January's icy blast was not encouraging for cycling or camping, but in the last few days, there was a glimmer of ... if not spring, at least normal temperatures. I'd had a couple of bits of camping kit for Christmas, so I was itching to try them.
A dry weekend meant it was time. I cycled west, only pausing to pick up a Chicken Balti Pasty for tea. Reached my destination near Chobham just after sundown, around 5pm, and found a nice spot in a hollow in pine woods. No tarp needed - or that's what I hoped - just a bivi bag, new sleeping mat, sleeping bag and newish warm sleeping bag liner.
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| New camping pot |
I had a bit of trouble lighting the Trangia stove but eventually I was enjoying hot tea from my new titanium pot. Lovely. Slight problem: the head torch's battery was flat and it was getting dark, but I had my phone torch, so I blundered round a bit and was in bed by half past six. It was still fairly chilly at seven degrees, but there was virtually no wind, so I hoped for a good night's sleep.
It was a success. I fell asleep almost immediately in extreme comfort, with an airbed, soft foam mat and a bed of soft pine needles and peaty soil. If anything I was a bit too warm, so had to take a layer off around midnight. And put it back on again around 4am when it got a bit colder, down to 3 degrees. It never got completely dark. No moon or stars, but the sky was covered with a blanket of cloud, and a blanket of light reflected from somewhere, perhaps the nearby M3. I could hear a quiet hiss of traffic which was rather soporific. No rain.
Around 6.30am I awoke, and although it was not really light enough, I got up and put the kettle on while I started to pack away, more by feel than sight at first. In the dark, I managed to pour meths everywhere except the Trangia burner, but managed avoid a forest fire. Perhaps I'm a bit too finicky with packing, but I try to fold and roll everything, so it takes a while. Eventually back on the bike just after sunrise, around 8am for the ride home with a tail wind. A nice night out.
