Winter Camping

[jags]

Not long got home from last cycle camping trip of this year. Got through two books and four batteries in my radio, to while away the long nights. Spent last night on Bath racecourse, bleak and windy.

good stuff how did you manage to camp on a racecourse without getting fired in jail for the night
btw what bike are you on these days.

[bikepacker]

Security man didn't bat an eyelid.

I used the Super Galaxy for this trip. Got a new frame on order for building up over the winter.

[jags]

i watch a programme on the devon countryside last week looks a lot like ireland with all the hedge rows .
lovely part of the world.

[bikepacker]

Devon is nice but very hilly and much better in summer.

[jags]

Isn't everywhere are you still using the exped syn mat, i hope to reduce the bulk in the sleeping department next year starting with mat then sleeping bag.
btw bikepacker did you use 2 or 4 panniers i know you said you were think of going a bit lighter.

[bikepacker]

Using the same sleeping kit as I brought over to Ireland with me. Sticking with 4 panniers at the moment, although a little more weight I can carry everything I need to be comfortable.

[mercurykev]

I'm just back from my first camp since the clocks changed and I was a bit worried about what to do with myself during the long dark period. It wasn't a cycle tour, I just mountain biked into the Cairngorms up near Derry Lodge. The weather wasn't too bad, the lowest temperature was 2c and it was mainly dry, but it got dark just before 5pm and I don't usually go to be until 12am.

I passed the time listening to podcasts, making cups of tea, eating and watching TV on my phone. All the time I was lounging on my mat, wrapped up in my sleeping bag. It was actually quite a relaxing way to pass the time. I also used a uco micro candle lantern which uses tea lights and casts a nice glow in the tent (I was using a MLD Trailstar which has a lot of space to use this light quite safely).

[psmiffy]

Ive not really cycled toured in the winter - do not do cold - early May and late October the nights are still pretty long - typically I will cycle to almost dark or thereabouts (definition of camping in the dark is if I need to use my head torch to put the tent up ) - after putting up the tent assuming I am on a campsite I shower - for the remainder of the evening I really don't have the time to worry about how I am going to fill the dark hours - cook dinner, wash up - more coffee - maybe a bit of laundry, huddle in my sleeping bag and write my notes for the day - check the map for tomorrow - more coffee - out like a light.

[simonineaston]

I was out on the bike last night - not camping, just pottering around the neighbourhood - and I stopped for a while between the 2 halves of Appleton Common.
It was about 6 o'clock, pitch dark, dank, cold and foggy... I spent a few moments taking in the atmosphere, and thought to myself 'Blimey - I'm glad I'm not staying the night here!' - the woods are surprisingly noisy, as all the creatures that have kept a low profile during the day come out of hiding. I was quite surprised by the difference in the feel of the place - on a warm, sunny afternoon, it seems cosy and friendly; last night it was a place full of frightening noises and impossibly uninviting - I tried to imagine being tucked up in a tent, with the prospect of waiting patiently till half past ten and time to 'put out the light' and nod off! I hopped back on the bike and did the sensible thing - had a couple of pints in the Eight Bells...

[BeeKeeper]

Mole had a simliar experience: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsq8t4y9buM

[Slowroad]

Might be a daft question - can you download maps for e-readers?

[andrew_s]

If you've got a WiFi or 3G connection, you can point the browser at maps.google.co.uk, http://www.openstreetmap.org or http://www.ereadermap.com (for example)

If you haven't, options are limited

There's this that will give national coverage OS 1:250,000 (for ~50MB)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Britain-R ... sim_kinc_3
The 1:250k data is downloadable from the OS website by 100km square tile, as plain tiff images (iirc), so you could just DIY.

or assorted town street maps
London,
London, Edinburgh, Glasgon, Dublin, New York, Harrogate, Bristol, Manchester

[Slowroad]

Cheers! Useful.