Late with my February BAM report, awfy man that I am! Moving swiftly on... last Monday evening (24th Feb) I rode from home along the coast and into Dalmeny Estate, lying just to the west of Edinburgh (a total of 12 and a bit miles). I'd intended to bivvy in the woods next to the Firth of Forth, not far from the Forth railway bridge. However, heavy wind-driven rain (totally unforeseen by any of the weather forecasters, by the way) greeted me as I entered the estate. As it was showing no signs of abating anytime soon, I hastily came up with a Plan B.

Slightly further inland and lying just above the main track through the estate is a site I’ve used three times previously over the years. It’s a former wartime coastal defence complex i.e. two gun emplacements with a large admin/accommodation facility close by. These are substantial concrete structures providing solid overhead cover and protection from the wind and rain.

Once I’d got settled in the rain continued for a few hours and I was pleased I’d abandoned my original bivvy plan. Incidentally, 'settling in' at this site always involves sweeping accumulated dirt and leaves plus numerous cans and broken bottles out of the way before daring to put my sleeping mat down. The whole site is a favourite hangout of various local young crews and as a result there’s an ever-present (and growing) pile of empty cans, broken bottles and food wrappers, etc. discarded throughout the area. Fortunately, though, they’re strictly fair weather visitors and are nowhere to be seen in the winter.

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Home Sweet Home by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Forth Railway Bridge just visible by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

It was sad to see that one recent group of 'sophisticated' party-goers had gone to the trouble of lugging a small generator all the way in (to power their lights and sound system maybe? ) Evidently, they hadn’t seen the need to take it away with them afterwards and it’ll no doubt remain a permanent addition to the landscape.

Abandoned generator! by Jimmy G, on Flickr

I had an undisturbed night and slept well. After a coffee and some biscuits, I packed up at a leisurely pace and rode home for a proper breakfast.

That’s 2 from 12 for 2025 and 86 consecutive BAMS.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DG-VMpdIA0T ... R0Zjg2YWkx

March BaM at The Brown Dog's country residence. Bicycles were involved. "Spot The Reg", lurking in the background.

18/18

https://bsky.app/profile/darwendashers. ... xixo2izc22

2025 3/3

Pete wrote: March BaM

Mmm, that was a curious one. A local bivvy for local people. And yet another Winter Chilterns Spring Thing.

A few weeks ago my trousers started talking me: "Reg? Reg? REG! OY!". I mean it's happened to all of us at one time or another hasn't it? I eventually found where in my trousers this strange voice was emanating from. Turned out to actually be my phone which somehow, all on its own, had opened my Contacts, scrolled down to Tim BrownDog, and called him up. Both of us were a bit surprised as we'd last spoken 3 years ago on a Chilterns Spring Thing bivvy (in October).

Ah well, pick up where we left off then - "fancy a bivvy Tim?". Turns out he's moved to Waddesdon, a village 15 miles from us, so Tim kindly offers to host a mini-housewarming for myself and MuddyPete, and roped in Rich3rd as well.

Here's the entrance to Tim's humble new pad:

r

Oh hang on, no, that's Waddesdon Manor where I wandered round on the bike on a pre-boozeup ride to get my appetite up. A few years ago myself and MuddyPete had bivvied on Baron Rothschild's front lawn at Mentmore House near us, so here was a chance to see his actual seat of power. Unfortunately I never made it as far as his lawn this time, because the place was guarded by these four phallic sentinels and I didn't want to risk, er, arousing their interest.....



Riding down to Tim's place, a most convivial evening ensued with intemperate quantities of ale consumed, along with a repast fit for the Baron himself, so much so that when it came to crashing out it was just too much faff to nip round to the sports field and find a spot and we ended up never leaving Tim's garden at all. Unbelievably I turned down a perfectly serviceable shed in favour of the concrete slab next to it, although I managed a reasonable kip despite the slightly foolhardy choice of summer bag and temperatures around 2degC.



Tim has a number of canines and felines in residence, so I was woken up at 6am by a pussy sitting on my face. As if this wasn't bad(?) enough, a nice doggy then attempted to lick my nose.

Before we departed, Tim allowed us a go on his chipped-up electric bike which was quite a frisky beast to say the least. It would probably have been quicker to ride that home than motoring it......

3/3, 3/12, 110/110

Marvelous stuff again folks!

This is a late write up for my Feb BAM...

Had a quick overnighter in the Cotswolds.

I don't visit the area that often with train access a bit awkward, the Royals at one end , Jeremy Clarkson at the other a lot of pheasant shooting in between.

However I had recollections of a previous good time on "The Cotswold Loop", I am sure there are several, and a lunchtime handover meet arranged with Mr Substandard in Wotton, so headed over the afternoon before and caught some winter sunshine.

Easy pedalling in the valleys around Alderley, and stumbled on a hidden Millenium garden below Tresham. Found the pheasants around Ozleworth, and also a novel button operated gate on the bridleway there by a gatehouse (set at horse rider height) - it opens automatically from the other side (to save getting off your horse)

Back in the sunset to a spot I have used before and after noodles down into Wotton to The Star and a rather lacklustre Chelsea match.

Packed up in the rain next morning for a muddy push up Tor Hill, and a squish down Tyley Bottom. Met Mr SS on time then home.

Thought I had posted here, asking if anyone (else) was thinking of going out last night, to catch the lunar eclipse this morning?

Turns out I didn't click the "submit" button...

