Bivvy a month 2022

[RIP]

A narrow escape from Skeggie there Blackhound .

Lovely spot that Verena!

Yep, Dales for me too this weekend, and "sunny intervals" apparently - shome mishtake shurely...

[Raggedstone]

April done on the WRT
After a prolonged dry spell in Wales and with some advice from Stu we decided that it might be a good time to finally tick the Bugeilyn bridleway box . It was pretty good and surprisingly rideable a few boggy sections towards the end following the Motorbike tracks out to Hengwym after a good look at the map it seems that the correct route involves crossing the Hengywm by the old farmhouse and following the bridleway on the other side of the river . Does anyone know what that is like ?
PXL_20220430_154733692.MP by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
A nice ride out to the road followed and then a good climb up to llyn Llygad Rheidol to find a spot for the night , we were fairly sure there would be nobody else about just as we turned the corner we saw someone stood by the lake and it started to rain . There were a couple of bikepackers already there and while we got set up two more arrived . Had a wet night and spent most of it listening to the rain on the Tarp but at least it meant i could get a picture of the bivvy spot without any chance of an unpleasant sunset or sunrise
PXL_20220430_194825600 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
Packed all the wet gear away and went to Nant Y Arian for a Breakfast .

4/12 for 2022

[Bearbonesnorm]

Does anyone know what that is like ?

Once did it ...... never ever again.

[psling]

Does anyone know what that is like ?

Once did it ...... never ever again.

I think we may have said as we were passing that it would be easier to ride along the river bed!! Pleased we ticked off Bugeilyn though and nice to cross the Nant y Llyn at only ankle deep - last time we crossed it the water was halfway up the thighs

[Dave Barter]

Does anyone know what that is like ?

Once did it ...... never ever again.

I think we may have said as we were passing that it would be easier to ride along the river bed!! Pleased we ticked off Bugeilyn though and nice to cross the Nant y Llyn at only ankle deep - last time we crossed it the water was halfway up the thighs

I've just been to the betting shop with a wager on BB200 2022

[redefined_cycles]

I'm only 5 monthe behind but done my first BAM yesterday. Written about on the broad daylight bivy thread (not sure if there is lots of ethical discussions that need to be had about that but am happy to go sit in thw naughty corner). Twas after work and with a 12 mile mtb ride. Twas nice...

Not sure if I'll be able to keep up with it being in borad daylight but will try

Pics and my little story as to 'why?' Is here viewtopic.php?f=8&t=21877

[fatbikephil]

May.....
Generally May is the last bivvy I do before I have to worry about dodging the dreaded midge. Annoyingly I fell victim to the equally dreaded mosquito....


A fairly light load (no beer) given the forecast. Also first use of Wildcat mini Harness (Thanks Mike!)

It started well, leaving home at just after 12 and heading north to the hills. Thereafter I threaded together a fine route east roughly following the hills that border the fair Kingdom of Fife. A real mix of trails, a few back roads and plenty of ups and downs kept me busy until Newport where I procured a particularly fine fish supper and sat in the evening sun eating it.


Lindores Loch and the hills of Perthshire in the haze behind.


The Silvery Tay and the rail bridge that is the subject of no less than three poems by William MacGonagal (One celebrating the first bridge, one describing its collapse and a third celebrating the replacement i.e. this one!)

I finished with a mad dash along the coastal path then a steady cruise to Tentsmuir forest and a bivvy spot I'd used a few years ago. That's where it all went horribly wrong. As soon as I started unloading gear the mozzies appeared in force. Of course I had neither a head net or any form of repellant so was totally at their mercy. I considered moving on but I couldn't think of anywhere else close by and I figured the mozzies would be everywhere in any case.

I moved out of the grass and under some trees thinking this would be better. It wasn't. So I threw up the tarp as quick as I could and dived into the bivvy bag. Then I got out and rescued my specs and head torch, then dived back in. Then I got out and rescued my phone and dived back in. Then I got out and rescued my whisky (which was essential) finally getting into the bag and staying in. So much for my well practiced and slick routine... In the event I had a fairly peaceful evening although despite wearing my beanie and throwing my cycling shirt over my head, the little ba*stards still severally stung my head through the bivvy bag mesh and both layers. Eventually I crashed out to the sound of a million (well a hundred or so) buzzing mosquitos.

The dawn chorus was deafening and the mozzie buzzing still hadn't let up, dashing my hopes that as the temps dropped over night they would hide in the grass. In fact it had stayed warm enough that even my lightweight quilt was a bit much. After lying awake for a while I realised that sleep was impossible and my bladder was making it's demands so packed up as quick as I could and departed post haste.


Bivvy shot taken after I'd torn the tarp down...

