Some nights outdoors just stay with you. Sleeping in a medieval castle ruin, nothing but a bivy bag between you and the winter sky, surrounded by people who share the same quiet enthusiasm for being outside: a night like that leaves a mark.
In early 2025 a group of outdoor people met at Schmidtburg in the Hunsrück for a winter bivouac. No tents, no comfort. Everyone brought a bivy bag, some added a tarp, and everyone picked a corner of the old castle ruin for the night. The idea was simple: spend a winter night together in a place full of history, eat well, hear good stories and see what the cold brings.
Torch Walk and an Evening by the Fire#
The evening started at the Schwenkgrill: sausage, meat, potatoes with quark. Proper fuel for a cold night. After dinner Michael led the group on a torch walk through the ruin. Walking through crumbling walls and archways in flickering firelight while hearing the castle’s centuries-old history: no museum replaces that. Michael knows the Hunsrück inside out, and his stories about Schmidtburg gave the evening its own depth.
Later the group gathered at the campfire. The talk drifted from gear tips and route recommendations to personal stories, with a beer in hand and the kind of quiet laughter that only happens when people are truly relaxed together.
Claus (Sohn des Waldes) organized the whole thing and handled logistics and coordination, while Sebastian captured the meetup from above with impressive drone footage.
Waking Up in a Snow-Covered Ruin#
Snow set in during the night. Nobody had counted on it, and nobody complained either. By morning the whole castle ruin was covered in white: walls, arches, stones, all under a thin layer of fresh snow. It looked like a painting.
Breakfast matched the setting: potatoes with bacon and eggs, cooked right there in the ruin. Simple, hearty, exactly right after a night below freezing with nothing but a thin layer of fabric overhead. Add the cold air, the crunch of snow underfoot and the smell of bacon.
Thanks to the Crew#
A big thank you to everyone who showed up and made this meetup what it was. To Michael for the food and the history lessons, to Claus for pulling it all together and to Sebastian for the great aerial shots. I will be back for the next winter bivouac.
If you want to watch the full tour, you can find the video here: https://youtu.be/eNXMcWf_3DE.