Also turns out I didn't go out for a BAM... but that I happened to wake up early, and that I could watch the eclipse perfectly well from my bedroom, sitting in the window for a bit with a cuppa...until the moon disappeared behind some clouds...
Was quite cool to watch though

March BAM turning these in to more like a TAM. Tholten a month. This was a new one to us but supplied level peg friendly ground with a spectacular night sky. Clear night, large moon and temperatures of -5. Glad I had my new 4.5 R rated mat with me.

What's a tholten?

March BaM done - see NAWE 2025

gecko76 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 16, 2025 1:31 pm What's a tholten?

interesting piece on them here--https://www.visitisleofman.com/blog/rea ... -past-b104

Manx. Noun. tholtan. 'a ruin of a house'.

Ah, cool. I was wondering if it was from the Scots thole - to suffer, endure, or bear

Tractionman wrote: ↑Sun Mar 16, 2025 1:45 pm

gecko76 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 16, 2025 1:31 pm What's a tholten?

interesting piece on them here--https://www.visitisleofman.com/blog/rea ... -past-b104

Manx. Noun. tholtan. 'a ruin of a house'.

Of late I've come across a number of ruined farmhouses, entirely by accident, whilst nosing around local woods. The history of them seems to be landowners abandoning farms / estates in favour of commercial forestry rather than the more well know clearances for sheep farming.

gecko76 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 16, 2025 2:00 pm Ah, cool. I was wondering if it was from the Scots thole - to suffer, endure, or bear

I am no linguist (!) but there does seem to be a Gaelic connection, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tolltach#Scottish_Gaelic

tolltach = 'full of holes'

which I guess a ruined building is!

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Sun Mar 16, 2025 2:48 pm

Tractionman wrote: ↑Sun Mar 16, 2025 1:45 pm

gecko76 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 16, 2025 1:31 pm What's a tholten?

interesting piece on them here--https://www.visitisleofman.com/blog/rea ... -past-b104

Manx. Noun. tholtan. 'a ruin of a house'.

Of late I've come across a number of ruined farmhouses, entirely by accident, whilst nosing around local woods. The history of them seems to be landowners abandoning farms / estates in favour of commercial forestry rather than the more well know clearances for sheep farming.

likewise up in the Antrim Hills near me, there's an abundance of abandoned rural houses, above the 300m contour line especially, not just really old structures either but some 20th cent by the looks of them, sometimes even with their curtains still in the windows, a sad sight to see, and I often wonder what happened to the families and folks that lived in them... no doubt a tough task making a living from the land at that sort of elevation led to their eventual abandonment.

Thanks Tractionman and apologies for introducing the word of the day “Tholten” to this eclectic group. Yes Celtic connections are strong here which came after the vikings were knocking around the island burying their ships and depositing the occasional runes once they had finished their pillaging ways.

Mr G wrote: ↑Sun Mar 16, 2025 4:38 pm https://www.amazon.com/Manx-Tholtans-1- ... 23a&nodl=1

looks like a nice book

it's the same publisher that does this MTB guide to the island--https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/ ... -isle-man/

recommended!

I used this guide when I was there on the bike a few years ago, though as a local @MrG I dare say you'd not need it

On a related note:

Glenfiddich Lodge. Contrary to the posh rep of the whisky, a lot of the estate is semi derelict as the new owner (nouveau riche instead of born and bred upper class twit) bought the estate only to shoot things and make money from a vast windfarm. This lodge, another (Carbrach) and various farm houses are abandoned but largely intact with decor, curtains, furniture , crockery etc.

Sorry, struggling how to reply to someone!

So…..

Aha, I recognise the rider on the front of that book!! There is also a second book but after writing both of them decisions a writing career was not for me!

Mr G wrote: ↑Sun Mar 16, 2025 6:12 pm Sorry, struggling how to reply to someone!

So…..

Aha, I recognise the rider on the front of that book!! There is also a second book but after writing both of them decisions a writing career was not for me!

Excellent, I'll check out the second one

The first one's great and I'm sure its successor is too

Cheers,

Keith

Not far from home again (15miles and 1300 ft) but I got there by bike, so it counts as my March BaM. Pedalled from home to the Eglwyseg escarpment above LLangollen. It was dark already by the time I'd set up and I could see in the distance, a wildfire in the Berwyns, possibly above Llandrillo?




Anyway, the bivvy...



I'd bought a couple of pies on the way up, and with a bowl of ramin noodles and flapjack and not to mention my usual nightcap, I was full enough to sleep warm, on a full stomach. I even didn't need to get up for a wassname. Lucky, that, since I was in a bivvy bag and getting in and out is always a challenge - by the time I've struggled out and back in, I'm usually wide awake and can't get back off to sleep for ages.

Sunrise. Not much to see - you need a few clouds for the sun to paint...


View from bed...


Looking towards where the wildfire was. It was a lovely clear morning...



The colours on this last photo are disappointing and I dont know how to fix it. The band of grass in lower right was a lovely lush spring green, but in my photo it's khaki.

Castell Dinas Bran (with Bivvy)...


And with a cuppa...


And finally, the obligatory breakfast photo...


This was at the Warf cafe, beside the canal at LLangollen. Ihad intended to carry on over the mountain and home, but a passing mountain biker, climbing up from Llangollen, planted a seed in my mind and I was unable to resist. It added about 4 miles to my homeward journey but was worth it.

So there we are, first quarter BaMs done. 3/3 for 2025.

Beautiful

*sigh* blazing sun all week torrential rain all weekend. At least I'm out and pitched up in the dry...