Bivvy a Month 2021

[sean_iow]

I think Ralph would have enjoyed being perched next to them so he could make their acquaintance!

Why didn't I thunk of that he's the same height as the parliamentarian guards. History re-written when Charles I successfully escapes with aid of cadbury button monkey

[RIP]

Where does he sleep at home? Just had this sudden thought - from Reg's bizarre brain workings - that best he doesn't sleep next to your 'spare toilet roll cosy doll'. Goodness knows what strange woollen spawn would be the result of an amorous coupling!

[Verena]

That looks excellent Sean, nice one, bet Ralph enjoyed all that leg room in the sleeping bag! Missing those mid week sneaky bivvies. Was going to have one this week, but am crashing a bit after last week's trip to Germany then straight to a busy weekend at home and a rapidly deteriorating dog and the decision to have her put down, which will be tomorrow , so spending time with her and Bruce is more important right now.
Cute duckling too, and yeah those knitted things are great fun!

[fatbikephil]

Two thirds through the year. Scores On Doors, Phil?

Wait for it, wait for it! End of September and I'll do a third quarter update and provide motivation to do the three 'winter' months.

[Charliecres]

A last minute change of plan for August. I’d bought a train ticket to Eastbourne with the intention of riding home along the South Downs and across the Weald but a signal failure put paid to that.

Thwarted, I did the obvious thing and spent the morning painting the hall ceiling instead. However, having earned some brownie points, I thought I’d better get cracking so headed out westward with a loaded bike and a let’s-see-what-happens attitude.

The first, very familiar, stretch brought some lovely late summer views of the North Downs.


Then I headed over Pitch Hill and Winterfold, where this quirky shelter looks out towards the distant South Downs. It would make a great bivy spot if it wasn’t right next to a car park that regularly hosts exotic nocturnal activities.


Each scale bears some words chosen by a sponsor. These ones seemed apt.


Eventually, as the light began to fade, I found myself in a hilltop wood that I’ve previously nodded off in, so thought I’d cook some noodles and see if it was bedtime.

I’d forgotten my cutlery but fortunately the forest floor was littered with chopsticks.


It turned out it was bedtime, so I unfurled the Hunka and popped in the quilt and minimalist Klymit pad and settled down for an early night.

I was quickly off to sleep but was awoken before too long by the unmistakable sensation of lying on the hard ground. Bugger. Turns out I’d not spotted some particularly vicious holly under my bed. Ah well, nothing to be done but prepare for a less than comfortable night.

In the end, I slept OK and it was fully light before I hoiked myself up, made a brew, packed and headed off with a slightly stiff back.

I wended my way home via some of the cracking MTB trails on Pitch, Holmbury and Leith hills.i was once again grateful for minimalist packing and a dropper post on the Stooge.

Mission accomplished - 8/8 for 2021.

[ledburner]

It turned out it was bedtime, so I unfurled the Hunka and popped in the quilt and minimalist Klymit pad and settled down for an early night.

I was quickly off to sleep but was awoken before too long by the unmistakable sensation of lying on the hard ground. Bugger. Turns out I’d not spotted some particularly vicious holly under my bed. Ah well, nothing to be done but prepare for a less than comfortable night.
...

Mission accomplished - 8/8 for 2021.

was that just Holly in gaps in the skeleton pad.
or worse - the P word?
[edit] i'm forgetting mi' Manners,
- I'm glad you salvaged an adventure...

[Charliecres]

Cheers. Oh it was a puncture alright. Luckily the ground was a bit loamy so not too hard.

[RIP]

Two thirds through the year. Scores On Doors, Phil?

Wait for it, wait for it! End of September and I'll do a third quarter update and provide motivation to do the three 'winter' months.

