Winter camping in the UK is radically different to summer camping, and not only because of the temperature difference. In the UK, it rains during winter. That means not only cycling, and quite likely pitching your tent in the rain (or sleet) but sleeping on soggy ground.
Through trial and error, I fine-tuned my winter camping gear, so I can still go on winter cycling adventures. What I list here is what works for me. Your mileage may vary. Remember, ALWAYS test your kit somewhere you have a safe exit route. I do that by camping in my garden – if things go wrong, I can easily head indoors to get warm.
The limits of your bike
Let’s start with the obvious: when going cycle camping, you will be carrying everything you need on your bike. That immediately introduces limits, in terms of weight, as well as bulk. You need to find a balance that works for you.
You also need to figure out how to carry everything on your bike. In my case, I use these panniers on the rear rack, and two Podsacs mounted to the forks. On top of my rear rack I carry my tent, and my extra sleeping mat.
Warmth and shelter
Winter can get very cold, and that immediately raises the risk of a simple adventure becoming a survival event. Hypothermia is dangerous, and a real risk that you need to constantly be aware of.
We’re all different, and my body runs quite hot. In practical terms, this means I cycle through winter in shorts, wearing a long-sleeved jersey, a raincoat, these winter gloves and these neoprene overshoes. As long as I keep cycling, that tends to be OK here in Devon. If I lived on the north coast of Scotland, I’d probably dress warmer.
The trouble comes when you stop, as you will very quickly start losing body heat. That might be OK when you’re stopping at a lovely, warm café, but it’ll be far less fun if you’re stopping to fix a puncture, in the dark, while it’s sleeting.
This is why, once you arrive at your selected camping spot, your very first priority is to get your tent pitched. Remember, winter tends to be blustery, so ensure you pick a sheltered spot, whenever possible. Also ensure to use enough pegs to keep the tent secured. Finally, look at the landscape and try to imagine where water will be running, and pooling, should it start raining in the night. Avoid pitching your tent in such spots!
Sleeping
Warmth remains your top priority, pretty much at all times, but especially when sleeping. There are practicalities to consider here, and that begins with keeping your sleeping bag dry! Once your sleeping bag is wet, you’re in for a freezing cold night.
My sleeping bag is rated as a two-seasons bag. That means it’s not meant to be used in winter. I also have a lightweight, summer-only sleeping bag, and in winter I use that as an inner for my other sleeping bag. You can, and should, further supplement it with a satin sleeping bag liner. As ever, test it out somewhere you can go inside if it doesn’t work out.
Once in your tent, and to a degree protected from the elements, your next barrier to overcome is ground cold. In winter, the ground can be bitterly cold, and you need a sleeping mat to insulate against that. I use this inflatable sleeping mat. Though it’s good, and is 5cm thick when inflated, it’s not enough for winter camping, so I supplement is with my concertina-fold, closed-cell foam mat. That mat started off as a yoga mat, which I cut into strips, then duct-taped together.
Active heat
I have a pair of heated insoles, powered off a USB power bank, and typically would have those inside my sleeping bag, even before I go to sleep. That way, there’s already some warmth inside the bag when I crawl inside.
My absolute favourite though is my USB-powered heated gilet, and I sleep in it. I use a 10 000 mAh power bank just for my gilet, and overnight have it on the lowest power setting. It makes an absolute enormous difference!
However, don’t forget a trusty hot water bottle. These have numerous benefits – they stay warm a long time and you can re-use the water. Also, try to eat warm food, and have a hot drink, before going to bed. Doing so will warm you from the inside.
Cooking
Here’s where things get tricky: most people use gas camping stoves. Most such stoves use butane gas canisters, and butane doesn’t burn when it gets too cold. Some manufacturers, notably Coleman, make ridiculous claims about their products’ operating temperature range, so avoid Coleman Performance Gas!
I have a copy of a Trangia spirit stove as backup for very cold weather. I use bio-ethanol as fuel, and it does work, but you’ll be waiting a LOT longer for a hot drink! However, balance that against a gas stove that might not be working at all. Speaking of gas stoves, mine’s a tiny Vango stove.
I also have a compact wood-gas stove, which is a surprisingly effective wood-burning stove. However, I rarely take it along, because I strongly believe in the Leave No Trace principle, and the wood-gas stove leaves fine ash behind. Of course, provided you have dry twigs to feed the stove, it works really well, regardless of temperature.
Clothing
Remember, winters in the UK are wet, so avoid cotton. Cotton is a wonderful fabric, but it soaks up water, and takes forever to dry. That includes cotton mixes, like denim. Top marks if you can get a Merino wool underlayer – that will keep you warm even when wet, and it helps to wick moisture away from your skin.
Obviously, you need a waterproof coat, with a hood. My camping coat is NOT waterproof, so I wear a waterproof shell jacket over the top. I modified my camping jacket, too. It started life as a “fashion” puffer jacket, and while it was warm, there was major scope for improvement.
I cut small holes in lots of places on the inside of the jacket, then fully stuffed the “tubes” with hollow-fibre stuffing. Afterwards, the jacket is a lot warmer. On bitterly cold nights, while camping, I wear that over my heated gilet.
I also wear a Thinsulate beanie, and usually sleep with it on. That’s because I shave my head, and when camping in mid-winter, the extra insulation makes a big difference.
Finally
Except for my neoprene gloves, my overshoes and my beanie, I don’t own kit made for winter camping. As you can see, I made adaptations, which work for me. This also meant I didn’t have to spend a fortune on expedition-grade kit!
Go experiment with what you already have, and see how you can modify, or supplement it, then go test it out in a safe environment. In no time, you’ll have fine-tuned your own winter-camping kit!