Wow! That looks absolutely amazing.

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Fri Jun 28, 2024 5:36 pm All together now "Oooooh, are Welsh tussocks and rain not good enough for you?!"
Looks a fab trip and in light of the TD2024 Bears discussion, very brave.

Gecko is currently leading the 'vicious wildlife encounter' category, and he was in the Pentlands!

Yeah, local advice was that the moose were more dangerous than bears. We didn't see either though much to our disappointment.

Gecko is currently leading the 'vicious wildlife encounter' category, and he was in the Pentlands!

Not even, well within the bypass. Urban foxes; got to watch out for 'em.

June Bivi

Swyre Head was the destination for June’s bivi. But I also wanted to fit in a half days climbing on the Swanage sea cliffs. Consequently I decided to load the bike into the van and drive over to The Purbecks. After a couple of enjoyable hours playing about on the ropes I hiked back to the van and re-jigged for my next adventure. Swyre Head was recommended by a mate as a great location to watch the sunset, with great views over Kimmeridge towards Weymouth and Portland. I was looking forward to the vista but first to get there . Actually it was only a short ride of about 14 km, just as well really because of my earlier exertions. Gravel took me to the Square and Compass to rehydrate. After a couple of pints of Moonlight and water I arrived about 7pm.
Bean and chard balti was on the menu. Setting about prepping the veg I’d pick from the garden earlier that morning. Being a popular view point there are a couple of benches, so had a comfortable place to cook with stunning views. And the sunset did not disappoint.
As darkness fell I unrolled my mat and climbed into my sleeping bag for a few hours of good sleep.
Rising before the sun for coffee and scrambled eggs on toast, I packed up and headed back to Swanage as the sun rose over Poole Harbour in the distance.

June bivi. Not quite an "emergency BaM", but a bit too close for comfort .

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8y02TRoNcD ... Z1cm1hd3Zw

At the opposite end of the adventure scale to the Polishermans, I was just outside my comfort zone (about 20 minutes on the train).
Last train to Lidlington, pub, then a bridleway bimble into the woods next to Millbrook vehicle test track. Uphill, past the graveyard, left and stumble across a superbly discrete spot under huge conifers, next to the perimeter fence.

We had a good Northern Lights display here a few weeks ago, so I was on the lookout for unusual cosmic phenomena and noticed odd, illuminated clouds in an otherwise clear sky. Hmmm...

Anyway: I settled down for the night and drifted off to the whirr of EVs whizzing round the track.
Or they could have been spaceships .

I woke at 3am a bit nippy so got into the bivi bag then drifted off until a very chirpy bird woke me at 4.30. At 5.30 I decided it was time to go, so followed the fast roller-coastery bridleway to the road, then down to Millbrook station for the train home. Feeling a bit guilty at my lack of effort, I jumped off the train at Woburn Sands and pedalled the final hour home through the woods. Much more satisfying .

9 consecutive bivis.

Good recce that man. There's also a nice spot on top of the hill with a view next to the golf course for next time. Only drawback is the boozer is a Greene King one which I'm unable to patronise on religious grounds . Fair play for bailing the train and riding back .

I refuse to go in a Green King pub or drink anything they produce. We once did some consultancy work for them which is an even worse than being in one of their pubs.

Indeed. But the beer isn't going to drink itself .

Those Colorado wildflowers are lovely.

Well peeps, it's nearly that time again, get your June bivvy in tonight or tomorrow and that's the second quarter done

I'm back to it, went out last night

As I've broken my 2024 BAM run, shall I still post it here, or somewhere else please, Mr Scores-on-the-doors?

After May's BAM right at the beginning of the month on the WRT I thought I'd given myself plenty of time to get June's done and out the way How wrong was I. Didnt feel to well on the Thursday/Friday so left it pretty much to the death again and even tougher knowing I had to be home for 04:30 as I'm back in work this morning for a 12hr shift, so it needed to be done last night rather than in-between 12hr shifts tomorrow night Anyway a quick spin up road to the wellie shed of a local school, good enough to get the job done even if I was surrounded by smelly kids wellies and a chance to try the new kip bag out

BAM 1 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

BAM 3 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

BAM 4 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr

BAM 2 by Lee Rowe, on Flickr



June BAM complete
June BAM 6/12
2024 - 7/12

Leerowe76 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 30, 2024 8:40 am Anyway a quick spin up road to the wellie shed of a local school, good enough to get the job done even if I was surrounded by smelly kids wellies and a chance to try the new kip bag out.

That is definitely the most high-risk BaM location I've ever heard of .
Imagine explaining that to The Rozzers if a local had dialled 999 to report "An intruder at the local school..." .

"Well, Officer...I'm was on this internet forum..."

