water. Good to bring even on overnights when you want a hot meal.
- Iodine Tablets (Purifies water, in emergencies). Light, worth having in your pack at all times, carry more for longer trips.
- Minimum of 2 Nalgenes (32oz/900ml polycarbonate bottles, or the aluminum bottles popular elsewhere in the world, aluminum is particularly good for cutting down on bacteria growth, and does not leech chemicals like polycarbonates when stored at high/low temperatures).
- Rain gear/jacket that is water resistant/easily storable.
- Mess Kit (I usually carry a tupperware{plastic storage} container, with a lid. i just put the utensils inside. No need for the huge stainless ones, these are easier to clean.
- Enough socks for every day of your trip, and then some. Hiking socks that pull moisture from your feet away. Pack them in plastic bags.
- Headlamp. This is invaluable.
- Compass/Map. Also a gps if you want. But always carry a compass/map.
- Sleeping bag rated for the type of weather you are in (You don't need a -50 degree F bag if youre camping in the summer)
- Dry sack/rain fly. If you have a smaller tent, you may need to keep some things outside. I usually pop my boots and stuff under there to dry, that way they're not in the tent getting stinky.
- 15 feet of cord/rope. Can use for anything, tying a bear-hang, tying extra gear up, making a make-shift splint.
- Multi-tool. In case you need to saw your arm off when a boulder falls on you.
- First Aid Kit. With the following:
*Alcohol Wipes (Or put a bit of liquid in a cleaned film container)
*Burn Ointment
*Sterile Gauze
*Antiseptic Cream
*Hydrogen Peroxide (I put a bit in a small flask/film container)
*Sunburn Lotion/Cream
*Medical Tape (Can be used for many things)
*Antibacterial Gel
*Tweezers - Invaluable for removing parasites and splinters.
*Tick Card, or any other parasitic insect card - (If you are in tick country, invaluable unless you know about ticks. Several ticks have similar appearances, and one freckle on the back or the carapace, or a tick in an earlier stage of development can mean the difference between contracting a tick-borne illness. I contracted a disease from a Nymph wood tick (adult wood ticks do not carry Lymes or other serious diseases) and was out of commission for nearly eight days with a constant fever of 100.3 F, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, it was awful). Saving a tick if you remove one is a good idea, as well, as they can be tested for Lymes if you aren't sure of the exact species).
*Cell phone in a plastic water tight bag/container. Or enough money to make a call on a pay phone, do not rely on money in a wallet.
*Epi-Pen - You can develop severe allergic reactions to any number of insect bites/pathogens at any point in your life. Just because you are not allergic to Bee/Wasp stings now, does not mean you cannot develop an allergy later.
I got stung by a wasp over summer and had a very bad allergic reaction, not enough to use an Epi-Pen, but if I couldn't breath, it would have been needed.
*Assorted pills - Aspirin, Benodryl (Read the above statement, Benodryl can be used to calm allergic reactions to various insect bites), ect ect.
Pack an amount of each to suit the number of people you are going with.
*Also, toilet paper if you aren't familiar with the types of leaves to use to wipe with. Applying ointment to your ass due to a poison sumak rash isn't a fun experience. Or just use pine-cones.
1. Dig a hole where you're going to defaecate at least one hand length deep, and atleast 100 yards from a water source/camp.
2. Shat
3. Cover with dirt.
4. Profit
A few bits of advice. I told you food scraps should not be disposed of in a forest for a reason. It attracts wild animals. It is unnatural to leave preservative-heavy food in an ecosystem that is not used to it (I camp mainly in northern Minnesota/Canada), and it isn't right. If it were practical I would hike out my own feces and urine. This is where the practice of swilling comes into play.
Swilling:
Pig-Swill is the feed given to porsines, full of great nutritious waste food bits. Apple cores, ect ect.
Swilling in the camping setting is cleaning your mess kit, and then consuming the water used to clean it.
Why swill? It reduces the amount of waste you leave behind, and assures that you do not waste any valuable food you may have, especially on longer trips.
When cleaning your mess kit, pour a bit of water in your container, and swish it around. You can even use your fingers to get off any stuck on bits (make sure your hands are clean). After it is of satisfactory cleanliness, drink the water. Sounds gross right? It takes a bit of getting used to, but hey, you're roughing it, and you're not leaving any preservatives or unnatural waste around to hurt our furry friends.
