Bivvy a month 2018.

[JohnClimber]

3/3 BAM and 23rd in a row.

A local one (again) but in another spot.






You don't need flat ground with a hammock




Topless

Addition,
CVAM 3/3 - 16/3/18

Campervan A Month 2018

[Pickers]

Reg, BD Steve and I were out at the weekend. An easy meet at Kidderminster station saw Steve and I early with time to spare until Reg arrived. There's not a cafe at Kiddy mainline station, fortunately the Severn Valley railway next door know their onions and we were soon knawing through 1st breakfast.
Reg arrived and we were off. A quick drop through town onto the nearest towpath saw us away. Over Burlish Top and into Bewdley and Reg, having missed 1st breakfast, was getting peckish. So after 4, maybe 5 miles we stopped in Bewdley. Reg ate his fill, and tea was drunk.
Along the riverside and into the Wyre then. This was my patch 20 years ago. How much could I remember? Enough to keep us occupied for a while fortunately, although I knew there was an awful lot more that we hadn't done. Funnily enough I could remember where the cafe was. So we headed there to "check the maps again".
With the navigation side settled we headed back into the forest and out towards the Brown Clee - target for tonight. This was road riding, I knew these lanes well from the club runs years ago. We needed more mud though, so we headed off down a bridleway to find some. We found plenty. And a private girls school, although we probably shouldn't have been there.
Anyway, time was getting on. We'd only had 3 cafe stops so were getting peckish. Fortunately we were nearing Stottesdon, and The Fighting Cock was open. This (now highly recommended ) place had excellent food and beer, but no phone signal at all. Unfortunately we missed Scott who was waiting for us at the next pub on - sorry about that.
With the maps suitably checked (took us a while.....) we again headed for Clee. I knew the bridleway we'd be using, and I knew we'd be walking within 50 yards of turning onto it. We walked for quite a while, safe in the knowledge that having checked the maps thoroughly earlier we knew where we were headed. We looked at the spot where our erstwhile colleagues had stopped a couple of weeks ago, too wet from snow melt so we carried on.
Eventually a flattish patch was found, a few trees for some shelter, and mostly downhill in the morning. It was a dark, clear night. A million star location. Just great.
We all slept well, no disturbances from livestock or farmers. A brew and porridge in the morning and we were packed and off just the as rain arrived. Even that didn't last though.
We'd had a couple of recommendations for good places to check our maps, unfortunately they were closed. A local shop was open though, so we made do, although it felt like the local shopkeeper was really doing us a favour by actually being not shut.
Job done, we had a bimble back through the lanes via Stottesdon again to retrieve the shorts that one of our party had left there the previous night.....
From there we took in a bit more mud and then to Highley Station for a pint by the river in the sun, and then back to Kidderminster. This BAM lark is great!


https://www.flickr.com/photos/107347896 ... 752280211/ by Richard Picton - Flickr2BBcode LITE


https://www.flickr.com/photos/107347896 ... 881469078/ by Richard Picton - Flickr2BBcode LITE


https://www.flickr.com/photos/107347896 ... 709358652/ by Richard Picton - Flickr2BBcode LITE

[RIP]

Nice one Rich. (Just noticed BDS in your first pic doing a cracking impression of James Herriot on his seatpack!!). Yes I think we could call this one “Carry On Cleo-bury”, or maybe “Cafe Raiser” (how many cafes can you raise in a weekend?)....

Arrived at Kidderminster after a jolly train ride through the back-end of Brummie, and yes Rich and Steve had already succumbed to the Lure Of The Cafe! Either a good start or not a good start depending on your view of cafes. We only got about 2 miles down the canal before the conversation took a turn for the absurd (l know, admittedly it’s usually earlier than that), when I mentioned that I’d rescued a roe deer in our park that had got stuck under a fence because it didn’t know how to reverse back out. Steve claimed that conversely badgers could go backwards. He also claimed that he’d been to a badger race – or something like that. I wondered whether they actually race backwards, which would be an interesting sight.

Rich had carefully explained that going the canal route saved an enormous hill between Kiddie and Bewdley, but half way along we diverted through some woods and – up an enormous hill . Which looked down onto the other not-quite-so-enormous hill. An excellent start to the lunacy of the weekend! As mentioned, there was no way we could miss the Riverside Cafe, although the pricing structure was a bit unusual with a full breakfast apparently costing about the same as a coffee.

Cafe # 1:



Cafe # 2:



Onwards into the Wyre Forest, with a diversion to cafe number 2 (number 3 in Rich and Steve’s case of course), followed by lots of bimbling around the trees and exceptionally muddy trails. Our route planning consisted of popping into cafes to plan, but then not making any actual decisions until each path junction. Worked admirably to be honest.



A particularly gloopy bit of woodland brought us to the view over the girls boarding school. I desperately searched on the map for a public ROW through the grounds but sadly they’d obviously anticipated this and there were none at all, although I’m sure I spotted George Cole hiding in the bushes (probably only me that remembers the original St Trinians...). There was a surprising amount of snow still dotting the area, including one drift that Steve used as a slide a few times, while I built a “snow panda” at the bottom which luckily survived Steve’s toboggan impressions. At one point Steve managed to take his skullcap off apparently without removing his helmet which is a pretty clever trick - presumably a bit like that party trick where you can remove your undercrackers without taking your trousers off, not that I've tried that one personally. Pickers pointed out that I must go to a different type of party than the ones he does.....



The world’s most complex bridleway sign (shades of the Cheshire Cat: “which way? That all depends a good deal on where you want to get to.....”). The girls boarding school in our case....





For some reason we seemed to be completely knackered by Stottesdon and managed to un-avoid the pub there although we still had a way to go, so in we went for a spot of dinner, not departing again until well after dark. Rich was well provided for, as he said the menu featured all five of his all-time-favourite puddings -
incompetently I am unable to relate exactly what they were, but one was definitely sticky toffee pudding. The last few miles were hard work, weighed down with sticky toffee pudding etc, and the drag up Brown Clee in the drizzle was fairly challenging. As Rich says, we forsook the pondside bivi. It’s rumoured there’s a Wellington bomber at the bottom of it or something, and I’m sure I also saw an arm sticking up out of the water holding a sword aloft. Best to press on really to the woods near the top, next to the spooky old farm building.







Not a bad night’s kip with owls, and Steve says also a band of drummers (?), serenading us. Our cafe-locating skills did indeed desert us next morning, two in Ditton Priors closed, and also the one at Cleobury North – although the shop was open and surely the bloke had an operational kettle and some cups? In between was an interesting diversion into the old military storage depot, and a cracking outdoor toilet sampled by Pickers. Unfortunately the high fencing to keep people out also kept us in and prevented access to a shortcut bridleway. Ho hum.



The return route was through various little villages towards the Severn, at which point we decided to call it a day and catch the steam train back to Kidderminster. The guard was fairly baffled by the filthy bikes and wondered if they could be cleaned before storage in his van – we assured him they were in that state after they’d already been cleaned. A final pot of tea in Kidderminster buffet before my train brought my cafe total up to the same as Rich and Steve, so honour was saved there, followed by a leisurely train home. The train was packed but strangely the three seats around me remained unfilled for the whole journey. I can only imagine they had been reserved by people who didn’t turn up.......



‘R’

[ 3/3, my "Silver Jubilee" contiguous BaM, 32 total ]

[Cheeky Monkey]

You don't need flat ground with a hammock


Topless

Just based on the look of the hang in those picks you look like you've got it fairly "flat". The images could be deceptive, comfort's a personal thing, physical aspects of the pitch might be awkward etc etc etc but I've always understood a more "banana" type hang is "better" / more comfortable. See the Ultimate Hang and hang calculator therein:

https://theultimatehang.com/hammock-hang-calculator/

You might be perfectly happy as you are or you might also know all this and it not matter so treat as you like

[Mike]

Shropshire lads, I can't believe you didn't get rumbled in that campspot by the ruin.. Or did u leave at silly o'clock? Shame you missed out on the cafe at Cleobury north it's a good'en. It looked very wet n mucky guys...Good work though. The cocks a fab pub ain't it

[JohnClimber]

Just based on the look of the hang in those picks you look like you've got it fairly "flat". The images could be deceptive, comfort's a personal thing, physical aspects of the pitch might be awkward etc etc etc but I've always understood a more "banana" type hang is "better" / more comfortable. See the Ultimate Hang and hang calculator therein:

https://theultimatehang.com/hammock-hang-calculator/

You might be perfectly happy as you are or you might also know all this and it not matter so treat as you like

Cheers for that, I had heard the 30degree was the best hanging angle from somewhere else, so I'll give it a go next time.
I guess at 30degree it will be easier to sleep "across" the hammock, but where I was at the weekend because of the slope where I was I would have had my head on the ground if it was any lower.

I was very comfy as I tend to sleep curled up in it and on my side most of the time anyway.

Cheers for your help

[RIP]

Hi Mike, yes it was a very pleasant caper thank you - no idea where we were going half the time and better for that. I think we departed the ruin at about 07.30 hrs and nobody chased us. It was a little bit slope-y there and I mis-orientated my tarp so it wasn't a perfect night's sleep, but I'll bet it's fantastic there with a summer sunrise. Looked like some good spots behind that wood, on the flattish bit of the hill - for next time .

