When: 8th April 6pm - 10th April 4pm
Price: £195, £95 subsidized (+ Eventbrite booking fee)
Starting Location : Edale YHA, Edale, Hope Valley, S33 7ZH
We’re collaborating with Adventure Queens to run a Introduction To Bikepacking weekend for their awesome women’s outdoor community. Our aim for this weekend event is to create an opportunity to try bikepacking in a fun space, with all the gear, tips and support you need to give it a go! Our starting location in Edale is easily accessible by train, and if you don't have all the gear - don't worry. We can provide many of the essentials, including lightweight tents and bikepacking bags.
Who are Adventure Queens?
Adventure Queens is a UK based, not-for-profit women’s adventure community – set up with the aim of delicately bringing down the barriers that prevent women from going on outdoor adventures and realising their full potential.
They’re free to join, highly accessible and completely inclusive for anyone that identifies as a woman.
Who's this for?
Any woman* who want to share a bikepacking adventure and skill building experience in a fun and supportive environment. This might be your first ever bikepacking trip or you may be coming with some tales to share! We just ask that you are comfortable riding around 25 miles a day in hilly/mixed terrain, have a bike capable of riding off-road, and are up for sharing a bit of a challenge! There will be some mandatory gear to bring which you'll find at the bottom, but we can provide most of the big stuff.
*Whilst most of our SITW events are open to any WTFNB person, this one is focused on anyone who identifies as a woman
What's included
Friday night accommodation (shared dorm) in the YHA in Edale, and in camping on Saturday.
Kit loan if you need it. Before the weekend we'll share a kit list and help to go through what you already have and what you need
Practical , hands-on skill sharing on bikepacking essentials from experienced bikepackers and your fellow attendees. Expect chats on gear, packing, food, route planning and the practical stuff no one talks about (periods? poop? we've got you covered!)
Guided rides on Saturday and Sunday from qualified leaders. Expect somewhere in the region of 40 - 50 miles over the weekend on mixed terrain
A communal dinner on Friday (we'll all pitch in to cook) and a hearty breakfast before we head out on the bikes. We'll kit everyone out with some basic bikepacking grub to cook up for dinner and breakfast whilst at our overnight camp.
Lots of support, cheerleading and cake stops as we share in this challenge together!
The plan
We'll start the weekend in true Sisters In The Wild style, sharing skills and tips over a communal meal, before loading up to head out on our own overnight bikepacking adventure together. We'll ride a mix of on road and off, getting comfortable with our loaded bikes on the dirt tracks of the Peak District, before rolling into our camp-spot for the evening.
Friday:
Meeting in Edale YHA on Friday evening, we'll spend the evening getting to know each other over a communal dinner, talking about the plan for the weekend, hopes and fears, and share tips for packing for a weekend of bikepacking!
Saturday:
Morning will see us up early for a good breakie, before we start to get our bikes and bodies ready for the ride! We'll talk about packing, distribute gear and supplies, and get our bikes loaded up with everything we need for our overnight adventure. We'll say goodbye to the hostel, and set out on a 25 mile-ish ride, taking in a mix of offroad and road in the gorgeous Peak District National Park. There will be hills and probably some pushing! But the pace will be very friendly and there will be plenty of time for snacks and chatting along the way.
We'll aim to roll into our secluded campsite before dark, set up our tents together and settle in for an evening of campfire, cooking up our dinners and sharing stories from the day.
Sunday
After breakfast at camp, we'll pack up tents and get the bikes loaded up once again for our return ride to the hostel with lunch on the way. We'll get back around 4pm, unload our gear and get ready for a return to civilization!
What gear can I borrow
Bikepacking bags - we'll have a range of handlebar rolls, saddle bag and frame bags to borrow
Tent
Sleeping Mat
Stoves
We'll have a limited number of sleeping bags too. Get in touch before booking if you need one of these.
What gear do I need?
We'll share a proper kit list before, but key things you'll need to bring include:
A bike - One you are comfortable riding off road (e.g. on dirt, gravel, bridleways etc), and that is in good working order. A MTB or Gravel bike works great. We'd suggest a minimum of 38mm tyres. Full suspension bikes only if suspension can be locked out.
Sleeping Bag - A 3 season, lightweight bag. We'll have a very limited number of these to borrow - please email sistersinthewilduk@gmail.com in advance of booking to check if we have one available.
A small rucksack - Around 20L, that you'll be comfortable riding with
Helmet
Spares/tools for your own bike. E.g. inner tubes,
Headtorch & Bike Lights
Waterproofs
Something to eat and drink from
Riding
The ride will take in a mixed bag of Peak District terrain, with a mix of offroad and quiet roads. There will be some big hills, some bits of more technical terrain, and we'll most likely all be pushing our bikes at times! But that's all part of the fun, and the views (and cake stops!) are worth it. Expect a mix of dirt, mud, grass and rocky bridleways. We expect to cover about 50 miles over the weekend.
How to get there?
Our Friday meeting point is is very close to Edale train station. Trains from Manchester and Sheffield are around 45 minutes, or about 2hr 45 from London. Remember to book your bike on the train if coming in advance.
Car sharing encouraged! Check out the Lift Sharing facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/830374944541156
Bike hire
Bike hire will be available! £70 for the weekend through The Bike Garage, including delivery and pick up from our start/end point. Book directly through https://bikegarage.co.uk/, and then drop them and us an email to tell them its for the SITW weekend at Edale YHA.
Can I join if I’m not part of the Adventure Queens community?
This event is exclusively for the AQ community, which is free to join. Take a look at their website or facebook group, and if that seems like something you’d like to be a part of, go join!