Winter camping bivvying?

[Blue Hills]

Anyone done it/does it?

Is it just damp miserableness?

Any, er, hot, tips?

I have bivvied in a field in a very wet mid March somewhere between Birmingham and London.

Came to no harm.

 

[Bored Man]

Anyone done it/does it?

Is it just damp miserableness?

Any, er, hot, tips?

I have bivvied in a field in a very wet mid March somewhere between Birmingham and London.

Came to no harm.

Itchy feet? Me too..

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Fine with the cold.

It’s the damp I find abhorrent.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Trick is to light a fire where you stop.

 

[steveindenmark]

We do it occasionally as we have a great free shelter system in Denmark. For me the trick is to camp not too far away from a bakery and cafe and know when it opens. When you get up in the morning dont hang around getting cold. Pack quickly and get to the cafe where you can get warm, fed and washed. Its a good way to start the day. This is just one way to do it though.

 

[Blue Hills]

You can wash, proper washes, in danish cafes?

My morning retreat this side of the water would perhaps be a certain spoons I know not too far from a promising looking wild camping spot, breakfast, lots coffees, latte or or two, warm milk, perhaps the odd beer.

 

[mudsticks]

It's fine, so long as you've got good enough kit, and can keep it dry.

It's the long nights that do my head in after November, and before March.

The solution being to camp within striking distance of a pub

 

[Gravity Aided]

I believe that's the universal solution.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I enjoy winter camping.... not bivvying! Couldn't imagine bivvying without some kind of shelter.
Keeping dry is the main thing for me, or, at the very, very least being able to have a shower and put on dry clothes @ camp.
But winter camping is "slower".
It takes longer to break camp.
I cycle slower in the cold (and wet).
And the days are much shorter.
I don't mind the long nights. It's actually very satisfying to be warm and dry as winter drapes over the tent.

Good gear becomes critical to the enjoyment of winter camping. I've learned the hard way as I've gone along

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Little audax secret from me. RSPB nature reserves have lovely dry bird hides which do not have locks and are deserted at night and in a place unlikely to be disturbed. Often a short gravel track to approach. Then wake to the dawn chorus of the birds. Take binoculars / monoculars.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Little audax secret from me. RSPB nature reserves have lovely dry bird hides which do not have locks and are deserted at night and in a place unlikely to be disturbed. Often a short gravel track to approach. Then wake to the dawn chorus of the birds. Take binoculars / monoculars.

I had a similar idea one evening in France. Spotted a large bird (and possibly animal) observation hide, lovely and big, off the ground, just as the sun was setting. Scouted around and saw no sign of human life, no cars parked anywhere, no bikes. Headed towards it, disturbing a load of birds in the process to be confronted by 2 very irate French birdwatchers!

 

[Blue Hills]

I enjoy winter camping.... not bivvying! Couldn't imagine bivvying without some kind of shelter.

I did it without a shelter but was lucky. It had rained for much of the day, so much so that I had to shelter in a church lychgate for an hour, fields waterlogged but luckily the rain stopped and I found a slightly raised bit in the corner of a field where I think a few trees had been doing some serious drinking.

Now I have a shelter and could I think erect it pretty quickly.

All snug and warm with layers, woolly hat etc.

Still wonder what the odd animal was running and grunting around in the twilight though

Yes I fancy having a long sheltered night in a tent with a good book or two.

 

[Blue Hills]

I had a similar idea one evening in France. Spotted a large bird (and possibly animal) observation hide, lovely and big, off the ground, just as the sun was setting. Scouted around and saw no sign of human life, no cars parked anywhere, no bikes. Headed towards it, disturbing a load of birds in the process to be confronted by 2 very irate French birdwatchers!

Maybe an idea to carry a small birdspotting guide as a passport, bamboozle them with questions about a mythical bird you have been hot on the trail of? Describe it, in wonky French/English, tell them to wake you if it appears?

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Maybe an idea to carry a small birdspotting guide as a passport, bamboozle them with questions about a mythical bird you have been hot on the trail of? Describe it, in wonky French/English, tell them to wake you if it appears?

I've a feeling if I'd have hung around I'd have gone the way of the DoDo!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I had a similar idea one evening in France. Spotted a large bird (and possibly animal) observation hide, lovely and big, off the ground, just as the sun was setting. Scouted around and saw no sign of human life, no cars parked anywhere, no bikes. Headed towards it, disturbing a load of birds in the process to be confronted by 2 very irate French birdwatchers!

Oh be quiet in your approach till you have opened hide and confirmed it is empty.