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PART 7: Bivouacing

A Scout's tent is his / her shelter against wind and rain. It must be light to carry, easy to pitch, large enough to provide a degree of comfort and good enough to withstand the varying conditions that can be encountered. How do you achieve these basic requirements without spending a fortune ?. - the answer : bivouacing

Bivouacing provides you with the means to explore wild countryside without the need to carry bulky camping equipment.

Bivouacing complements the true spirit of Scouting, adapting to the needs of any given situation, using only available natural materials and of course by being prepared.

Every tent design has its own merits, whether it is extra headroom, good stability in high winds or plenty of space to cook in if the weather is unkind. We suggest a design shown opposite for a bivvy sheet from which it is possible to made a large number of different tent designs. These designs coupled with the situations that present themselves at your chosen camping spot will make for interesting and exciting alternatives.

Basically, bivouacing is a one or two person activity from the point of view of practicalities. Therefore in a group situation you may have 3 or 4 bivvy sheets. The cheapest bivouac sheets can be made of heavy duty plastic sheeting which can be brought from any builders suppliers. However it has a limited life span and there is the problem of condensation while sleeping under it. As an experiment for your group if you have not being bivouacing before, plastic sheeting is the best option. It is cheap, a roll costs about £12 and that will give you enough bivouacs for everyone. If you consider bivouacing as a worthwhile long term activity then you should consider making a more durable shelter using canvas or lightweight nylon tent material.

The design illustrated requires a piece of material 5 Mts. X 2.5mts plus some cloth tape to make loops and a large plastic eyelet. Some basic geometry will be required to find the location of the loops. When placing the loops on the fabric allow enough length in the joint so that it does not rip off under strain. Access to a sewing machine will also be necessary to make seams around the edge of the sheet and to reinforce the loop joints to the fabric. Use a core spun thread when sewing, this has a polyester core surrounded by cotton. The cotton swells when wet to fill the needle holes and the polyester gives it strength. To prevent water seeping through the seams, use a seam sealant; clear Bostick or Evostick or Clear polyurethane Bostick may be used.

An even better method is to tape seam; see illustration . If you are using a piece of lightweight canvas it will be necessary to proof the fabric when complete.

Some useful hints
If possible purchase some elasticated loops, the type used to hold luggage on a roof rack. They are invaluable as guy ropes and as they are elasticated tighten themselves.


If you are using plastic sheeting tie a small pebble or marble into the plastic when you want to attach a guy rope. In this way you prevent the plastic sheeting from ripping.

Be careful of building fires too close to a shelter. Always take into consideration wind direction and speed.

Avoid gullies and stream beds which sometimes seem to make ideal bivvy sites until a sudden burst of rain.

Always carry a small roll of sisal or piece of rope to help in case a handy branch or pole is not available.

Bivouac Stove
This stove can be made for nothing , all that is required is a few tin cans and a coat hanger.

The burner is made from the bottom 25mm of a drink can or a small size bean tin. The main housing is a 100mm or bigger diameter can with the top removed.

Prepare your tins by cleaning then and removing all stickers or paper coverings. The main housing is made by punching four large air holes around the tin and four small holes for the support wires about 25mm from the top. To make lighting the burner easier, you can also punch a hole in the side for inserting a match.

Make the support wires from a coat hanger or heavier wire which will be capable of holding a cooking pot when heated.

To use the stove, pour a small amount of methylated spirit or solid fuel tablets into the burner and place the burner on the bottom of the main housing. Light the fuel and insert the support wires.

Set a small cooking container on the support wires. If your container or billy is too big to fit inside the stove, place the support wires on top of the housing and set the pot on them.

A small cooking pot can be made from a standard bean tin. The whole lot plus a small bottle of fuel or solid fuel tablets will all fit inside the housing to make a compact unit.

From a can lid large enough to cover the burner, you can also make a device to regulate the heat. Punch a few small holes in the lid and attach a wire handle. After the fuel is lit, set the lid on the burner. To get the heat and the degree of regulation you require ,you will have to experiment by punching more holes or enlarging some.

Some points of caution

Set the stove on a solid, level base for cooking.

Do not touch the stove when burning - it gets very hot.

Methylated spirit burns with almost a colourless flame be certain there is no flame when refuelling.