Top plan

Enjoyed Charlie's outing too - MYOG chopsticks

[benp1]

I bagged a last minute bivy on Tuesday night. Have had the last couple of weeks off and have been too busy to get out

Left the house at about 2130 with a plan to head up another down. Passed a path I'd been meaning to check out for a while and decided to have a look down it. Quickly became overgrown, had to jump through a gap in the hedge and then found a place in the field that I could put my bivy bag, decided to go with it. Random clear patch, moved a few sharpish stones to protect my mat

Tried out the topeak dp mount with my revelate seat pack, seemed to work pretty well

Very mild night so only took my summer bag. Had a couple of deer pass nearby, they were very confused and made their unhappiness clear with some strange noises. They were massive and just about visible in the moonlight

Woke up for the sunrise the next day, stopped to make a coffee with the new stove from Stuart on the way back, worked well.

Made it home early, walked the dog and then went to West wittering beach with the family

[ergaster]

Hi all, NOOB here from the Isle of Man. I've just started bikepacking with a mate and he put me on to the forum. Love the BaM idea so here goes.

We got out a week ago in some pretty miserable weather, nothing but mist and rain. We didn't really plan anything and just wanted to get out and try the kit so we started driving towards plantations hoping for some inspiration. We ended up heading for the Druidale Road with the intention of picking up a track we'd never Rode before and passed on the way.

We parked the van out of the way and headed back on ourselves down the road and then turned off towards Little London. I think it was only about 1km to the turning and we were already wet through. We followed a trail sign for Crosby down a country lane, weaved our way through a couple of tractors and stopped at what looked like a shallow river crossing. Surely not?

Not willing to blindly follow the arrow, we headed on up the lane to the last stop, a pony trekking place, and asked if the crossing was the correct route. "Yeah, I'm sure you guys know what your doing" came the reply. So, back down the lane. As we were leaving the trekking place the tractor drivers that we had passed earlier were now in trucks and all stopped to tell us how horrible the route would be. The second guy said "there's Highland cows in that field. They'll kill ya!". They all advised that we carry on to a second, "easier" trail a little further down the road from the turning we'd taken. We had spotted this sign on the way up so headed there rather than risk the first route on such a misty day.

It was pretty tough going to start with, riding through heather with the derailleur regularly getting clogged solid. Slow progress eventually gave way to more defined single track and we picked up a tricky washed out trail off the hills down towards the Strang/Crosby back road.

The light now fading we both had no idea where to stop for the night. It was still raining and we both felt pretty cold after a few minutes without moving. We toyed with the idea of just jumping over a hedge and then I remembered an outdoor pursuits place that had recently closed. Perfect!

Fifteen minutes ride and we were there. What a lovely sight. While closed and boarded up, there were plenty of canopies and fresh water available. We settled on the one furthest out the way and made camp. I had intended to just have snack bars in the evening but my friend had packed me some noodles. What a star!

Everything was wringing wet so I treated myself to my fresh dry spare socks and tried to settle in my damp baselayer. It was pretty difficult to get off to sleep and I woke several times but didn't feel too bad in the morning. My baselayer was now dry so just wet shorts to put back on. I'd soaked porridge overnight and heated it through. A warm breaky was definitely worth the effort.

It would be a fairly short ride back to the van, however, we'd have to conquer 'killer hill'. The Injebrek Road up to Druidale. That woke us up and it wasn't raining!

Great (type two) fun had and loads learnt.

DSC_0062_compress24.jpg (41.34 KiB) Viewed 2160 times

Next trip I'll take a lot more pics.

[RIP]

A very warm (*) welcome to you to This Place of somewhat unconventional conventionists.....

Very first post is about a bivvy - lovely, that's what we like to see . 4 bonus points there right off I reckon, if the Authorities are happy with that?

"pretty miserable weather, nothing but mist and rain......wet through" - another 6 bonus points

"We didn't really plan anything... no idea where to stop for the night"

"Great fun had and loads learnt". Nail, Head. Head. Nail.

What a storming start. What next? Sounds like you've got the hang of it in no time - you could skip a few stages and go straight for the reeking toilet block bivvy (stage 8). Not everyone's cup of tea/wee but well worth the effort.

(*) no not really. Let's be blunt. A very cold, sleeting, slug-ridden, smelly-socked, dank-n-dripping-forested, forgotten-your-matches welcome to you .

