Mellow Expeditions - @maraud.x3000

We recently spoke with @maraud.x3000 about his trip to the Dolomites in Italy with someone he’d only met once before. We think this a great example of how the outdoors and hobbies in general can bring people together in such a unique way. Here’s what he had to say..

I’ve got a long long list of places I want to hammock camp on this beautiful planet. Last year I was lucky enough to tick The Dolomites in Italy off that list. Not only was it a plunge into the unknown to hammock 5 nights in some of the most beautiful terrain on Earth but it was also an experience doing it with a lad I’d met once prior.

After touching down in Bergamo with our 65 litres full to the brim with Ultralight kit and plenty of fits of course, We got a hire car and embarked on a 5 hour nightime drive to the mountains. At 4am we decided we had travelled enough for one day so we setup quick time in a lay-by and got a few hours kip. Oblivious to the scenery we were surrounded by, we woke up, unzipped my bug net and were instantly taken back by the giant mountains towering over us. It begins…

The next 4 days was filled with mountaineering, touristy shopping and lavish eating. All whilst getting to know one of the biggest legends I’ve ever met. After every days activity we needed to find wild camping spots to bunker down for the night and we found some bangers to say the least.

We had a list of places we wanted to see including: Croda de Lago, The Earth Pyramids and an abandoned village above Lake Garda. We managed to squeeze lots of other stuff in between these but we managed to nail all three of them, in that order. Finishing with a night above the abandoned village in some of the heaviest storms I’ve ever slept in. Easily one of the greatest experiences of my life.