Bivvy a Month 2017.

[NorwayCalling]

1/12 complete here. Spent the night in a WW2 German coastal artillery (88mm) gun emplacement (bunker) as you do, on the cliffs overlooking the entrance to Tanager harbor. Was cold but dry and close by to work as I had to be in at 06.00hrs. Pictures to follow.

[Fen]

Cheers whitestone, thought it would be something like this.

[Wagonwheel]

1/12 for me last night. I have been sitting in the back ground for awhile but decided to give Bivvy a month a go this year. Only time for a few beers with a friend and then an hour riding to find somewhere out of the wind for a sleep and then back home for 9am. Could have not gone out but very glad I did and actual used the winter bag which has sat in the loft for years now.

[frogatthefarriers]

1/12 Arenig Fawr Bothy

Arrival


Dinner


The morning after


On the way back to the car


Not a very nice bothy this. Not a good nights sleep because of 1) the noise from the wind blowing across the very short chimney (sound like a jet plane) and 2) having to sleep on a hard flat board instead of my lovely comfy hammock. I was afraid I might be cold sleeping so took my UKHammocks quilt and Alpkit Cloud-cover. I ended up having to take clothes off because I was too hot. in hindsight, why didn't I just take out the extra quilt?

[Gari]

Man that brings back some memories, I used to stay there with an old girlfriend when I was working in North Wales. First came across it when working for Notts count council outdoor ed dept in the mid 80s, they had a residential unit at the end of the track, Gwern y Genau I think it was called. Arenigs both great walking hills.

[Mike]

I love that little bothy. Fire on and a whisky when u have it to yourself....spot on

[RayKickButts]

1 /12 Coastal explore: OK so talked my regular bivi mate into agreeing to do the 12/12 this year. So we decided to have a bit of a explore around the dunes area about 6 miles from where i live as there was a old Military rifle range down there during the war, i knew there was one of the old butts and indoor range building still standing but was told there was a second. We took a long route out from my home in Bridgend towards Stormy down, on route we visited a old lime works for some pics and then headed uphill towards a bridge that crosses the M4 to get to Stormy down, to my horror the trail was very overgrown with dead bracken and lots of blackberry bush with vines like tree trunks, so we even managed a bit of hike a bike. From stormy we headed along side a working quarry as its a cracking section of natural single track. On reaching the main road we headed to Sker House and the coast path to take us into Porthcawl. On arrival we were both a tad hungry so we went to my mates chippy and had a Welsh special of Chips,Gravy and cheese proper lush. From there we headed out past Trecco Bay and on to Newton in search of a suitable spot. After some faffing and much debating on original location we decided to head to the coast and the original plan look for the old bunker. We got to the building i new about and started following random trails, then i just caught a glint of something that looked like railings, we headed over and here it was another part of the range. How i'd missed it as ive been riding this area for the last 12 years or so is beyond me. We found our way down some old steps and what would have been a old range, dry and out of the wind and sheltered from the rain. We step about preparing camp, once done the hip flask came out, this was about 1830, by 2000 my flask was dry and Wayne had drunk all his beer and the temp was dropping. Into doss bags we got and enjoyed watching the stars through the trees. On and off all night we had heavy showers and cold spells when the stars were just epic. During the night i had a wee mouse try to steal food, twatting thing ran over my head and scared the sub standard out of me, didn't catch the wee bugger! then i had to endure my mates snoring till i fell asleep again. The morning cam and we awoke to rain, damp clothes put back on waterproofs donned then the short 5-6 mile plod back to the hum drum of everyday life..... role on Feb where we will be heading down the Gower for part 2

[RIP]

Liking the industrial steampunk-style theme - scenery's too normal. Spent much of the 80s myself bike-exploring quarries, steelworks (yes we still had someback then ), derelict places etc.

[Bearbonesnorm]

What I'd like to know is - did they show the same blatant disregard to 'No Bummers' as they showed to 'No Bikes'? ... makes ya wonder.

[javatime]

1/12 for me last Friday night (20th Jan) : Train to Bridgwater after work, quick stop off at SJSC then across the flatlands and Polden Hills in winter sun to Shapwick for the evening mega murmuration. A pint in the Railway Inn later - a full house for the Prize Bingo and a a lot of tutting for the old guy at the bar who gruffed "yes please" everytime a certain number was called... !

A very cold night, frozen water bottle etc, and a frosty view of the dawn murmuration. Across the gridline lanes with a frosted over Garmin for a bacon sandwich in Wedmore, then up to Shipham and into Dolebury Warren in the sunshine, bridleways through to Burrington Combe, Wrington, frozen mud track around the end of the runway to Fountain Timber and then Brockley Combe, Ashton Court, Suspension Bridge and home.