[Cheeky Monkey]

Just based on the look of the hang in those picks you look like you've got it fairly "flat". The images could be deceptive, comfort's a personal thing, physical aspects of the pitch might be awkward etc etc etc but I've always understood a more "banana" type hang is "better" / more comfortable. See the Ultimate Hang and hang calculator therein:

https://theultimatehang.com/hammock-hang-calculator/

You might be perfectly happy as you are or you might also know all this and it not matter so treat as you like

Cheers for that, I had heard the 30degree was the best hanging angle from somewhere else, so I'll give it a go next time.
I guess at 30degree it will be easier to sleep "across" the hammock, but where I was at the weekend because of the slope where I was I would have had my head on the ground if it was any lower.

I was very comfy as I tend to sleep curled up in it and on my side most of the time anyway.

Cheers for your help

John - you're welcome, glad it was of interest and not telling you how to suck eggs You're correct that with a deeper "sag" in the pitch it allows you to sleep more diagonally, across the width of the hammock, which, with an asymmetric cut hammock, results in a flatter lay. Most folks go for the foot end slightly higher than the head end to avoid as well.

The Ultimate Hang site, particularly his earlier posts on hanging, rigging, 101 of hammock camping etc are really good reads. If you don't have it the guy's book (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultimate-Hang- ... imate+hang) is a bit of a bible.

And at this point I'll stop preaching ;-)

[BigdummySteve]

3/3 great weekend with reg and pickers, many cafes visited, respectable distance covered. We even suffered a little, went up some hills and ploughed through some mud....almost like proper bike packers

[Bearlegged]

My hopes of BAM were dashed early on, with a respiratory infection that left me coughing up blood for a week in January.

Since then, I've spent far too much time thinking about getting outside, and not enough time doing it. There's always an excuse: the weather, lack of time, lack of company... So last night I strapped some gear to the Cotic, headed up to the woods, sipped some whisky and spent the night under a teensy bit of canvas.
Woke this morning to golden light and fresh coffee from the comfort of my sleeping bag. Coasting back home down the hill was great for clearing the head too.

1/3.

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

[RIP]

Respect to any contestants out there this morning consuming their alfresco avocado-on-porridge BaM breakfast. Playfully bracing .

[Loki]

Out last night in the snow, so far 3/3 with another planned on the 31st. A full write up here. https://lostonthetrails.blogspot.co.uk/ ... d-ice.html

Untitled by Simon Kirk, on Flickr

[fatbikerbill]

two bivvies in one post here.

I started March last year & been doing a BAM since then.

But as for 2018, it started with Mosedale cottage from Kentmere Jan 6/7 with Pete.
Mosedale was rammed & we just got in to the little end room but the fire was raoring when we arrived late at night.





The highlight was the Corpse road & the view down to Haweswater



a busy bothy

Feb bivi was a ride along the Leeds Liverpool canal on Feb 24th/25th
Freezing cold & only the one photo


March could be (for me atleast) a bit of an epic

[TheBrownDog]

3/3 for me after a very damp overnighter with Sam. We managed 30 miles before taking a short-cut to the pub where we both ate far too much.

In the afternoon, we'd ridden past the woods which my club has leased from the FC for about 15 years. It's just been logged and it was real mess. We're all a bit gutted about it, as we don't have the means to bring in any machinery to make repairs, nor the manpower to do it by hand. Not sure what the future holds there. Not complaining - it's a worked forest and the FC need the income, but it was sad to see.

Anyhoo, Sam and I bivvied not far from the pub. Pleasant enough evening, but my tent had a fair bit of condensation in the morning, and the rain was hard enough to knock it off onto my quilt. Used my clean socks to dry it off and all was well.

Part of "our" woods.


Sam loves fixing flat tyres


Sometime in the morning someone at our coaching session suggested an alternative to e-bikes.

[ChrisF]

I failed dismally in February, due to leaving it until the last weekend of the month and then MrsF being ill

I managed a good ride out yesterday though. I crossed paths with Tom and Rich as they were clattering down into Hayfield on their cross bikes, having just left a bunch of blokes on full suss bikes in their wake. A nice steady ride through and over the Peak with a decent amount of trudging through soft remnants of the snow from a couple of weeks back. Up the Derwent valley and turn off into the West End valley, turning a blind eye to the 'no cycles' sign. The steep climb out of the valley made worse by a mile or so of soft deep snow.

Ronksley Cabin was deserted, unsurprisingly as its a bit of grim little stone shed, but in a good spot. A small drift against one wall (inside) didn't make it any cosier, but I settled in for the night. I slept on the table as the floor was pretty wet.

Sunday dawned clear and cold, and I headed back the way I came, the snow drifts having frozen so I could ride them this time. The Derwent valley was picture perfect, and deserted. A bacon roll and tea in Hope and back home before lunch. 2 out of 3.