[RIP]

PS. Tell us a bit about the scene in the IoM. My daughter's beau is a Manxman but he's still a bit baffled about the concept of sleeping in ditches . Maybe there are no ditches in the IoM? Sadly I last went 58 years ago and I can't remember. I do remember being stung by a bee at Laxey wheel though.

[sean_iow]

Welcome ergaster, cracking first post having read that you'll fit right in here

[ergaster]

Thanks for the 'warm' welcome RIP and sean_iow

I don't really know if we have a scene. A mate talked me into a 24hr event (Longest Day Longest Ride https://www.ldlr.im/) and it's sort of snowballed from there. Grand plans to work towards the GBDURO, GB divide, Dales Divide and one day maybe attempt to board the Tour Divide mothership!

I haven't rode outside of the IOM so I've nothing to compare, however, I think there's endless riding to be had over here. The plantations have had a lot of attention over the past few years that I've been mountain biking and for all abilities.

Hopefully I'll get out over the weekend. I'd like to try a two nighter and I'll just have to see how I can weave it into family life. There were times on that first trip where it all seemed a bit ridiculous and I loved it

[ScotRoutes]

Aye - welcome to BB.

I've only once been to IoM and that was for the E2E. I was very impressed by the place and loved that all the community groups seemed to pull together to help with the event. I always meant to return with my road bike for a bit of a tour.

[redefined_cycles]

Message to self

Oh shucks. Only 3 days left and my 8th consecutive BAM will have left me for(well, another year... or 8 months if I manage another 7 BAM streak)..

Must get act together and go get it done

[redefined_cycles]

Well done Ergaster on your first BAM ever and welcome. Type 2 is the best type (well better than type 3 which one would have to work hard to get)

[ledburner]

Well done Ergaster on your first BAM ever and welcome. Type 2 is the best type (well better than type 3 which one would have to work hard to get)

Hi welcome Ergaster, that sounds like my first bivvy...... a mild wash out...
as R2D2 says cos I can't type redifrnid-clcyes (told you I couldn't) !
I'm happy with type 2 (or type 2.2)
type 3 is scary/ painful.
type 3.5 life changing in a limiting way
type 4 is terminal territory..

Yes just stick at prime even digits!
going beyond two, is too much!

[RIP]

Must get act together and go get it done

Not again! GET. ON. WITH. IT. MAN. . You've got three days left never mind three minutes!

[redefined_cycles]

Must get act together and go get it done

Not again! GET. ON. WITH. IT. MAN. . You've got three days left never mind three minutes!

As it so happens, whilst I'm looking for the full Guy Martin electric car doc (was aired on 9th august channel 4 apparently), just this last 3 minutes I contemplated where to go and when I have time

Night shift on Monday and a long day on Sunday... I'm thinking that I could take my bivy gear to work Sunday early morn depart. Post work head out to the Howardian Hills or somewhere scenic. Wake up, have coffee.. ride home and tick the 8th Bivy...

Watch this space.

[RIP]

Grand plans to work towards the GBDURO, GB divide, Dales Divide and one day maybe attempt to board the Tour Divide mothership!

Ohhhhhhh... dear. And it all started so well . Absolutely avoid anything with 'Divide', 'Trans', 'Ultra' or similar in its name.

Or anything with two zeroes as the last two characters of its name.

Or in fact anything at all with a name.

You said it yourself - no idea, no plan. And indeed executed that mantra brilliantly. Text-book. A*. Don't listen to anyone on Here talking about a 'route' they joined or copied. Put your fingers in your ears and shout LA-LA-LA-LA until they go away. If you're not 'lost' (*) you're doing it alllllllll wrong.

(*) 'lost' has a very different meaning Here to anywhere else. I believe from your post that you're much nearer to enlightenment than most initiates..... don't blow it now for the sake of An Achievement. Whatever one of those may be.

[RIP]

Night shift on Monday and a long day on Sunday... I'm thinking that I could take my bivy gear to work Sunday early morn depart. Post work head out to the Howardian Hills or somewhere scenic. Wake up, have coffee.. ride home and tick the 8th Bivy...

