A Wildcamp in the Woods

It was Friday afternoon and the weather was a bit rubbish, so I had the genius idea to spend a night in the woods.  I packed up my rucksack with a tarp and a bivvy bag and jumped on my mountain bike for a little microadventure. 
Then it went wrong.
A couple of miles down the road I had a bit of a bike malfunction.  This is what happens when you leave your bike stood for a while and don't get it serviced! 

After a bit of cursing and tinkering, the missus was phoned and came to the rescue.  The disabled Giant was thrown in the back of the car and I was swiftly transported - by four wheels, instead of two, to my destination. 

Once dropped off, I said my goodbyes once again and wandered into the deep, dark woods.  They're not that deep and dark to be honest, but for the sake of a bit of adventure, we'll just pretend a little!
After a bit of a walk I found the perfect spot and sat down and had a cuppa and enjoyed the silence and solitude.  I've usually got three kids making a racket, so it made a refreshing change! 
The weather had turned even duller, with a few spots of rain coming down so I threw up my tarp to keep my kit dry.  Photo opportunities were a bit limited due to the rain and pretty soon it was full on dark. 
After taking a few long exposures of the woods, I cooked up some dinner and hit the sack - hoping for a nice clear day and a decent sunrise in the morning.
I didn't get one. 
The rain was relentless through the night and into the morning, so I packed up my gear, removed all traces of where I'd stayed and headed back through the woods to take a few more snaps before a nice leisurely 8 mile walk home. 

I wished I'd had the bike! 

Here are a few snaps. 

Disclaimer:  Wild camping is mostly illegal in England as the majority of land is privately owned and permission must be granted by the landowner.  However, I believe this to be almost impossible in most instances.  I love the outdoors, and always treat it with respect.  I collected all my rubbish and removed all traces of where I had stayed.  Like the age old quote says - take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints.