Bikepacking Adventure
2 Days and1 Night Escape in the Cotswolds
Please note: This trip will not be available in 2025, but stay tuned for future adventures!
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Please note: This trip will not be available in 2025, but stay tuned for future adventures! 〰️
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Bike Packing
Challenge yourself with your first multi-day cycling adventure
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Beginners are Welcome!
Created for beginners who are confident cyclists!
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Camping
Wild-ish camping where you can unplug and reconnect with nature
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Escape the City
Explore the Cotswold hills by bike on this women only guided adventure!
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Meet New Friends
Meet like-minded women! 95% of our guests join solo
Join Gutsy Girls for our exclusive women only bikepacking weekend adventure in the beautiful Cotswold hills. Created especially for beginner mountain bikers, this two day, one night expedition is the perfect introduction to multi-day mountain biking and wild camping!
We’ll be loading up our bikes for a women only cycling weekend of exploring hidden valleys, secret trails, rural roads and beautiful countryside with new friends. We’ll camp under the stars, eat in the great outdoors, enjoy great conversation and reconnect with nature!
You don’t need any previous mountain biking experience to join us (but you should be a confident bike rider) and we provide top quality mountain bikes, helmets, bikepacking luggage and wild camping gear.
Activities
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The Adventure
Gutsy Girls is an incredibly friendly, inclusive and supportive community of like-minded women. We’re all about encouraging you to reconnect with nature - and yourself in the process - by nurturing confidence and self-growth in the outdoors at your pace, whatever your ability or background.
Most of our guests join Gutsy Girls’ adventures solo, and they leave with new, meaningful friendships!
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What is Bikepacking?
Bikepacking is the same as self-supported overnight hiking trips, just on two wheels! Combining the freedom of multi-day backcountry hiking, exploring off-road trails with the ability to cover more ground. It’s about exploring places less travelled, via singletrack trails, bridleways and ancient tracks and paths, carrying the essential gear and not much more.
You will be provided with specialist bike packing luggage - lightweight bags that fit on your handlebars, within your frame and behind your seat, and you will carry all your kit in these - making you completely self-sufficient.
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Camping
Our overnight camp offers a ‘wild-ish’ experience at a local farm in the southern Cotswolds, overlooking the River Avon and Kennet and Avon canal. Enjoy exclusive access to this charming, private pasture with elevated views of the valley and Bath’s downs.
Sleep under the stars with provided sleeping mats, bivouacs (waterproof covers), and optional tarps. You’ll have access to toilet facilities and running water, but no showers. New to this? Don’t worry, we’re here to help. Your only neighbors are sheep, goats, and cows, fenced away from the bivvi pasture.
You’ll need to bring your own lightweight sleeping bag for this adventure; check out our packing list here.
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Guided Experience
We’ve teamed up with passionate guides who will happily provide mentoring, tuition on any aspects of bike packing, bike skills, repair & maintenance, equipment, first aid, navigation, bush craft, personal security, wild foods and just about anything else related to living off two wheels.
The Adventure
This is a two day guided experience, led by friendly and passionate British Cycling qualified guides. We’ve planned and tested a route that is perfect for beginner mountain bikers, that will allow you to develop technical skills on the bike and build your confidence in riding over the weekend.
It’s an undulating route, with a few challenging sections to test your new skills. Each day we’ll ride between 6-8 hours (approx 45 km a day) with stops for coffee, cake and lunch with a view!
Our sociable riding style is focused on enjoyment and adventure - and newcomers to mountain biking are more than welcome on this adventure.
The overnight camp will be in a wild’ish’ campsite. Keeping things lightweight, we’ll be sleeping in bivvy bags under tarps (more details below). Our guides will help you set up your camp, making a wild adventure as comfortable as possible.
What is Bike Packing?
Bikepacking is the same as self-supported overnight hiking trips, just on two wheels! Combining the freedom of multi-day backcountry hiking, exploring off-road trails with the ability to cover more ground. It’s about exploring places less travelled, via singletrack trails, bridleways and ancient tracks and paths, carrying the essential gear and not much more.
You will be provided with specialist bike packing luggage - lightweight bags that fit on your handlebars, within your frame and behind your seat, and you will carry all your kit in these - making you completely self-sufficient.
Camping
Our overnight camp offers a ‘wild-ish’ experience at a local farm in the southern Cotswolds, overlooking the River Avon and Kennet and Avon canal. Enjoy exclusive access to this charming, private pasture with elevated views of the valley and Bath’s downs.
Sleep under the stars with provided sleeping mats, bivouacs (waterproof covers), and optional tarps. You’ll have access to toilet facilities and running water, but no showers. New to this? Don’t worry, we’re here to help. Your only neighbors are sheep, goats, and cows, fenced away from the bivvi pasture.
You’ll need to bring your own lightweight sleeping bag for this adventure; check out our packing list here.
Location
We’ve chosen Bath and the Cotswolds for its stunning landscapes and its super accessibility via public transport! Our meeting point is just an 8 minute walk from Bath Spa train station with frequent trains from London and many other UK train stations.
One of the Cotswolds’ greatest secrets is how good the area is for off-road cycling. The network of good tracks and the variety of terrain - from rolling green hills, to woodland tracks, bridleways between distinctive local yellow limestone villages and rocky by-ways makes mountain biking one of the best ways to discover the area.
Guided Experience
We’ve teamed up with passionate guides who will happily provide mentoring, tuition on any aspects of bike packing, bike skills, repair & maintenance, equipment, first aid, navigation, bush craft, personal security, wild foods and just about anything else related to living off two wheels.
Experience Level
Gutsy Girls prides itself on creating a welcoming environment, taking the intimidation out of learning new sports in a non-competitive and super supportive setting!
This adventure is perfect for confident riders with a good base level of fitness. You don’t need any previous mountain biking experience to join this adventure; however, we do ask that you can ride a bike confidently over a variety of terrain and for a extended period of time, and the Cotswold hills mean you may need to dig deep occasionally!
We will be cycling for 6-8 hours (with plenty of breaks for snacks and lunch, possibly even a cafe or pub!) on varied terrain.
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This trip is rated as moderate to challenging. To fully enjoy and make the most out of this experience, a good to high level of fitness is essential.
Required Experience: You don’t need prior mountain biking experience, but you must be a confident cyclist.
Duration: Gear up for 6-8 hours of cycling each day, including time for breaks.
Distance: On day 1, expect to cycle up to 40km, followed by up to 35km on day 2.
Loaded Bike: Your bike will carry all essentials, plus a backpack for additional needs. This setup improves stability but will increase the effort needed for uphill climbs.
Paths: Our journey takes us through country lanes, bridleways, byways, and cycle paths, offering a mix of rocky and narrow terrains with minimal traffic.
Terrain: The route includes hill climbs; you must be comfortable with both ascents and descents on your bike. Expect a variety of surfaces.
Consecutive Days: Prepare for 2 consecutive days of biking, which may be physically challenging and a bit tough on the posterior!
Camping: Experience a night under the stars, sleeping in a bivvy and under a tarp. Toilets are available at the campsite.
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We will meet at 9am at Bath Outdoors, in Bath. Here we’ll pack our bags, load our bike and get ready for our adventure
Bath Outdoors
Unit 8
Broadway Court
Miles Street
Bath
BA2 4HX
It’s an 8-minute walk from Bath Spa train station, so you can catch a morning train from London Paddington and many other UK train stations.
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You can travel to Bath by train from London and many other UK towns and cities. We meet an 8 minute walk from the station.
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We provide:
Bike
Helmet
Sleeping mat
Bivvy bag and tarp
Bikepacking specific luggage: saddle bag, frame bag, and bar bag
(This will be enough space to carry a few extra warm clothes for the evening and night time, some toiletry essentials and your camping equipment. Lightweight is the name of the game though! )
Cooking equipment
Dinner and breakfast expedition meals
You will need:
Warm, lightweight sleeping bag (2 or 3 season)
Warm dry clothes for the evening and overnight
Lightweight warm coat (down or synthetic)
Warm hat
Buff
2 x 750 ml Water bottles or 1.5 litre hydration pack (please note there are no bottle cages on the bikes so you’ll need to carry water in your backpack)
Cycle clothing (padded shorts recommended!)
Gloves for cycling
Waterproof jacket (waterproof trousers if the forecast looks wet!)
Basic toiletries
Sun screen
Sunglasses
Prescription medication
Insect repellent
Electrolytes
Trainers for cycling in
Flip flops (for the evening!)
Money - we will stop at at least one watering hole to enjoy something to eat and drink, and a pub, cafe or farm shop for lunch on day 2. You will need cash as well as a card due to some of the more remote locations only taking cash.
Headtorch
Packed lunch for day 1. Carbs are good!
Snacks! (There will be stops along the way but you should bring enough to get you through the weekend). Snacks should be high energy foods like flapjacks, cereal bars, nuts, dried fruit etc.
Backpack to carry snacks, lunch and water and anything which doesn’t fit in the bikepacking bags. We recommend a bag of about 30 litres.
You can leave a small bag with a change of clothes at our start point, please make sure it is soft sided and easy to store; there isn’t much space.
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If you have padded cycling shorts, they are always recommended for extra comfort, especially for two days of consecutive riding! If not, don’t worry, general sportswear will be fine.
Sportswear (padded cycling shorts recommended)
Layers you can take on and off throughout the day
Trainers
Gloves (for cycling in)
Raincoat
You'll need a small backpack too!
Itinerary
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Arrival | Day 1
Arrival and briefing; learning how to pack our kit and load the bikes.
Set off for the day’s ride - building confidence on the bike and learning new skills, with plenty of stops for photos along the way!
Picnic in the hills (bring your own lunch).
We aim for a pub or cafe stop along the way, if there’s time!
Final ride to the campsite.
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Night 1
Getting ourselves set up for a night under the stars - learn how to set up your tarp and how to choose the best bivvy spot.
Reflect on the day's biking adventures as you enjoy your expedition dinner.
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Day 2
You’ll be up with the birds; enjoy a camp coffee or tea and your expedition breakfast at the campsite.
Pack up your kit and re-pack the bike, leaving no trace.
Head back out on the trails, with lunch and coffee stops en route.
We aim to be back at the start point for a 5 pm finish.
You’ll have plenty of stories and a whole group of new friends to take away from this full weekend of adventure!
Dates
Please note: This trip will not be available in 2025, but stay tuned for future adventures!
Join for £400
2 day, 1 night adventure
British Cycling qualified guide
Bike hire, helmet and bikepacking luggage
Wild camping equipment
Top-quality expedition dinner day 1
Top-quality expedition breakfast day 2
Tea and coffee
Emergency and first aid equipment carried by your instructor
Storage of clothing and equipment not required for the expedition.
Gutsy Girls beanie
Gutsy Girls camping mug
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We’ll be providing top quality expedition meals for your dinner and breakfast. We have options that are vegan, lactose and gluten-free. These are tried and tested, the best we can find!
If you have any other dietary requirements, please check with us before booking so we can ensure we have enough time to source great food for you.
You’ll need to bring lunch with you for days 1 and 2, along with plenty of snacks! Check out our FAQ for ideas.
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This trip has a maximum of 8 spots. You’ll be accompanied by a Gutsy Girl ambassador and experienced British Cycling qualified guide for the weekend.
We need a minimum of 5 bookings for this trip to run. If we do not reach the minimum numbers 7 days before the trip, we will cancel your booking and refund you, or reschedule your booking to a later date.
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Full payment is required at the time of booking.
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Sleeping bag
Personal cancellation and injury/health insurance
Lunches - bring a packed lunch on day one and we’ll stop at a cafe, pub or farm shop for lunch on day two
Transport to and from the adventure
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Absolutely! This trip is created for beginner mountain bikers. However, you need to know how to ride a bike confidently (e.g. on roads with traffic and on canal tow paths etc) and be willing to ride on a variety of terrain for an extended period of time. We will help you build your off road skills!
The guests who have enjoyed this trip most do not necessarily identify as "cyclists" (no lycra needed!), but are people who enjoy a leisurely bike ride regularly, or commute a couple of miles each way to work a few times a week, alongside having a good base level of fitness.
Other guests who have thrived on this trip have been fit through other exercise and are confident cyclists despite not being regular ones.
You need to be prepared to dig deep for some of the hills!
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Yes! If you’ve got previous experience this route will still be great fun; you’ll be riding for two consecutive days covering 40 - 55 km per day, and there will be plenty to learn about the bikepacking side of things. And the overnight camp is not to be missed!
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This trip is rated as moderate to challenging. To fully enjoy and make the most out of this experience, a good to high level of fitness is essential.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Required Experience: You don’t need prior mountain biking experience, but you must be a confident cyclist.
Duration: Gear up for 6-8 hours of cycling each day, including time for breaks.
Distance: On day 1, expect to cycle up to 40km, followed by up to 35km on day 2.
Loaded Bike: Your bike will carry all essentials, plus a backpack for additional needs. This setup improves stability but will increase the effort needed for uphill climbs.
Paths: Our journey takes us through country lanes, bridleways, byways, and cycle paths, offering a mix of rocky and narrow terrains with minimal traffic.
Terrain: The route includes hill climbs; you must be comfortable with both ascents and descents on your bike. Expect a variety of surfaces. Resilience will be needed for some of the ascents!
Consecutive Days: Prepare for 2 consecutive days of biking, which may be physically challenging and a bit tough on the posterior!
Camping: Experience a night under the stars, sleeping in a bivvy and under a tarp. Compost toilets are available at the campsite.
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All Gutsy Girls events are for over 18s only
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There is no upper age limit for our adventures - we have women up to 70 years old join us.
The Gutsy Girls community is filled with fun, friendly and supportive women from 18-70+. We never ask your age, just that you are up for an adventure!
As a rough guide, most Gutsy Girls guests are 24 - 60 years old, with around 60% in their 30s and 40s.
After a day learning to surf, mountain biking on muddy bridleways, hiking to peaks for incredible views or exploring remote locations by paddleboard, age becomes irrelevant and we bond over our shared experiences.
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Definitely, the vast majority of guests come along to our events and retreats solo.
Our aim is to connect you with like-minded new friends! We are a very friendly bunch, come as you are, we can’t wait to meet you!
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Please check your spam folders before contacting us. Hotmail in particular like to put our emails in spam. You'll need to add events@gutsygirls.co.uk to your safe list or to your contacts.
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We recommend all guests have appropriate travel insurance that protects them for cancellation. For UK based trips this might be a different policy than your usual travel insurance. We can't advise on insurance, but you'll find lots of information here.
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Whenever possible we use female instructors and guides on our day events and trips, however we cannot always guarantee this, simply because there are fewer female instructors available!
Our first priority is to work with the most highly experienced and considerate instructors and guides, who are patient, friendly and as passionate as we are about building women’s confidence in the outdoors. Simply due to the ratio of men to women in the outdoors industry, sometimes this means our guides and instructors are male. We keep a close eye on the feedback our guides receive from our guests as we believe that overall this is more important than their gender.
We sincerely hope that as more women are introduced to adventure sports and activities, the amount of female guides and instructors in our industry will increase.
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If you have padded cycling shorts, they are always recommended for extra comfort, especially for two days of consecutive riding! If not, don’t worry, general sportswear will be fine.
Sportswear (padded cycling shorts recommended)
Layers you can take on and off throughout the day
Trainers
Gloves (for cycling in)
Raincoat
You'll need a small backpack too!
-
We provide:
Bike
Helmet
Sleeping mat
Bivvy bag and tarp
Bikepacking specific luggage: saddle bag, frame bag, and bar bag
(This will be enough space to carry a few extra warm clothes for the evening and night time, some toiletry essentials and your camping equipment. Lightweight is the name of the game though! )
Cooking equipment
Dinner and breakfast expedition meals
You will need:
Warm, lightweight sleeping bag (2 or 3 season)
Warm dry clothes for the evening and overnight
Lightweight warm coat (down or synthetic)
Warm hat
Buff
2 x 750 ml Water bottles or 1.5 litre hydration pack (please note there are no bottle cages on the bikes so you’ll need to carry water in your backpack)
Cycle clothing (padded shorts recommended!)
Gloves for cycling
Waterproof jacket (waterproof trousers if the forecast looks wet!)
Basic toiletries
Sun screen
Sunglasses
Prescription medication
Insect repellent
Electrolytes
Trainers for cycling in
Flip flops (for the evening!)
