Bivvy a Month 2017.

[crewlie]

Completed my BAM 2017 with my own Arran Winter Bivy. I decided to go a day early as the weather forecast for Sat/Sun was looking a bit grim. I headed for a beachside spot which I knew would be cold but hoped it would be worth it for the views.
I managed to find a little bit of shelter from the northerly wind and with the help of a few handy rocks got the tent up.
Cooked up my Decathlon Spag Bol and settled back to listen to some music, until I realised I hadn't brought my headphones...so an hour of quiet contemplation was had.
An otherwise uneventful but chilly night save for some amazingly surreal dreams which I was sad to leave behind when morning came.
First light arrived with grey heavy skies, but this soon cleared to give me a wonderful ride back along the coast, seal, otter and photo spotting.
Really pleased to have done this this year after two failed attempts before, very much helped by moving somewhere with so many potential spots to camp and such a fantastic landscape to ride in. Next year, hopefully, fewer but longer trips...but who knows?

Dec 15 by Mark Berry, on Flickr
DSC02984 by Mark Berry, on Flickr
Sannox, Isle of Arran by Mark Berry, on FlickrDSC03002 by Mark Berry, on FlickrSannox, Isle of Aran by Mark Berry, on FlickrDec 16 by Mark Berry, on FlickrDSC03007 by Mark Berry, on Flickr

[RIP]

Looks ace Mark! Congrats on your BaM too.

Finally 12/12 after CWB this weekend. Very nippy under a tarp. Everything frozen by morning. Weeing on a frozen drivetrain has a miraculously curative effect I must say.

[TheBrownDog]

Finally 12/12 after CWB this weekend.

Here, here.

Last December, after my ex had moved out and we sorted out the child arrangements, I figured that having every second weekend to myself would make a BAM a bit of a doddle. And for the first six months it was. But our daughters' penchant for chucking her pony at increasingly high fences, plus the small matter of moving house, got in the way. Free weekends became scarce.

October was the worst. I'd posted up here, rather dejectedly, that I wasn't going to get out in that last weekend of October) But then came encouragement from several of you that gave me the will to find the way. A few hours in a bivvy bag in a park at the top of my village later and I was back on track.

So thanks for that. I'll be at it again in 2018.

[RIP]

So after a 2 hour kit/bike cleanup I made my way up to the E Riding of Yorkshire for reasons we won't go into here, and I am kipping in the back of the motor in P*. It probably counts as an additional BAM actually. If I find the motor getting rocked in the morning I'll know it's some of you local BBB buggers! Still, it's not all bad, I picked up some crisps and a nice bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and a plastic cup from Co-op. The plonk is at carpark temperature - I'm 'amused by its presumption, a very grass-forward example' - and I feel quite Christmassy actually. Cheers! <burp>.

[Blair512]

12/12 after the weekends Scottish Winter Bivvy, a cracking weekend with great company, a cosy fire and plenty of whisky as usual! 25/25 now in total and looking forward to 2018!

IMG_20171216_153715 by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

IMG_20171217_092021 by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

IMG_20171217_092614 by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

IMG_20171217_092620 by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

IMG_20171217_093044 by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

IMG_20171217_094931 by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

IMG_20171217_104154 by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

IMG_20171217_105028 by Blair Caldwell, on Flickr

[Ray Young]

Nice pictures Blair, .

[ScotRoutes]

Dare I say "where's all the snow"?


That second last photo is superb.

[fatbikephil]

Good pics there Blair - funny seeing my 5" wide track through the slush.....

[voodoo_simon]

Shorts?!

[Ray Young]

Shorts?!

DNF

[Blair512]

Shorts?!

Aye, he went hame near hypothermic after 10 miles, what a way to pop your bikepacking cherry!

[Blair512]

Good pics there Blair - funny seeing my 5" wide track through the slush.....

It made a nice line to ride through on the way out Phil!

[ScotRoutes]

BAM #12 in progress. Currently at the summit of Carn Sleamhuinn near Aviemore after collecting a couple of much-needed VeloViewer squares en route.

[JohnClimber]

With 20 BaM's in a row done and 12/12 completed in 2018 once the Winter Event is over next month and now I've passed 50 it's time to change direction and "spend more time with the family".

Of course I'll carry on with bike bivi's as often as I can but without the pressure of BAM.

