Bivvy a month 2022

[psling]

Great little outing there V

Winter bivvy??? Top House, Trefil and Chartists Cave?

I'd be up for that!
The Chartist's Cave? I've been there (along with a number of pot holes, sink holes, etc., in the area) a couple of times, a long, long time ago, on foot - we used to do 'manoeuvres' all around that area. It's a bit tussocky around there. And a bit bleak in the winter!!

[Verena]

Great little outing there V

Winter bivvy??? Top House, Trefil and Chartists Cave?

I'd be up for that!
The Chartist's Cave? I've been there (along with a number of pot holes, sink holes, etc., in the area) a couple of times, a long, long time ago, on foot - we used to do 'manoeuvres' all around that area. It's a bit tussocky around there. And a bit bleak in the winter!!

Sounds perfect! Deal!

[GoneCaving]

July BaM ticked off last weekend. I'd been down in Dublin on the Friday night visiting some friends, and the wife was heading S to visit her parents, so I decided I'd cycle home and get in July's bivvy along the way. Hot weather was forecast, so I decided it was a ride to take it handy, and stay out of the red.

I paused briefly in Dun Laoghaire, for the obligatory 99 from Teddy's


headed along the coast, crossing over the East Link bridge in the centre of Dublin,


and took a breather to catch up some some other friends along the way. I did cheat by taking a train to avoid a long detour on narrow and busy roads (skipping from Malahide across to Lusk). I had planned to stop and bivvy somewhere south of Drogheda, but long evenings, and nice weather, so made it as far as Clogherhead, where I stopped for the night. It's by far the best bivvy I've had so far, not a soul to be seen, the pleasant background sounds of crashing waves and sea-birds, and a good night's rest.



Finished off the remaining 60km the following morning. So that's 7 down for the year to date.

[fatbikephil]

July.
Despite having done two bivvies last week, I figured on another trip and so this will be my BAM. I was wanting to get away for 3 days or so so packed accordingly and went with the Deschutes and mesh inner to avoid any chance of the fannying around I've had with the flat tarp in recent weeks. The route was a usual one - west to Calander via various back roads, cycleways and the odd trail, all in the blazing heat of the sun - 30 degrees! (again)


Tried to take a moody / pensive selfie as per Trep and Bearlegged but missed. I would have just looked glaikit in any case.


A gnawed down tree - yes the beavers have arrived on NCN7 just past Balquidder Station. They seem to be trying to keep this quiet but its bloody obvious what is going on. The burn has been dammed which was flooding the path at one point but someone (the beaver?) has shoved a bit of pipe in to keep the level below the path.

Killin Co-op has moved and is now much bigger. That said it looked like a plague of locusts had descended on it as there was slim pickings on the deli / sandwich / salad aisle. I grabbed what I could and sat outside in the breeze to eat. Then it was off up Glen Lochay and what is now a familiar climb up the pubil road and down through the monster potholes to Loch Lyon Dam. It was now nearly 9 so I nosed along the lochside track as I suspected there would be a good spot to bivvy by an old boat shed. It was but being sheltered, inevitably the midges were about. I kept on as the loch showed much breeze and came upon a spot right by the track which was indeed breezy. Up with the tarp and in as some cunning midges were sheltering under it from the wind.


I read for a while until darkness fell and then turned in. Annoyingly, despite all being peace and tranquility and the heat of the day receded to a cool 15 degrees I could not get to sleep. I don't know whats a matter with me this year as I've really struggled to get a decent sleep, even when the wind and rain hasn't been threatening to blow me away. Partly I think it was down to being somewhat sticky thanks to much sweat and suntan cream. I could have taken a dip in the loch but I'd have been savaged by the midges. Oddly a rain shower came through necessitating shutting the doors which didn't help with either the cooling breeze or my body odour....

I dropped off eventually but was woken at 7.30 by the sun. I packed up sharpish as the midges were still around, despite the breeze. Then off down the long road to Bridge of Balgie and the cafe.



