Poetry that

Time for some BAM catch up! All the way back to February, I took a keen youngster from work out for a bivy near Loch Kinord. It was a relatively late start, though early by my standards and we trundled along the Deeside Way from Aboyne as darkness fell.



We turned off at Dinnet and headed round the back of Cnoc Dubh, with some steep narrow foresty singletrack on the way up to the summit.



After much wandering about, we managed to find a spot that could fit two hammocks in close proximity and settled in for some food. My teammate immediately got himself employee of the month by producing two cans of Guinness he'd lugged up the hill





It was pretty chilly, so we got away in our bags as quick as possible and I set a mental alarm to try and wake up for dawn. The weather wasn't as good as expected, so sunrise was a rather muted affair. I went for a quick mooch to see how the view over to Lochnagar was looking.







After returning to my cosy bed for a bit, we eventually packed up and headed back towards Aboyne, taking in the the original Tarland Trails on the way to Tarland.







The rest of the ride was a fairly chilled following of the Tarland Way back to the car. The youngster decided he was going to also ride the rest of the way back to Aberdeen, a luxury I was not afforded, as I needed to relieve my wife of parental duties for the day. Great to have another workmate who gets what this is all about, so we'll probably get some future ones in if I can be more organised about my free time!

Adding in March whilst I have a chance! I had a friend's 40th birthday party to go to in Inverurie in the middle of March, so thought I'd avoid any transport hassles for getting home after a few drinks, by bringing the bike with me for a late night BAM! I didn't stay out too late and enjoyed a kebab with some friends before heading for my car to unpack the bike. Whilst the forecast was good, the clear skies meant it was going to be a cold one, as I crossed the A96 and headed up towards Bennachie.





Once I left the road, the climbing was mostly steep up towards the top of Millstone Hill, with a mix of steps, singletrack and narrow wooden walkways.





Finally, my beer and kebab fuelled ascent was complete and I surveyed the bright lights of Aberdeenshire down below.



I got myself tucked into my winter bag without too much delay and got ready for my usual restless bivy bag sleep, now far too spoilt by all the hammocking in recent years. I dozed in the morning, taking the odd picture of the rising sun as I waited for it to gain a bit more strength.





Once up, I got a brew on in the sun and took in the views all around and all the way across to Lochnagar again, the frozen puddles evidence of how cold a night it had been.





After milking the views and peace for all they were worth I finally packed up my kit ready for the ride down. Unfortunately, as I sat, I noticed some feathers floating past, belatedly realising it was from my sleeping bag, that had been slit open by a frayed cable end on my fork lockout.



As usual, my fear of not riding a loop kicked in and I headed off the opposite end of the hill, enjoying a mix of cool rocky bits and occasional get off and walk sections as I made the wrong choice at various junctions. There's loads of choice on these hills, so I was soon heading round the back of Inverurie and up to the car to head home and do a bit of DIY roof repair, as penance for both a night out and a bivy! Still, nice to get one in by the middle of the month for a change...

Chilly..... frozen..... cold...... I'm dreaming of those lovely temperatures .

Nice sunrise pic of course .

Thanks Reg, those temperatures are never too far away in Aberdeen!

Any pagans worship the sunrise from their tarp?

Headed out for June's BAM last night. Didn't go far, about 8-9 miles along an old railway trail to a spot in the woods just off it. I've been here before, about 2 & 1/2 yrs ago but this time found a place a bit deeper in amongst the trees than before.






Having pitched up, sat having a beer listening to a muntjac mouthing off, some birds chirping away, pigs making pig noises a couple of fields away, the odd car or bike from a nearby road, a pub band playing a mile or so away and the odd shotgun or bird scarer in a field. Let's hope it's a bird scarer! An owl started up too. The muntjac was getting quite close til I stood up, after which it retreated away, making it's displeasure at me being in his domain obvious.

Slept fitfully during the night and had a recurring dream of thinking I'd pitched where houses over-looked my tent. There was also the strange noise of a creaking door or gate. I'd heard it before falling asleep but I heard it a few times during the night. It was starting to make sense, the creaking door, the piggy noises, thinking I could hear faint talking...I was waiting for the banjos to start up.

