Tuesday 4 December 2018

Backpackers Club Christmas get together

My first proper outing on the Brompton was a success. I strapped my loaded backpack on to the back. In fact, before I left home, I removed the bungee cord that can be seen in the photo as it wasn't necessary.


I cycled the half mile to town (although I pushed some of the way up the hill from the house), caught the bus to Banbury and then the train to Derby (only stopping at Birmingham New Street) and then bus to Ashbourne. From there, I reassembled the bike and found the start of the Tissington Trail.

Tissington Trail
It was then vaguely uphill for 10.5 miles to the camp site in Biggin where a number of other backpackers were already pitched - one other on a Brompton who had come down from Cumbria. Once at Biggin, the bikes were folded and left in the village hall all weekend as they weren't needed. The weather wasn't brilliant.

Come Sunday morning, it was back down (rather easier) to Ashbourne and the bus. I had to change at Birmingham but my train from Derby was delayed so I missed my connection but not a big problem. Arriving back at Banbury, there being no Sunday bus service to home, I cycled a quiet route, some of it on Nation Cycle Route 5 and it was very enjoyable, apart from one stretch which took me on an an uphill track through a field followed by a muddy track but this led eventually to a lane. There were a number of hills where I got off and pushed. I cycled the last hour in the dark but I loved it. I was impressed with the Brompton dynamo lights. The route was just over sixteen miles.

Interestingly, and this shows the discrepancy between manufacturers of bags, my backpack, a Gossamer Gear Mariposa, has a capacity in the main compartment of 36 litres; this and the various outside pockets (which I used) make a total of 60 litres. Apart from the food which I had taken and eaten, I managed to decant everything in my 31 litre T Bag so I could actually have taken that instead of the backpack. A case of a quart into a pint pot!

Camping in the Somerset Levels

At last a camping weekend. With members of the Backpackers Club, cycle camping, not the usual backpacking. I loaded the bike in the back of ...