Bivvy a Month 2021

[ScotRoutes]

Good man. Kept the streak going.

[RIP]

^ Nude bikepacking. Yah, been done.

[redefined_cycles]

^ Nude bikepacking. Yah, been done.

[redefined_cycles]

Good man. Kept the streak going.

Thanks Colin and for the encouragement over the year...

Hopedully October is in yhe bag already with the BB200 and now I have a plan for the Way of the Roses route post-work, Sept shouldn't too hard for getting some motivation.

[shutuplegs]

Decided to treat myself to a ‘comfy’ BAM, headed out close-ish to home with my hammock, pilllow, book, a beer, baguette and Schlossberger (Swiss cheese that doesn’t require refrigeration according to the lady in the deli, perfect for bikepacking!) oh and opinel knife for the rind

Watched the sun set as I rode out in the hazy evening. I knew vaguely where I was aiming for but it still took me a little while to find a decent pair of trees without brush in between them. Settled down with the bread and cheese outside of the hammock - crumbs - to tune into the sounds of the woods at night. Farmers nearby were working late into the night and once they had gone home it was much more relaxing!

Got startled at one point by gunshots, an engine nearby and footsteps, probably a farmer out rabbiting but the thought of a ricochet coming my way kept me awake for a while.

I’m always amazed by how much noise tiny creatures can make in the dark, I could have sworn big foot himself was stomping around but in the morning I watched a tiny squirrel run around making the same noises…

Slept well in the hammock, might do this again! Away early to avoid dog walkers, surprisingly chilly on the hands, must be that time of year!

8/8 for me and really enjoying it thus far.

Sunset


The set up


Quite the sunrise


Didn’t even read any of my book as I didn’t want to use a torch when I got there as it might attract attention and I wanted to get back in the morning to crack on with a sewing project. Carried all 951 pages for nothing! Ah well, at least I ate all the cheese.

[Raggedstone]

8/8 for this year
I had great plans for a long weekend but unfortunately Colin's bad back seems to have migrated south so the Thursday departure became a Saturday afternoon one instead . I have been thinking about the hill farm I used to help on for a while when I was 16 which was also the destination of my first ever cycle camping trip the previous year so a trip down memory lane seemed in order . Now as luck would have it there is a bridleway that goes right past the house through the yard and into the hills beyond . My new curtailed route started near Glasbury and after a while I joined a route ending with 00 but going the wrong way to see if it was any better it wasn't it was great in either direction .A few miles on lanes with stunning views of the Black mountains and the Brecon Beacons took me to the driveway to the farm which I walked up so I could take it in .
IMG_20210828_182832891_HDR by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
I had hoped that I would see someone around for a chat and in my wildest dreams would be offered a cup of tea sometimes dreams do come true
After a nice chat and tour of what is now a venison producing enterprise I carried on up the track to the hills I had a pretty good idea where I was going to bivvy but as water was scarce the pool was going to have a lot of visitors through the evening and night as I could tell from the amount of foot prints around the edge beautiful spot though .
P1010202 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
I found another spot close by and as it was a stunning evening I went for a ride around to see if I could find anywhere else and to see what I could recognise i then went back to the first place got set up made some food and retired just after 9 for an evening of stargazing .
IMG_20210828_200030289 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
IMG_20210828_200035072_HDR by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
The late in early out approach didn't work to well as i woke up at 8 it was a totally still clear night and everything was soaked with condensation . Breakfast eaten and due to it being an absolutely gorgeous morning the original idea of dropping into the Wye valley and back on lanes changed to staying high on the miles of tracks which was a good choice as it didn't look quite as sunny in the valley
P1010205 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
IMG_20210829_093956164_HDR by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
A local landmark shame about the sign
IMG_20210829_090459097 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
Does anyone have any idea what this signifies
IMG_20210829_090511023 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
Lanes to Painscastle and up to the roundabout followed by miles of descending back to the van .

[ledburner]

8/8 for this year
. .. .
IMG_20210829_093956164_HDR by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
A local landmark shame about the sign

I don't know where this is, but this is a wiki suggestion, baybe the name dates back a few hundred years.. 17th - early 19 century..?

