Cheers, Phil. I'll remember that. The Folks still live in Alloa and as they're getting on a bit, I'm trying to head home more to visit but also to use it as an excuse the head off for a few days too. I keep an eye on your routes as I'm aware of a lot of the places you mention, just not from a bikepacking/cycling point of view.

Posting late but May's BaM was ticked off with a post work loop from Brecon up to Storey Arms and down to Merthyr Tydfil via the Taff Trail. A bit of hike-a-bike behind Beacons Reservoir, but the weather was so nice I didn't care! From Merthyr I followed route 8 back to Talybont-on-Usk, finding the entrance to an abandoned rail tunnel on the way. Didn't venture in very far! Following the tow path back to Brecon (with a pub meal in Pencelli), I found a quiet spot above Brecon with great views of the town. Woke early for the short ride back into work.

May boxed off.

Hardknott Fort roughly 70 miles in to Jennride. Possibly the best 2 days I've ever had whilst pissing about on bikes. Just mint

Well, that was lovely.

A jaunt dahn sarf for May's bivvy-a-month, meeting up with Sean and Ralph, and zipping along the New Forest's finest gravel* tracks, and the chalk downs of The Island™

The Hythe ferry and associated railway along the pier saw me to our rendezvous, and after navigating the extensive if somewhat confusing cycle infrastructure out of town, we were soon out in the wide open spaces of Beaulieu Heath on a "High Risk Route", seemingly due to the peril that roaming ponies might visit on unsuspecting motorists. Anyway, we didn't get shaken down for sugar lumps, considered a number of plans**, and after an extensive tour of the local one-way systems, dived into the forest proper.

It soon became apparent why all the riding videos from this area I've seen on the old social media look so fast - in addition to carefully groomed gravel, the terrain is pretty much pan flat. I really rather enjoyed it. We made good progress, occasionally slowing for deer or ponies.

Grub was taken at a local hostelry, where we enjoyed chats with a local who'd not slept for over 72 hours***, and a very nice management consultant. As the sun crept below the horizon and the temperature dropped, we ghosted our way to a nice bit of flat and dry ground beneath the trees, shared a can of barrel-aged stout, and fell into a very chilled night's sleep.

We had already agreed to get on our way before having breakfast, so as the dawn chorus roused us from our bags, we packed up and headed for another boat. Breakfast 1 was taken as we waited quayside, breakfast 2 was on the boat, and breakfast 3 was at a café on the far shore. A pretty successful hour or so, that.

It was now time to traverse The Island™, and we climbed up onto its chalk spine, past golfers and cows. A well-appointed bench provided another opportunity to take refreshments, and we then enjoyed a series of flowing descents which Sean introduced as "you go ahead, you're a faster descender than me" followed by regrouping at the bottom with stories of how he/his mates had previously stacked it with various degrees of bumps/grazes/tumble dryer routines.

Into town, we made use of the local boating facilities to top up our water, and Sean regaled me with tales of exploding viaducts****
Then the last stretch to the third and final ferry of the trip (following a brief refreshment stop).

About 80km, 6 beers, 4 meals, 1 errant cow, 2 checked shirts, half a bag of jelly babies. Photos here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeJ1wyYsnMt/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeKEEPZMuo_/

2022 BAM 5/12
2022 total bivvies 6
Current streak (months) 42


*ISO 14688/#ThereIsNoGravelInTheUK
**pubs
***We suggested he take up ultracycling
****I suspect Reg would appreciate a guided tour along these lines

May done
I wasn't feeling it this month so ended up at my 'winter' bivvy spot. I've stayed here a few times now but never in the early Summer. It was great to sit and chill out listening to all the birds and lambs doing their thing.
Some pics...
20220529_211225 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220529_193244 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220529_202232 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220530_055518 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220530_065430 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Exploding viaducts? Probably another good name for a band. Looked a good trip that, really must pull my finger out but going south of the river scares me...

Well I have been truly rubbish at posting my BAM trips this year - way too much going on at work and other commitments, so here is a bumper post to cover February to May!

February
I've fancied trying to do some night sky photography for a while. So one day we were going to my parents. The weather was forecast to be clear and the moonset at 2030 the night before. So I packed my camera, tripod and bivy and headed out to a place that from some OS maps I thought I would have little light polution, get a decent view + a good view of the stars.