Cheeky sparrow after my breakfast



I was also entertained by the resident swallows flying in and out of the covered seating area.

Now I was feeling a bit sick. for my first breakfast I'd scoffed a couple of mini pork pies I'd carried with me the previous day. I figured they contained enough salt to keep them fresh but I suspect this was not the case. This and the building heat made a traverse of the Lairig Gallabaich and the old road to the isles a somewhat dubious prospect. My poor nights sleep didn't help and for once my motivation for another day and night out flowed away. So off down the glen and pick up NCN 7/77 to Dunkeld for more drink and some food (as well as the loo.) I felt better after that but the heat really started to get to me on the last 40 miles and up the last climb so by the time I got home I was beat.

[redefined_cycles]

Lost count of which BAM for this year this is. Think it's the 3rd or 4th but whats more important is that it's consecutive. Sarnied on the outer with the other two layers being yesterdays ride before work and the night shift overnight.


Another broad daylight bivy and managed to dodge the farmer in the next field. Wouldn't want him coming past and seeing me advertising my Alpshit (I mean Kit) Mountain Ghost bag.


So I stuffed it back in the drybag and used it as a pillow instead. They say there's no such thing as bad advertising so I kept the Sea2Summit on show instead.


One of the points of bivying here was being right under the flight path. But they were almost all RyanAir. Possibly the pilot might be hungover from the night before last. Potentially taking another hoard of our future alcoholic liver disease patients to Ibiza or wherever they get fasttracked these days sorry.

Here should have been some more pics but they're all the same looking plane and logos so I'll refrain. Got an hour or so kip and was up again to complete the (training) ride. Earlier I'd gone to the 'Halal Inn at Gotham. But someone had obviously player a trick with the 3 reviews as it obviously wasn't a cafe that Google had it pretending to be. Just another boozer and opposite was the Haram Inn (in Google) so I should've known.

My research into 'Inn' had given me that it's a travellers rest and entertainment place. Hence I had no gripes in attending but was rather cheesed off at the time of arrival and realising I'd been duped. Think it might be folk having been offended at another establishment in Oldham where some chaps had actually named the cafe 'Halal Inn'. Online 'Sun' readers really were not happy at that Inn (in Oldham... what were the owners thinking) and online there appeared alot of hate



So during my research I'd been educated about the word.

But more importantly I'd learnt the critical difference between lay and laying, and that of lie and lying. It got coplicated so I just took some screenshots for you to ponder. Lets not even get into 'fibbing'.





I do hope they never intro that for the citizenship test... Especially if they ever confiscate my passport and make me an alien the dirty so and so's. Anyway, thank God for clever people like Mirriam and Emily.

Back to the ride, thankfully there was planty of wheat as well as this stuff to get cuaght in thw drivetrain. It is BB training afterall, though I'm not sure if it's as hardcore as turnips

https://i.imgur.com/phZRqdx.jpeg
As yoi can see the ground was cracked and I'd ridden through twice including this time to ensure I was having some decwnt training done (apologies on the grammar). Reminded of when I used to fear road bikes cos I worried for getting caught inside a drainhole thingy. I need noy have worried as I hady 3 inch tires on...


The stuff getting caught in my cassette in closer-up. Hopefully someone knows its name.



On the loop back to the car I noted this farmer seemed to have used the Japanese method of burning the wood to close the pores (I think).

July BAM done... August, hwre we come

[Rob S]

^ Doesn't look like a crop we have down here, Camomile maybe?

[frogatthefarriers]

The stuff getting caught in my cassette in closer-up. Hopefully someone knows its name.