[frogatthefarriers]

BAM 3/3 Bishop Bennet Way

This is a trail that runs 34 miles from Beeston, Cheshire to Whitchurch, Shropshire


I've ridden parts of it on my 'bread-and-butter', keeping-my-fitness-level-up, 25 mile ride around-the-block from home ride, but I've often wondered if it would make a decent bivvy trip. With 18 miles to the start and 15 from the end to back home, 67 miles. A decent enough distance for an over-nighter. (for me, anyway).

After a few miles of lanes, the trail crosses arable fields that have been ploughed and sown. A broad path has been left for the bridleway, but it was very hard going in the soft ground. To make it worse, lots of horses have passed this way, leaving deep footprints that have partly dried, making for a very bumpy ride. On the tracks in between fields it was a choice between losing the fillings from my teeth riding along the dried tractor tyre-tread ridges, or plugging through the soft grass/mud in the centre.
Here there be Land Rovers:-

This was the worst bit, but there was plenty of soft stuff on most of the bridleways, all churned up by the horses.

Poor old Badgers. I wonder if any were buried alive when the roof caved in.



20 miles along the trail was my bivvy spot. I've used this once before. It's a good spot for hammocking, allowing plenty of hanging options to counter the wind.

I slept well. The owls were having a break from hooting. At some point in the night I was woken by a bright light shining under my tarp and at first I thought it was someone with a flashlight about to turf me off. But no, it was just a very bright half moon that had fallen close to the horizon.

I awoke to a white frosty morning.


Good place for ground sleeping too.

The drawbacks are, it's a bit close to some houses and there's no water nearby; the trail runs through farm land and the 'wild' water from ditches and streams didn't appeal.

There's a solar farm...


I dunno, I think I'd rather see windmills in the Welsh hills than square miles of solar panels.

This is what I was up against for most of the off-road bits. Soft ground and hoof-print holes.


Eventually the trail end up in nowhere special, so I cycled to the Shropsire Union canal to the cafe at Grindley Brook staircase locks, where I had a large pot of tea and a cheese, mushroom and leek tart.

Very tasty!, but a few pennies short of a tenner. I got my own back by leaving a trail of mud and footprints from the door to the counter.
The end..


Was it a good ride? Not much. Soft grass, hoof prints and mud make it very hard work. At least with hills you get to freewheel down again. I did see a bikepacker though, not very far from the end. Someone from here, maybe?

[RIP]

Nice one Frog - gloop is the worst surface to encounter I reckon. The badgers didn't half make a mess of those cones too - "we don't want these here and we've got big teeth". Solar array very handy for charging your phone on the way past I guess...

[ericrobo]

This one was definitely touch and go, been ill since Sunday and still rough, so I just went down the valley about 9:30pm and got my Trailstar and inner up.
Took my Klymit X-Lite this time as I keep rolling off the Neoair one.
Was toasty and warm having pumped the Klymit up with the hand pump, but after about 10 minutes was feeling the cold in my back. Pumped Klymit up a bit more, but again after 10 minutes or so it went soft.
So there's a leak somewhere.
Had a bad night, not much sleep, even though I used as much packing as insulation that I could find.

C7D63964-8366-4440-80A4-1DFB65E116DF by Eric Robinson, on Flickr

I've just filled the bath and found the leak...

A truly miserable night... but 3/3, 4degrees first dropping to 2, but nice to listen to that stream.. but not so sure about that deep coughing somewhere in the night... I think it was a deer.

ADC28B90-1460-4E75-BC72-02E4462FFCBC by Eric Robinson, on Flickr

And hopefully I can put the fat bike away now.

[jaminb]

Sorry for being stupid but if I go BAM on Sunday night does it qualify as March or April?

[ScotRoutes]

Sorry for being stupid but if I go BAM on Sunday night does it qualify as March or April?

Sunday night? That's April.

Saturday night counts as March.

Saturday and Sunday nights would count as both.

[jaminb]

Balls - there goes 2018’s badge !

[RIP]

Just sneak out after everyone else has gone to bed and kip on the village green, then back before sparrow fart - it's been done before and counts in an emergency situation .

[TheBrownDog]

Just sneak out after everyone else has gone to bed and kip on the village green, then back before sparrow fart - it's been done before and counts in an emergency situation .

Yep. That was October.

[Ray Young]

3/3 on a very hurried overnighter to Cramond Island staying in one of the WW2 buldings. Illness followed by two weddings scuppered plans for an earlier date. The tides were right so I just chucked everything I needed into a backpack and cycled the three miles to the island arriving at 7pm and left at 9am.
View from my abode. The island in the picture had buildings added to it during the war to make it look like a battleship in order to confuse any approaching enemy..
IMG_20180331_090013 by youngray50, on Flickr

The inside of this and some of the other buildings nearby were the cleanest I've ever seen them, no glass or fire debris. Someone else must have been using them to sleep in too.
IMG_20180331_090035 by youngray50, on Flickr

[ScotRoutes]

The Last Chance Saloon



Given my recent and ongoing illness, this is probably a really bad idea....