What I didn't bother to look at was the wind... and the windchill. Baltic! Anyway, I got to the place I had identified, which was rather exposed and spent a rather hurried 20 minutes trying to get some photos while avoiding hypothermia. To be honest, they aren't exactly great. I focussed on the stars, which meant the bike was out of focus. Not sure if I need to focus stack or something.... but I wasn't going to be hanging around, otherwise my hands were going to drop off! So hopped in my bivy and had a rather good sleep despite the cold! Woke up to sheet ice on the inside and outside of my bivy, packed up and then headed to my parents to rendezvous for a very civilised lunch!

This is the best picture I got - not exactly great. Must try harder.

2022_0204_21215000 by chrisp455, on Flickr

March
Another local ride for March, as I just didn't have time to sort anything better out. But it was that first weekend of really warm weather, so I headed down to a little valley that I have been meaning to camp in for ages. Its really peaceful there. Unfortunately they seem to have just planted a forest, which slightly spoilt the feeling of nature. But never mind, it was a lovely still, warm evening.

Took my tarp tent instead of the bivy for a change. Very nice night. The actual ride was a bit of a fudge, as where I camped was only about 3 miles from home. So I did two bigish loops out and back to get 20k or something in either side of the camp.

20220319_183800 by chrisp455, on Flickr

April
Another trip to my parents, but this time via a really nice, long loop of the North Cotswolds. It was another lovely weekend of warm, still weather and had a good ride down some tracks that I haven't explored before, interspersed with a nice break for some food in Bourton on the Water.

Camped not far from my parents on some open "common" land. Very nice peaceful night in the bivy

20220421_205237 by chrisp455, on Flickr

May
Actually managed to make it out of Gloucestershire for a BAM trip! Yay! Work and family commitments have finally died down a bit. I had been planning to go and do the HT550 in mid-May, but unfortunately I ran out of time. So ended up going and doing some bashing round mid-Wales instead. Decent weather, considering the doom and gloom of the MetOffice. Was a tad windy, but nothing too bad. Anyway, can't really go too far wrong with the Elan Valley area.

Took the tarp tent again as I wasn't sure what the rain would be doing. Very enjoyable!

2022_0528_19332100 by chrisp455, on Flickr

I will endeavour to do better with BAM posts in the coming months

Don't laff... but..

Saw a tiny short shift in Whitchurch and seeing its on the Welsh/England border I nabbed it up. Quickly packed my bivy gear into a large backpack, I packed the car and drove down.

After work I've been to the Sainsbury's for water and stuf. But couldn't bring myself to ride the 18 or more road miles to Chirk where I might be closer to the mountains and then a bivy there somewhere. Basically, I chickened out of the bivy or the long mtb ride after.. pr maybe the road ride before even though its national trails.

If I had gone for it (gonna drive back home after writing this), could I have maybe classed it as my June BAM as I already did the May...

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Tue May 31, 2022 11:19 pm could I have maybe classed it as my June BAM as I already did the May...

Nope .

RIP wrote: ↑Wed Jun 01, 2022 10:28 am

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Tue May 31, 2022 11:19 pm could I have maybe classed it as my June BAM as I already did the May...

Nope .

Phew. Glad I just drove back home then Reg. Watch this space...

Ignore me Shaf, I'm not any sort of Black Knight gatekeeper . There's no rules. Then again there are Rules, so where does that leave us I wonder.

Likewise, there is no justice, just ice (-cold water poured over our hopes and dreams).

As say, just ignore me, I've been reading too many of those strange books again (in today's case 'About Time': "from sundials to quantum clocks, how the cosmos shapes our lives - and we shape the cosmos").

I'm probably also just feeling defensive about my own upcoming BaM ideas . Not sure about June. Need a cheapie really after 'big' April and May ones. July might be a 'big' one as well, thinking of returning to Staffordshire Moorlands and Dovedale area with a side order of Stoke post-industrial urban nosing thrown in. August got vague ideas about S Wales.

Maybe June should be a local solstice jobby on Tuesday 21st. There's bound to be a load of nude dancing in the woods (hang on, maybe I mean in the stone circle) at midnight somewhere round here and I'm a big fan of that as you know. Any Chilterns folks free?