The stuff in the top picture is barley, the others are flax (grown for linseed)

[Blackhound]

@GoneCaving 7 years ago I did a 300km audax out of Meath to Armagh, over the Mournes and Copley’s and down to Clogherhead for the final control and the chipper to fuel me back to the finish. A grand day out, enjoyed your write up

[GoneCaving]

Thanks @Blackhound. That sounds like some spin, and a bit more than I’m up for so far! 200km in a day’s my best so far. I’d much rather a bit (lot) more off road riding, but that’s so hard to stitch together in Ireland.

[redefined_cycles]

The stuff getting caught in my cassette in closer-up. Hopefully someone knows its name.

The stuff in the top picture is barley, the others are flax (grown for linseed)

Thanks Farriers... so barley (that dug into my socks) and flax for linseed. Is that different from flaxseeds then (apparently supposed to be good for supple joints).

[frogatthefarriers]

Thanks Farriers... so barley (that dug into my socks) and flax for linseed. Is that different from flaxseeds then (apparently supposed to be good for supple joints).

Yup. Same stuff. I expect that if they all it flaxseed in the shops, they can charge a bit more for it.

[benp1]

ARGH! I've just realised the date. Have family coming to stay and a weekend camping with the kids so very limited opportunity to get out... bu66er

[summittoppler]

July done.
My highest one of the year so far. 3490 feet on the summit of Carnedd Llewellyn
It wasn't my intended destination as i wanted to bivvy on Yr Elen but the wind was on the 'cool' side and there's no shelter there. Luckily I knew of this spot as I'd used it a few times before.
In the morning I headed off piste to Ffynnon Llyffant to see the plane wreck (https://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.u ... -llewelyn/)
Quite a few pics:

20220726_160644 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220726_170817 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220726_181505 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220726_184615 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220726_194206 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220726_201920 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220726_210959 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220726_211103 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220726_211455 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Screenshot_20220726-215024_OS Maps by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220726_220836 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220727_071906 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220727_090744 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220727_090950 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

[slarge]

That's cracking that Jeff. I'm going to have to tap you up for some routes and interesting places as my sil lives in Llanfairfechan and bil is a snowdon ranger, hut he's a little secretive about some places as I think he doesn't like people riding bikes on his patch.......

I got my July BAM done last night. Burton Dassett is a local country park that is a small ridge of hills overlooking Warwickshire- lots of iron age and later quarrying remains and an interesting spot. I found a quiet spot in a hollow overlooking the Warwickshire plain below and out of sight of the local boys in their Nova's . A great night's sleep and home foe breakfast.

[summittoppler]

That's cracking that Jeff. I'm going to have to tap you up for some routes and interesting places as my sil lives in Llanfairfechan and bil is a snowdon ranger, hut he's a little secretive about some places as I think he doesn't like people riding bikes on his patch.......

Any time but be prepared for some HAB

[RIP]

As per Tragical Mystery Tour, I enjoyed my usual 'graveyard shift' on Wednesday/Thursday. Loads of bags of road salt stashed in the shed this time so they must be expecting a freezing August.

7/7, 7/12, 79/79

[Wotsits]

Bit late posting, but still in the game!

June- On the Veneto Trail, round the back of Rifugio Croda da Lago with In Reverse, whilst Nordy had a comfy bed..
Bears in the woods..





Need to get a wriggle on with July…

[Linkpin]

Slept under a hedge in a farmer's field last weekend, in the rain (using average tarp skills). No pics as everything had run out of battery - even my watch which meant I didn't Strava the ride there or back, which I guess means technically it didn't happen.

Enjoyed the trip, though, possibly because of the rain rather than in spite of it. Stopped for ice cream, too, which always makes the whole thing worthwhile.

[sean_iow]

I'd planned to go Wednesday (which was leaving it late) and had the kit ready but after dinner I began to feel increasing unwell, decided to cancel which was a good call as up most of the night being sick, imagine trying to get out of a bivi bad every hour to throw up

I'd worded all day Tuesday surveying at a major sewage treatment works, on the flooring over the inlet. The lad I was working with was also ill Wednesday night. I guess we inhaled just a bit too much vapour, but in 30 years it's the first time I've been ill from working in that environment.