A few miles down the trail I stopped as I was out of the woods. Lo and behold no mozzies (should have bivvied here!) so I got the stove out and made breakfast. Of course as I was sitting eating it, the midges appeared, somewhat early for these eastern climbs. I wandered around to avoid them, packed up for the second time and cleared off.

My route home was a bit easier following a few bits of easy trail and various back roads before heading off road through the Lomond Hills on one of my usual routes home. The sun of the early morning had gradually given way to cloud and at one point the rain came on but oddly enough, it cleared for the final miles and I even had some sunshine. Total distance was a creditable 195k. By a miracle I'd had a stiff westerly all day Saturday and the wind had switched to the east for my ride back west If I'd bothered to look at the GPS I could have made it a round 200 and I'm thinking of doing just that and doing it in a oner - the Kingdom 200!


Top of the last big hill looking over the gloomy hills over which I'd just ridden.

As I type this a large number of bumps all over my body are itching madly...

[RIP]

Don't like the sound of those biters Phil

As per YD30.0 and cavepacking....


5/5, 5/12, 77/77

[fatbikephil]

Don't like the sound of those biters Phil

Horrible things, I now look like a plague victim!

[GoneCaving]

I'm on hols down in West Cork this week and wanted to get in a decent spin and bivvy. The weather forecast is the usual unpredictable mix of sunshine, rain and gales. Mon/Tues seems like the most optimistic in terms of rain so off I headed, much much later than planned, starting on the coast South of Skibbereen, and following the coast over to Baltimore. From there North back to Skibbereen and then West. Apart from an unpleasant section of the N71, I managed to stay mostly on minor roads, and found a lovely section of track known as the Butter Road that took me into Schull. From there SW out to Mizzen Head, stopping off for a restorative shandy and some evening grub in Goleen. At this point in I should insert some grumblings about the fact that you can't actually get to the end of Mizzen Head without paying at the visitors' centre which was closed by the time I got there.

Barleycove

Mizen Head

Then back along the Northern side of Mizzen Head as far as Durras, and then out along Sheep's Head. I'd hoped to get there by dusk, but the late start meant it was dark by the time I got there, which made finding a suitable bivvy spot tricky. The wind had also rise to the point that pitching the damn tent was an exercise in frustration. The usual bike & tent photo wasn't possible as the only way I could keep the damn thing in place was to be in the tent!! (flickr has a pic from inside of the tent if proof is required!!). Having finally bought a new sleeping bag a few weeks back, I was very cozy and warm, but the wind battered me all night, so still not great on the sleep department. Lightweight Lanshan tent lasted the night to my surprise.

Up at dawn, and then down as far as Sheep's Head lighthouse (I'm sure I shouldn't be getting Strava top 10 segments on a loaded bike!!).

Sheep's Head lightghouse
Wild surf at Shgeep's Head
Sheep's Head WAW Sign

Then back along the Northern side of the Sheep's Head peninsula. Thisis a super minor road, remote, scenic and with very little traffic. I got as far as Bantry feeling pretty wrecked, and probably a bit dehydrated. The wife texted to ask if I'd like to be collected (having spotted that the pace was slowing), and with 30km to go, I decided that maybe that would be a good thing, and wussed out!

Obligatory West of Ireland donkey photo

[whitestone]

As per my "A Short ride with Reg" thread.

5/5 for the year.

Cath got a bivy done the weekend before so it's 5/5 for her as well.

[slarge]

I rode to Ludlow and back with a bivvy stop on the way in some woods outside Kinlet. 6 jars of chilli jam from the Ludlow food centre and the OH is quite happy....

Nice little bivvy spot in a grassy clearing, only disturbed by barking deer and some rustling in the undergrowth at 4am.
The return trip I elected to use Google maps and it took me via Dudley and Hagley. That wasn't so pleasant, and then 20 miles of canal towpath is just hard work - constant pedalling and insect infestation. Bug got home at the promised time and the kit test was successful!
5/5 for me

[Rob S]

I fancy a crack at the BaM game if I may.
April's was the WRT, but due to me wimping out on the Sunday here is May's.

I spotted a quiet corner of a field just off of one of my favourite local byways some time ago and thought it had potential, so I paid it a visit Saturday evening.
20220521_201306 by Robert Smith, on Flickr
I was only round the corner from here, but the hedge and trees hid me from the passers by.

20220521_205147 by Robert Smith, on Flickr
Once the Lunar Solo was up, I settled down with a fried halloumi sandwich and opened a tin of 'Tribute'. I kept the outer entrance open as it was nice and had far less condensation than on previous occasions.