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi ... 578334.jpg

IMG_20210829_090459097 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
Does anyone have any idea what this signifies
IMG_20210829_090511023 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr

is this a bench mark at the top of the stone, reference point for cartologist & surveyors?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benchmark_%28surveying%29

if you can say we're the stone is, then you can compare it to older larger scale maps that will record more details.

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-b ... 6&right=10

it covers the UK and since you can cross ref against sat images older map it's a great route planing/research resource
it

[Verena]

That looks great Kevin, so up on the Begwns were you? On my list too for a bivvy one day....

[Kumquat]

Screenshot_20210901-142926~2.png (956.55 KiB) Viewed 3709 times

Last minute just round the corner overnighter
Due to plan scuppering moderna reaction.
That's two trips to the coast thwarted now.
Grr.

[faustus]

Nice ride Kevin, I had a brilliant bivvy out on Llandbedr hill area in July and loved the riding on the hilltops. Definitely keen to do a longer ride joining up with the Begwns in a similar way to your ride by the sounds of it. It's a good area that seems quieter than most.

[Raggedstone]

Thanks ledburner that's interesting I will do some research the stone is right next to the grave at a crossroads of tracks .

Hi V the return was Via the Begwyns most of the riding was Llanbedr/Rhulen hill area .

Yes Faustus it's stunning up there in that weather I probably rode for about 3 hours and only saw two blokes on bikes jus at the end as I joined the road .
The original plan before the back intervened was to try to get to Kington with as much off-road as possible , next time .

[Blackhound]

September looking busy so I grabbed an opportunity when I could on Friday and Saturday. I have a number of challenges on the go and managed to progress all 5 on this two day trip.

I caught a train to Goole and then headed to Howden, Beverley and down NCN1 to Lincoln crossing the Humber which is now largely open to cyclists (closed 9pm to 5am).

I passed a number of places early evening but pressed on and then there seemed nowhere to stop! I went up a footpath just off a road and got behind some bushes onto some soft, long grass. I had just arrived when I heard a car pull up and a dog walker proceeded to walk past a few yards away but did not see me - I suspected the dog would smell me tbh rather it's owner.

The next day I headed to home via Lincoln along old railway lines, canals and parks on the cycle networks BAM = 4/12

Challenges are:
1 - BAM
2 - To ride 100 100 miles on Strava (I have done it including pre Strava rides but do they still count?)
3 - Improving my Veloviewer Explorer Square score, currently 50x50 squares
4 - British Cycle Quest (a Cycling UK challenge to find 402 clues across GB, I am now at 83)
5- Ride NCN1 from Dover to John O'Groats. I have done most of England, a short section o/s in Yorks outstanding, but need to do from Kinross Northwards.

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

[sean_iow]

After a long write up last month for a short trip... I give you a short write up this month for a longer trip....

Tour of the Cotswolds with In Reverse, started Sunday lunchtime and finished Wednesday lunchtime, 266 miles, over 21,000 feet and I lost count of the pub stops



On the way out of bath



Token bivi spot photo. I might do a longer write up when I catch up with work....

9/9 this year

[RIP]

21,000'? Flippin' 'eck Sean, what did you do? 20 climbs of Birdlip Hill or something?! Still, at least you'd roll back down like a cheese.

[sean_iow]

That figure doesn't really tell the story of the hills. The middle section was much flatter. In the heat I was considering cutting across to shorten it but Andy kept me going. The Bath end and the western side is much steeper than the eastern side.

[redefined_cycles]

21,000'? Flippin' 'eck Sean, what did you do? 20 climbs of Birdlip Hill or something?! Still, at least you'd roll back down like a cheese.

What's/where's Birdip pls Reg?

[RIP]

21,000'? Flippin' 'eck Sean, what did you do? 20 climbs of Birdlip Hill or something?! Still, at least you'd roll back down like a cheese.

What's/where's Birdip pls Reg?

A few miles east of Gloucester: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?x=392500 ... s&mapp=map

https://www.climbbybike.com/climb/Birdlip-Hill/8995

https://www.carnifest.com/coopers-hill- ... ling-2022/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMvO3NWaIo0

[redefined_cycles]

21,000'? Flippin' 'eck Sean, what did you do? 20 climbs of Birdlip Hill or something?! Still, at least you'd roll back down like a cheese.