Still not 100% but with the days running out I've headed to mum's. Technically within the rules (not my garden) but feels like cheating. The ride here was under a mile but was hard going so clearly still unwell. At least I can try out the new inner I made for the deschutes. Couldn't let Ralph down, in future I'll take his advice and go at the beginning of the month.

Photo to follow in the week when back at work and have access to the computer unless I work out how to do it from my phone.

[redefined_cycles]

I'd planned to go Wednesday (which was leaving it late) and had the kit ready but after dinner I began to feel increasing unwell, decided to cancel which was a good call as up most of the night being sick, imagine trying to get out of a bivi bad every hour to throw up

I'd worded all day Tuesday surveying at a major sewage treatment works, on the flooring over the inlet. The lad I was working with was also ill Wednesday night. I guess we inhaled just a bit too much vapour, but in 30 years it's the first time I've been ill from working in that environment.

Still not 100% but with the days running out I've headed to mum's. Technically within the rules (not my garden) but feels like cheating. The ride here was under a mile but was hard going so clearly still unwell. At least I can try out the new inner I made for the deschutes. Couldn't let Ralph down, in future I'll take his advice and go at the beginning of the month.

Photo to follow in the week when back at work and have access to the computer unless I work out how to do it from my phone.

and the bam of the month award goes to.... Ralph (and his dad ).

[RIP]

Within the rules so not cheating. There's bound to be times when circumstances conspire against us and a 'holding' bivvy is needed for that month. Good on you for sticking with it.

[sean_iow]

If it wasn't for Ralph I might not have bothered, but felt I'd be letting him down if we didn't go, especially as most days he asks what the date is to keep a check on time left

As gardens go Mum's is pretty wild, most of my 'wild' camps have been less overgrown.

[RIP]

Always smiling that Ralph is, mo matter what's going on. It's un-nerving. He must know something we don't.

That camo fabric is good isn't it. Although possibly not if you were bivvied on the lawn I suppose. That's the problem, you dunno what disguise you need until you get there.

[redefined_cycles]

If it wasn't for Ralph I might not have bothered, but felt I'd be letting him down if we didn't go, especially as most days he asks what the date is to keep a check on time left

As gardens go Mum's is pretty wild, most of my 'wild' camps have been less overgrown.

Here's an interwsting challenge foe you Sean. How about in the next few months you make sure Ralph gets ahead of you in the BAM... So you wind up missing a BAM or two but lovwly Ralph manages to get his in. Pics would be good

[JimmyG]

Left it a bit late this month but got out on Thursday and Friday of this week. I rode from home and headed out to East Lothian, one of my regular bivvy areas. Via a mix of road and gravel trails, I reached my intended site in a copse near Belhaven, overlooking the River Tyne estuary (No, not that one ) around 6 pm.

Haddington, East Lothian by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Bivvy site in on the left by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Not much to say about it really. The wind dropped, it stayed dry and a decent night’s sleep was had.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

I got up for my customary early hours pee and as I looked out over the estuary was able to count five herons patrolling up and down their beat. Rich pickings to be had there, clearly.

In the morning, after a coffee, I packed up and rode to a favourite café of mine in Tyninghame village.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

The clouds had been looking ominous for some time but luckily I was safely ensconced under a parasol about to tuck into my breakfast when it finally started to rain.

Sports nutrition at its finest by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Stop thief! by Jimmy G, on Flickr

The place is normally very busy but the rain explains the absence of any fellow alfresco diners on this occasion. The local sparrows, though, are made of sterner stuff. In fact, one of them had the neck to land on my ‘second course’ and bite off a chunk , at which point a napkin was promptly deployed to keep them at bay!

The rain eventually stopped and I enjoyed an uneventful ride home, again on a mix of trails and road.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

That’s now 7/7 for this year and a run of 55 consecutive BAMs.