Just done may no. 2 in a wriggly tin hut. June tonight. Currently in dalwhinnie (near scotroutes manor) contemplating more sheds

I wasn't sure Mays BAM was going to happen. I've been generally down and depressed recently. Possibly related to this bloody miserable weather we've had. Looking options towards the weekend I was less than enthusiastic, feeling it had reached the box-ticking stage. However, I was browsing a map, came up with a potentially interesting location and it turned out that last night was going to be (reasonably) dry.

I set off after dinner, passing the well known Loch Uaine on the way.




I got to the end of the track I was looking for and prepared for some tussock-hopping but it turned out to be deep, boggy moss. I headed for a little stand of trees, reckoning that would be drier under foot and spotted a pile of stones.




This was the site of a small fire pit. Looking around, I spotted a suitable area for my tent and, since it has started raining again, figured this would be good enough.






It was very sheltered and, with being between a bog and a river, under trees, I expected a midge-fest. However, it turned out to be just chilly enough to keep them at bay.


Obligatory selfie..




I usually favour somewhere with a view but it was pleasant enough with just the sound of the river behind me and the chatter of various birds.


I had a good nights sleep, but a really awful dream in which I knew I was dreaming but couldn't wake myself out of it. Eventually, I managed (in my dream) to shout at myself and then actually woke up for real.

The morning sun put in a brief appearance and I was caught in a dilemma of whether to relax and enjoy it or to make a sharp getaway before the rain set in again. I opted for the former and still managed to get on the road before a slight drizzle descended.



Heading back home via Ryvoan, the weather picked up a bit and I had to stop to check out this weirdly coloured sky.







So, 5 for the year, 66 consecutive. I'll try for somewhere more exotic for June.

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Wed Jun 01, 2022 5:12 pm a wriggly tin hut

Pic please


Glad you managed to haul yourself back onto the straight and narrow 'Routes, close shave there, but blimey that dream sounds a bit unnerving. When that happens to me the rest of next day is spent in an unpleasant half dream half [whatever passes for] reality state.

Colin wrote: I had a good nights sleep, but a really awful dream in which I knew I was dreaming but couldn't wake myself out of it. Eventually, I managed (in my dream) to shout at myself and then actually woke up for real

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Wed Jun 01, 2022 5:26 pm I'll try for somewhere more exotic for June.

BivvySwap™
Freshen up your BAM campaign by swapping your well-used spots with someone else.
(Admittedly, this would completely scupper my usual 'ride from the door' approach, but maybe I'd make the effort to travel for summat extra 'specially good?)

May's BAM bagged on the way up to Styhead Tarn near Seathwaite Fell on the Jennride

Right then. Bags/bike packed. Riding across to Glossop on as much trails I could find. Then down the Pennine Bridleway (hope it goes well InshaAllah) towards Chinley and turn offy route to head towards Chapel en le Frith for their Thursday night group rides.

Hopefully he'll be a good good lad and incorporate todays route with mine - he's planning to do a different route each Thursday so it's all to join for if you wanna see various sights around the Peak-Chinley-Chapel Frith (and beyond) areas) - so I can get on my way after leaving there...

Watch this space

June done on the edge of inshriach forest - no room in the shed! And another mozzy experience Just finishing breakfast at glenmore

May BaM+1.

I've already posted a BaM for May (WRT), so this is an extra one. It doesn't count for June because I started out in May.

I'm on leave from work for a couple of weeks so what better way to start my holiday than with a bivvy ride. This one was just 15 miles from home, mostly on lanes (Cycle.travel is good for finding off-main-road routes, I find) with a few miles of canal towpath to finish. I got to my bivvy spot before 8 o'clock and thought that was too early, so I asked a passing walker where the neatest pub was. The Horse & Jockey, Northwood, three miles away. Oh well, 's better than sitting around waiting for bedtime and maybe I can get something to eat, so I peddalled on.

On the way to the pub...



It turned out, they don't do food on Tuesdays so a packet of crisps would have to do, and a couple of pints of Shropshire Gold. By the time I got back it was close to dusk so I quickly set up before cooking my supper. The midges were starting, but not too many and a squirt of Smidge kept them at bay. After supper, I carried my roll mat to the top of the viewing platform to look at the stars. It's a good place for star gazing is this, not much light pollution. It was starting to get cloudy but there were enough gaps to get a good view of stars and a few satellites.