Last night was the first trip out in Beethoven our new campervan in which Mrs Climber has agreed to join me in Wild Camp(ervan) a Month 2018

[Borderer]

10/12 for me and Joe completed last night on Minch Moor. Blowing a hoolie and very bleak up there, but we camped next to the wall which gave us some shelter.
This is Joe at the Three Brethren on the way back down this morning. Someone had hung Christmas decorations around them which had snapped in the wind. Joe fixed them all again. Fantastic ride down again from the brethren, a long swooping descent several miles long - we both really enjoyed it.

IMG_20171223_120812424_HDR.jpg

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[ScotRoutes]

12/12

After my aborted Scottish Winter Bivvy effort I thought I'd take advantage o some slightly milder weather. A route was devised that took in 3 VeloViewer squares, bringing my VVE Square back up to 14x14 and meaning I have three more squares to get 15x15.

P1040765 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

I set out i the dark and scouted out a couple of potential camp spots en route.

The first was at Sluggan Bridge. However, the low temperatures and calm conditions had resulted in some frozen grass so I knew it made more sense to head uphill. The terrain didn't look very promising but I did pass a shooters shelter on the way. 3-sided, with a bench wide enough to sleep on, it was very tempting. It was here I hit my first bank of snow too.

P1040779 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr



Pushing onwards and upwards, I ticked off the first of the VV squares and then made an additional detour to the summit of the hill. I managed to find a small patch of scrub just large enough to pitch the tent. Although below freezing by now, it was very calm and I was able to lie with the door of the tent open to watch the stars for a while.

I awoke around 6:30 to discover that the wind had picked up and was shaking the tent quite a bit. I was pretty cosy still so was in no hurry to move. An hour later I unzipped the tent again to watch the morning sky develope, with the sun rising behind the Cairngorms.

P1040792 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

P1040795 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

P1040796 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

I eventually decided to get up, pack my stuff quickly and get moving with another VV related detour before the long downhill to Carrbridge and then a winding forest route back home.

P1040801 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr



One of those nights I'd likely not have gone out if it hadn't been for BAM and one of the reasons I'll likely repeat the exercise next year.

[RIP]

Nice pics 'Routes. I can smell those pines from down here 500 miles away. You weren't tempted to have a crack(*) at the bridge in the first pic then? That would have sorely tested your "pack light" credentials . Looks a bit like my "hole in the wall" photo from my Stoke-on-Trent outing in October. Clever things key-stones....

"not have gone out if it hadn't been for BAM" - yes, one of the great things about BaM. It certainly forced me out at times when I'd normally just say "sod it", roll over in bed and go back to sleep.

(*) possibly the wrong choice of tempting-fate word in this instance.....

[Borderer]

Yep, BAM is a fantastic motivator. I doubt we would have done our last three overnighters if it hadn't been for BAM and I am really glad we did.

[JohnClimber]

IMG_20171217_093044 by Blair Caldwell

Really happy to see my old Jones out and about.

[Blair512]

IMG_20171217_093044 by Blair Caldwell

Really happy to see my old Jones out and about.

It's a beaut John, wish my budget would stretch that far!

[dorsetshirelad]

Bam December17 ( a winter’s tale)

It was during the long dark days of winter that a brave warrior took up the challenge to venture into the land of the sleeping giant and steal back the daylight that had been slowly but steadily diminishing. Taking his trusty Whyte iron horse he travelled forth to the north of the county passing through ancient villages with window and door shut tightly. Along track and trail he travelled through ancient forest and woodland where Swallet Holes were ready to devour the careless traveller.

The Giant

As he approached Cern the home of the Giant the very ground he passed over became alive clinging to his wheels and growing into vast cankerous clumps halting progress and draining his energy and will to progress
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He fought back and was victorious in this small battle but bore the indelible marks of the struggle for the rest of this journey.
Brobdingnagian slept while our hero stole into the near by woods, all he had to do was survive the longest night of the year for the sun to rise the next day.



Others had tried and failed; to be enveloped by the trees as they slept in the woods never to be seen again. He set up his camp quietly in the moonless damp forest not making a sound or showing any light, for fear of detection. Solstice night was long and dark and the Colossus was abroad bellowing like a stag and scattering the roosting pheasants to safer perches but our brave warrior was safe concealed like a cocoon in his hammock suspended amongst the trees.



In the early hours the Giant unable to locate his adversary sent rain to flush him out and hold back the dawn, but all to no avail. He had lost his battle again.

And each day got a little longer.

[psling]

Excellent tale Dorsetshirelad

[RIP]

Yep brilliantly Tolkeinesque! Love the bikepacker-eating tree .

[Ray Young]

[BigdummySteve]

And the award for best BAM tale goes to.......Dorsetshirelad