20220522_082232 by Robert Smith, on Flickr
After a reasonable kip, our feathered friends woke me at the crack of dawn. I finally got up just gone six and had a couple of brews and a hot cross bun for breakfast, then packed up and was home for nine. Nothing left apart from a flat spot in the grass.
2/12

[RIP]

Welcome to the BaM asylum Rob. Nice little spot there. Long grass not so good for condensation management - airflow etc . Those more knowledgeable than me might be along shortly to explain plant moisture transpiration and all those other interesting things affecting condensation. Hopefully you rode the ford and not the bridge?

[Rob S]

Welcome to the BaM asylum Rob. Nice little spot there. Long grass not so good for condensation management - airflow etc . Those more knowledgeable than me might be along shortly to explain plant moisture transpiration and all those other interesting things affecting condensation. Hopefully you rode the ford and not the bridge?

Cheers Reg. I did wonder if the long grass was going to exacerbate the condensation issue, leaving the outer entrance open improved things no end though. Definitely the way forward methinks. I didn't ride the ford, if you saw the state of the nearside bank you'd understand why! It's a favourite place for 4x4's to come. They've dug two wheel ruts axle-deep as they've exited.

[Verena]

Nice one Rob, I do like a nice edge of field bivvy spot.

And well done for remembering to include all the little details of what exactly you ate for breakfast etc.

[Rob S]

Thanks Verena. Most of my bivvys will be in spots like this, Northamptonshire doesn't do wild and desolate! I do like reading this thread and quite often it's the details of what people are up to that keeps it interesting.

[Linkpin]

Managed to find time for a two-day ride with a bivvy in between at the weekend - we were planning to ride the Elan Valley but my riding buddies were concerned about the limited access to mid-ride cream teas so we settled for Exmoor instead.

Starting in Withypool (after a bacon, egg and sausage bap at the excellent little cafe there, obviously), we punched out a couple of climbs on our way to Dunkery Beacon and enjoyed a long, rough descent off the back of it. I'd decided to take my enduro bike (a Bird Aeris), which I've never been bikepacking on before but which was a real treat over the rocks.



After a National Trust cream tea followed by a slightly-too-hefty dinner in Minehead we headed back up into the hills to our planned bivvy spot on the cliffs. We all agreed the final beer hadn't been in our Top Ten Best Ideas Ever but once we reached the cliff paths and were riding into the sunset that feeling quickly faded. The spot we found was stunning and we sat watching the sunset and contemplating the last beer we'd brought up with us (I decided to put mind back in my fork bag, where it later stealthily disgorged its contents all over my gear). Having enjoyed a lingering moment of beauty, we all turned in to our very different bivvy setups - big sleeping mats, tiny ones, hooped bivvies, bivvy bags - one of our party even opted for an orange survival bag (for maximum sweat coverage I guess).



Morning dawned dry and equally beautiful and after the Faffalanche had died away we warmed up with a fast singletrack descent before attacking the biggest climb of our ride - 400 vertical metres out of Porlock. From here sea views powered us on to our next cream tea, followed by a gorgeous technical climb for miles alongside a river. Just for variety, we turned up over the top of the moors and experienced what it would be like to ride through glue - the soft peaty soil sucking at our tyres and all attempts at banter replaced by a determined, slightly bleak silence.

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However, there’s nothing that perks me up more than an orange juice and lemonade followed by some joyous rocky singletrack, and that’s exactly the combination that met us to finish the ride so we rolled back into Withypool very content. On the way home I reflected that the fork bags has been a bad idea on suspension forks as I struggled to keep them in position even with judicious use of extra cable ties, but I was very pleased with how the bike worked out and will be employing it again in the future - even running the half frame bag upside down on the top tube worked out surprisingly well.

TL;DR: Exmoor, cream teas, big climbs, long rough descents, too many beers, lovely bivvy, more big climbs, more cream teas, brilliant singletrack, the end.

[Rapideye]

This is from a couple of weeks ago. Haven't really had the time to post it earlier.

I’d had a trip back home to Scotland planned for quite a while for a 3 day-2 night trip that was supposed to be around the Cairngorm’s outer loop. Family responsibilities looked to curtail it but I did manage to head off to arrive at my Parent’s by Midnight. Well, that was the plan. All was going well until Gretna service station, where my ultra-reliable Volvo decided to not start again. I’ll spare the detail but I ended up getting to Scotland at 4.30am and spent 2 days trying to get an electric problem sorted. It did get fixed but not without killing off the Cairngorm trip. Thanks to ScotRoutes for his help planning.



