Intro to Bikepacking - Sisters in the Wild, Southease YHA, South Downs

Try bikepacking for the first time, with all the gear you need available to loan. A supportive, fun, small-group weekend with hands-on skill-sharing on gear, packing, route planning and practical bikepacking know-how from experienced guides. 2 nights, hostel and camping, gravel terrain, Level 2 out of 5. Sisters in the Wild trips are for women and FLINTA riders.

Friday 9 October: arrive at Southease YHA by 7pm, dinner, then gear demonstrations. Southease is about 1 hour 15 minutes by train from London Victoria. You sleep in a dorm room at the hostel.

Saturday 10 October: breakfast, bikepacking setup demos and packing practice, then a 25-mile ride to a private campsite with snack stops along the way. The campsite has hot showers.

Sunday 11 October: breakfast, then a 25-mile return ride with the mandatory bikepacking meal of second breakfast.

The riding: around 900m of climbing over the weekend on mixed terrain including tarmac, dirt, mud, grassy fields and rocky bridleways. Bring a mountain bike or gravel bike you are comfortable riding off-road, with tyres of at least 38mm. E-bikes are welcome with a range of 60km or more.

Included: 2 nights accommodation, all bikepacking and camping gear loans, dinner on Friday, breakfast and dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday, plus the guides' skill-sharing. Borrow bikepacking bags, tent, stoves, pans and sleeping mats free of charge, with a limited number of sleeping bags.

Not included: lunch and snacks during the rides, bike hire, transport to the venue and travel insurance.

Guides and group size: led by British Cycling and First Aid qualified Sisters in the Wild hosts, with a maximum guide-to-rider ratio of 1:8. Maximum 16 riders, and a minimum of 5 riders is needed for the trip to run.

Price and booking: £275. A deposit secures your spot and is refundable up to 45 days before the trip. Book through WeTravel via the link below.

Source: https://sistersinthewild.com/intro-bikepacking-south-downs