Money - we will stop at at least one watering hole to enjoy something to eat and drink, and a pub, cafe or farm shop for lunch on day 2. You will need cash as well as a card due to some of the more remote locations only taking cash.
Headtorch
Packed lunch for day 1. Carbs are good!
Snacks! (There will be stops along the way but you should bring enough to get you through the weekend). Snacks should be high energy foods like flapjacks, cereal bars, nuts, dried fruit etc.
Backpack to carry snacks, lunch and water and anything which doesn’t fit in the bikepacking bags. We recommend a bag of about 30 litres.
You can leave a small bag with a change of clothes at our start point, please make sure it is soft sided and easy to store; there isn’t much space.
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Yes, bike hire and helmets are included in your booking. We will ask you for your height so we can get the right bike in your size ready for your arrival.
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You will need to bring your own warm, lightweight sleeping bag for this adventure.
You will be provided with a sleeping mat, a bivvy bag, and a tarp for the overnight camp, as well as a bikepacking specific saddle bag, frame bag, and bar bag.
This will be enough space to carry a few extra warm clothes for the evening and nighttime, some toiletry essentials and your camping equipment. Lightweight is the name of the game though!
Cooking equipment and dinner and breakfast expedition meals will also be provided.
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The photo below shows you what the bikepacking luggage looks like so you have an idea of how much space you will have. Keep your packing to a minimum!
You will be provided with a small camping stove, a bivvy bag, a tarp as well as some food which you will have to fit in there as well. You will be able to ask advice from our guides when it comes to packing your bike!
You will also bring your own day pack for anything that doesn’t fit - but for your own comfort this should not be overloaded or very heavy.
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We very much prefer guests to use the bikes we provide. Previous experience with client bikes has negatively impacted the trip.
The bikepacking equipment we provide is designed to work with the mountain bikes provided and won't work with many other frame sizes and shapes.
Our guide spares kit is also specific to the bikes provided so the guide will not be carrying spares for bike mechanicals on your own bike.
Riders riding their own bikes will not be covered by our public liability insurance.
Please get in touch if you are still desperate to ride your own bike with the bike make and model and we will talk to our providers to see if this is possible. Please note we do not provide any reduction in price for those bringing their own bikes or helmets.
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Yes, feel free to bring your own helmet if you prefer.
Please note we do not provide any reduction in price for those bringing their own bikes or helmets.
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All but catastrophic bike mechanical issues can be sorted on the trail keeping your adventure on track.
If you are using your own bike, replacement components are charged at cost (if we have them for your bike).
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There is a very small toilet in the shop where we meet and start, so there is somewhere to change if you need to.
However if you are able to come dressed and ready for cycling that would be much easier.
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Please bring a small backpack to take with you on the bike.
Anything you don’t or can’t pack on the bike can be stored at the bike shop at our start point at your own risk, but bring your valuables with you. The storage area is small so please don't plan on leaving too much at the shop.
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STARTING TIME 9 AM
Bath Outdoors
Unit 8 Broadway Court
Miles Street
BathBA2 4HX
It is an 8 minute walk from the train station.
If you are struggling to find the shop, head for the corner of Miles Street and Excelsior Street. You will then find yourself standing opposite Broadway Court. The shop is the end unit in the railway arches.
Please make every effort to arrive on time, to be fair to the group we cannot wait for latecomers. If you do have issues with your journey, please let us know via the WhatsApp group and contact our providers at Bath Outdoors: 01225 251448
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FINISHING 4-6 PM (depending on the group's speed)
Bath Outdoors
Unit 8 Broadway Court
Miles Street
BathBA2 4HX
Bath Outdoors: 01225 251448
It is an 8 minute walk from the train station.
If you are struggling to find the shop, head for the corner of Miles Street and Excelsior Street. You will then find yourself standing opposite Broadway Court. The shop is the end unit in the railway arches.
We aim to finish by 4 - 5 pm, but this can depend on the group and pace, and can sometimes be later. Please book flexible travel tickets.
Many of our guests choose to enjoy a drink or dinner together before heading home.
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Yes!
You can travel to Bath by train from London and many other UK towns and cities. We meet an 8 minute walk from the station.
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There isn't parking on site, you'll find lots of car parks around the train station.
