The Bivvy Challenge

Even the Queen, ensconced in the very middle of Britain’s biggest city, is only a 15-mile yomp away from a great bivvy site in the woods by the Great Pond on Epsom Common. Nobody in the UK lives more than 15 miles from somewhere green, pretty, and invigorating to spend a night.

So why not pick a nice warm sunny weekend and give this a go yourself? This infographic will give you all the information you need.

Rules of the Bivvy Challenge

1. Your journey must start and finish at your front door
2. You must cover, through non-motorised means, a circular journey of at least 30 miles (or a distance that is moderately difficult for you)
3. It must take at least 24 hours
4. You must sleep outdoors (no tent) in a place you have never been before
5. You must have an outdoor swim
6. Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men

Necessary Equipment:

Sleeping bag
Bivvy bag
or, for first-timers/misers/paupers/masochists, one of these cheap orange survival bags will do fine

Not Necessary Equipment:

Everything else

If you want to know more about the world of “bivvying” I heartily recommend this book by Ronald Turnbull. It’s more amusing than a book about bivvy bags has any right to be.

I really do urge you to give this, or any of the year’s microadventures a go yourself.
Please do let me know how you get on: write up your trip and share it online using the hashtag #microadventure

40 Comments

Sue Beresford 11/05/2011 at 08:39

I think this is the best video you have made yet.
And a brilliant challenge….
Tony 11/05/2011 at 08:41

I’ve never slept outdoors without a tent and to be frank the idea sounds quite scary (cows, chavs, rain being just 3) but your video is so infused with enthusiasm and joy that I am going to give this a try. I’m nervous but excited!
- Al Humphreys 11/05/2011 at 08:51
  
  If you’re in the wilds, on top of a hill, by a river bank etc I’m quite sure you’ll have a chav-free night. I can’t promise you won’t wake to the sight of a few curious cows however…
  
  Good luck!
  You won’t regret it! (Unless it rains all night, in which case you probably will)
Kevin 11/05/2011 at 09:40

I’m definitely up for this! What a laugh
Hugo Jeffires 11/05/2011 at 09:41

me too. love the micro adventures
miketually 11/05/2011 at 11:12

The bivvy bag I bought last year taunts me every time I open my daughter’s wardrobe, where it’s stored, because I’ve not used it properly yet (inside a kids’ teepee of uncertain waterproofness that I took to a bike race in Manchester doesn’t count).
Jamie 11/05/2011 at 11:57

I probably missed some obvious clue but what town/city did you start in, or to put it another way, where do you live at the moment?

And where roughly did you end up for the night?
- Al Humphreys 11/05/2011 at 12:04
  
  Hi Jamie,
  Trawl through this website and you’ll find very few maps or ‘useful’ information: that’s a conscious choice.There is a niche for sensible trip reports with maps, distances and elevations. I’ve chosen a different angle: I try to convey how a trip felt.
  See here for an explanation: https://alastairhumphreys.com/2011/03/living-travels/
  
  I ended up in a hollow beneath some trees and loads of stars on the banks of a busy estuary. It was superb.
  Al
Rob Hughes 11/05/2011 at 12:59

I slept in a bivvy bag on Snowdon in February. Bloody awful.
- Al Humphreys 11/05/2011 at 13:00
  
  I think the retrospective memories of bivvy-ing are often rosier than the experiences themselves…
Tom Allen 11/05/2011 at 13:37

Great idea. I accidentally already did a 24-hour bivvy challenge last week – 130-mile round trip on a bike & slept in a drainage pipe. (Mostly) great fun!
Jim Hardy 11/05/2011 at 19:14

Beautiful video… really enjoyed this, thanks!

Was sleeping outside a few years ago (in Hawaii, so thought I wouldn’t need a tent) and at 3am it starting chucking it down!

I try and sleep in my garden once a month… that’s a micro-micro challenge, and always a refreshing way to wake up!
Tandaylor 11/05/2011 at 19:16

Not watched the video, yet – but I’ve been planning a 24 hour bivy thing ever since I saw your Hill micro adventure. I’ll let you know how I get on. Thanks for the push.
Paul Simms 11/05/2011 at 21:19

I am up for a spot of bivvying, but is it in the rules to cycle there?

Once again, a ‘finger on the pulse’ article and video, thanks Alastair.
- Al Humphreys 12/05/2011 at 07:51
  
  Rule 6 covers most eventualities…
Tim Meek 12/05/2011 at 08:23

Hi Al,
Great post – very motivational and inspiring.

Was chatting with my 7 Year old last night and we’re gonna do a toned down version of this:
– walk 12 miles from door to secret location
– sleep in bivvies (possibly under a boardwalk)
– morning paddle
– walk back

Will capture on video and blog about it.

Thanks for the inspiration!
Tim
- Al Humphreys 12/05/2011 at 08:33
  
  fantastic! Let me know when you’ve done it.
  They may also like this video to give them an impression of sleeping outdoors: http://vimeo.com/22696748
microadventure: bivvying south of geneva « morelivinglessironing 12/05/2011 at 13:18

[…] was inspired to undertake this after reading Alastair Humphreys’ blog ‘The 24 Hour Bivvy Challenge‘. In this he outlines the rules of the Bivvy Challenge, some of which I’m having to […]
Ryan Scott 12/05/2011 at 13:36

Thanks for the inspiration. I set off tomorrow (Friday) morning on my first, of many hopefully, microadventure. The idea of what I would do came to me yesterday afternoon – no time to talk myself out of it then!

