Article · 5 Nov 2022
A guide to the bivouac - the pinnacle of minimalist wild-camping. Accounts of bivvybag adventures, both nice and nasty, alternate with practical chapters on lightweight kit and long-distance bivvying, and the book finishes with a selection of bivvybag expeditions. Informative, honest and highly entertaining!
Seasons
Spring to autumn, plus (for tough types) winterCentres
Hillsides, hilltops and valleys throughout the UK, including islands; warmer climes AbroadDifficulty
Bivvybag sleeping asks for some physical and mental resilience - but the rewards are out of proportion.Must See
The definitive account of bivvybag sleeping in the UK, fully revised and updated for its 20th anniversary edition; bivvybag nights, both nice and nasty; bivvy history - how improved bivouac technique enabled the first successful ascent of the EigerwandISBN
9781786310781
Availability
Published
Published
10 Sept 2021
Edition
Third
Pages
176
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.10cm
Weight
190g
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Overview
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They are the best of nights, they are the worst of nights…
Bivvying offers a chance to experience a whole new level of immersion in the outdoors, with just a lightweight bag between you and the elements. The Book of the Bivvy provides an informed, humorous, instructive, wry insight into the world of the bivouac, drawing upon Ronald Turnbull's own extensive experience.
The book is a half-and-half mix of how to do it and why to do it (or how not to do it and why not to do it). Accounts of bivvybag nights and expeditions, both nice and nasty, are interspersed with practical tips about types of membrane, sites, techniques and minimalist kit. There are stories and anecdotes from all over the UK, plus a few from abroad. The rich and colourful history of the bivvy is also explored in Ronald's own inimitable style, with descriptions of how Diogenes (the Cynic) bivvied under timber and how the Eigerwand was climbed only through improved bivvying technique.
The Book of the Bivvy is a celebration of back-to-basic camping, the perfect antidote to our fast-paced, comfort-based modern life. Honest and entertaining, there is every chance it will inspire you to find a remote hilltop, roll out your bag and watch the sunset. -
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Ronald Turnbull
Ronald Turnbull writes regularly for TGO, Lakeland Walker, Trail and Cumbria magazines. His previous books include Across Scotland on Foot, Long Days in Lakeland and Welsh 3000ft Challenges. He has written many other Cicerone guides, including Walking in the Lowther Hills, The Book of the Bivvy and Not the West Highland Way.
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