After being sorely disappointed with the fragility of the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2, I went in search of something sturdier and spacious, and the Hilleberg Nallo 2 fitted the bill. I met up with Jon Britton, who I hadn’t seen for a few years, and we went for a short wander from Belstone to Rowtor, via Oke Tor.
By the early hours the wind had picked up to 40mph with 50mph gusts and sleep was impossible. At 5am I accepted defeat, put on a brew, had breakfast then ventured out to Jon’s tent to suggest we break camp and head back to the car before the worst of the weather reached us. When we left at about 6:20am, the wet stuff had arrived and horizontal rain accompanied us for much of the walk down to the East Okement below Cullever Steps. From there, in the gorse lined tracks up to Watchet Hill we were afforded shelter from the wind and the worst was behind us when we reached the moor gate and Belstone. We were back at the cars by 7.30am.