People that pack heavy are stupid people, unless you are setting up a base camp that you can leave stuff behind at without fear of theft/bear intrusion, don't bring it unless you NEED it. I enjoy roughing it, so I bring the minimal amount of stuff I need to have a safe and happy trip. Technology is good, but why bring a heater when you can bring a warm sleeping bag?
Also, things that have double uses are awesome! Term-a-rests are heat retaining mattress pads that inflate. They can also double as splints, and seats. What the hell is the point of carrying a pillow when you can rest your head on your bag of socks, or your drysack, or your backpack for that matter? The importance of utility in your extra items is...well...fucking important. I went through my kids' back packs after they packed out a trip, and cut down on anywhere between 5-15 pounds of crap in each of their packs. Pillows, card games, cups they didn't need. Ask yourself, "Do I really need this to backpack?". But then again I'm not into home-away-from-home luxury camping. Hiking is a pleasant experience, especially when you don't need to worry about a huge load on your shoulders, literally.
I assume Cutting/splitting wet wood is just cutting it down the center and getting the unexposed wood to light a fire, but would a knife really be enough to cut wood? I'm used to using heavy axes for that kind of stuff.
Don't go out into the woods alone if you haven't been camping.
Go with some friends, let them show you the ropes, start small and take some creature comforts, or use a campsite, and work your way up into some backpack retreats into the woods.
Really, if you have any friends who enjoy hiking I'd try to line up a trip with them first. They'll know good hikes to break you in on, probably have some communal equipment that you can mooch off (stoves, filters, tents, etc - and you can learn which features you find important and not so much) before having to choose your own, AND they'll be able to teach you as you go along, like the little things being passed down in this thread, only with practical reinforcement.
[Edit]
It looks like that's not an option. You might look into REI seminars and things - they'll often conduct basic info sessions on subjects like this, and sometimes even organize trips. At the VERY least, you'll be able to meet someone else interested in learning, and as long as you're careful you should be fine that way. Really, the odds that you'll be in a situation where being alone is life threatening - but it's still not worth taking the risk if you can find anyone to go with.
hell man, find a camping group in your area on yahoo groups or something and get to know them, or check out zombiesquad (warning: those guys are pretty hardcore, they tend to take camping to the EXTREME depending on the region you're in and the group you would be camping with)
edit: ok yeah the zombie bug out stuff looks like a joke, they're just talking about cool locations to go to. I think.
it's joking around, but they organize a lot of camping trips, both large scale and small scale.
The whole zombie and end of the world thing is a joke, but they make their "bug out bags" to basically fit comfortably on the back and last for like four days. A lot of them are ex or current military, and they organize a lot of charity/red cross stuff. I got involved with them last year, but I haven't done anything yet other than post.
Some of their stuff is just cool even around the house. Check out the stuff on making the gardens without the greenhouse that can sustain two to three people.
::end of thread derail::
Man Make Fire, Fire Hot
Yes, that's what splitting is. You need at least a solid hunting knife to do that, however, and lots of people use machetes or similar (khuris), and some use small axes (not my thing, less dual use for digging etc). You are never going to find or use the kind of wood that you need a heavy axe for; the largest pieces of firewood are at most a large branch, what you are talking about is trunk. There are also specific ways of making wood burn better, like feathering sticks.
What types of wood, how to use them, where to get them, under what conditions, etc for making fire is a whole degree subject to be honest, and actually doing it when you are out there is the masters level. For Scotland, you likely aren't going to be able to do it, full stop. Not only are there various laws against doing it on other people's land, but everything is so wet, and the common wood types are unhelpful (aside from Scots pine), that getting fires going isn't easy. Conversely, in SC it's probably a bit too easy, and you should beware for other reasons.
Best thing you can do is look up some bushcraft forums or information on the web, there will be plenty about firemaking there. My tip would be, tinder is the hardest bit to get right: so along the lines of what the bloke said earlier, take a waterproof tinder bag with you, have some stuff you took from home (the fluff from a clothes dryer filter does well), and pick up promising pieces of tinder as you go. Get plenty of it, because I've seen (and been) lots of people have their tinder burn out before the rest of the fire takes, then you're back to square one.
