@Lee H, that’s my home turf. Good to see others out bivying in the Surrey Hills. Excellent choice of bike as well

BAM 1/12
After deciding to try and complete a full year of BAM it almost didn't happen in the first month but things at home fell together on the last day of the month and I manged to get out.
Headed out from Malvern through the lanes Friday afternoon heading to Long Mynd. Due to a great tail wind arrived early on the tops and so decided to head down to Bridges Inn for some great food and a few pints of 3 Tuns Stout, which was as good as always.
Next followed the pull back up the hill and by some luck the wind was not so bad in Priors Enclosure and a star filled night followed.
In the morning a drop down to Church Stretton and breakfast and that lovely head wind the day before resulted in a 60 mile push into a head wind all the way home to Malvern.
All in all a great first bivi being dry, warm(no need for a winter sleeping bag)and again proving that getting out is always the hardest part.

Sounds like a nice little route there Wagon. Lot of Mynd fans in This Place.

PS. Don't forget the piccies, people

12/12, 24/25 I started this year in February....Cycled back to my front door anyway

Late write up for last months trip - the annual visit to see the starling murmuration on the Somerset Levels.

With "gardening leave" had an early start on Friday out of Bristol on the Festival Way for beans on toast with a mate at the excellent Yatton Station cafe, then onto the train down to Bridgwater. Across the flat moody levels in a bit of rain to Ham Wall. A lot of starlings as ever but they were roosting a long way from the path although the flyover was impressive.

If you zoom in on those clouds at the right hand side... they are birds.



The usual convivial evening with the prize bingo in a packed Railway Inn, then out into the cold silent dark for a reasonable night. Overnight the high pressure had moved in and things were frozen in the morning.



I was just a bit too late for the anti-murmuration (when they take off again)and cycled to the swanky deli in Wedmore for bacon and coffee. Even the public toilets in Wedmore have Aloe Vera handwash

Then onto the Strawberry Line near Cross where like a scene from Narnia it was fog at the south end of the Winscombe Tunnel, and blue skies and sunshine at the north end ! Lots of happy people on the trail, they probably would not have been out without this Sustrans route, then tea at Yatton, familiar tracks home and a final humpf up Belmont Hill to avoid the Ashton Court crowds and home.

A good trip in fine weather - I have done 2 years, might be a bit more relaxed about completing year three...

And a mega murmuration from you tube here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L4amvyoPu8

Nice to see another Somerset dweller, we are off out this Friday after work.

sqibjib wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2020 10:24 am Last day of the month wild camp in a local wood. Windy night be great to escape for the night. Late night gun shots from the near by RAF firing range was not called for scared the wits out of me. Great night out roll on February s night out.

Great shot (almost literally)!

Hi, I'm new here and still trying to get the hang of this forum... haven't fathomed out how to add pictures to this yet either... will send them to you Stuart by e-mail as proof.... I'm not even that keen on the whole badges thing, but I love the idea of bivvy a month. Anyway, my January one was meant to be the dam busters event, but alas I wasn't well and it sounds like it wasn't exactly bivvy friendly conditions... My belated own version didn't happen till 1st February in the end, so I will count that one as my February one.
Anyway, luckily I did a test bivvy on January 5th, before I had even heard of the bivvy a month thing, so I hope that'll count?
This was a sneaky mid week bivvy not too far away from home, which is Brecon. I love having little mini adventures on a "school night" - I can go to work the next day feeling just a little bit smug inside :) After a fairly normal family night in, I said my farewells and made my way to a place called locally the login, which is basically a valley at the foot of Pen y fan, where people park their cars and start walking from. It isn't an official anything, but people do camp there, and occasionally the farmer comes and takes three quid off you - not this time of year though, and I was gone by 7.30 in the morning. I found myself a lovely spot in a wooded part with flat soft ground and nicely spaced trees. It felt almost like cheating, as it was a still, warm, dry night, complete with a near full moon so I didn't even need a torch... practice run for dam busters a success!

I'm not even that keen on the whole badges thing

What have they ever done to you?

So cute (how do I reply to posts??!?!) - oh you mean I get a badger at the end?! In that case signe me up for three biviies a month

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Feb 05, 2020 9:25 pm What have they ever done to you?

There's good eatin' in one of them. It'd take a fair bit of meths though...

Some say I'm a gobby cow... others just a wordy mare.... So you'll be pleased to know you're being blessed with the shortened version, as what I wrote last night doesn't seem to have uploaded....
My early February bivvy a month was my belated dam busters attempt, postponed due to illness, last weekend.
My route was a kind of anti clockwise tadpole shape, with the plan being that I had set myself a realistic distance, would be sleeping somewhere in Hafren, with a short easy ride back to the car in the morning, home for lunch, bish bash bosh. Yeah right. Stunning wild scenery as you all know, really enjoyed that, but the wind was ferocious and progress was oh so slow, so I found myself sleeping just outside Devils Bridge, not so romantically at the back of a car park, surprisingly comfortable and only briefly interrupted, probably predictably, by a bunch of kids running round yelling and looking for things to kick about. Thankfully not me, and I quietly congratulated myself for managing to hide myself and my bike quite well in that ditch.
By morning, my head had got the better of me, and I bailed, got my daughter to pick me up from Elan Valley instead of riding back to Llanbrynmair. The pull of somewhere familiar with a cafe at the end was just too strong...Just as well, cos my front derailleur packed in and I only had my small gears on the Sunday....Great experience, lots to learn, looking forward to more....

