Lightweight bivvying in the Scottish Highlands

Shooting Star bivvy

By AK Guest>

A Treasured Outdoor Moment - Manouk Bakermans

I've been going out into the mountains from a young age, but have always been following someone else (my parents, a mountain guide, a friend, my boyfriend). More recently I've been going out on my own, to test my limits and see how I'd cope being the sole navigator and making all decisions on my own.

So it happened that, a few days after my Kloke Bivy Bag, PipeDream Sleeping Bag, and Alpkit 2/3 Sleeping Mat had arrived, along with some other goodies (honestly, it could be an Alpkit commercial, had prior to that been given a BrewKit for my birthday which came along too), I set off for a wee adventure near my hometown Kingussie in the the Scottish Highlands.

I took the train to Aviemore and set off on a gorgeous November day. Just above Loch Einich, after a long hike, I took out my Bivy and stayed the night. The sky was so clear and there was no light pollution. I lost count of how many shooting stars I'd seen. It was amazing. The next day started clear, but ended up cloudy and misty.

However, I had 3 munros (Sgur an Lochain Uaine, Cairn Toul and the Devil's Point) on my schedule, got on with it, and pushed my limits a bit by nailing navigating on my own, in the cloud, on a plateau. What a confidence boost, and what a weekend to remember.

Thank you for reading my story, have a lovely day,

14 comments

  • Lovely to read. Well done on your adventures. I know this walk well and am enjoying picturing the starlight night!

    Lisa Donald

    March 18, 2022

  • Heh Moaouk , UP ⬆️ the the Cairngorms 🏔⛰🏔- in a Bivi Bag – in November ! It’s got to be great gear . Uncle Jim 🤓 Eaglesham

    Jim French

    November 21, 2022

  • Yes, that little area is amazing, quiet, isolated. I once spent two nights in the Namib desert in an area called the Mountains of the Moon. The night sky there influenced me to become an amateur astronomer. There’s nothing like getting away from it all and being self-reliant. One learns a lot about oneself.

    Roger

    March 14, 2022

  • amazing. well done

    natalie

    January 14, 2021

  • Christ manouk you’ve got some lust for life well done,neil 😀

    Neil lawson

    March 13, 2022

  • That’s a really great story about overcoming your fears, by just getting out there and having a go at learning new skills and having fun on your own.

    Bikeyparkey

    January 10, 2021

  • I’m so pleased for you, thanks for sharing your story, short and to the point, and I get the feeling it’s the first of many adventures.

    John

    January 10, 2021

  • Lovely to read. Well done on your adventures. I know this walk well and am enjoying picturing the starlight night!

    Lisa Donald

    March 18, 2022

  • Heh Moaouk , UP ⬆️ the the Cairngorms 🏔⛰🏔- in a Bivi Bag – in November ! It’s got to be great gear . Uncle Jim 🤓 Eaglesham

    Jim French

    November 21, 2022

  • Yes, that little area is amazing, quiet, isolated. I once spent two nights in the Namib desert in an area called the Mountains of the Moon. The night sky there influenced me to become an amateur astronomer. There’s nothing like getting away from it all and being self-reliant. One learns a lot about oneself.

    Roger

    March 14, 2022

  • amazing. well done

    natalie

    January 14, 2021

  • Christ manouk you’ve got some lust for life well done,neil 😀

    Neil lawson

    March 13, 2022

  • That’s a really great story about overcoming your fears, by just getting out there and having a go at learning new skills and having fun on your own.

    Bikeyparkey

    January 10, 2021

  • I’m so pleased for you, thanks for sharing your story, short and to the point, and I get the feeling it’s the first of many adventures.

    John

    January 10, 2021

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