Verena wrote: ↑Sun Jun 30, 2024 6:38 am I'm back to it, went out last night

As I've broken my 2024 BAM run, shall I still post it here, or somewhere else please, Mr Scores-on-the-doors?

Post them up here Verena, you can always run on until next june for a midsummer to midsummer BAM year.

Verena wrote: ↑Sun Jun 30, 2024 6:38 am I'm back to it, went out last night

As I've broken my 2024 BAM run, shall I still post it here, or somewhere else please, Mr Scores-on-the-doors?

Pop it in here, I reckon, then you've got some continuity into next year and can do 12 in a row (if not in the same calendar year).

Or do summat else. It's your BAM adventure, you do you.

MuddyPete wrote: ↑Sun Jun 30, 2024 9:23 am

Leerowe76 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 30, 2024 8:40 am Anyway a quick spin up road to the wellie shed of a local school, good enough to get the job done even if I was surrounded by smelly kids wellies and a chance to try the new kip bag out.

That is definitely the most high-risk BaM location I've ever heard of .
Imagine explaining that to The Rozzers if a local had dialled 999 to report "An intruder at the local school..." .

"Well, Officer...I'm was on this internet forum..."

Cheers Pete, lots of explainations were going round in my head while lying there tbh

Leerowe76 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 30, 2024 10:50 am lots of explainations were going round in my head while lying there tbh

"Yes we know you're lying Sir, but we're just trying to get to the bottom of what's really going on here"

Certainly a bonus point for originality!

In the end I didn't resort to the emergency roller BaM, instead I cycled all of 800m down the High St to the local rec and wedged myself into a gap in a hedge. In the morning, I was going to do a, very, local loop, but about a third of the way round, I took one look at the sky and headed for the house. By the time I'd made a coffee, it was hoofing it down. Box ticked, still in the game, somehow...



https://www.strava.com/activities/11771774152
2024: 6 / 12
Total: 44
Streak: 6

Dunnit! Almost last gasp June BaM.

Set out just before seven and huffed up lots of hills to where I’d thought to progress my “Bivvy in wild flowers” campaign. Didn’t work. A few years ago there had been a very pretty display of big purple thistles and I’d expected there to be another one.




Not to be - the thistles were there, but not in bloom and the whole patch was occupied by sheep (and by-product thereof) Aaaand it was grey and miserable. I opted to go another couple of hundred yards and bivvy in the next favourable spot, but didn’t take note of the cowpats. Should have done, but I set to setting up, then realised I'd not brought the tent pole. Hm, story of my life, this, but out came the Swiss Army knife and a more-or-less right length pole was cut from a fallen branch. Okay-ish, but I’d brought the wrong pack of tent pegs (only five instead of the eight I needed). SAK’ed some pegs too, but then the cow-pat depositors turned up -about a dozen, maybe a few more. I had to chase’em off a few times before they got the message. Nonetheless, I readied some stones to chuck at ‘em should they forget.


The bivvy…



Down in the valley behind the trees lies Llangollen. These pics are from this morning, but last night while I was setting up (in the rain), I could hear music from down there. Unbeknown to me, the Keiser Chiefs were on in the Eisteddfod show ground.

Next morning, pack up and head over the moors, then the Offas Dyke Path to Llandegla Forest. The ODP meets the trails near the top so I followed the Blue trail ….


…. to the visitor centre for a most excellent bacon-and-egg bap, which, remarkably, I managed to eat without getting egg yolk down my front.


After all that, 14 miles home, mostly down hill.

Presumably some previous punter had left their glasses on the table? Surely yours were back under those trees?

Still, on the bright side, you didn't have to pay good money for your seat in the Upper Circle to hear the Kaisers .


Note to Mr Frog: don't ferget yer pole and pegs this weekend.

We're both as bad as each other of course. I can see us standing on Bangor station at midnight on Friday with no bikes or gear wondering why we're there .