No rule about retrospective bivvies so January counts - it's actually a straight run of 12 months or more that you are aiming for so you could have started in December or whenever.

There's a thread about how to post photos - viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5584, basically the image has to be somewhere public like Flickr or Imgur and then you can link to it from here.

That literally IS a ditch - nice one, bonus points I reckon! I think had you attempted that on the actual Dam Busters you would have needed a long snorkel.......

"retrospective bivvies count" - been a long day but am trying unsuccessfully to get me head round that one Bob. Some sort of time travel BaM thing?

"retrospective bivvies count" - been a long day but am trying unsuccessfully to get me head round that one Bob. Some sort of time travel BaM thing?

Retrospective in as much as the previous month Reg.

luckily I did a test bivvy on January 5th, before I had even heard of the bivvy a month thing, so I hope that'll count?

gairym wrote: ↑Fri Jan 31, 2020 2:40 pm Is there a special prize or maybe a alternative badge on offer to biggest BAM loser???

Failure on month one of 2020 - boom!

Had lots of plans which almost happened and then either the weather or my back didn't allow anything to actually happen.

Tonight was my last chance and whilst changing the BB bearings on my fatty my back went big stylee and I'm out of action (likely for a week or two or more).

Ok, am now feeling a little less guilty about my reason for failing in January.

Turns out that 'back went' meant not one but TWO herniated discs with the lower one impinging the femoral nerve and causing me excruciating pain 24/7, being unable to walk (severely limp) more than about 50m and no sleep for more than about twenty minutes at a time since last Friday - booyah!

Had an MRI to confirm everything and am seeing a neurosurgeon on Monday to discuss whether or not it'll need to be operated on.

No idea when I'll be back on a bike but weirdly the surgical option might be the fastest as it's in/out and a (usually) fast recovery time.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 7:13 pm

"retrospective bivvies count" - been a long day but am trying unsuccessfully to get me head round that one Bob. Some sort of time travel BaM thing?

Retrospective in as much as the previous month Reg.

luckily I did a test bivvy on January 5th, before I had even heard of the bivvy a month thing, so I hope that'll count?

Ta. . Long day.

(Many commiserations re discs G. Ow. )

Oof. Hope you're fixed up soon Gairy.

Got February in last night.....brrr....

Only went a mile, set off at 9:15pm.... this time was somewhat different though, instead of my trusty Trailstar with inner, I bought an Alpkit Kloke bivvy bag (270 grams) a few days ago, wondering what it is I'm missing:

Well frozen bollox for one thing, AND a wet sleeping bag

Took my thermometer and it was a steady minus 2 all night, and this morning when I got up.
Here's the view this morning when I looked out:

IMG_2975 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr (is that what it's called ?)

It was also a full moon, which was like having someone shining a light on you, till it moved westward and lower down in the sky.

A magic atmosphere though.

I had my Neoair mat in the bag at first, sleeping bag on top, but changed to having the mat outside later, easier to manipulate it.

I took my PHD bag, supposed to be rated down to minus 5....
Either it's just me or they make these figures up.

I was warm initially... merino baselayer, lightweight fleece, then a heavier fleece, then a Montane Icarus jacket (which is well padded and is warm), and a buff on my head, a North Face hat which covers the ears, the hood of the Icarus jacket, and this layered head inside my sleeping bag...
And a thick neckwarmer
Bib tights stayed on, as well as my lovely warm socks, covered by thick sealskinz.. my feet were ok.

I went cold in my back, suffered a bit, then put more air in the mat...

Maybe I need more fat on me ? (10stone 3/64.7kg)

Awkward fiddling the zip on the bivvy bag, and I needed it open at least a few inches as my breathing was laboured if it was only just open.

What that's like in the rain I don't think I'm going to find out

So not a good night at all. Too cold, very little sleep, interspersed with the weirdest dreams.

The advantage is that this entire sleep setup only weighs 3 lbs.
It's probably ok at say plus 5, or under a tarp.
As it was the bivvy bag was covered in frost.

I had to change position at midnight because I kept sliding off the Tyvek

IMG_2979 by Eric Robinson, on Flickr

I made sure my boots went in a bag. I remember someone on here (Darbeze ?) woke up on a frosty morning and his boots were so frozen he had had to walk in his socks for a mile before they thawed enough for him to get his feet in... Serious stuff that.

My March BAM is going to be in the Lakes on my new full suss Canyon (25 lbs), a variation of the Lakes 200 but avoiding as much road as possible, it should be shorter than 200k/125 miles, but probably not much easier eg missing out all that stuff (which is good) over to Claife Heights and Grizedale, instead going from Hodge Close directly to Coniston(there's a cycleway now when it meets the road), and instead of the road up to Honister the plan is HAB up to Styhead Tarn (I've done the LH path a couple of years ago, and it's desperate, so will try the RH path, then at the top take the FP to Windy Gap (I won't be riding )
then join the BW (eventually) to Honister slate mine.