Another site to look for parking is Just Park
It is your responsibility to ensure you are allowed to park overnight and to pay all relevant parking charges.
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There is a toilet at the start point which you are welcome to use. We will make the occasional stop at a pub or cafe so there will be the opportunity to use the facilities there. On the overnight camp, we will have access to a toilet and running water.
For those of you who will be on your period during the expedition, after many expeditions on mine, I’m happy to address any questions you may have about this!
We will need to carry any waste out with us, so if you do not use a menstruation cup, remember to bring extra zip lock bags for your waste.
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Our overnight camp offers a ‘wild-ish’ experience at a local farm in the southern Cotswolds, overlooking the River Avon and Kennet and Avon canal. Enjoy exclusive access to this charming, private pasture with elevated views of the valley and Bath’s downs.
Sleep under the stars with provided sleeping mats, bivouacs (waterproof covers), and optional tarps. You’ll have access to toilet facilities and running water, but no showers. New to this? Don’t worry, we’re here to help. Your only neighbors are sheep, goats, and cows, fenced away from the bivvi pasture.
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We will provide dinner on day one and breakfast on day two.
These will be in the form of dehydrated expedition meals, which we rehydrate with hot water, creating a hot, satisfying and nutritious meal. Examples are veggie chili, squash and chickpea stew.
We can cater for all dietary requirements; we will request information prior to your arrival.
You will need to bring your own packed lunch day 1. Carbs are good!
We will stop at a pub, café or farm shop on day 2 (not included) - you may need some cash for this as not all places take cards.
Please bring plenty of high energy snacks as well. (There will be stops along the way but you should bring enough to get you through the weekend).
Snacks should be foods like flapjacks, cereal bars, nuts, dried fruit and so on.
This is definitely a weekend for calorie consumption!
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We ride come rain or shine!
Whilst we hope the weather is kind to us, British weather is unpredictable. We will ride in the rain, so please pack a waterproof coat and waterproof trousers if the forecast is wet.
If the weather conditions are unsafe, we will notify you as soon as possible to re-arrange your adventure.
Make sure your travel tickets are flexible in the rare instances this happens.
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Please leave the weather watching to us!
Our guides will be monitoring the weather conditions in the lead up to your session and we will be in touch if we need to cancel. (Please also see "What if it rains"!)
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Please contact the WhatsApp group you'll have been invited to. We will try to accommodate you but we need to be fair to the group and we cannot guarantee we will be able to wait for you.
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Cancellations by You
You can cancel your day event booking with us at any time.
Your cancellation will be effective from the date that the cancellation is received in writing by email.
Cancellation Fees
If you cancel more than 30 days before your day event, we will refund you 50% of your payment.
If you cancel within 30 days of your day event, no refund will be given
How to Cancel
If you want to cancel your booking, send us an email with your name, details about the event that you booked and the date that the event is due to take place on.
We will confirm cancellation of your booking.
If you’re due a refund this will be facilitated and be in your account within 5-10 working days.
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As an alternative to trip cancellation we also offer the option of rescheduling. This can be done at any time on the condition that Gutsy Girls are able to fill your spot. There is a £20 admin fee for rescheduling if your spot is filled.
If we are not able to find a replacement to take your spot, then rescheduling will not be possible. Your payment is non-refundable, but no additional admin fee will be charged.
Just to note:
If you want to reschedule because the weather forecast for your event is looking like it will rain, it is highly unlikely that your spot will fill. We recommend joining us in the rain, bring a raincoat!
The sooner you notify Gutsy Girls that you want to reschedule the more likely it is that your spot will fill. Last minute rescheduling is not advised as we are unlikely to fill your spot at short notice.
How to Reschedule
If you would like to reschedule your booking, email us your name, details of the event that you've booked and the date that the event is due to take place.
Gutsy Girls will cancel your spot on our booking system and open the spot up for others to book. If another person books the spot, you will receive a credit voucher for the amount you paid, minus the £20 administration fee.
You can use your credit voucher to rebook onto any Gutsy Girls Day Event. The voucher is valid for 6 months from issue.
If you would like to use this towards the payment of a Gutsy Girls holiday, you'll need to get in touch via email.
Gutsy Girls will notify you if we are able to fill your spot.