Woke just before 6am. Made a coffee while packing away. Sat for a while to finish it and a little malt loaf for breakfast. Cycled the 9 miles home to arrive before anyone had got up. Took th dog out for his walk.









Quite happy with the night out. Next month might be another trip to the beach.

RIP wrote: ↑Sat Jun 21, 2025 10:01 pm Any pagans worship the sunrise from their tarp?

Not bivvying, but started and ended the day in my tent, camped at Aberangell while mucking about on MTBs for the weekend.
Did wash my face in the dew by way of a little pagan celebration.

June BAM. The three of us left our relative houses 8pm and headed up the West coast to a spot to look over the Irish Sea and sunset on a glorious pre solstice bivi. Trialled the Fjern chair which did the job with a can of beer in hand. Noisy sheep all night but let them carry on as we were enjoying the heat. 3 persons. 1 tent and 2 bivi’s the 2 of us started to come to the realisation that we probably prefer a lightweight tent to reduce the fat factor. Let the search for that perfect tent continue!!! Anyhow the views down to the Calf of Man delivered as usual, as did the sunset, somewhere over Belfast.

June done, at Bynack lodge in the Cairngorms.



https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpB ... hp?t=25588

I hope you put that tasteful bedside table back exactly where you found it .

Nice looking spot that

RIP wrote: ↑Mon Jun 23, 2025 10:23 pm I hope you put that tasteful bedside table back exactly where you found it .

Nice looking spot that

Rats, I forgot. Will need to head back up there to reinstate it!

You can't win 'em all... An anticipointing BaM - (anticipointment - when you're looking forward to something that in the event, fails to live up to expectations)

I read about a place in Llanrhaeadr, Denbighshire, that looked really pretty and might provide a good BaM. In On the photos I saw, it looked green and atmospheric, with crystal clear waters and ancient ruins.

I trained it to Rhyl, then pedalled south along flat cycleway past Rhuddlan castle...



... and this:- some people can make beautiful things from everyday objects - in this case, roofing tacks/nails...


After St Asaph, it was the B5381 to Denbigh - a horrible busy road full of going-home-as-fast-as-possible traffic. A nightmare (and largely uphill). In Denbigh I popped into a pub for a pint, but it was full of loud music and even louder youngsters. No kind of a place for an old-timer like me. I got out of there as fast as I could and pedalled on not-so-unclassified lanes to Llanrhaeadr, the home of St Dyfnog's Well.

This is what I found ...


... a rather dull, neglected place with only one reasonably flat place to sleep, but it was rather damp/not quite muddy. I found out, after I'd set up my bed, that it was pre-populated with lots of these ...


I found slug trail everywhere in the morning, including on my pillow. Yeugh!

It gets worse. There's a pub right next to the entrance, and they do food, aaand it was a toofer night, but in a pub down the road, the on-line menu said there would be liver 'n' onions. I love liver, but rarely get it at home 'cause Lady Frog hates it. So down I pedalled but when I got there, the liver wasn't. Hrmpph! I settled for fish n chips (at full price) then back up to the Kings Head for some pudding.

"Sorry, the kitchen's closed now" said the bar-girl. Another pint for puddin' then, before pushing up to the well to set up camp.



Morning photo ...


View from camp ...


It's amazing what a bit of sunshine brings to a photo.

My route home was 28 miles that only had maybe a mile of off-road, but was mainly on single track lanes that managed to avoid any towns, or chance of a fried breakfast. I did pass St Saeran's church in Llanynys, with its 300 year old graffiti carved into the door...



That's Moel Famau, that translates to mother hill. Any guesses why?


Half way home, at LLanarmon-yn-ial, there is a community run shop (and pub, but it was too early). I partook of a steak slice and while I was eating, it a lady arrived with boxes of home-made cakes. It would have been rude, not to... Coffee and wallnut, with a cafetiere of coffee ...



It was probably my least favourite of all my BaMs, for all the disappointments it gave.

But it's still 6/6 for 2025.