One Saturday in 2018, we caught the train from Bristol to Yatton and cycled along the Strawberry Path with our young son, ready to camp out for our Wild Night Out.
We passed apple orchards and loads of families on bikes and then veered into the Mendips stopping at the Swan in Rowberrow, which does good beer and food and has a garden with a play area. It was a really hot day so we all needed a long drink by the time we got there.
Fitz is happy being in the bike seat as long as we are singing so we were singing every song that popped into my head as we went along. He is very into pointing so we pointed at every bird, car and plane in the vicinity. From the pub we climbed up a dirt track through the woods until we emerged onto Black Down. The hill has 360 degree views across the Severn Channel and across the Mendips towards Cheddar and Blagdon lake. We turned one of the bikes upside down and stretched our tarp over the top setting up Fitz's cot and our sleeping mats underneath. Some teens climbed up from the road and ate their supper on the summit before wandering off to find themselves a camp.
We attempted to put Fitz to bed but he was much more interested in watching the sunset and the the bracken swaying. When the sun went down Fitz slept and Neil and I watched the stars. In the morning Fitz inspected our bikes and used a magic wand to fix any problems, Neil went for a run and I explored the hillside on bike. We ate a batch of courgette and carrot pancakes which I'd brought from home and then bombed back down the hill to the Strawberry Line and Yatton only to discover our train was cancelled and Fitz would have to delay his nap as we cycled back to Bristol.
Camping out on a hill gives us the chance to reset our body clocks, get away from the noise of the city and just watch the birds, the beasties and the bracken. Time slows down and it makes us relaxed and happy and it was great to know that others were enjoying the same beautiful skies and enjoying a wild night out too.
Read about more of their awesome adventures here www.pikesonbikes.com
WILD NIGHT OUT: GET INVOLVED
There are so many ways you can go wild at night. Anyone and everyone can take this opportunity to make some amazing memories to treasure forever. To get your imagination going, we’ve gathered together some ideas, stories, and how-to guides to help you design the very best Wild Night Out for you.
Everyone needs a Wild Night Out!
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