This post is one of a series about the year of microadventures
At the start of the year, Alastair Humphreys called for people to live more adventurously in 2015, challenging us to spend a night out in the wild, once a month for the year.
Since that call to arms I’ve seen a rise in the number of great blog posts, videos and photos of people venturing for wild camping microadventures.
There’s some great stories of adventure out there I thought I’d put together a monthly round-up of ones that caught my attention.
If you think I’ve missed anyone out, or would like yours included, then leave a comment below.
Allysse Riordan
Allysse took to the woods of Hertfordshire (a much underrated wild camping county IMHO) for her microadventure.
Allysse has included some audio of the camp on her blog, it brings you right up close to the camp, don’t miss it!
“In the morning an orchestra from nature woke me. Unseen birds sang in the trees. From a distance, ducks and coots added depth to their melody, and a pheasant stole the show with his solo cry. I slowly opened my eyes and unzipped my bag to brew a first cup of tea. The night had been warm and good.”
Stuart Greig and Pilgrim Chris
Stuart and Chris headed up to the Pennines, staying the night in a secret location:
“As we dropped down the weather worsened considerably, the wind rose and it began to rain. I diverted us to a shooting hut I knew about, to wait out the worst of the weather”
Meraid Griffin
Meraid and Dan took their bikes to the Isle of White, finding a pitch overlooking the sea:
“Fog rolled in as we pitched camp, drenching the grass and chilling the air. I crawled inside and waited for dinner. A sliver of crescent moon appeared as the fog dissipated. Stars shone in a charcoal sky…”
Chris Mount
Chris spent the night in an old watch tower on the Finnish – Russian border. Yes, you read that correctly, the Finnish – Russion border. And from his camp he watched the shimmering northern lights. Me, envious? Most certainly! Impressed? Most definitely!
“I felt a bid giddy with child-like excitement at the thought of sleeping in an old rickety watchtower so high above the ground.”
Ellie D
Ellie and friends camped out on a hill overlooking Cardiff and sort-of saw the eclipse in the morning.
“I felt like a child again giggling at the silliness of what we were doing and where we were sleeping. “We’re all mad here!”
Maxine
Maxine went on THREE wild camp microadventures in March, one in a wood and two on a beach (one of which was with Anita, see her report below), which is pretty damn impressive in my book!
“We parked and carried our packs to the hill, the red sky remained, and ducks were beautiful silhouettes on the tide ponds. The sounds of the sea birds, distinctive and so completely different to the garden birds at home….Otherwise silent. Not a soul.”
- Check out Maxine’s reports: March Onwards / Bedrock and a video:
Anita
Anita and her dog, Mocha, joined Maxine for a cheeky wild camp on the porch of a couple of beach huts on the Norfolk coast
“We got up around 7:30…and headed back along the road with our packs on our backs. Secretly I wanted to see people so I could say ‘ yeh i did sleep on the beach…..I know I’m cool ….and a little nuts!’”
the Norfolk Facebook microadventures group (of which Maxine, Anita and I are all members, is on fire at the moment with all this wild camp adventuring!).
The Bimbler
The Bimbler kept warm in his tent with an interesting looking heating contraption (and took some rather good photos).
“I headed off to spend the day and night in my favourite woods”
Stu Ind
Over in Ireland, Stu Ind camped out in the Wicklow mountains
“I love camping and the low temperatures contrasted the warmth and safety I felt inside my bag as I looked out at the stars, igniting the childlike excitement within me and I soon dropped off to sleep, happy and satisfied with my evening”
Ollie Stoten
Ollie and a friend pitched up in a wood for the night.
“The weather was perfect; no cloud cover meant it was pretty nippy but we could bed down underneath the stars, not a view you often get to fall asleep to”
Alastair Humphreys
A certain Alastair Humphreys went up to a wood on a hillside for his March camp.
“It’s the start of spring and those lovely long, light days. So I headed out to sleep on a hill. I made a little fire, cooked a steak, drank a beer or two, and slept under the stars.”
Check out Alastair’s video:
Jonathan
Jonathan spent the night in a wooden three-sided shelter.
“Night has fallen; we walk towards the moon, a hazy crescent hovering between bare tree branches. I clutch a torch in my fist, letting a few speckles of light fall between my fingers.”
Emma
Emma’s went on her first ever wild camp in Chisbury Wood, Wiltshire.
“I found my sleeping spot, rolled out my mat, got into my sleeping bag, lay down, and listened. Nothing. Not even the sound of a car in the distance.”
(note: I’ve taken some images from the blogs for this post, if you’re a blog author and rather I didn’t use your photo let me know and I’ll remove it).
Me
I spent a lovely night in Thetford Forest, my new winter sleeping bag keeping me snug and warm. I also camped out in a field with my son and his pal, they stayed in a Polish army lavvy tippi while I luxuriated in a hammock
“Tea and muffins in bed, in a forest, a fine thing to do on a Sunday morning”
- Check out A March wild camp in Thetford Forest
What about you?
Did you manage a microadventure wild camp in March? Do you have one planned for April?
Let me know in the comments below!
Also saw you in person testing the hammock in a gale whilst the boys slept soundly in the Polish army tent
Yes, that was a fine night camping : )
Thanks again for doing the microadventure round-up! It’s great to hear everyone’s stories.
My pleasure Jonathan : )
Thanks for this round-up (and for adding me in)!
This new feature of your blog is becoming a favourite of mine 🙂
Glad you’re enjoying the posts Allyse, I couldn’t do them without all your excellent reports : )
In March I cycled in the dark up the Plym Valley Trail and bivvied under the stars on Sheepstor. Cold and clear night.
In April I cycled round and across Dartmoor (80 miles) and then used a hammock for the first time in the woods above Burrator. Rocked to sleep by a strong breeze through the trees. Very comfortable. Must remember to take a spoon to eat my porridge next time!
I might kayak around the coast near Newton Ferrers and sleep on the beach for the next one.
Hi Dave, thanks for dropping by. Your adventures sound exciting, I love the idea of kayaking/wild camping, maybe one day. Do you have a blog at all?