I lazed about for a while before setting off for home because the site is a haven for wildlife and in particular, dragonflies. It's a home for the largest species of British dragonflies - the Blue Emperor - as well as a host of others. Didn't see any and gave up, to pedal down the towpath to Grindley Brook locks where breakfast happened at the cafe. Not cheap, but very tasty.

Afterwards, it was as much of the Bishop Bennetts Way as would get me close to home. In all, a pleasant little trip. I'll have to go back later in the season to see the dragonflies - it was probably a little too early yet.

What's the big green pipe - a periscope?

Nice to see your new abode in action there Lu, hope you're getting on well with each other

Now then.... BAM June in progress. Rode down the Chapen ELF to join the night ride organised by our Karl. Classed it as a commute as it kinda was. Took lots o pics but won't bore you with em as pics don't do Peaks justice. These two were probably some of the highlights...





Yes in case you're wondering it is a Mazda 323...

Currenly in one of the Chapel riders summerhouse and used a bucket for a wee. First bothy (kindof) experience and it feels nice n wonderful.

But knackered but will try and pootle along the Pennine Bridleway in the morn then fork off to Sheffield and train it home God Willing...

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Thu Jun 02, 2022 9:19 pm What's the big green pipe - a periscope?

Right first time. There’s a good path to the tower for wheelchair users and the periscope has been recently put up for them.

RIP wrote: ↑Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:36 pm Nice to see your new abode in action there Lu, hope you're getting on well with each other

I’m getting alone with it fine, thanks and slowly getting used to sleeping on the hard hard ground instead of my comfy comfy hammock. I’m finding it a bit strange having all the extra space - the Gatewood packs down very small. I’ll have to have a rethink about where to pack my stuff. Or maybe I can take more stuff…

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Fri Jun 03, 2022 12:07 am Now then.... BAM June in progress. Rode down the Chapen ELF to join the night ride organised by our Karl. Classed it as a commute as it kinda was. Took lots o pics but won't bore you with em as pics don't do Peaks justice. These two were probably some of the highlights...





Yes in case you're wondering it is a Mazda 323...

Currenly in one of the Chapel riders summerhouse and used a bucket for a wee. First bothy (kindof) experience and it feels nice n wonderful.

But knackered but will try and pootle along the Pennine Bridleway in the morn then fork off to Sheffield and train it home God Willing...

Right then... BAM June done and since I took so many pics, as well as to encourage myself to keep going. Here be the full(er) report.

If anyone doesn't know that Karl Booth runs the Thursday night mtb rides from Chapel. He's planning to ensure its a different route each week and everyone is welcome. There is a FB or Insta page somewhere to get updates but generally it's 1930 outside the Co-Op at Chapel (en le Frith but apparently everyone calls it Chapel - probably cos its such a faff saying the other bit correctly).

Last week I'd driven over but driving them Peaks hills sometimes gives me the 'vertigo'. Besides, who wants to pollute so much just to go get a ride in. So I've decided to try and go human powered as much as poss but am also determined to get as many of these night-rides in as poss.

Following on from my 'pollution rant' of which I do my fare share, I decided this weeks would be a practice mtb commute as I'm working on that for work to Sheffield. Time to get there was 1930 and I departed after getting everything packed at around 1100. Moving time was just short of 6 hours (so that's my answer for the Sheffield commute ) but including faff it took me to 8 hours. Naturally, I was a bit late but 'kind Karl' (as opposed to Fat Finger Karl which I've learnt he doesn't like) and the crew waited them extra few minutes for me.

During the ride one of the lovely riders (Mike) offered me use of his summer house, which I first declined as I had my lovely bivy bag. The mtb Chapel ride was a slog (for me) and by the end I was firmly decided that I should take up the offer. First bivy in a bothy, kindof. He also kindly prepared me a piss-bucket of which I was rather glad in the middle of the night.

"I'll be away at the crack of dawn Mike, so you might not see me tomorrow but really appreciated", I told Mike. Not a patriot thankfully so I could speak freely about the Royals. Morning came and I was up at 0415, just in time for prayers. Prayers done and it starting pouring. Weather checked and off back to bed I went as it was rain until 0800ish...

Reminder to self: if I wanna keep this BAM thing going I must get me a nice tent (answers on a postcard - but it's likely it'll be a Lunar Solo though I might be a bit tall for it). Had it not been for this lovely bothy my night would have gone terribly miserable, I suppose (Alhamdulillah it worked out well).