What's/where's Birdip pls Reg?

A few miles east of Gloucester: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?x=392500 ... s&mapp=map

https://www.climbbybike.com/climb/Birdlip-Hill/8995

https://www.carnifest.com/coopers-hill- ... ling-2022/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMvO3NWaIo0

Interesting but like Croc Dundee once said, "that's not a hill" reg... https://twitter.com/geckobike/status/14 ... 8978965507

[ootini]

BaM August. 8/8 for 2021

I was lost for ideas for this months’ BaM, eventually settling for a 1 hour drive to the Clocaenog forest. Parked close to Lyn Brenig and rode around the lake and the Alwen reservoir on what I found (from a sign board) to be the Two Lakes Trail.

Thanks for this, just what I needed. I want to head out for an over nighter this afternoon and was half tempted by the two lakes, but wasnt that enthusiastic about it, this post has gee'd me up nicely. Looks great.

[frogatthefarriers]

September's BaM has had a bad start - first I booked a non-refundable train ticket for the wrong week. Then I bought a full price ticket from Wrexham to Knighton to do the TCW but realised once on the train (at Shrewsbury) that I'd left my heart meds at home so had to back-track (another train ticket) home to get 'em. Then back to the train (finally) to start. I didn't get going until 3 o'clock. Now I'm tucked up in bed, 20 miles behind where I thought I'd be.

Hmpf!

And no one to blame but myself.

[RIP]

Good job you remembered by Shrewsbury at least. Can only get better. Good luck with the ride Lu.

[Chrisps]

After a long write up last month for a short trip... I give you a short write up this month for a longer trip....

Tour of the Cotswolds with In Reverse, started Sunday lunchtime and finished Wednesday lunchtime, 266 miles, over 21,000 feet and I lost count of the pub stops

Glad you enjoyed it - I've been thinking I really should do the Cotswold Loop after seeing you guys, seeing as it literally is on my doorstep!

[frogatthefarriers]

September's BaM has had a bad start - first I booked a non-refundable train ticket for the wrong week. Then I bought a full price ticket from Wrexham to Knighton to do the TCW but realised once on the train (at Shrewsbury) that I'd left my heart meds at home so had to back-track (another train ticket) home to get 'em. Then back to the train (finally) to start. I didn't get going until 3 o'clock. Now I'm tucked up in bed, 20 miles behind where I thought I'd be.

Hmpf!

And no one to blame but myself.

So here's the report of Septembers' BaM, after my dodgy start. As said, I left Knighton around 3 o'clock and set off up the TCW. I hadn't thought to get some snacks before starting so managed to get only 20 miles in before running out of steam. I did find a big patch of the tastiest blackberries ever though and spent 10 minutes grazing, then 10 more minutes picking seeds out of my teeth.




I pitched up in a tiny patch of trees after Llanbadarn Fynydd. I'd run out of water by then because I hadn't fancied any of the sources available, so for supper I had to settle for next mornings' breakfast (oats made with cold milk) and a bottle of strawberry milkshake. Next morning, I thought to myself "It's only 15 miles to Rhaeadr, I'll have breakfast there" Ha! with my speed being so pitifully slow, breakfast was lunch. By then, I was so hungry I'd have eaten my front legs, but it was a very tasty breakfast.



Now here's a thing - the chap who designed these wretched tea-pots and milk-jugs...


....should crawl away and hide in shame for inflicting the things on the cafe-going public. It's one of my pet hates - it's impossible to pour either tea or milk from them without dribbling into saucer or table-top and making a mess.

Anyway, rant over.... I passed a nice little herd of Hereford cows and calves. We don't see many up our way - mostly Charolais or Limousin crosses and these made me smile with their calm acceptance of my passing by.




My second bivvy was at Claerddu.


A super bothy this, with lots of space, a kitchen, stove, a stocked-up log shed and a flushing toilet, even. Luxury. I'd misjudged a puddle on the broken road and got my boots filled with water so lit the stove and hung my socks up as well as my jacket and tee shirt which were wet with sweat. Did I say the day had been warm? There's also a shelf with stuff people had left behind - dried food, candles and most interestingly, some cans of beer and cider. I took advantage of the latter.