Those black dots are starlings, apparently about 750,000 of them.

[Taylor]

Across the gridline lanes with a frosted over Garmin for a bacon sandwich in Wedmore, then up to Shipham and into Dolebury Warren in the sunshine, bridleways through to Burrington Combe, Wrington, frozen mud track around the end of the runway to Fountain Timber and then Brockley Combe, Ashton Court, Suspension Bridge and home.

Sounds like my usual routes.

[Mike]

Just a walk in for Scattamah and myself this time. We were promised a downpour so i could try the lunar out but all we got was a wet inside from the beer and a starry night/sunny morning

20170129_081957 by mjc_226, on Flickr

20170129_082120 by mjc_226, on Flickr

20170129_082020 by mjc_226, on Flickr

20170129_095057 by mjc_226, on Flickr

20170129_095103 by mjc_226, on Flickr

[TheBrownDog]

1/12 for me, MBNut and Sussex Paul. Pics over on t'other thread.

[BigdummySteve]

1/12 completed, a 30 mile trip saw me in wychwood forest and bedded down just in time for sunset. Toasty warm and sipping Jura while watching foxes and deer wandering past. Took the road route home as thick mud made it very hard work.
Untitled by steve norris, on Flickr
Untitled by steve norris, on Flickr
Untitled by steve norris, on Flickr
Untitled by steve norris, on Flickr
Untitled by steve norris, on Flickr

[Sussex Paul]

1/1 for me, a little jaunt out with TheBrownDog and MTBNut.

One or two spills on the ride to the pub left me with a torn jacket, a bruised shoulder and a snapped mech hanger, who would have thought Buckinghamshire would be so dangerous.

Pizza and a beer, then back out into the frosty night, hoping the single speed bodge would get us to the bivvy spot.

Luckily it did, great little secret spot Tim knew on the edge of a wood. First night in a hammock for me and I think I'm converted.

[Roo]

With Alan’s gammy leg we can’t currrently cycle far or do anything too technical. We’d already scouted out locations near to home and had found an ideal spot in Degibna Woods on the edge of Loe Pool towards the southern end of Cornwall.

Alan was taking his rigid bike, so I had to do the same otherwise all I'd hear would be his showing off. I’d added a Wildcat framebag to my existing handlebar and saddle soft luggage and the bike was now looking the part.



We took the most direct route from Camborne to Helston using quiet roads. We entered Helston, cycled past the boating lake and rode into Penrose. Now it was nice and quiet and we headed straight to our bivi spot.







Overnight rain had been forecast and Alan had brought his bicycle 7 tarp. We pitched this between two trees and it created a pretty good shelter. Just as well as after we'd gone to sleep it belted down, although the tarp would have benefited from a beak to stop the runoff dumping on the end of my bivi.



With the beautifully clear lake water we finally got to use our Sawyer water filters which worked brilliantly. Just visible in the picture below are the rocks which have been laid in a straight line under the water. No idea why!



Breakfast was at Helston boating lake cafe and then it was an easy ride home again.

January’s bivi a month was very successful and we’re planning the next.

[sean_iow]

1/12

Having failed the last two years I thought this year I should make more of an effort, with the added incentive of the 'momento' on offer. I also have the added challenge of my own take on the 'bivyplorer' so I plan to spend a night in each of the OS 10k grid squares which make up the Isle of Wight, of which there are 11 in total. I'll have to double up for bivi 12 or even venture off the Island

January's involved an evening ride out from home, stopping at the remains of the WW2 Y Station at Ventnor - radio listening and direction station which sent back the info to Bletchley Park for analysis. All that remains is 7 walls of the octagonal structure but it was a place out of the wind to cook dinner. That consumed it was on to my chosen bivi spot, or not quite as I stopped early as it was getting late and the wind was picking up. An early start, up before light, breakfast cooked. As it was only just light the pic doesn't show much so I've gone for B&W for pre-dawn atmosphere



Packed up and riding I stopped at the location I'd originally planned to bivi. Good job I decided to stop in the woods before here as in addition to not having any shelter form the wind there were cows on the down, the sort with long horns. As my early stop actually put me in a different grid square I can save the spot for later in the year when the weather is hopefully better and the cattle have been moved down to pasture closer to the farm. Atmospheric B&W pic of the future bivi spot, I don't want it to look too inviting or everyone will want to go there



All that remained was to ride home, wash the bike and fill the house with kit to air. 47 miles covered and grid square SZ48 ticked off, 10 more to go.