Back-up plan was to do a loop around the Ochils. I seem to remember FatbikePhil heading along the same or very similar route? Anyway, had a Chinese for dinner and left at around 18.00 from Alloa to Dollar on the cycleways. Picked up some beer in Dollar and then climbed/pushed up Dollar Glen, past Castle Campbell, Glenquay Reservoir where I took a wrong turning. I was following a route on Kommot but went the wrong way and ended up in a spot over-looking Castlehill Reservoir. It was a fortunate find though. A table was a bonus. Set-up as it got dusk, had the beers and settled down. Spotted two deer.







Terrible night’s sleep what with all the racket nature made and awoke to calls of ‘Monty…Monty!’. A dog walker seemed to be calling his dog from probably coming towards the tent. Got up, had breakfast - bananas, protein bars and coffee, packed up and was complimented on the choice for the camp by another dog walker. Headed off along Glen Devon, towards Lower & Upper Glen Devon Reservoirs and a wind-farm (can’t remember the name). Went slightly too far and had to double-back before picking up a trail, mainly hike-a-bike, towards Ben Cleuch. Met another 2 mountain bikers towards the bottom of the hill to Ben Cleuch and decided I could do without pushing my bike the rest of the way to the very top.





Thought my phone’s battery had died (screen brightness had been turned to the lowest setting for some reason), so wasn’t sure of the route and ended going down Tillicoultry Glen, instead of Alva Glen. Not the best way to go but made it down and then picked up the cycleway back to Alloa. So, not what I intended but at least managed to get out and do something. Hardly, the worst place to go to. Also, made it home to Norfolk even though another engine warning light appeared on the last leg. 4 wheels bad...2 wheels good!

[sean_iow]

I've actually got a more exciting BAM bivi planned for the weekend but fancied a cheeky bonus one as I need to visit some updates to every BAMers favourite POIs, knitted post box hats

Left home after dinner (and watching the Giro highlights) and headed for the first one, I'd spotted it on my ride home from work last week.





I assume that's meant to be the Queen? I would also guess when her Majesty reads this and sees the likeness that the knitter will be getting a free stay in the tower

I think this is a clear indication of the state of the country, last Jubilee they had a bench made, it's right next to the post box, this time we can only afford a knitted hat.



Cracked on to my bivi spot, the next post boxes would have to wait until tomorrow as they are in town where I work so I could call past in my way in. Stopped to admire the view.



This is looking towards my weekend bivi, hopefully the weather will be as good then. I was soon squirreled away in my bivi bag in the woods. I've not been into this section since March 2020 (just before lock-down) and in the summer there's a lot more vegetation. Had a good nights sleep. The birds started up at 4am but other than rousing when they started I soon fell back to sleep until my alarm at 6. Up and packed in no time and away to work.



Stopped at the co-op (closest to a Spar I could manage) for a pint of milk and to photograph the next knitted tribute.





I rode into town to where I assumed there might be another, as there was a Christmas themed one previously, but nothing? The knitter must mix up where they go to keep me on my toes. This added another (small) climb to the last which was a dead cert.



Then to work. At the office before 07:30m bivi bag airing in the bike shed and quilt on the large format plotter.

Sean and Ralph, 5/5 and 28 in a row.

[Verena]

Ha ha, some impressive needlework there, what a good idea for a BAM trip

[ScotRoutes]

Can I just say.

Holy.

and


feck.

[fatbikephil]

This is from a couple of weeks ago. Haven't really had the time to post it earlier.

Back-up plan was to do a loop around the Ochils. I seem to remember FatbikePhil heading along the same or very similar route? Anyway, had a Chinese for dinner and left at around 18.00 from Alloa to Dollar on the cycleways. Picked up some beer in Dollar and then climbed/pushed up Dollar Glen, past Castle Campbell, Glenquay Reservoir where I took a wrong turning. I was following a route on Kommot but went the wrong way and ended up in a spot over-looking Castlehill Reservoir. It was a fortunate find though. A table was a bonus. Set-up as it got dusk, had the beers and settled down. Spotted two deer.

Nice to see someone appreciating my local trails - I bivvied at that spot in January 2019!

[Rapideye]

Yes, it was a nice spot. I didn't realise I was off-course until I realised I was nearing the road. Pretty much the same time saw some trees to the right and thought, ok, I can maybe pitch in amongst them and found the entrance to the trail. Once I found the table, I spent a bit of time deciding whether to hide away in the trees but then thought why would you do that, idiot?! I just waited until it got a bit later to let any late dogwalkers do their thing. No one came at all. One of the deer sightings was on the edge of the trees up the hill. I first thought it was a dog...an angry dog, running through the trees. One thing to improve it would be to chop down the trees to improve the view to the reservoir. If you could sort that out for my next trip up. Cheers

[fatbikephil]

I think the trees are growing more! I'll see what I can do....
Should you ever find yourself in the area again I can supply many gpx tracks