Perfect. There you go, sorted

[Blackhound]

Enjoying reading all these accounts. Many of the above being more exciting that my most recent overnighter. The other night, with August swiftly coming to an end I headed out for a local bivvy. I have ridden past a small wood on a number of occasions over the last two years that I thought would suit a local bivvy about 10 miles from home. I cycled past the spot to look for an old cycle track I had used a couple of times leading to some services should I want to call in the next morning. There has been a lot of development in the area with Amazon building a massive warehouse facility - and a number of cycle tracks around the service roads.

The woods proved to be fine and although I knew I was close to East Midlands airport I was surprised the last plane landed at 1130pm and the first the next morning was 0430. I thought I might get a longer night. I was up about 0530, first light and headed home. 3/12

A couple of shots from my Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CS_THx1IYHF/

[JimmyG]

On Tuesday afternoon I headed into East Lothian, along one of my regular routes - the Pentland Railway Trail, which gives easy access to many other excellent off-road trails and potential bivvy spots.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

I have a good pal who has fairly recently purchased a 5 acre plot in a forest out that way. Amongst other plans, he intends to thin out the non-native pine trees and reintroduce more native tree species. I should add he is also a Scout Leader and occasionally uses his section of the forest to host Scout activity weekends. He’d offered me the opportunity to bivvy in his wood months ago and I finally thought it was about time I took him up on his offer. Prior to my departure he’d informed me that his Scouts had been there the previous weekend and that several canvas tents and tarps were still in place. They'd been left to dry over several days after the weekend’s heavy rain and I should feel free to use any of them if I wanted. I thanked him for the offer but said, being a bikepacking purist , I’d be carrying in my own means of shelter. I mean… I have no problem sleeping in random structures e.g. sheds, ruined castles and, as was the case last month, convenient tunnels, but one can't have it made too easy, can one?

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

In the late afternoon I rode 22 miles out to the wood and got my hammock and tarp set up. My mate had said I should feel free to light a fire in his fire pit and use as much wood as I needed. I thanked him but declined the fire option. That’s not something I’ve ever felt the need to do during a 23-year military career or subsequent years of hillwalking, camping or bikepacking. I did, however, make use of the rather nifty little seating arrangement next to the fire pit.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Anyway, a restful night was had and I woke up refreshed to find a misty and quite chilly morning. From the comfort of my hammock I watched the birds come and go from the nearby bird feeder. I finally prised myself out when the sun started to make an appearance and burn away the mist. After breakfast I had a spin round the whole forest and identified numerous other potential bivvy sites for future reference.

Bird Breakfast by Jimmy G, on Flickr

I headed homeward along coastal paths via a very pleasant coffee and cake halt sitting in the sun.

Mill grinding ring and grinding balls from the former Cockenzie Power Station by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Post-Bivvy refreshment at the seaside by Jimmy G, on Flickr

That’s 8 from 8 this year.

[ergaster]

Grand plans to work towards the GBDURO, GB divide, Dales Divide and one day maybe attempt to board the Tour Divide mothership!

Ohhhhhhh... dear. And it all started so well . Absolutely avoid anything with 'Divide', 'Trans', 'Ultra' or similar in its name.

Or anything with two zeroes as the last two characters of its name.

Or in fact anything at all with a name.

You said it yourself - no idea, no plan. And indeed executed that mantra brilliantly. Text-book. A*. Don't listen to anyone on Here talking about a 'route' they joined or copied. Put your fingers in your ears and shout LA-LA-LA-LA until they go away. If you're not 'lost' (*) you're doing it alllllllll wrong.

(*) 'lost' has a very different meaning Here to anywhere else. I believe from your post that you're much nearer to enlightenment than most initiates..... don't blow it now for the sake of An Achievement. Whatever one of those may be.

I take your point RIP. I think 'events' serve a different purpose for me. In terms of getting drunk on life, nothing beats just going out the door no phone, no watch, no plan!