You can read pre (and hopefully post) trip stories at:
http://morelivinglessironing.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/microadventure-bivvying-south-of-geneva/
Kevin Shannon 12/05/2011 at 15:06

I spent the best part of 3 months sleeping in my Bivvy thoughout Europe. Amazing.
Hamish 13/05/2011 at 13:39

What’s acceptable bivvying weather? We’ve just had a thoroughly miserable week here (Melbourne – Australia) and heading into winter it’s not getting any better any time soon.
kateC 13/05/2011 at 15:46

inspiring as usual. wish i’d read the rules first…no swim included on our bivvy (http://teacake-kate.blogspot.com/2011/05/bivvy-that-broke-us.html)…i guess that means we just have to try again :)
Ross Corbett 18/05/2011 at 15:41

One of the best videos yet, I’m loving the micro-adventures.

What camera do you use to film these videos as the quality is great? :)
- Al Humphreys 18/05/2011 at 18:09
  
  Canon 5D Mkii
Lorne Read 18/05/2011 at 20:16

I bivvy a lot, just for fun

I find it a great way to feel connected to nature
lilalia 18/05/2011 at 20:52

Love the idea of a micro-adventure. Certainly, have loved your videos to date. Can not say why, but this one touched home. Thanks.
- Al Humphreys 18/05/2011 at 20:57
  
  please give it a try then!
Walking and Scrambling in North Wales « When Men and Mountains Meet 25/05/2011 at 13:53

[…] an outdoor bivvy on the first night, which was partly inspired by Alastair Humphreys’ 24 hour Bivvy Challenge. I wanted to complete three big, long, high-level days, so set off from Gwern Gof Uchaf campsite […]
dexey 28/05/2011 at 07:41

My mate and I planned to bike and bivi the Radnor Ring this month. Prostate cancer has jumped in and altered my calendar but I should be fit again for August :0)
ps Are you speaking in the West Midlands this year?
microadventures… « (Un)Inspired Ramblings 04/06/2011 at 15:26

[…] Microadventure 4: 24 hour bivvy challenge This is a little similar to number 3, though the focus is on walking or riding from your front door to find some wild area relatively close by. The rules are roughly that the journey must start and finish at your front door; you must cover, through non-motorised means, a circular journey of at least 30 miles (or a distance that is moderately difficult for you); it must take at least 24 hours; you must sleep outdoors (no tent) in a place you have never been before and if possible you must have an outdoor swim. But of course any variation of your own us perfectly fine – the aim is to get out there, not to rigidly follow a set of rules! So, the bivvy bag is already here, I just need to find a location and route! Again, watch this space… […]
Matthew Lee 01/07/2011 at 19:29

Love it! Bivouac: from biwacht, meaning ‘night guard/patrol’. Thanks Al for helping bring back the Bivy. Vintage ‘micro-adventures’: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/06/a-1955-british-cycling-film-shows-the-joys-of-countryside-touring.php
Lou 14/09/2011 at 11:49

Hi !
Nice and very inspiring video once again ! That reminds me of my sea kayak bivvies, some years ago. I think you should check your sound mix next time, because your voice is too weak compared to the music, that’s too bad. Also, you are cheating regarding what’s needed and what isn’t : you’re carrying a camera and a tripod ! :).
Mike 28/04/2012 at 17:40

Great idea but don’t fancy an attempt like this with the current UK weather! Definitely need a tent at the moment..
Andy 11/02/2013 at 17:23

Hi Al,

Just a quick FYI: the link to the Bivvy site above is re-directing to bit.ly.

Cheers
- Alastair 15/02/2013 at 19:57
  
  Thanks – fixed it now.
Diogo 26/04/2013 at 18:08

Just did this in Portugal with two other friends. Amazing experience! I would not call it a “micro” adventure though. It was f*cking tough!!
barry everall 07/08/2013 at 20:03

im doing a 100 mile bike and bivvy in 5 weeks, thought about a bivvy and basha combo but gonna use a gelert solo
puckertoe 03/02/2014 at 09:54

Hey, I brought up on the Common in Epsom… It’s a fantastic wild spot near the city. Some weekends I used to cycle to the Cotswolds as a teenager and end my day behind some hedge for the night before cycling home in the morning. I love micro adventures… I have done for 40 maybe more.years I encourage more women to go and try them.
Dave newbould 26/09/2014 at 02:30

This seems a well good website and that Tim moss stuffs good, keep me updated please- you mayve helped ignite a spark
Tony L 09/05/2015 at 11:38

Great video Alastair, I have never thought of bivvying until the other day while planning a cycle tour to the Hebrides, and having done a bit of research in to the notion of leaving the tent behind I have purchased a half decent bag and am really looking forward to getting out there and experiencing more freedom than before with just a bag, I am bit nervous about the weather though!