There was a bit of an equipment failure on this leg of the trip and I was left with some extra cooling in the undercarriage..

Nowt for it but to take 'em off. Happily I didn't have to finish the ride in just my undercrackers (phew) 'cos I was wearing undershorts. This was a bit of a revelation - who'd have thought that shorts/trouser legs make so much resistance against your knees coming up to the top of the pedal stroke.

Last bivvy in forestry at Siambr Trawsfynydd...

Now Siambr Trawsfynydd isn't on the Official TCW. I was here on Stu's alternative TCW finish so that I could end the ride at the proper seaside.
Last day started like this...

... pretty miserable and the rain came down just long enough to make me don my rainwear before vanishing and the rest of the day was hot and sunny, and out came the sun cream.

I had booked my train ticket the day before over t'internet. The price would have been £13.50 for the 1500 or 1830 departures, but £46.00 for the 1700. I wasn't sure I could to get to the earlier time, so chose 18:30. As it turned out, I was in Aberystwyth in plenty of time for the earlier train but my ticket was non-transferable so I had 3 hours to enjoy a double ice-cream, a beer, a tray of chips & mushy peas and a sit in the shade before going to Wetherspoons for more beer and a pizza within sight of the station platform.

In plenty of time, I decamped from the pub, but on checking my phone for the details of my train, there was a message from National Rail to say that my train had been cancelled but I could take an alternative train at 18:40 that would take me through Carmarthen, Cardiff, Newport, Hereford and Shrewsbury that would get me back to Wrexham sometime after 0700 the next day. Whaaaat? There were no railway staff around to ask what the heck had happened so I waited for the next train to come in so I could grab its manager for an explanation. I needn't have worried - the train display notice board (that electronic thingy that tells you the next arrivals/departures) that had terminated my train began to show that it was a few minutes late. But would be running. What a relief!

It's a bit daunting to know that Matt Page can do the whole route in less than the time it takes me to get half-way to Rhaeadr, but hey-ho, I'll just have to live with that...

So anyway, that's 9/9 for 2021, 81 BaMs in a row.

[RIP]

Cracking that Lu, a bit of everything there. Proper down and dirty old skool stuff. And yes surely everyone hates those tea 'pots' and milk 'jugs'.

[ledburner]

. As said, I left Knighton around 3 o'clock and set off up the TCW. I hadn't thought to get some snacks before starting so managed to get only 20 miles in before running out of steam. I did find a big patch of the tastiest blackberries ever though and spent 10 minutes grazing, then 10 more minutes picking seeds out of my teeth.




I pitched up in a tiny patch of trees after Llanbadarn Fynydd. I'd run out of water by then because I hadn't fancied any of the sources available, so for supper I had to settle for next mornings' breakfast (oats made with cold milk) and a bottle of strawberry milkshake. Next morning, I thought to myself "It's only 15 miles to Rhaeadr, I'll have breakfast there" Ha! with my speed being so pitifully slow, breakfast was lunch. By then, I was so hungry I'd have eaten my front legs, but it was a very tasty breakfast.



Now here's a thing - the chap who designed these wretched tea-pots and milk-jugs...


....should crawl away and hide in shame for inflicting the things on the cafe-going public.... it's impossible to pour either tea or milk from them without dribbling... a nice little herd of Hereford cows... made me smile with their calm acceptance of my passing by.

A super bothy this, with lots of space, a kitchen, stove, a stocked-up log shed and a flushing toilet, even. Luxury. I'd misjudged a puddle on the broken road and got my boots filled with water so lit the stove and hung my socks up as well as my jacket and tee shirt which were wet with sweat. Did I say the day had been warm? There's also a shelf with stuff people had left behind - dried food, candles and most interestingly, some cans of beer and cider. I took advantage of the latter.

There was a bit of an equipment failure on this leg of the trip and I was left with some extra cooling in the undercarriage..



It's a bit daunting to know that Matt Page can do the whole route in less than the time it takes me to get half-way to Rhaeadr, but hey-ho, I'll just have to live with that...

So anyway, that's 9/9 for 2021, 81 BaMs in a row.