Destination and location for lunch was a conifer wood, which on an overcast day (occasionally snowing) I knew would be dark and worthy of a lantern. Entrance to the wood. Inside looking out. Gloomy in there right enough. Lunch spot. Lantern is a Coleman 226. Soup and bread for lunch, followed by tea and a biscuit (cookie). Stove is THIS Enders Baby. Fortified and ready for the more exposed part of the hike, over the fells. Through some deciduous woodland first. Ponies huddling together for warmth, facing away from the wind. A clamber up to the fell top ... ... then striding out. Stopped at a wayside bench to replace the lantern’s mantle. It’s been intact for the best part of a year (occasional light-ups) but I anticipated that it might get a jolt or two in my pack. Sure enough, since firing it up in the woods. Came equipped, a couple of mantles and scissors to trim mantle ties. In a fit state to carry prior to a light-up for the final leg in the dark. Coming off the fells to more woodland. And reservoirs. Twilight. Lantern lit my way pretty well. John
Fantastic @presscall ! That’s what these were made for - I always feel sorry for lanterns which just sit on shelves, not being used. I carry my lanterns in hand, to avoid damaging the mantle. Not perfect. Do you have any case for your lantern? Or do you just pack it in the backpack, in up-right position? These original carrying cases (or boxes) seem to be more for car transport or military dispatch purposes. I’m thinking of making tubular one, basicaly cardboard tube with padding on the bottom. Water-proofing it with varnish or wax. Lantern could be hanged inside that tube, to give it some buffer from shocks during trekking. Such tube could be strapped to backpack or belt. Something like German war-time gas mask container. As a side note: my Optimus globes tend to crack while lantern is used in rain. Crack is always emerging from sand-blasted Optimus logo. A weak point, I suppose. For trekking I switch to Coleman or Petromax globes. No problem there ( yet!)
Fells above Blackburn, Lancashire and Roddlesworth Reservoirs maintained by United Utilities, along with umpteen acres of woodland. Step out of my door and it’s a fifteen mile round trip. Half-an-hour out of six. Beethoven’s Pastoral acceptable? Backpack, upright. The Coleman 226 requires more pumping than a regular-sized lantern (small fount, small airspace) and I think what dislodged the mantle was attempting to pump it in situ on the tree branch! Better to take it down and place it on a solid base.
As for carrying cases: what can cause the damage ? A lot of fishing people use a round PVC tube, contractors used a wooden box like the military do but they want a complete box (Swiss army boxes) which also served storing purposes. In your backpack a towel wrapped around will do. The first time I met Neil, his car was full of (rare) lanterns, without cases at all.
Thanks @WimVe ! PVC tube is a good tip - already waterproof and floating if dropped overboard (closed).
Beautiful! Do you live in the northern part of the UK? I wish I could walk that path, boy it takes your breath away!
North-West England. There’s Cumbria (‘The Lakes’) next county north, then Scotland - still part of the UK - just about.
Well, on the strength of that, I'm going to take a lantern with me on my midnight trudge around the village...
If you have street lights you could get away with just one lantern, but what the heck, take along two, one for each hand! I don't have any street lights where I am, or sidewalks either! Rural area and that's fine with me!
I must admit I do miss days out like that. We have a shortage of trees on the south coast of the UK Thanks for sharing ! Chris