[gazaddy]

0/12 for me , not going to do this this month with work and stuff....but did spend a week here in India ...does it count as foreign Bothy....( albeit a posh one lol)

[Bearbonesnorm]

0/12 for me , not going to do this this month with work and stuff.

Just throw your bivvy bag ont' floor in next doors garden ... you don't have to go out there till bedtime and you'll be having breakfast at home.

[Greasyhamster]

Oh well, here goes... First forum post.

A cheeky bickpacking trip to Loe Pool near Helston, Cornwall with my mate Roo (21-22 Jan 2017).

Bikepacking trip to Loe Pool near Helston, Cornwall by Alan Olds, on Flickr

Found a decent spot right on the banks of the pool (its a freshwater lake cut off from the sea by a shingle / sand bar).

Bikepacking trip to Loe Pool near Helston, Cornwall by Alan Olds, on Flickr

All in all a dam good first trip, more planned.

[MikeW]

I'm going to attempt to get out once a month this year, first one done on Saturday night in Edale.
https://flic.kr/p/RCu7as

[deft punk]

1/12: Combined birdy counting for Sustrans with a trip to a pub & the inevitable night in a ditch

Things I have learnt:
1... I either need to get a wider bivi or modify my current one so I can sleep comfortably without the new fandangled mat Santa got me taking up all the room and crushing both me & my insulation against the top
2... try new kit out properly at home!
3... barn owls are scary as hell when you wake up for a pee in the middle of the night & they glide silently past your face
4... it takes twice as long as normal to pedal home in the morning when you're frozen after spending the night in an already borderline warmthwise bag that had to fight against squashed insulation
5... the sun cures all ills

Sounds like I had a should have had a poor show time, but I enjoyed it all the same.

[whitestone]

Search the forums for Hunka XL, there's a few threads about it and how it's big enough for most bags, mats and bodies.

[TheBrownDog]

greasyhamster, welcome aboard. Best. First. Post. Ever. I'm loving the look of your camp site and the fact that I am no longer the only person on here I know who regularly takes a folding sitting apparatus along for the ride. What are those shelters under the tarp? They look like a hooped bivvy bag or similar. Superb.

[jaminb]

1/12 - The Surrey Hills

After a number of semi successful fair weather bivvy's and reading in awe some of the adventures on here, I thought it was time to step up to the plate and try and complete the 2017 BAM challenge. Here is my January attempt.

A spell of relatively cold weather struck the south east and a post xmas holiday delayed me sparking into action, however with January weekends running out I ventured into the back garden to test new xmas presents - I just about survived minus 3 degrees and felt sufficiently confident to venture into the Surrey Hills for a qualifying bivvy.

test run by ben F, on Flickr

Saturday afternoon was spent packing and dusting off the bike, eventually leaving Sunbury in the early evening dark. The bike felt heavily laden compared with the light weight set up of last summer. A short track west along the Thames path and then due south to the Surrey Hills. A puncture in Weybridge tested my resolve but before long I was over the M25, Wisley Common and the A3 and into the Countryside.

all the gear by ben F, on Flickr

Climbing very steadily I reached the North Downs Way and my bivvy spot, progress had been slow, 3 hrs to complete 35km and fix a puncture. I had completed part of the same journey pre xmas on the Adventure bike in just over 2 hrs. I put the progress down to being overloaded and absolutely nothing to do with too much xmas cheer.

night camp by ben F, on Flickr

The Trangia was lit whilst I erected my tarp and I was fed, watered and in my bag by 22.00 cursing dry January but admiring the clear sky and stars. I woke at 04.00 to light rain and the need for a pee. Whilst procrastinating in my bag I was struck with a genius idea to avoid having to pull my winter boots on - my supply of spare carrier bags. Back in bed I slept till 07.15 and then up. Whilst organising coffee and striking camp a group of illuminated mountain bikers passed by but did not acknowledge my existence. I cant believe they didn't see me or my luminous guy lines so assumed they disapproved of my bivvy spot.

dawn camp by ben F, on Flickr

dawn view by ben F, on Flickr

improvised lifter by ben F, on Flickr

leave no trace - stu's effective ground sheet by ben F, on Flickr

I set off east along the NDW hoping to pick up a bridleway that headed north and homeward. I was shown the route by some Singletrack forum members last year, I eventually found the trail and bumped into said members in Cobham on their way south for a day in the hills. I made better progress heading back completing 45km in 3 hrs.

I am pleased to have successfully completed 1/12. All my gear performed perfectly however I do think it may have been a case of Too Much Gear - No Idea. I think I need a new thread on here as I cannot contemplate my first Welsh Ride Thing with such an over loaded bike but neither can I see where any weight savings can be made without the risk of freezing to death!

Looking forward to completing February's adventure and maybe heading further afield.