After some local bivvys i felt the need to get into the hills/mountains the forecast was for a clear warm night so minimal kit was required bivvy bag and 150 quilt for the night and windproof jacket and usual cycling clothes should do the job . So last Sunday i drove to Llanthony Priory early afternoon and parked in the car park it said no camping but no mention of overnight parking on the sign so off i went to Capel y ffin and picked up the bridleway to Lord Herefords doda . Just as the tarmac runs out there is an old farmhouse which had this in the window
PXL_20240623_150707642 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
Other than one short section it was surprisingly rideable i heard voices ahead as i came round a corner there was a young lad collecting water from a stream the rest of the group yelled behind you he thought they were joking so obviously a loud BOO was in order it was a good job he had put the lid back on the bottle or he would have had to start filling it again nearly everyone was greatly amused
Lovely views into Mid Wales from the ridge
PXL_20240623_154459139 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
Nice ride along the ridge to the trig point where a change of route for tommorow started to take shape
PXL_20240623_161136976 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
A bit further on i picked up the track that leads down to and past the Grwyne fawr resevoir i have always enjoyed this track so was having to much fun to stop and take any pictures a bit of road followed and then the long climb to the top of Mynydd Du forest it was hot in the sun and my intention was to Bivvy on the side of side of the forest road as i remembered quite a few places that were flat and with good views so ideal for the sunset and sunrise . Almost as soon as it levelled out a big patch of cloud blocked out the sun and the wind got up as for the far reaching views it has obviously been good growing weather in Wales so i stopped at a suitable spot got set up had some food and went to bed it was still warm and as it got dark the skies cleared and had a great star filled sky to admire .
PXL_20240623_191436106 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
As it was getting light i woke up very irritated the wind had dropped and i was being eaten alive by midges i didnt think they were such a presence this far south but i am pretty certain after many encounters that they were the real deal fortunately the bivvy bag had a mesh panel which was quickly done up . The swarm were very loud and very visible i was hoping the wind would pick up so i could get up without them it didnt it started raining instead bloody forecast !! Up and out of there as quickly as possible and decision time it was supposed to be a nice day so i went up out of the forest and along a path towards Waun Fach to enjoy the views
PXL_20240624_082625365 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
A quick stop for breakfast then on towards the track juction from yesterday to take me back to the trig point and the track to the blacksmiths anvil to pick up the very steep and rocky Bridleway back to Capel y ffin on the way i met these two chaps
PXL_20240624_085121435.MP by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
They had caught the train to Hereford and cycled in the previous day and had hammocked at the far side of the dam .
Where are you from i asked ,
Malvern they replied ,
So am i ,
They said they were trying to get away from people from Malvern ,
that didnt work out well fabulous bikes though and a good laugh was had .
PXL_20240624_111034154 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr
6/12 for this year and 66 consecutive bivvys plus a lot of itching for a few days after

Some good last-minuters being squeezed in here. Bad luck with the midges Kev . Just packed my midge net . Did you sign those blokes up? Couple of nice antique-looking Konas there, I'm sure they'd fit in.

BAM June done last weekend 22nd June. Late write up, a few pictures to follow

Almost Solstice and a good forecast, a bit of a race to get to the Wye Valley Greenway before the tunnel closed at 7.00 - but I didn't see the key keeper as usual on their way at 6.55, so wonder if it always gets locked ?.


Beer and chips by the Abbey, and met one of the team working on the Brockweir Inn launch. Apparently he lives opposite it, so has an interest in it reopening!


Backtracked to a bivvy spot below the Greenway, one of the few places you can access the river at high tide. Footprints of beasts in the mud, so spread out my bag to one side to avoid a midnight trampling.

There had been a very serious sign warning of the Greenway being closed ahead due to a landslide, the diversion not suitable for bikes, beware etc ...but I carried on and had only seen a slight narrowing at one point close to Tintern. Not sure if the problem was overplayed, or had now been cleared but the sign not removed.

Very peaceful sleep with no beasts, but it was low tide so maybe they have tide tables. Back at the tunnel at 6.50 am, and the bungee was still in place on the door, so it was either opened early or not closed last night.

Glorious ride through the wild flowers, collected a good bag of elderflowers. Roll and coffee at Greggs Chepstow, only the chains were open early, and home by train at 10.30. Started the elderflower wine for Christmas

BAM 30 June... 6 of 6, 30 of 30
Last BAM 54 days ago, WRT report still to follow!
Strava said...0' Ascent 0.47 miles
It was never going to be earth shattering.
A busy month led to the usual last night discipline.
Got home at 2210 following a fishing a match on the Wye!
Feeling worn out I was fearing this could be the month I dip out.
Mad dash to prepare kit, then set off.
The path of least resistance is a logic oft used, and matched my circumstance.
Many moons ago I wouldn't dare consider a wild camp within sight of my humble home, but taking a positive slant, its a BAM portfolio and actually feels like a big tick in the box
Plus I live in the countryside, choice is endless, and one could still reduce the mileage somewhat
Wherever one is, once settled in bag and bivi, it all comes together. The grounding with nature, feeling one's own calm, the whisky driven fall into slumber. Love it. Must do more.
Morning arrived early but what a good nights sleep was had.
Now to stealth and safety. A cornfield is perfect in the dark. But what if there's a fire or an early start combine harvester, not to mention standing up and the whole world can see one from afar



My neighbour!


Perfect cover but beware

Some ace last minute nights under the stars & nice to see some retro bikes being used, miss my old Gary Fisher Wahoo. Got me looking at retro rigs now