0800 and beyond I got back on the road. 47 miles already done to get here, I didn't really want to go back to find the Pennine Bridleway I'd left behind so decided to find a shortcut/longcut to rejoin the route at a later point. I'd not ridden them last 10 miles yesterday and taken a road-shortcut. The rest is history I suppose but the 30 miles to Sheffield, ended up cut short and instead I got the train from Bamford and then back home.

In pics...


The end of my BAM waiting at Bamford station. Lots of history hey!


So many birds I'd seen on the ride down but none sat long enough to allow me a pic. Well except for the robin on a PBW sign. So I took this pic instead of what I assume I'd spotted in the past 20ish hours. They were lovely regardless but I do wish they'd fly a bit slower to be seen...


This brought particular joy to my mind. Bamford council or someone somewhere here, obviously sees the inportance of leaving the hundred year old trees alone. So annouing when councils uproot the trees. This road (Station Rd) had a long line of them which it appeared the pavements had been built/returbed around them. For what it's worth and those that might be too much into thwie BBC reports of what muslims are... Our prophet Mohammed (sallalahualayhiwasallam) advised us that we mustn't destroy the greenery, especially for no seriously important reason. He also taught us that the greenery/nature is good for the heart...


Thus is one of the pics that made me almost write this in the Cows n Quarries n Shafts thread. Reg, if you're reading, there was some vaguely exciting quarries on this here journey. Think you can spot it/one on the left of this pic, unless I'm mistaken.


The cute sheep that was probably scratching himself vigorously by rolling his face and neck in the grass. Stopped as soon as I pulled out the camera!


At this point I was feeling rather knackered this am, but then stumbled on this cafe. Saved me from pulling out my £7 dehydrated meal. Wouldn't wanna have a £7 dehydrated unless on a properly special joirney would ya.


Another thing I learnt from our prophet (sallalahualayhiwasallam). Works for me everytime, I read, 'Bismillah Tawaqqaltu alallah - laa haww la
walaa quwwatha illah billah (with the name of Allah - i put my trust in Allah - there is no power, or Might, but Allah) and tied the bike/camel. Always puts the mind at ease. Must get some black voile straps though.


After leaving Chapel, it was a rather difficult 3 miles HAB to miss out the A road and get back on track. So you can imagine my fright when I saw this. For the record, yes, I did walk most of it... But on a positive side, the garden centre just before it, allowed me to fill my bottle from the outside tap. Both the couple came out 'concerned' but were happy with my Yorkshire explanation and water request.


The HAB I mentioned above. You can imagine my 'delight' at seeing two massive stiles (is that what they're called) after finally making it through the walking path that hadn't been trodden for what seems like years. Somehow managed to make it across both and was super duper happy that the weight was mainly on my back and not the bike.


If I hadn't taken that massive HAB shortcut though. I'd not have gotten this view of Mt Famine (recognised it from Karls tourist-info laat night).


This was the point yesterday where I had to make the exec decision of leaving the bridleway and making a quick road detour. Or else I'd never had made it for the Thursday night ride


Alot of water was drank but I later learnt that I shouldn't have thrown away the 1L Vimto bottle. As it held its shape better. But maybe the 1L would have been too less, so maybe it was a good upgrade/downgrade.


Thw birdy that sat still for a pic. Don't get too excited at not bwing able to see it. Its only a robin


A particularly significant point in the journey down. If you look in the corner there seems to be some ruins of some walls. Maybe a nice room one day for a bivy. Plus I made ablution in the stream that runs below that bridge and it freshened me up as it was heavingly hot.


More tqxpayer money being spent on making the pilons go underground so we don't need to see em! Wonder how many millions it's costing and I wonder if it's their dads money. Less money for the royals too if we spend so much on landscaping for us 'commoners'.


Just gorgeous...


The cow I had to shoo away before I did my prayers. Yes, I did think of Karl.

THE END

Addendum

1 fly breathed and felt near to choking as I struggled coughing it out (always struggled with swallowing, coughing n clearing ever since the heart infection - well, on and off.

2 pressure sores inherited. Wonder where they came from. Maybe Stu was right about the honey cream adding moisture!

75 miles ridden and about 7 hours slept.