We’ve long been fanboys of the Japanese outdoor brand Snow Peak, so when they invited us to Wiltshire for a weekend of fly fishing and sleeping under the stars, it was an offer too good to resist, as well as a great opportunity to test out our new Winter 22 outerwear pieces.
We arrived at the Kimbridge Trout Farm on Thursday with our only experience of fly-fishing coming courtesy of Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse (we were definitely more Mortimer than Whitehouse). As it transpired, the trout had been tipped off about our arrival but that didn’t matter because the Snow Peak team had sake in hand and hotdogs on their Takibi grills.
Snow Peak Takibi
Fire and Grill Kit
|
Snow Peak Take
Camping Chair Long
|
Snow Peak Field
Coffee Master
|
The thing about fishing is it’s all in the anticipation, so we were happy to prioritise the hotdogs. There’s immense joy to be had in the waiting and the watching, regardless of the end result, or so we kept telling ourselves.
Drawstring Trousers
Morefields Charcoal
|
Malvern Gilet
Selsey Mole Grey
|
Blenheim Jumper
Birling Navy
|
We practised our casting for the best part of two hours before resorting to homemade pipe bombs our GM Tom had made up with a batch of bangers he got from a school French trip 19 years ago. Joking, of course, but what we did do was learn how to anodise metal sporks using a saline solution bath and an electric current. They don’t teach you that in the Scouts. Depending on the level of voltage, the metal would change colours, meaning you could create a rainbow effect on the sporks. Don’t try this at home, kids.
Snow Peak Folding
Coffee Drip
|
Snow Peak Titanium
Single Cup 450ml
|
Snow Peak Titanium
Fork & Spoon Set
|
Tom was our outerwear guinea pig, a role he took to with aplomb. He styled out our Malvern gilet in mole grey, a great little insulating number you can layer on top of just about anything. Judging by the steam coming off him, we’re guessing it was pretty cosy, not least because he had layered it over our Blenheim jumper, woven with 100% extrafine wool. On his legs, Tom sported our drawstring trousers in Morefield Charcoal, supremely comfortable and cut from 100% pure new wool for a super soft handle.
Isaac Scarf
Brentor Grey
|
Paraboot Yosemite Hiking
Boot Olive Green Suede
|
Elmer Woolpile
Glove Khaki
|
Dinner comprised of the complete absence of trout and instead a traditional Japanese dish called sukiyaki, which was a steamed vegetable curation with various mushrooms, tofu, pak choi and noodles. The sauce was made from a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, sake cooking wine and brown sugar. This was served with teriyaki chicken cooked on the charcoal, or sliced pieces of barbequed steak. There were also miso buttered leeks that were cooked in a cast iron pot. Who’s laughing now, trout?
As the sun went down over the Wiltshire landscape, we couldn’t help but think that as a nation, we seriously underestimate the beauty of Great Britain. We have some of the most spectacular countryside and postcard-perfect villages right on our collective doorstep, combined with a wealth of brilliant makers creating outdoors kit to help us make the most of it. And we absolutely should, at every given opportunity.
Shop Outdoor Gifts