Scotland
Scotland isn't really a tough place to hike if you are sensible, but it can be unpleasant. It will be wet. Even if it isn't wet when you are walking, the ground will have retained plenty. If you go in spring/summer/autumn, midges (tiny bitey insects) are a real, real bastard. I've seen blokes who have done jungle training & tropical insects who piled in from Scottish midges. I don't do Scotland for fun because of midges, it's just horribly unpleasant. You need nets, repellent (won't work, but hey), and it's the one place I ever bother with an enclosed tent. Plan where you sleep so you are preferably along a wall or at the edge of a wood in the highest, windiest, least wet place you can find. Otherwise two things:
1. Rain is obviously the kicker. Everything will get soaked no matter how good you are, thus why you individually waterproof every item. When you take it off, it goes back in the waterproof even if wet, to stop other stuff getting wet. You need to learn wet-kit-dry-kit routine:
At night, set up your camp / tent so you have something over your head to stop rain. Before you go to sleep, take off your wet clothes, and put on your dry warm clothes. Wring out your wet clothes as best you can & dry them as best you can (around neck or under armpits in sleeping bag for socks etc works tolerably well). In the morning, you take your dry kit off, back in bag (waterproofed) and you put the cold, wet stuff from the previous day on, which is always fun (did this a few weeks ago in the Alps, my clothes had actually frozen stiff). This means you only have to carry two sets of clothes, but always have a dry set. This is vital if you are out for more than a day.
2. Rain + sunlight causes fog. Fog can kill you. If you aren't practiced at map nav, and you get thick fog closing in, STOP DEAD and mark where you are. Stay there until it clears. Scottish areas are actually a lot more wild & remote than much of Europe, so you can actually get lost. Stick to paths and such, and take an obvious route, ie one where you can see easily identifiable landmarks like peaks, and which doesn't stray too far from civilisation. If there is already light fog or mist, if there is a pattern of rain & then sunshine, avoid the paths over which fog moves; through valleys, down riverbeds, low lying routes of land.
There are several accepted public routes which you can take (ie the Highland Way), where other people will be as well. This is what you do when you start out. I'd also recommend not doing it unless you either take really easy one-day routes, or take someone experienced who knows how to nav with you.
Other than that, Scotland isn't too tough; the hills aren't steep or high, and you don't get extremes of weather like snow or heatwaves.
Finally, yes, you really must find someone who knows their stuff to go with if you are inexperienced. Hiking & bushcraft skills just aren't things that you can learn from a book, you need to do it. If you don't believe me, try rubbing two sticks together and see how far you get :P
- Taking a bunch of pictures and then finding out that you have to manually edit most or all of them to remove the crap that got on the sensor when you switched lenses is really, really lame.
- Camera gear is annoyingly heavy when you're hiking. If you bring another lens, you'll need to bring cleaning supplies and whatnot that you wouldn't otherwise, which will increase the effect.
The first time I went camping I did the kitchen sink sort of thing that amateurhour is campaigning for. Having to lug all of that stuff around convinced me to never do it again. Even though the individual items are pretty light, they add up quickly, especially when you're carrying them for miles and miles on uneven ground. I *would* recommend a water filter over iodine tablets, because iodine makes the water taste nasty, especially if you're mixing it with anything (powdered milk, etc).
Definitely find some way to go with a more experienced person at least once, unless you are limiting your trip to a developed campsite near a parking lot at a state or national park. It's all fun and games until you end up stuck on the side of a mountain in the middle of the night, then pass out from the hypothermia you were too cold to fully appreciate was setting in.
That having been said, I think you will have a lot of fun. There are some very pretty places to go camping and hiking in California.
http://www.thelostworlds.net/
The actual site is zombiehunters.org. Loads of useful information in the forums, specifically Bug Out Gear. Basically, creating a Bug Out Bag is what you'll need for going hiking/camping. Everything you need to be self-sufficient and prepared for what Mother Nature is going to dump on you.
And, I second going with other people. Problems don't seem so bad with another person to bounce ideas off of. Plus, it's good bonding time. Nothing beats sitting around the campfire after a long day.
For the Scotland thing, just expect rain. Pretty sure that's already been said, but even if the forecast is dry, it will mist, and you will get wet.
And bring moleskin for your possible (probable) blisters.
definitely go canister stove. white gas is a pain in the ass. canisters you just turn the gas on and lighy it no priming needed