I'll be in the Trailstar

Proper night out that - "respect" (as those young people say).

Proper night out that - "respect" (as those young people say).

I don't think the young people bother putting the 't' on the end Reg. Always sounds more like 'respec' to me.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2020 8:15 pm

Proper night out that - "respect" (as those young people say).

I don't think the young people bother putting the 't' on the end Reg. Always sounds more like 'respec' to me.

Probably need to loose the speech marks as well, punctuation is a little bit last century

As a relative young person I can confirm that “respect” has been relegated to older folk impersonating yoof speak. I rate that is probably the current champ

Did February's BAM last night, definitely in the running for warmest winter bivvy.....
In view of the approach of Storm ciara I decided on a shortish run out from the house to some local woodland (Devilla forest in darkest West Fife for those who are interested) An hour of pleasant trails lead to my pre-scoped spot which turned out to be a bit sub standard. A bit of thrashing through the undergrowth got me to a better prospect in some deciduous woodland which seemed fairly sheltered. Tarp up, into bag just as a shower came on, eat food, drink beer. It had been well chilly leaving work but by now the temps were well into the plus figures. I'd brought the quilt as well as the 3 season bag but it wasn't needed....

Sleep was interrupted by a substantial increase in the wind speed (and noise) but in a break with tradition my spot was actually very sheltered so I nodded off soon after. Up at 8, had a leisurely breakfast and then departed.

Morning view

Official proof of bivvy

A brief shower came through but thereafter seemed to be sunny if breezy. In view of whats in store tomorrow I felt honour bound to make the most of it so followed an oft used route via trails and cycleways to Dollar for a pie and a tea and then up into the hills to see the view

Ace trails although I'd also included a nice section of forestry / windblow / clear fell for some pushing practice. Fist bivvy on the singlespeed!

I'm not going to get to March's bivvy until the last weekend so hopefully by then it will be lighter, warmer and drier

Popped out for my February BaM last night, ended up in another bird hide. A full write up will be on my blog at some point in the next few days. Here's the summary...

I was much warmer this time round, even with a breeze blowing though the hide, as it didn't have a door (yes, the blue bits are holes in the roof too). I'm putting it down to the new Exped Downmat, rather than the really mild temperatures; evidently it was only a degree warmer than my January bivvy. So thanks for the recommendations on the mat!



Took the stove this time, so had a coffee and some porridge (needs some cardamom, ginger and nutmeg next time), before heading off. The reason I choose this hide was the close proximity to a really clear chalk stream, and a toilet. Turns out there's a stand pipe next to the loo, so I didn't need to dip my bottles into the stream... I wont be going back though, unless I need the loo while nearby, as the wild fowl were at it all night, honking and quacking like it was the end of days.



Then it was off to reccy a potential bivviy site for May, it was behind a padlocked gate, with a load of barbed wire on top. So I think I'll be looking for somewhere else. I then, mostly, followed the Icknield Way riders route home. I decided that it would be type three fun going over this field, so went a bit further on the road till another bridleway.



Which dumped me out on a really nice bit of singletrack. It didn't last though, and finished downhill at a 90° off camber corner with a puddle in it. If you overcook that corner, it's through some brambles, down an embankment, and onto the M11...



Rivey Hill out of Linton nearly broke me. It's quite different going up it on a fully loaded bike, it's the first time I've need bottom gear. There may have been swearing. I then made the stupid, moronic, idiotic decision to go down the restricted byway that I bailed on on Tuesday's ride. I see your Tour Divide peanut butter and raise you South Cambridgesire clag. There was a lot of very strong going on.



It's been totally chewed up by a combination of horses and Motocross riders. It's a shame, as it's in the worst state I've ever seen it. It got to the point where I was dragging the bike, as the wheels were too clogged up to turn, you couldn't see the rims as the mud had totally encircled them and the tyres. This photo was after about two hundred and fifty metres into the one and a half kilometres of pushing; I'd already scraped the mud off once.



Fun breakdown: 60% type 1, 30% type 2, 10% type 3.
Strava: For all the important stuff () and more photos.
2020 BaM: 2/2

Stu commanded:
#makebikepackingshitsgain
And thus I made it so...

https://strava.app.link/dpVfoAjSV3

By Feb BaM (04/12) was a jolly jaunt along the Wessex Ridgeway, not the entire route which starts in Marlborough but a variation that started in Salisbury and met the main route at Tollard Royal.
The first 30km were on mostly fast byways the last 90km were in various amounts of chalky, clay custard, stirred up a treat by motorbikes and horses.
The brand new Conti Mud King tyres did there best to mitigate things but there was an awe full lit of pushing involved as my Strava times will show.
The bivi itself was in some lovely beech woodland on the edge of Blandford Forest. With fairly warm and benign weather ahead of today’s storm.
With the exception of finding the chippy i’d been pinning my hopes on closed, I rather enjoyed the whole thing.